Article About Saskatoon Team

[Shootmaster_44]

I found this in this morning's Star-Phoenix and noticed it wasn't posted on the IBL section.

Pro b-ball entrepreneur arrives with certain baggage
Kevin Mitchell, The StarPhoenix
Published: Saturday, April 21, 2007

Troy Burns's history includes angry creditors, financial miscues and bad optics.

Now he is headed to Saskatoon with a whopping challenge: Convincing people in this pro-sports-jaded city his professional basketball team is here for the long haul.

Burns, who recently announced he is putting International Basketball League teams into both Saskatoon and Edmonton for 2008, concedes that a series of controversies he has been enmeshed in the last few years don't look good on the surface.

"Everyone has a past," says Burns, who signed a lease with Credit Union Centre on Tuesday. "But in no way does it reflect on the basketball team at all. We're solid guys."

Burns was a hot topic in Port Alberni, B.C., late last summer when his disappearance signalled the end of the Aquadisiac Restaurant and the Rhino Club. He'd started both business ventures a few months earlier.

Burns left unpaid bills and his employees say they didn't receive their final paycheques.

Burns's mother told the Alberni Valley Times she sympathized with the restaurant employees who lost out on paycheques.

"I feel so bad for them," Balbir Burns said the day her son left town. "They're single moms -- I'm a single mom, too. I know what it's like."

She later added he should have "dealt with his problems instead of running away."

Burns said Tuesday that his restaurant business, Burns Holdings Ltd., is going through bankruptcy proceedings. He said his employees almost certainly won't see their unpaid wages.

He explained his decision to leave town abruptly by saying "I was fed up with the rumours and the other stuff. I was like 'You know what? It's not working. That's it.' "

Burns, who has never returned to Port Alberni, is also a much-discussed figure in the ball hockey community both in Canada and Europe.

Domenic DiGironimo, the president of the International Street and Ball Hockey Federation, questions Burns's ability to run a professional basketball franchise. He has received many angry e-mails the last few years from ball-hockey players wanting to track Burns down.

"Word gets around pretty quick when something like this happens," DiGironimo said of financial losses suffered by ball hockey players, which he pins on Burns. "He impacted on the entire international ball hockey community and he's still out there."

Calgary's Jason Smith says Burns collected $2,000 from him -- and varying amounts of cash from other players -- while organizing a United Kingdom team for the 2005 world ball hockey championship in Pittsburgh. Smith claims Burns became unreachable two weeks before the tourney and team members had to pay out of their own pockets a second time to make the trip on short notice.

Smith hasn't seen or heard from his former teammate since.


© The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon) 2007
http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/sports/story.html?id=842a1e39-6d10-40e5-a865-1af887ff2a6f

I hope he's learned from his mistakes and isn't an owner of the ABA's caliber.

[storm]

Well from what I have heard of the ballhockey is that he worked for the national assocaition and was the guy who was blamed for it but I also know that the guys airfare was paid back last year because I also play ballhockey and have heard the stories as for the restaurant I have no idea but he does operate a succesful junior team as well has a few other businesses had haven't heard anything bad about them. Talking to my friend who know's one of the owner's told me that the owner of the Sakatoon team will pull out so that it does not effect the other partners but the other partners have said they will pull out to so Saskatoon may not get a team after all.

[BreakersFan]

Ut-Oh - if he has a history of cutting and running when things get tough, then minor league basketball is the last place he should be. I hope the IBL checked him out.....

[Shootmaster_44]

Well from what I have heard of the ballhockey is that he worked for the national assocaition and was the guy who was blamed for it but I also know that the guys airfare was paid back last year because I also play ballhockey and have heard the stories as for the restaurant I have no idea but he does operate a succesful junior team as well has a few other businesses had haven't heard anything bad about them. Talking to my friend who know's one of the owner's told me that the owner of the Sakatoon team will pull out so that it does not effect the other partners but the other partners have said they will pull out to so Saskatoon may not get a team after all.

There are other partners?

The way the article reads Troy Burns has no intentions of pulling out. Plus since he signed a lease with Credit Union Centre, I'm sure that puts him on the hook for the dates. My question is if he's moving to Saskatoon and putting all this effort behind the team here, what's happening to the Edmonton team he is running?

Which junior team is this? From what I understood he was granted a expansion team in the WHA's junior league for next season. Unless he already owns another junior team that's played this past year.

[BreakersFan]

There are other partners?

The way the article reads Troy Burns has no intentions of pulling out. Plus since he signed a lease with Credit Union Centre, I'm sure that puts him on the hook for the dates. My question is if he's moving to Saskatoon and putting all this effort behind the team here, what's happening to the Edmonton team he is running?

Which junior team is this? From what I understood he was granted a expansion team in the WHA's junior league for next season. Unless he already owns another junior team that's played this past year.

It apparently didn't bother him to leave his employees holding the bag after just a few months at the restaurant. What would he care about the arena in Saskatoon? This quote from the article is pretty scary:
"He explained his decision to leave town abruptly by saying "I was fed up with the rumours and the other stuff. I was like 'You know what? It's not working. That's it.' "

[Shootmaster_44]

It apparently didn't bother him to leave his employees holding the bag after just a few months at the restaurant. What would he care about the arena in Saskatoon? This quote from the article is pretty scary:
"He explained his decision to leave town abruptly by saying "I was fed up with the rumours and the other stuff. I was like 'You know what? It's not working. That's it.' "

I suppose that's true. But I can't see Credit Union Centre sitting idly by and letting the lease go unfulfilled. As far as I know a lease is a contract so I'm guessing he'd be taken to court by the arena and forced to pay for it. Plus if he was going to back out, he wouldn't have signed a lease on Thursday.

I wonder what sort of background check the IBL does on potential owners? I've always said if I were running any sort of league, all expansion teams would be required to put double the operating costs of the team up front in an account the league would oversee. That way if an owner walks away from the team, the team can complete the season with the "expansion fees."

I am slowly getting less and less excited about this team. My dad was talking buying season tickets for this team when it was announced, after this article ran in the paper he said we might take in a few games. I still think the scariest thing about this whole article is the fact he had to justify himself by saying he's never been charged with a criminal offense. The fact you have to say that says to me, that this whole situation seems on less than solid footing.

[storm]

Yes there are a group of 4 owners and yes they are pulling the plug on the Saskatoon team as the lease that was signed apparently was just a formal letter as no dates were picked. I talked to one of the partner's today and they have said that if Troy was to pull out they would all pull out and the Edmonton team has been bought out a few weeks ago as SMG owns it. From what happened at the meeting he just plans to run the hockey teams.

[Shootmaster_44]

Yes there are a group of 4 owners and yes they are pulling the plug on the Saskatoon team as the lease that was signed apparently was just a formal letter as no dates were picked. I talked to one of the partner's today and they have said that if Troy was to pull out they would all pull out and the Edmonton team has been bought out a few weeks ago as SMG owns it. From what happened at the meeting he just plans to run the hockey teams.

Isn't Troy Burns the head of the Sports Management Group? I seem to recall that was what was mentioned by the Edmonton Journal when the Sled Dawgz was formally announced.

[storm]

He is the president of the company but there are 4 other partners of the company as he doesn't want the company to suffer because of what has happened in the pass so they have decided for him just to run his hockey teams under is own company as he will be stepping down as President of SMG and the basketball team will still play in Edmonton but under a different group from what I hear can't blame the guy as how can he run a team in Saskatoon when there is a press release like that. The other partners told me tonight that Saskatoon would be the last place they would bring any kind of team as the media are to negative about things.

[Shootmaster_44]

He is the president of the company but there are 4 other partners of the company as he doesn't want the company to suffer because of what has happened in the pass so they have decided for him just to run his hockey teams under is own company as he will be stepping down as President of SMG and the basketball team will still play in Edmonton but under a different group from what I hear can't blame the guy as how can he run a team in Saskatoon when there is a press release like that. The other partners told me tonight that Saskatoon would be the last place they would bring any kind of team as the media are to negative about things.

I totally agree hence my letter to the editor of about two weeks ago, when they were trashing the Northern League attempting to come here.

I think in this case the reality is Troy Burns made his own bed and now he has to sleep in it. Unfortunately, because of past misdeeds he is going to be vilified until he makes amends for the restaurant/bar staff salaries and someone steps up and takes responsibility for the ball hockey mess. Plus I'd rather this team never see the floor, if it won't last the season. At least being still born no local people were burnt by it. If this team had played a partial season, then sponsors and ticket holders would be upset. At least this way it didn't even get to that stage, the only thing that now happens is the "lease" at Credit Union Centre is null and void. That means it will need to find something to fill the void next summer.

If he is out as President of SMG, then why doesn't the new owner come to Saskatoon and change perceptions? The media is inherently negative, however someone should step up and show them that this is legit now that Troy Burns is out as President.

If pro basketball doesn't happen in Saskatoon next season so be it, at least we won't be without pro sports period. There's still the CMISL's Accelerators and the ever present Northern League attempts to thrust a team here. Plus there's always other leagues and teams that will undoubtedly come through here.

Out of curiosity, what else does SMG run or own? If the WHA team isn't being run by them and the Edmonton IBL team isn't being run by them, then do they run anything?

[Shootmaster_44]

Here's a reply from Troy Burns I received this morning regarding this situation:

There is no truth to that as there will be a team in Saskatoon but I have stepped down as one of the owners's of the Saskatoon team and have stepped down also with the Edmonton team but will stay on as a consultant. I will be taking care of my 2 hockey teams one in the States and the other in BC as don't believe these rumors so if you ever want to know anything just ask.

Troy

So it looks as if the team will still go ahead. But Troy Burns is no longer involved with either IBL team. Does anyone have names on who the other owners are?

[Shootmaster_44]

And the soap opera continues. I emailed the Saskatoon team from their email listed on www.saskprairiewolves.com asking about the new owners and whatnot and here's the response I received:

Just received your e-mail as SMG no longer owns the Saskatoon team. Right now there was a new group that was going to take over but have chosen not to and the orginal owners which included a group of 4 have decided they will not get involved in any kind of sports teams in Saskatoon.

The group have but there money into an arena football team in the States and Troy will just be running his 2 junior hockey teams which one will be a new team for this year. I think the best thing Saskatoon can do is get a group of local investors together and run the team. You can thank the media in Saskatoon as I know there will be a law suit filed against the Star Phoenix from what I'm hearing. Hopefully someone will step up in Saskatoon and take over the team but can tell you that Saskatoon has been put on a black list for not bringing any kind of teams there.

So it looks like this team is dead afterall.

[storm]

What soap opera I think the owners got out when they knew it wasn't going to work. To bad there will not be a team in Saskatoon but the new group did not want anything to do with Saskatoon. It's a good idea that Saskatoon get a local group to put a team in the league though. I'm just glad that there will be a team in Edmonton.

[Shootmaster_44]

Here's what sets the IBL apart from the ABA

Plan for pro hoops runs into roadblock
IBL commissioner has concerns with proposed owner’s past
By Kevin Mitchellof The StarPhoenix
The odds of Edmonton resident Troy Burns fronting an International Basketball League team in Saskatoon next season appear virtually nil.

IBL commissioner Mikal Duilio said Monday that Burns won’t bring professional hoops back into Saskatoon. That decision comes on the heels of a StarPhoenix story outlining Burns’ past — one that includes a failed restaurant venture several months ago in Port Alberni, B.C. Burns left town abruptly, leaving both unpaid creditors and employees.

Meanwhile, several ball-hockey players say they lost their travel money after entrusting it to Burns. Players, some owed as much as $2,000, say they lost contact with Burns shortly before the 2005 world ball hockey championships in Pittsburgh. He was putting together a United Kingdom team for the championships before the plan collapsed and he became unreachable.

Duilio said he hasn’t started working on the league’s expansion file until this week and he plans to take a close look at Burns’ past.

He hopes to have his “hands on the situation” by week’s end.

Duilio said he’s heard Burns still plans to be involved with an IBL team in Edmonton.

Burns, who fronts Sports Management Group Ltd., couldn’t be reached for comment Monday.

“At the end of the day, I have to approve them,” Duilio said. “And I have not approved them yet. It doesn’t mean I’m going to completely reject them or not, but I can tell you that if the experiences you’re talking about are true, we definitely have some issues. That’s not the way we do business.

“Bringing in a group that’s risky . . . that will not happen,” he added. “I’m a little embarassed about it; I’m sorting through the details, but I can assure you there won’t be a team in our league that shouldn’t be there. Troy has not been approved. He’s moving full-speed ahead as if he has been appproved, but he hasn’t been. There’s still some things we have to check on.”

Duilio says he’d welcome inquiries from Saskatoon people wanting to put a squad into his 23-team league, which built its business model on fiscal discipline and low costs. Teams are located across the United States and play most of their games in geographic clusters to cut expenses.

Burns had reached an understanding on lease terms with Saskatoon’s Credit Union Centre, and facility general manager Ken Wood said Monday that Burns’ group still hadn’t contacted him to cancel the agreement.

He said the last he heard, they were “definitely wavering.”

kmitchell@sp.canwest.com
http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/sports/story.html?id=f937d3aa-8197-4d91-ba56-87b0550add91

Too bad that this means likely there won't be IBL basketball in Saskatoon though next spring. But its nice to know for the IBL's sake that they aren't willing to let scheisters (sp?) into their league. It also sounds that perhaps the Edmonton team may be in jeopardy as well. Unless the Sled Dawgz have been sold to a different group. Though, this article makes it seem that the IBL never did grant franchises to Edmonton or Saskatoon (or anywhere) for 2008 yet.

[storm]

This makes no sense to me as why did the IBL make a press release then about it as it just seems that the IBL is covering there rear ends and the group pulled out of the saskatoon team a few weeks ago and the edmonton team is owned by a new group.

[Shootmaster_44]

This makes no sense to me as why did the IBL make a press release then about it as it just seems that the IBL is covering there rear ends and the group pulled out of the saskatoon team a few weeks ago and the edmonton team is owned by a new group.

I'm not entirely sure. But it seems Troy Burns is still involved with the Edmonton team according to the IBL. I passed along one of the emails I posted above from Troy to the Commish and he says that Saskatoon is effectively dead and Edmonton is still owned by Troy. I hate to say this but this whole fiasco has ABA written all over it.

[storm]

Yeh he will still be involved but as a consultant. The team has 3 other partners that own it now and besides Troy was the main money guy and with him out who knows if the edmonton team will even be around to as I know troy is fed up with all this as he had everything prepaid. Talked to him this morning and all he said was if you want to talk about the hockey teams go ahead but he has nothing to say about the basketball teams except that he hopes that saskatoon gets a local group and the edmonton team if around will do just fine and for Kevin Mitchell to keep his head up!!!!!!

[Pounder]

Let's make sure this is either "failure to communicate" or a forced entry.

[storm]

I would say it was a failure to communicate on my part

[CJPhillips]

Looks like Canada may have eight pro basketball teams next year.
Edmonton Sled Dawgs, IBL; Halifax Rainmen, ABA; Mississauga Red Wolves, ABA: Montreal Royal, ABA; Quebec City Kebekwa, ABA; Saskatoon Prairie Wolves, IBL, Toronto Raptors NBA and Vancouver Dragons CBA. How many do you think will get up and running? Also check out www.frozenhoops.com to keep track of the teams. Check it out now and vote on which of the 8 has the best logo also?

[Shootmaster_44]

Looks like Canada may have eight pro basketball teams next year.
Edmonton Sled Dawgs, IBL; Halifax Rainmen, ABA; Mississauga Red Wolves, ABA: Montreal Royal, ABA; Quebec City Kebekwa, ABA; Saskatoon Prairie Wolves, IBL, Toronto Raptors NBA and Vancouver Dragons CBA. How many do you think will get up and running? Also check out www.frozenhoops.com to keep track of the teams. Check it out now and vote on which of the 8 has the best logo also?

Lethbridge is out?

I'm guessing that Montreal, Quebec City and Toronto will be up and running. Halifax and Mississauga are likelies and Vancouver, Edmonton and Saskatoon are probably nots.

[Shootmaster_44]

The final nail in the Troy Burns saga as far as the IBL is concerned.

Failed IBL investor moves on
By Kevin Mitchellof The StarPhoenix
Troy Burns says he’s “pissed off” at the way his professional basketball dreams crashed in Saskatoon this month.

Burns, whose plans unraveled when his controversial past came to light over the last few weeks, called the StarPhoenix Tuesday to say he’s accepted that he won’t own an International Basketball League (IBL) franchise. That doesn’t mean he’s happy about it. “I wanted to make the basketball thing work in Saskatoon,” Burns said. “I was putting my own money up to make sure the team (worked). But at the end of the day, I don’t want my partners to be affected in any which way, because of my mistakes in the past.”

Burns’ restaurant business collapsed last year in Port Alberni, B.C., and left unpaid employees and creditors. He says that company, Burns Holdings Ltd., is going through bankruptcy proceedings.

Several ball hockey players say they lost travel money they’d entrusted to Burns as part of a U.K. team he was forming for the 2005 world championships. Three team members contacted by the StarPhoenix said they haven’t heard of anybody getting their money back after Burns suddenly became unreachable. Burns continued to insist Tuesday that he’d repaid airfare to most of the affected players.

Burns also planned to put an Edmonton team into the IBL through his role as president of Sports Management Group Ltd. He says he officially told IBL commissioner Mikal Duilio Tuesday that he’s stepping back from the hoops and team and will instead serve as a consultant.

He couldn’t say whether his partners would actually go ahead with a team in Edmonton.

The hoops crash in Saskatoon hasn’t ended Burns’ involvement with professional sports, however. He announced in March that he’s landed franchise rights in the World Hockey Association.

“I’m just going to concentrate on my hockey teams and that’s it,” said Burns

kmitchell@sp.canwest.com