Puerto Rico Capitanes Expelled From PBL

March 30, 2010 - Premier Basketball League (PBL) News Release

Based on failure to adhere to league rules, threats by the team of not showing up for road games, and a direct lack of communication with the league office and its fellow teams, the Puerto Rico Capitanes have been dismissed from the Premier Basketball League.  The Capitanes, who amassed a 14-3 record in the PBL, currently also, participate as the Capitanes de Arecibo in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional ("BSN"), a professional basketball league in Puerto Rico.

 

"This is not a decision that was lightly made," said Tom Doyle, President of the Premier Basketball League.  "We gave the Capitanes every chance to make things right, but their refusal to even adhere to the most important tenets of our league, regrettably left us with no choice."

 

Although the Capitanes were a tough opponent on the court, there were several off-court incidents involving travel and arrival to road games that also exacerbated relations between the PBL and the Capitanes.  While the Capitanes were able to host home games for visiting PBL teams, road trips were another matter.

 

A road trip for the Capitanes on the weekend of February 27th-28th, which would have taken the Capitanes to Halifax and to Lawton-Fort Sill for two sell-out games, was first compromised by a blizzard, stranding the Capitanes at an airport in Montreal.  Rather than work with the PBL front office to seek alternative travel arrangements to get to Halifax, the Capitanes actually tried to buy tickets to return to Puerto Rico, which would have canceled the road trip and left two opponents - the Halifax Rainmen and the Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry - with no opponent for their sold-out games.

 

"A short bus ride to Toronto from Montreal (where the Capitanes were located after a game against Quebec), where a connecting flight to Halifax could have been procured, would have solved the travel problem," said Doyle.  "But the Capitanes' unwillingness to board a bus panicked all of us.  The Capitanes made their own decision to go to Rochester and fly back to Puerto Rico, only telling the PBL, 'Well, if you can find a miracle of 26 tickets we will go to Lawton; if not, we go home.'  Well, the PBL DID find a miracle that day, and acquired 26 tickets for a flight from Rochester to Oklahoma, so the game could go on as scheduled."

 

In addition, even as the Rainmen were able to reschedule their snowstorm-interrupted game against the Capitanes for March 27, there was some question as to whether the Capitanes would make the rescheduled date in Nova Scotia. "The PBL understands the cost of travel," said Doyle.  "It is tempting to book tickets strictly by price, but you must allow enough time between connecting flights if you do not have a direct flight.  The Capitanes booked their own travel for the make-up game - they flew to Boston for the game, but were unable to catch their connecting flight to Halifax, in that it took off ten minutes after their Puerto Rico-to-Boston flight landed.  That's not enough time to get from one plane to another.  An effort was made by the league to get them a chartered bus from Boston to Halifax, but they refused to take it - they were going to instead return to Puerto Rico.  Halifax had to pay out of pocket for a charter plane to bring the Capitanes to the MetroCentre, so as to not disappoint the fans who purchased tickets to that game.  Puerto Rico left us with no choice.  We are an independent minor league, and we travel by all means possible to get to our games.  Playing our games is of paramount importance to us.  Choosing to NOT play a game is NOT an option, and we try to do whatever it takes to make sure games are played."

 

In addition, the PBL is also investigating an incident at the Puerto Rico-Halifax game, in which Puerto Rico's Andres Rodrigues angrily flung a basketball at an official - the official dodged to get out of the way, and the ball smashed into a child's face, who was sitting in a front-row seat.

 

"We went above and beyond for the Capitanes, we paid for a chartered flight from Boston to Halifax, and that was only because they were going to stiff us and not show up at the building," said Andre Levingston, the President and CEO of the Rainmen.  "And the actions by Andres Rodrigues were absolutely unacceptable."

 

The league is also investigating claims of unpaid hotel and travel costs incurred by the Capitanes during their road trips to Quebec, Halifax and Maryland, of which the Capitanes were responsible for their own travel costs.  The team also was very uncooperative with the PBL in terms of communication and contact.  "We have operational rules in the PBL, and we gave each team deadlines to meet those obligations," said Doyle.  "The Capitanes chose not to follow the rules, or to respond to us regarding those rules. We tried to communicate with the Capitanes," said Doyle, "but our calls went unanswered."

 

There were also concerns regarding available playoff dates.  Each team is required to submit a minimum of six arena availability dates to the PBL so that the playoff games can be properly scheduled.  The Capitanes chose to only submit two home dates. 

 

One game remains un-played; an April 3, 2010 home game for the Capitanes against the Rochester RazorSharks.  The PBL is currently deciding how this game will be dealt with in the final standings.

 

The Capitanes' exit means that two teams that were fighting for the fourth and final playoff spot, the Halifax Rainmen and the Vermont Frost Heaves, will now both enter the PBL playoffs, joining the Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry and the Rochester RazorSharks.  Playoff seeding is still to be determined.  The PBL's regular season will end Saturday, April 10, with the playoffs to immediately follow.

 

For more information, please visit the PBL's website at http://www.thepbl.com.

Premier Basketball League Stories from March 30, 2010

• Jeral Davis Off to Mexico - Vermont Frost Heaves
• Puerto Rico Capitanes Expelled From PBL - PBL

The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.