Rumors are coming out tonight that not only has the league accepted Ed Hales resignation from the league effective the day the season is over, but if Ed doesn't pay up the $15,000 in league fines he's been assessed that the Baltimore Blast will not be allowed to play in this postseason....thus forfeiting the postseason. To those who said Ed would just refuse to pay the league fines...it looks like if he does the Blast are officially out of the playoffs. Chew on that one for a while!!!
There is a right way and a wrong way to do things. Forgetting about what the other guy is doing you need to look in the mirror and say "is this business doing what's right, can I explain this to a future investor". I get both sides stance (if the above is 100% accurate) but MASL needs to think about this. How the USA handled the breakaway teams who formed NASL is above case in point. While the Vancouver Whitecaps were joined the new league, did the USA let it effect the Whitecaps PDL relationship? No the USL did what is right.
If it's a matter of right and wrong, I think the Blast should be thrown out of he MASL. But it's probably not a very practical course to take.
Maybe a dumb question, but what "league fines" are we talking about? I don't remember any talk about Blast fines during this season.
League is a complete joke (it's a joke already but this would send it over the shark quick) if they ban a team because they can't get along with a owner. The players and their families sacrificed time, health, and effort to play and practice. The team (not Hale) made the playoffs by winning games. You cannot ban a team from the playoffs because you don't get along. This is what this is about. You people are quick to jump on Ed Hale for acting like a baby...lol, take a look in the mirror folks.
"The Team" is actually the owner, so once "The Team" pays the fine, the players can play. Now with that out of the way, it is hilarious how since Hale's bullying is finally called down (allegedly, as I've seen this "must pay fines or forfeit" from nowhere other than Wave Fan's post) all of the Blast fans are whining. God, I'll be so glad to be rid of this. Next year, I can just ignore all Blast and IPL threads. Can't wait.
Mjames, don't lump all Blast fans into one group. Not accurate or reasonable. Again, what "league fines" are we talking about? When were they issued and for what?
Yeah, don't ban a team because you don't get along with an owner. But start your own league if people won't do what you want. Seems reasonable.
So tonight could potentially be the last game of the season for the Blast. Can they avoid a three game sweep from the Comets and be allowed in the playoffs? Stay Tuned....
Tom Wynn and Art Kramer are interviewing Wave owner Mike Zimmerman at halftime on the Go Live Sportscast. And Scrooge... We don't know the type of fines, how many, how or from when. Recall, I did say "allegedly" in my post, referring to Wave Fan being the only one that seems to have that info.
If you can give a summary of Zimmerman's interview, that would be great. BTW, it's "Scooge", not "Scrooge", but you're not the first one to make that mistake.
Starts at 1:07:40 of the gamecast... Highlights... * "Yesterday (Feb 26) the Executive Committee accepted Ed Hale's resignation." * Baltimore was fined in the spring (and put on probation) for trying to start a new league, and "he did it again so we fined him again" * Fees are due or Baltimore is not eligible for the playoffs. * "The owners all own a piece of the MASL and there is some pretty stiff language about non-compete stuff" and MZ takes it seriously. * MASL isn't perfect or where anyone wants it to be, but it is only Year 2. Need teams to hang in there. * Changing league and league names every 2, 3, 4 years does nothing to help the sport. * San Diego, Tacoma and Missouri feel the same way and stand with the MASL. * Not beating on Ed Hale... MZ got along pretty well with him until MZ said he would not follow Ed. * Fundamentally, Ed has same goals, but his style is different and "Ed's lack of patience; it gets tiring". * For the offseason, the MASL may change leadership structure of MASL, with a couple of new franchises to be brought in. Then a lot of conversation about quality of teams getting better, talent improving, Central and Pacific divisions are the strongest, Tacoma owner has done a great job, etc., etc.
Lol the fine is a joke. I wouldn't pay it either, personally. 15K would be more then 30% of the leagues teams revenue combined (ya I'm looking at you 200 avg attendance a game teams). I can't wait either so I can stop reading all the crying about Ed Hale from everyone, it gets old quick.
The only reason the fine may be a joke is that the Blast could have been shown the door immediately because of Hale's antics. And it seems to me that Hale's the one doing the crying.
As of 9:04 PM ET last night, the Blast are still announcing their March 11th playoff game. http://baltimoreblast.com/news/headlines/index.html?article_id=621
Like was stated before, it was just a rumor. If MASL knew what was good for them, they'd be listening to the input of Hale, and doing everything they can to keep the Blast, the flagship team, in the league. I give the MASL a couple more seasons at best, before it's over for the league. The IPL will have a stronghold on the East, will slowly convert Central MASL teams over, and will be the league attracting the new investors. I predict 3 seasons tops left for the MASL. Also, I can't help but notice the irony of some (not all) Milwaukee fans talking smack about the Blast and its owner, when if it wasn't for them/him, the Wave likely would not be here today (the NISL did not have to admit them into the league when the XSL failed miserably).
Only four NISL teams survived after the 2008-09 season. The NISL (which soon became MISL III) was probably grateful that the Wave joined so it could play with five teams in 2009-10.
You really need to get a new name if you're going to disavow actual indoor soccer news that has been confirmed publicly by Kevin Milliken and Mike Zimmerman. And your second paragraph, as skipper pointed out, is just nonsense.
So let's look at the problem Was Ed Hale, and by extension, the Blast fined due to a forfeited game? Or is Ed Hale, and by extension, the Blast fined from starting a new league? Forfeit? Well then let's look at the pitch, field, turf, carpet. Was it safe? Did a bus full of Blast players show up for the game? The NHL came closer than the Apollo 13 mission to a disaster when they almost cancelled a Stanley Cup final game in Tampa vs Edmonton 10 years ago due to poor ice conditions. 7 guys sat down and figured it out. Egos were put aside for the good for the game. New league? MASL better have a really good non-compete and intellectual property clause in the league docs. $15000 is a lot of money to us, but to MASL it might change a former team from a former team to a very motivated enemy I don't know Ed Hale but if he is the type of guy who will spend $30k to fight for $15k in court MASL will have a problem While I find Ed Hale to be disingenuous to insult fellow owners, announce a new league and disparage the current league, MASL has to appreciate their fans intelligence enough to figure out who is right in this.
A few responses to Shelts. The strength of the non-compete clause probably doesn't matter. They are often unenforceable anyway. But while you are part owner of a league or anything else, you can't delberately do things against the interests of the business. Hale may well be willing to spend over 15k to fight against the 15k fine and that coukd be a problem for the MASL. He's wealthy and powerful, but I don't see where he's right.
The guy, while still a part of a corporation, looked to create a directly competing new company to the detriment of the original. Normally they'd just sue the living crap out of him and win but they went with the fine. Using the playoffs to collect money due might be unfair to the fans but since Hale has said he won't pay this is pretty much the last resort to collect. It's unfair to the players and fans but it's also unfair to players and fans to have an owner actively work against the league while accepting benefits from same. Non compete clauses are ABSOLUTELY enforceable for people on the executive level. They are typically thrown out when you try and slap them on non-management in an effort to prevent people from moving in their industry. But, at Hale's level of management you are 100% wrong on that. You're right on the rest, though. He's likely more than willing to fight in court over it to a ridiculous amount.