Information obtained by TJHN is showing that the relocation of the NA3HL Quad City Flames to Madison Wisconsin is certainly going to be contested.
TJHN has learned that neither USA Hockey of the NA3HL examined the guidelines for Tier III relocation.
The Dells Ducks in the Minnesota Junior Hockey League are located 48 miles from the proposed relocation point of the NA3HL’s Quad City Flames location in Madison Wisconsin.
Emails obtained from TJHN would show that the Flames proposed relocation was presented to USA Hockey on April 1, 2013. While the MNJHL and Dells Ducks were not made aware of the proposed relocation until just recently. The MNJHL and Ducks are saying that this is improper based not only on territory rights but lack of notice.
The NA3HL franchise is said to have already begun building a new dressing room in the Madison arena, and that they have already begun recruiting local players. Clearly this is a violation of USA Hockey rules. How can a team with no approval to move from the junior council already be spending money on such move? How can they already feel comfortable enough to recruit players to play in Madison when approval has not yet been received?
Territory rights are clear. If it is within 50 miles, the Dells Ducks have a legitimate claim to a territory violation and USA Hockey must examine its own rules in this case. Previous expansion and relocation applications have been denied because of territory rights, so one would question how those rights could be over looked now.
Battle lines are neing drawn, and this may play out not only in the court of public opinion, but in the courts of Wisconsin.
