The Greater Metro Hockey League has been grabbing markets in Canada that some other leagues have expressed interest in. The GMHL has been able to expand without having to go through the “red tape” that comes with Hockey Canada sanctioning. That lack of sanctioning, amoung other things also comes with a price sometimes.
This is one of those times.
The United Communities Credit Union Complex hosting a GMHL team was not viable from the beginnning. Matt Romaniski, team owner based out of Detroit had pkanned for the team to practice in Detroit and play games in Amherstburg. Driving time to home games would have taken a half hour minimum as long as there was no traffic on the bridge or in the tunnel to Canada. That trip can actually take hours at times.
Romanski is also blaming Hockey Canada for saying the youth hockey teams in Amherstburg would not be allowed to support the team. And we are to believe this is something Romanski wouldnt have learned in his investigations into purchasing a franchise in this league? Pretty easy to do a web search and find out what is going on.
Lastly, Romanski blames insurance issues for players. Again, isnt this something that should have been known? The GMHL had a team based in the United States before, and they were insured under AAU.
The reasons listed do not pass the smell test.
Sources contacted in Detroit are saying Romanski did not have the proper funding or hockey connections to put together a GMHL team. Although Romanski is the one taking the blame for this failure, the GMHL should be taking most of it.
How does a league like the GMHL that has been around for years approve such an ownership plan anyway? Experience would easily show that this idea was doomed to fail from the beginning. Some sources in Canada are speculating if the GMHL was paid a “non refundable” franchise fee. Other sources are blaming the GMHL as well as the city of Amherstburg. The reasons being used ofr this failure existed before the team was announced, and the city was so desperate to sell ice that they did not investigate the GMHL or Romanskis plan.
Romanski is said to be contacting other leagues in the US in an attempt to secure a Detroit based franchise without any luck.
