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World Hockey Association (proposed)
Encyclopedia
The World Hockey Association was a proposed professional hockey league intended to compete with the established National Hockey League
during the 2004–05 NHL lockout. Noteworthy for instability and failed plans, its organization operated several minor and junior leagues thereafter.
of the 1970s, Allan Howell and Dr. Nick Vaccaro announced in 2003 the formation of a new professional hockey league calling itself the "World Hockey Association." Original WHA superstar Bobby Hull
was named its commissioner. The league was regarded by many as an attempt to fill the void that loomed as the NHL's serious labour problems, which led to the 2004–05 NHL lockout, became apparent. Most hockey commentators felt that the league's best hope was to operate while the NHL players were locked out and try to develop enough of a following to survive once the NHL labour problems were resolved.
It was projected that the league would begin operation with teams from Dallas
, Detroit
, Halifax, Hamilton
, Miami
, Toronto, Vancouver and Quebec City. Five teams went so far as to acquire nicknames: the Detroit Gladiators (who planned to play at the Pontiac Silverdome
, a venue that had never hosted hockey before); the Dallas Americans (who introduced Toronto Maple Leafs
goaltender Ed Belfour
as goalie/co-owner); the Quebec Nordiks (a tweaking of the old Quebec Nordiques
nickname); the Toronto Toros (adopting the nickname of the original WHA team of the same name); and the Halifax IceBreakers.
After being pushed back from June 2, a WHA draft took place on July 18, 2004 in Niagara Falls, Ontario
. Future superstar Sidney Crosby
was the first pick; he turned down the league's three-year, $7.5 million offer. By August, however, things began to unravel: the WHA pulled the Quebec franchise and Toronto, unable to find an arena, dropped out soon afterwards. The Florida-based franchise, apparently headed for Miami, then Jacksonville
and finally Orlando
, quietly expired. By September, the new WHA was down to four teams and had pushed its debut back to November. By October, Dallas had folded and an announced "restructuring" never took place.
In the spring of 2005, the league announced the "Bobby Hull Invitational Tournament," for which 50 NHL players had purportedly showed interest. The tournament, scheduled to begin May 20 and award $2 million to the winning team, was dropped without comment by the organization and never held.
When that and other plans failed to materialize, the rights to the WHA's name and logo were sold to Richard Smith, a British Columbia
investor. Further plans to operate either a similar Tier II junior league or a professional loop in the Pennsylvania-Midwest area in 2007-2008 were dropped without comment by the organization, in addition to financial problems that led to the company's stockbroker calling for a legal investigation and subsequently filing a lawsuit against the WHA.
The organization operated three now-defunct leagues, two playing a single season each before folding and the third playing two seasons; the minor-league World Hockey Association 2
and the WHA Super Junior League in Florida, the latter which was abandoned with little to no warning to players and the communities involved. It operated an unsanctioned Tier II developmental league in British Columbia
called the WHA Junior West Hockey League between 2006 and 2008, marked by financial and franchise instabilities that saw the WHA's stock price drop to a fraction of a penny per share.
The last post to the league's website was on September 15, 2008 - which as of July 2009 was shut down for lack of payment - addressing the possible suspension by Hockey Canada
of any player suiting up for a WHA team.
On January 16, 2009, the WHA was successfully sued by Global Developments Inc. for $4.3 Million USD in losses in a District of Nevada courtroom for purposely diluting the worth of Global's interest in the company. In addition, the WHA was ordered to repay $277,386 in loans provided to them by Global. Under Smith, the share price of the WHA fell from $3.45 to less than one cent, before being taken off the trading market.
In September 2009, the Securities and Exchange Commission has suspended trading in the stock, specifically for "usurp[ing] the identity of [a] defunct or inactive publicly traded corporation, initially by incorporating new entities using the same name as ... the defunct [entity]" and the league's website is no longer active.
On November 24, 2009, Ricky Smith filed a lawsuit in British Columbia against Hockey Canada
, the Pacific International Junior Hockey League
, BC Hockey, former WHA Coach Matt Samson, and Squamish
Manager of Recreational Services Janet Gugins. The charges stem from Smith's belief that Hockey Canada and BC Hockey maliciously targeted the WHA in the summer of 2008 with a series of bulletins targeted at keep players from joining the WHA. The charges put against Samson, Gugins, and the PIJHL revolve around allegations that Samson and Gugins were in breach of a contract between them and the WHA when attempting to secure a PIJHL franchise.
Since walking away from the WHA, Ricky Smith - whose wife is wanted by Interpol - has also founded an already legally troubled professional baseball
organization in the United States
.
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
during the 2004–05 NHL lockout. Noteworthy for instability and failed plans, its organization operated several minor and junior leagues thereafter.
History
Seeking to capitalize upon the original World Hockey AssociationWorld Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
of the 1970s, Allan Howell and Dr. Nick Vaccaro announced in 2003 the formation of a new professional hockey league calling itself the "World Hockey Association." Original WHA superstar Bobby Hull
Bobby Hull
Robert Marvin "Bobby" Hull, OC is a former Canadian ice hockey player. He is regarded as one of the greatest ice hockey players of all time and perhaps the greatest left winger to ever play the game. Hull was famous for his blonde hair, blinding skating speed, and having the hardest shot, earning...
was named its commissioner. The league was regarded by many as an attempt to fill the void that loomed as the NHL's serious labour problems, which led to the 2004–05 NHL lockout, became apparent. Most hockey commentators felt that the league's best hope was to operate while the NHL players were locked out and try to develop enough of a following to survive once the NHL labour problems were resolved.
It was projected that the league would begin operation with teams from Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, Halifax, Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, Miami
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, Toronto, Vancouver and Quebec City. Five teams went so far as to acquire nicknames: the Detroit Gladiators (who planned to play at the Pontiac Silverdome
Pontiac Silverdome
The Silverdome is a domed stadium located in the city of Pontiac, Michigan, USA, which sits on . It was the largest stadium in the National Football League until FedEx Field in suburban Washington, D.C...
, a venue that had never hosted hockey before); the Dallas Americans (who introduced Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
goaltender Ed Belfour
Ed Belfour
Edward John Belfour is a former Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender.Belfour was born in Carman, Manitoba and grew up playing hockey. He played junior hockey for the Winkler Flyers before going to the University of North Dakota where he helped the school win the NCAA championship in the...
as goalie/co-owner); the Quebec Nordiks (a tweaking of the old Quebec Nordiques
Quebec Nordiques
The Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League...
nickname); the Toronto Toros (adopting the nickname of the original WHA team of the same name); and the Halifax IceBreakers.
After being pushed back from June 2, a WHA draft took place on July 18, 2004 in Niagara Falls, Ontario
Niagara Falls, Ontario
Niagara Falls is a Canadian city on the Niagara River in the Golden Horseshoe region of Southern Ontario. The municipality was incorporated on June 12, 1903...
. Future superstar Sidney Crosby
Sidney Crosby
Sidney Patrick Crosby ONS is a Canadian professional ice hockey player and captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League . Crosby was drafted first overall by the Penguins out of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League...
was the first pick; he turned down the league's three-year, $7.5 million offer. By August, however, things began to unravel: the WHA pulled the Quebec franchise and Toronto, unable to find an arena, dropped out soon afterwards. The Florida-based franchise, apparently headed for Miami, then Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
and finally Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, quietly expired. By September, the new WHA was down to four teams and had pushed its debut back to November. By October, Dallas had folded and an announced "restructuring" never took place.
In the spring of 2005, the league announced the "Bobby Hull Invitational Tournament," for which 50 NHL players had purportedly showed interest. The tournament, scheduled to begin May 20 and award $2 million to the winning team, was dropped without comment by the organization and never held.
When that and other plans failed to materialize, the rights to the WHA's name and logo were sold to Richard Smith, a British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
investor. Further plans to operate either a similar Tier II junior league or a professional loop in the Pennsylvania-Midwest area in 2007-2008 were dropped without comment by the organization, in addition to financial problems that led to the company's stockbroker calling for a legal investigation and subsequently filing a lawsuit against the WHA.
The organization operated three now-defunct leagues, two playing a single season each before folding and the third playing two seasons; the minor-league World Hockey Association 2
World Hockey Association 2
The World Hockey Association 2 was a minor professional ice hockey league created at the instigation of the organizers of the proposed recreated World Hockey Association to serve as its development league. The WHA2 teams — some of which had played the 2002–03 season in the Atlantic Coast...
and the WHA Super Junior League in Florida, the latter which was abandoned with little to no warning to players and the communities involved. It operated an unsanctioned Tier II developmental league in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
called the WHA Junior West Hockey League between 2006 and 2008, marked by financial and franchise instabilities that saw the WHA's stock price drop to a fraction of a penny per share.
The last post to the league's website was on September 15, 2008 - which as of July 2009 was shut down for lack of payment - addressing the possible suspension by Hockey Canada
Hockey Canada
Hockey Canada, formally known as the Canadian Hockey Association, is the national governing body of ice hockey in Canada and is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation. Hockey Canada controls a vast majority of ice hockey in Canada, with a few exceptions...
of any player suiting up for a WHA team.
On January 16, 2009, the WHA was successfully sued by Global Developments Inc. for $4.3 Million USD in losses in a District of Nevada courtroom for purposely diluting the worth of Global's interest in the company. In addition, the WHA was ordered to repay $277,386 in loans provided to them by Global. Under Smith, the share price of the WHA fell from $3.45 to less than one cent, before being taken off the trading market.
In September 2009, the Securities and Exchange Commission has suspended trading in the stock, specifically for "usurp[ing] the identity of [a] defunct or inactive publicly traded corporation, initially by incorporating new entities using the same name as ... the defunct [entity]" and the league's website is no longer active.
On November 24, 2009, Ricky Smith filed a lawsuit in British Columbia against Hockey Canada
Hockey Canada
Hockey Canada, formally known as the Canadian Hockey Association, is the national governing body of ice hockey in Canada and is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation. Hockey Canada controls a vast majority of ice hockey in Canada, with a few exceptions...
, the Pacific International Junior Hockey League
Pacific International Junior Hockey League
The Pacific International Junior Hockey League is a Junior "B" Ice Hockey league in British Columbia, Canada, sanctioned by Hockey Canada. The winner of the PIJHL playoffs competes with the champions of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League and the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League...
, BC Hockey, former WHA Coach Matt Samson, and Squamish
Squamish, British Columbia
Squamish is a community and a district municipality in the Canadian province of British Columbia, located at the north end of Howe Sound on the Sea to Sky Highway...
Manager of Recreational Services Janet Gugins. The charges stem from Smith's belief that Hockey Canada and BC Hockey maliciously targeted the WHA in the summer of 2008 with a series of bulletins targeted at keep players from joining the WHA. The charges put against Samson, Gugins, and the PIJHL revolve around allegations that Samson and Gugins were in breach of a contract between them and the WHA when attempting to secure a PIJHL franchise.
Since walking away from the WHA, Ricky Smith - whose wife is wanted by Interpol - has also founded an already legally troubled professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
organization in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
External links
- Official WHA Site (dead link)