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| A 2006 Mariners game at the Sportsplex.
(Genevieve Ross/ The Virginian-Pilot file photo) |
By Tris Wykes
The Virginian-Pilot
VIRGINIA BEACH - Susan Hoffman, the ticket and promotions manager for the Virginia Beach Mariners, paced the hallway outside her Sportsplex office around 9 a.m. Thursday.
"Given the last two weeks, it's amazing I haven't worn out this carpet," she said with a wry smile.
Nearby, goalkeeper Matt Nelson nervously nibbled at Hoffman's homemade gingerbread, while the cell phone of marketing and program director Cindy Focke rang constantly with calls from friends seeking updates.
Creating the tension was uncertainty over whether the Mariners would fold or be saved by the last-minute recruitment of new owners. The answer came at 9:30 a.m., and it wasn't what anyone had hoped.
The franchise, caught in the midst of an ownership squabble, had been terminated by the league.
Russell Hutchison, a former Mariners player and promotions director who has overseen recent operations, delivered the news in the team's locker room. One Mariner booted at a chair upon exiting and Focke drifted around the team's offices dabbing at her face with a damp, crumpled tissue.
"I'm sad because we worked so hard and we were ready to go," she said. "All the relationships we built in the community and all the training the players did... everything's been pulled away."
Norfolk businessman Jerry McDonnell and a Florida counterpart, Mike Sidebottom, are locked in a legal battle over whether one of Sidebottom's companies bought the Mariners from McDonnell in November. Neither man is willing to oversee the team or be financially responsible for it.
The Mariners were only a few weeks away from their April 13 opener in the First Division of the United Soccer Leagues. After the USL announced the termination of the team, the league distributed a letter to Virginia Beach players explaining the situation.
The USL stated that it was unable to find new owners and because of the season's imminent start, "We are left with no other option but to remove the (Mariners) from the schedule effective immediately.
"We are embarrassed and deeply regret that Virginia Beach Soccer, LLC, has discontinued its commitment to support this team and the agreements in place with players, staff, sponsors, ticket holders, the other (First Division) teams and the league."
Mariners players and staff haven't been paid for their March work. The letter informed them that the league has no financial obligations to them and can offer "no guarantees other than to work on your behalf as an advocate to collect this money."
Asked how that work might be undertaken, USL executive vice president Tim Holt declined comment. However, in an afternoon news release in which he described the team's folding as "a stunning development," he expressed the league's hope that it can return to Hampton Roads next year.
He said, though, that that wouldn't happen until the USL was " thoroughly convinced that the principals are firmly committed to owning and operating a soccer franchise for the long-term."
The team's demise means Mariners players are free agents, but spots on other rosters will likely be hard to find at this time of year.
Veteran defender Steve Danbusky announced his retirement moments after being told of the Mariners' fate. Fellow greybeards Greg Simmonds and Jeff Bilyk said they'll have to think hard about whether to keep playing.
"I can move on easily enough," Focke said. "But for the players, this is their life and profession. For them, this late in the game, what now?"
That question can also be applied to Mariners sponsors and season-ticket holders, who may have lost their investment with the club. Hutchison said funds taken in have been exhausted to run the club in the last month. Although the USL will try to help sponsors and ticketholders recoup that money, there are no guarantees.
Another question is what will happen to what Hutchison estimated to be $50,000 in new equipment and souvenir merchandise. There are also various debts the team has run up using local companies.
"There are a lot of outstanding bills that whoever's found to be the owner of the Mariners will be responsible for," Hutchison said. "That will be figured out in court over the next weeks and months."
Such wrangling is an aside to most Mariners' employees. Hutchison, Focke, Hoffman and Melissa Bryant, who had been working to overcome the problems created by previous ownership groups, are almost certainly out of work. The fate of the Virginia Beach Submariners, members of the USL's Premier Development League, should be decided within two weeks.
Should the USL grant Virginia Beach another team, it would be the sixth ownership change in South Hampton Roads pro soccer since the Hampton Roads Hurricanes debuted in 1994.
Nelson, a longtime Mariner, isn't sure a new club is likely to succeed.
"If you keep burning a bridge, no one's going to rebuild it after awhile," he said. "You think the next guy who comes in to run a team here is going to be able to successfully ask companies or fans for their support? Not a chance."
Said Bilyk: "When you first get down here, you think what a great place for a team. There are so many kids playing soccer and people involved in soccer that how can (pro soccer) fail here? But it continues to do so."
� Reach Tris Wykes at (757) 446-2367 or at tris.wykes@pilotonline.com
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I beg to differ
I disagree that major league sports could not survive here. It might take some patience by the owners. The key is picking a sport that has broad appeal. A NASCAR track would succeed, no doubt. The Tides have proven baseball can be very profitable. I even think the NBA has a remote chance. The problem here is clearly the sport. There is no demand for soccer in a way that could generate sufficient revenue. I know it's politically correct and supposedly "worldly" to embrace this sport, but clearly most of America and Hampton Road do not.
Goverment ruins Sports
If the government would listen to the people and not the politicans we would have had NASCAR, NBA, MLB or the NHL here by now. Instead they build a horserace track in the middle of two metro areas, but not close enough to either one, and a Major soccer complex, now with no team.
Just another fine example of the deaf and blind leading us.........over a cliff.
VB had a pro team?
My first thought about this article was "Who cares?" but then it occurred to me that there are some strange people who actually like soccer. I think it's a yawn fest, but that's just me.
Think Major
Sorry to hear the news,but no more of these minor teams can Hampton Roads wake up and get a real Professional Franchise. Come on people.
Sorry to hear it...
I am disappointed to hear the Mariners are being dissolved. I have been to numerous games. My kids grew up on soccer and loved it. It's a fast moving game that always held my attention. The stadium is really beautiful -- a great family outing at a reasonable price. I imagine there's a whole lot of blame to go around on this one -- but I, for one, will most definitely miss the Mariners.
never had a real chance
This team was never on the tv news or in the sports page of the local paper,no real advertising.This area never really got behind this team..Too bad, I went to a few games & it was good cheap family fun.......
Will never work....
Soccer as a mainstream professional sport will never thrive in the states. The most popular American sports have a certain dynamic. Football- high scores and punishing hits, Basketball-high flyers and scoring left and right, etc. Not many people want to see a play that takes 5-10 minutes to set up and scores like 1-0 and 2-1. This is an instant gratification society. We want our sports quick, flashy, and fast. Soccer is none of the above.
Boring Anyways...
Hmmmm....nothing like watching a bunch of guys in skin tight pants throw a football back and forth, play the game in 4 second intervals,slap each other on the butt (another guy's butt mind you), while they get paid big bucks. Nothing like watching a bunch more guys in tight pants stand in a field somewhere and wait for someone to hit a baseball in their direction...all while getting paid big bucks. And I tell you, there is nothing more that I like than watching a bunch of cars go round and round in circles...500 of them to be exact...all while they get paid big bucks. People, take the time to watch a soccer/hockey game and then you can finally say you've seen a real sport. Better yet, how about stop watching, put the beer down, clean yourself up, and get out there and play the game yourself. Lord knows it will probably do you more good than sitting on your rear just watching. Still don't understand why in the world these players get paid so much...it's only a game people!
Sorry to hear
I have never added my comments but this time felt a need to. Many, many kids in the Va Bch area play soccer and enjoy it very much. In fact my son plays and we have been to Mariner's games that are packed with people. It is good family entertainment. I'm sorry to read all of these negative comments. Instead of being upset over taxes how about being upset that another venue for our kids to stay out of trouble and build some character is gone....why, not because of the city
No surprise
This is just another example of how out of touch the mayor and council of Va Beach is with reality. That old term " if you build it ,they will come " has been used to many times with our tax dollars. Wake up
Perspective
Actually, the loss of the Mariners is disturbing, but the future of soccer as a competitive sport is as bright as it could be. The Hampton Roads Sports Complex at Princess Anne Commons hosts over twenty large tournaments a year bringing in $2,000,000 in revenue to the city. Over the years, these events have covered the cost of the initial investment in the Sportsplex, and also have provided much revenue to be used in the general fund. The loss of the Mariners is disappointing, but nothing in that loss should be attributed to the city; this was a private sector issue, and new ownership was simply not sufficiently committed to overcome past mistakes and to advertise and market the franchise so that it could grow into self sufficiency and then profit. That has been done in many other regions like Rochester, Atlanta, Richmond, and most especially Charleston, to where I will travel this weekend to watch the Charleston Battery host a preseason tournament. It can and has been done.
It's simple...
Pro sports will never get situated in HR because the people here aren't situated. You can't build a fan base when either A) people weren't born here and have "other" hometown teams, or B) people stay here for only 2 -5 years. Get rid of the Military bases, attract better business, clean up the roads, and then the teams will follow. Until then we will just cater to the US military... Use the tax dollars to build more skateboard parks; they seem to be the only thing getting used these days.
Hockey is doing fine.
In response to Jessica from Suffolk: Hockey is doing quite fine in Norfolk, just because you don't know about it doesn't mean the Admirals and local hockey is "failing". You probably shouldn't comment on something you don't know about. The Norfolk Scope has had near sellout crowds several time this season. Also, the city nor our tax dollars are used pay these players. Typically the professional team they are affiliated with pays to develop these young players into professional athletes.
Try Horse Racing
Hey if you lose Oceana, take the land and bring in horse racing. Not as noisy as Nascar, cheap admission and you can bet on it.
How much will this cost us?!
Well, since another sports team has fallen on it's face and the players probably won't be paid, that can only mean that the taxpayers will more than likely be stuck cleaning up yet another mess created by Jim "The Caped Avenger" Spore and the City Council. Another tax-payer funded adventure that has failed from the start and was bought and paid for by the citizens who didn't ask for it.
And here I thought I'd get a .06 reduction in my real estate taxes-silly me.
Sports!
I can see people getting upset with their tax dollars and teams being shut down. But you really gotta look at the type of sports thats failing, soccer and hockey. I have never heard of these games getting sold out and record number tickets sold. I have never been to a Mariners game, and I haven't heard of anyone that I know in my circle of business and friends that have actually gone and watched one. Hockey? Pushing hockey in a southern state is kind of crazy anyways and the only game I went to was back in 93 for a friends b-day and even then I remember the place being almost vacant.....I am not suprised at all. It's probably a good thing this happened so money isn't being wasted on giving these kids false hopes of making it big.
Who?
Ok, so I'm not a soccer fan...but still, I have never heard of them. I went to the stadium once, for a work sponsored Rugby game that nobody watched.
Maybe Virginia Beach should concentrate their money on things people are interested in...like say being able to park at the beach a tad easier than driving around forever hoping that a spot will come available.
Public riding stables would be nice...maybe through the parks. Oh wait, that is too wholesome and think of the land that would be wasted when hundreds of condos could go in for tax revenue.
'tis why we moved.
Mariners
Just an example that Virginia Beach/Hampton Roads area will never be able to attract a pro team to the area. We have failed on several occasions, i.e. Basketball, Arena Football, Baseball, Soccer) because of the poor support exhibited by the residents of the area. We better hope that Oceana Air Station stays because it will be hard to attract major companies because of the poor support shown over the years. Large companies try to lure potential clients to major events within the area such as a variety of sporting events. Hampton Roads is and always will be just another large metropolitan area with very little to offer. Please don't waste my tax dollars any more for projects which are only destined to fail.
Amazing..
I have been watching this soap opera from afar the last couple of weeks. I'm amazed that this happened again to soccer in Virginia Beach. Now the city is left with no permanent tenant for that great facility. If a new ownership emerges I hope it is for USL Second Division team since the operating costs are less.
What about the Submariners, the PDL team? Are they also shut down?
Virginia Beach had a soccer team?!?
I had no idea. Many won't even miss them because many never even knew the existed. This area does such a poor job supporting the professional teams it's fortunate to have. Take the Admirals for instance. They have the best record in their league and are locked-up in an exciting three-way race for the division crown with eight games to go, yet they can't even half-fill their 35-year-old arena. Should be interesting next season when we inherit the worst team in the league and lose the best team this area has seen in some time.