July 19, 2012 by Charlie Eisenhood in News with 0 comments
This article originally suggested that teams had come to an agreement on a settlement package. Connecticut disputes that, as noted below.
After the Connecticut Constitution suspended their operations, the AUDL fined the team $20,000 — $10,000 for each game they missed — the maximum fine allowed by the league’s bylaws. The fines are due to the two teams that were affected by the Constitution’s forfeits — Kentucky and Indianapolis.
Thom Held, the owner of Indianapolis, told Ultiworld today that the fine is “excessive.”
“There’s no doubt that [Bryan Ricci, the owner of the Constitution,] not coming caused financial hardship to us,” said Held. “I don’t think he would debate that either. But it wasn’t his intention to do that.”
Held, at the request of the league, actually put together a settlement package that had a total of $5000 moving between four teams. Connecticut would pay Kentucky and Indianapolis for missing games, and Indianapolis would pay Rhode Island for skipping the long trip for the game that had been rescheduled for this weekend.
UPDATE: Ricci said in a statement to Ultiworld, “we expressly disagree with any fine settlement inasmuch as we continue to protest all fines against us. …and no other teams have voiced any opinion on this totally one sided settlement proposal.
“The league has not responded to that, even though they requested it,” said Held.
He is upset by how quiet the front office has been. “With the lack of communication to the owners which is required to fulfill a fiduciary responsibility and without working towards a resolution daily, they are failing the owners in the league,” he said. “There could be a whole new set of lawsuits.”
Indy has separately compensated Rhode Island an undisclosed amount for the cancellation this weekend. Rhode Island will play the Boston club team Ironside instead.
