Owners of the Nanaimo Clippers hockey club have established a two-week window to attract local buyers for the B.C. Hockey League club or they will be forced to sell elsewhere, move the team themselves or even let the 45-year-old franchise go dark.
That was the message Ken Wagner, the team governor and spokesman for the majority ownership group, delivered at a news conference at Frank Crane Arena on Thursday.
“I don’t want to be the guy who moves this team after 45 years, but I’ve supported it for 11 now, had lots of fun, developed a lot of kids and met a lot of good people,” said Wagner. “The corporate citizens and fans are the best in the league. I want to thank you for that, but we need to find more local ownership to carry the flag.
“This isn’t a threat guys, this is real. Throughout the process of the multiplex year we felt we were forced to go out and find another place to play hockey,” he said in reference to the recent vote on building an events centre in Nanaimo to attract a Western Hockey League club.
Clippers’ owners looked for a buyer as part of a contingency plan for the now failed referendum and they found one.
“We have a city that is willing to bend over backwards to have a Junior A hockey team. It’s time to become more local or the team will be relocated,” added Wagner, a Calgary businessman who forms the majority ownership group along with Bill Gallacher and Paul Colborne. Former NHLers David LeNeveu and Kelly Hrudey are also listed as minority owners with LeNeveu the team president.
That interested community Wagner refers to is believed to be Campbell River, long rumoured to be in search of a BCHL club.
“The most ideal situation is to have local ownership come in. Failing that, then it’s an ownership willing to buy the team and keep the team local,” added LeNeveu.
LeNeveu said owners have not publicly stated the asking price for the team, which was reportedly purchased by Wagner and his group for $680,000 back in 2005.
According to several sources, teams can sell anywhere from $650,000 to $1.3 million, depending on location and circumstances.
LeNeveu also stated that interest had come from one local source, but only in a minor capacity.
“One individual has expressed serious interest for a portion, but not for the amount needed,” said LeNeveu. “If there’s real interest, we can make things happen.”
When contacted Thursday on the possibility of the Clippers relocating or suspending operations, the BCHL refused to comment.
There are those, however, who believe the move may be a ploy to establish a better lease at Frank Crane Arena. The current lease ends in April. LeNeveu vehemently denies that suggestion.
The two sides just recently began negotiations for a lease because the outcome of the referendum would have affected the Clippers’ future.
