Hockey

Stars: allegations of threats and blackmail in minor hockey in Dallas emerge
Félix Forget
Stars: allegations of threats and blackmail in minor hockey in Dallas emerge
Credit: Getty Images

More and more, hockey is gaining a foothold in the United States. Seeing teams establish themselves in markets like Arizona (even if the Coyotes have since disappeared), Florida and Texas has made the sport more and more accessible… and we're seeing players from these markets take their place in the sport.Auston Matthews, for example, grew up in Arizona. Had he been born 20 years earlier, who knows if he could have hoped to play hockey.And in Texas, we're also seeing the emergence of minor hockey. The Dallas Stars, for example, are getting involved in minor hockey in the region, as they are a big player in the business, having invested a lot of money in it. That said, an article by Kenny Jacoby in USA Today today lifts the veil on what's really going on in minor hockey in Dallas… and we understand that there are a lot of people who have experienced horror stories because of the Stars.In particular, there are several allegations of threats and blackmail.

Basically, what you need to know is that the Stars have taken a huge amount of control by buying the vast majority of arenas in the region. This means that they have a great deal of control over minor hockey organizations, which obviously need these ice rinks. However, in the article, we learn that the Stars are abusing this power. For example, Lisa Bry, former president of a minor hockey association in the region, says that when she tried to clean house and get rid of some of the association's problematic members, she was told that she “should remember who supplies her with the arenas”.She proceeded to clean house anyway… and the Stars, in response, allegedly took control of all the associations while drastically raising prices and limiting access to ice for youngsters.Wealsolearn from the article that many parents of youngsters criticized the Stars' methods… and in response, were told to keep quiet if they didn't want their children's chances of continuing to play to be affected.What‘s more, many of the ice-cream facilities bought and operated by the Stars were built with… public money.Obviously,all these are very serious allegations. Minor hockey, after all, should be about allowing young people to play and develop in a sport they love,but right now in Dallas, the reality would be very, very different. Let's see if all that will change eventually.

'Overtime'

– Nice read on the CH's prospect.

– Indeed.

– Please note.

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