When and where did Hale say he wasn't paying the fine? I haven't seen that published. Again, the Blast are still promoting their March 11th playoff game and Ticketmaster still is showing tickets are on sale.
The essential part of a noncompete agreement is that you agree not to compete with the buisness you are in the agreement with. A professional indoor league with standards (e.g. the IPL) would not be competing with a rec/amateur league with little standard (e.g. the MASL). Think about this: would a steakhouse really be considered as competition to a fast food place? 'Nuff said.
Wow. Stupid is as stupid does, IndoorSoccerNews. Tacoma, San Deigo, Missouri, Milwaukee, Sonora, Ontario are clearly not rec league/amatuer status regardless of some of the other teams in the MASL.
God you're stupid. I mean I am in awe. I usually don't like to resort to this kind of discourse, but your level of obnoxiousness combined with your sheer lack of grasping various concepts is breathtaking.
The Blast quit the MASL last year. The MASL could have moved on without them at that point, but they let them back in with certain conditions that included a $5,000 fine and probation. Not only did he not pay the $5,000 fine, but he violated his probation in every way possible. And he also resigned from the league again. Hale is basically the Johnny Manziel of the MASL now. How many more chances is he going to get? As a Baltimore fan I would love for Hale to sell the team to someone local (Kevin Plank? a guy can dream) and put an end to all this strife and division.
He got fined before the start of the season. The fact that he hasn't even paid that fine, the repeated tirades against the league and his continuation during the season to push to a new league that he himself has sole control over signals to anyone reasonable that he has zero intention to pay what is owed. They have asked him to pay the fines repeatedly and, at this point, he has not, which is why this is coming to a head now. I honestly expect him to pay up. His ego doesn't want to miss the chance to walk off with the trophy and he'd make more off a home playoff game then the fines would cost him. This might be the dumbest thing ever written on these boards. Seriously. When they are actively attempting to recruit teams from the other league but you're arguing they aren't real competitors? That's astonishingly stupid.
As Hale has stated before, he is going to wait until the day after the MASL championship before competing with the MASL. How the heck is he competing with the MASL if the IPL isn't even operating yet? - that's nonsense. Even though the noncompete clause's duration isn't over yet, that doesn't mean he cannot start planning to run a new league (i.e. establish a corporation/llc entity, make announcements about the league, talk to people, etc.) It's plainly stated in the law - you are pretty much free to start your business even if challenged with a noncompete clause, as long as you are not providing goods/services to the public (i.e. actually running operations). And, last I heard, the Blast is not currently taking on any matches in the IPL.
Hale sent 15 letters to current MASL teams to recruit them to join the IPL. ACTIVELY recruiting currently MASL teams to join the IPL, while you are still a member of the MASL, definitely violates any noncompete clause I've ever seen. Please, get a clue.
Seeing this from a Baltimore fan....you sir have my respect. I've yet to be able to have a level headed debate on the issue as it usually turns into an argument about Hale.
This really hurts my head. I think this has to be some kind of Sasha Baron Cohen act where you just say intentionally stupid things and film people's bewildered reactions. Besides what Scooge said, the two year non-compete clause by design would not allow the Blast to play in any other league for two years (2016-17 and 2017-18). I'm not sure if an owner would be prohibited from starting or operating another league as well.
I'm baffled as to why you all assume there was a non compete clause to begin with. Do you really think Hale would sign one in the first place? Not when he knew he would bolt at season's end. If there is one, I guarantee it is either not enforceable or doesn't really prevent him from starting a new league.
Hale may have sent those teams letters , But no one knows what he said in those letters. He could have said he was leaving at the end of the season and creating the IPL who knows . To say he violated anything in those letters is just speculation.
We don't have the terms in front of us, but it likely doesn't prevent him from starting his new league. What it certainly does is set up the ability for the league to fine or otherwise punish him if he attempts to start new said league while still being party MASL. Basically the, "You can't have your cake and eat it too" rule. Hell, in a more standard business starting a directly competing company while still a party to the original company is enough by itself to be able to bring the lawsuits on, even without full non-compete clauses. While sports teams are different in the legality, because there's no IP being copied, that's the core of what got Zuckerberg successfully sued, just to give an example everyone knows about. And as a party in a single entity he really should have realized this and stepped down before announcing or recruiting for his new league.
When they accepted his resignation , I don't think the Non Compete clause is any-longer valid. The IPL will also use MPS so I guess one could argue that its not the same product. Does anyone have a copy of the contracts non compete clause ? Maybe Mike Zimmerman Can leak that
You all need to do a little more research, Look at who owns the logo and who owns the website that research that party and you will see that it is not ED Hale or Andrew Haines
Don't forget Cedar Rapids on that list. We didn't do too bad attendance-wise in our home finale... Cedar Rapids out in force to support @CRRampageSC. Soccer has arrived here. Thank you Rampage & @MASLarena! #CRvsSTL pic.twitter.com/iXRkbu9LSa— Iowa Sports Fans (@IowaSportsFans) February 14, 2016
Lewis you're treading dangerously close to Indoor Soccer News for dumbest poster. His resignation is effective at the end of the season for one thing and then the two year clock starts at that time. For another thing what would be the purpose of a no-compete clause if you could simply nullify it by quitting? THINK, man!
Without actual copies of this alleged 'agreement' and the alleged non-compete clause, all of this discussion is conjecture. New soccer leagues have been formed in the past while another was still operating. Nonetheless, without more documentation, this thread is nothing but grasping at rumors.
I have read it , But is still does not tell us what is in his letter Hale said all the necessary paperwork has been filed to move forward on the new venture. He has invited up to 15 potential franchises — the majority also currently playing in the MASL — and expects at least 10 to come aboard. If it becomes a successful endeavor, he would invite other franchise owners to join him in the franchisor role.