| The World
Hockey Association feels it has matured considerable;y zone 1972, and team owners have now
taken the position that they don't need the National Hockey League. In short, forget about
a merger. Bill DeWitt Jr. the Cincinnati Stingers executive vice-president and the team's
league trustee, returned from a trustees' meeting in Chicago with a feeling of optimism.
DeWitt feels the WHA is going to survive and prosper, and he is certain hockey will be a
popular sport in Cincinnati. "The general attitude of the meeting was not to pursue
the NHL," said DeWitt, one of the prime movers in the unsuccessful league merger
talks last year. "We feel we are maturing and we want to build a solid, established
league of our own. We want to reach the point where everyone knows the franchises and the
players." DeWitt said the trust of Monday's meeting was
to "reemphasize that the league wants to go forward next year. " But there was
also considerable discussion about assisting weak teams, namely the Indianapolis Racers.
The Racers are mired in last place, have just changed coaches and don't appear to be going
anywhere. The other tams may cough up a few players (no superstars) to give Indy a lift.
"We talked about it," said DeWitt. "We feel if a team is really down, the
league should work out a format to strengthen that team. The trustees expressed a
willingness to help Indianapolis with certain players, and probably very soon."
DeWitt emphasized that the Stingers would not give nor receive
players. That's good news because Cincinnati handed over a defenseman and goaltender to
the Racers last season and lost the playoffs. DeWtitt said another topic was the
attendance problems in some cities, especially Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Houston.
"We want to get out marketing people together in various cities," he explained.
"We want to fin the best techniques to draw people."
The best technique, obviously is winning and DeWitt doesn't argue
with that point. The Stingers are going to lose a lot of money this year, but he pointed
out four teams which wouldn't - New England, Quebec, Winnipeg and Edmonton. "On the
whole attendance is good this year (in the WHA), said DeWitt. "Those four teams have
good gates and Birmingham is doing well. I think it's a sign that the league is maturing.
Teams that win are drawing better than teams that lose. We talked about retaining the
competitive balance of the league. Right now there are five teams in a dog fight for the
playoffs. Things could change quickly and the teams that are winning now could have
trouble next year. The league is very competitive."
While DeWitt agrees there is no substitute for winning, he feels the
Stingers must have a solid base of season ticket sales to relieve the pressure of trying
to make a profit entirely on the team;s ability to win games. "We need a solid base,
season-ticket-wise," he said. "We definitely have to look to the business
community in Cincinnati to build our season ticket sales."
The Stingers have been only mildly successful in selling season
tickets although they are in their fourth year of operation. Can the Stingers build the
base DeWitt's envision. "I definitely think it is possible," he said. "I
feel very strongly that hockey will prosper in Cincinnati. It will take time. It comes
with a mature franchise that is recognized in a city over a period of years. I think we
can do that in Cincinnati. It's going to take a lot of effort, a lot of hand work and a
lot of man hours. But I see hockey in Cincinnati for a long time."
Perhaps to emphasize the new feeling of strength among the WHA
owners. DeWitt mentioned that there was discussion among the trustees of possible
expansion in the near future. "There was some long-range discussion about makeup of
the league," he said. "There is the possibility of adding two teams and possibly
having two-five team divisions. A lot of cities have expressed strong interest in a
franchise, but we discouraged them in the past until we felt the league was on a solid
footing." |
