It barely lasted long enough to barbecue some good pork chops, and now they're all but gone.Last summer, the Iowa Chops were formed. The American Hockey League franchise had been affiliated with (and named after) the Dallas Stars, but switched to the Anaheim Ducks and promptly changed the team nickname. After one season, and a futile attempt to recruit Brett Favre, the Chops are in serious trouble, and could cease to exist.
The AHL Board of Governors voted Tuesday to suspend the team's operations for the 2009-2010 season. According the a league statement, the team "has unfortunately been unable to remedy certain violations of the provisions of the league's Constitution and By-Laws."
There have been reports that ownership took out a loan and used the franchise as collateral. That move would be against AHL rules.
The league vote came after the Ducks ended their affiliation agreement with the Chops back in May. That decision was made, according to the Ducks, because Chops ownership owed Anaheim "significant money."
The owners of the Chops had previously tried to get out of a no-relocation agreement they had with Polk County, which runs Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. Negotiations on a settlement fell through, basically preventing the owners from selling the team and allowing it to be moved.
On the Chops' website, there is a statement on the matter.
We'd like to remain patient as The County works through the options we've presented them with regard to the Iowa Chops. And while not getting too specific – as again, our intent is to remain patient while they evaluate the next steps – we've provided a few options that save professional hockey in Des Moines.The team also says full refunds will be given to anyone who had already bought their season tickets.
Our intent behind this is to maintain not only the important revenue streams during hockey season to Global Spectrum and Polk County, but to also ensure that downtown businesses, bars and restaurants benefit from a hockey team, their fans, and their corporate partners. Regarding the scenario where we bring in a local partner and Central Hockey League team at our cost, we would ensure that fans and businesses can rely on the stewardship and relationships that a Des Moines area partner brings to the region and the operation.
As for the Ducks, their search for a new AHL affiliate will continue. While Dallas and Edmonton are among the NHL franchises who have gone without a designated AHL affiliate in past seasons, most NHL teams do have a feeder club in the AHL.
The future for the Chops is much murkier. While there is an agreement in place to put a team in Wells Fargo Arena, there doesn't appear to be a team available to play there. Ownership is claiming losses upwards of $4 million since Iowa first got an AHL franchise in 2005, and two NHL franchises have come and gone from the city. Unless current ownership finds a local buyer, or they are able to return to some sort of sound relationship with the AHL, Des Moines may be done with professional hockey.
There is reason to believe the AHL can be successful in Des Moines. The city hosts a United States Hockey League team -- the Buccaneers -- that has done well. After four seasons of pro hockey losing money in the city, the Buccaneers might become the only game in town again.
