Scanning U-SOCCER (4241) Conference Date: 05-07-95 (22:13) Number: 14004 of 14004 (Refer# NONE) To: ALL From: ROBIN GLOVER Subj: Toronto Rockets team dead Read: (N/A) Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE (Echo) Conf: U-SOCCER (4241) Read Type: GENERAL As mentioned by others last week, the A-League team Toronto Rockets have folded. Today on Soccer Canada radio show, Tony Fontana the former owner was on and explained the reasons he folded the team. Fontana took aboard four partners over the winter as he'd lost millions over the years. The 50% partner got nervous when news of a possible MLS team was mentioned in February so the others scrambled when he bailed out. Fontana was down to 10% ownership but he still had enough influence to kill the team when A-League president Richard Groff started direct negotiation over his head with marketing manager Chris Bellamy. The Rockets had to come up with $80,000 last year to support the Houston franchise which only played one game last year before folding. This year they had to chip in to support league run Atlanta for starters. Show host Dale Barnes was a former commissioner of the Canadian Soccer League and was quite sympathetic. One class thing about the Rockets operation is they didn't bill my credit card for season's tickets this year. I was known by my first name at their office as the only subscriber who used a Mastercard. I don't know what I'll do now. I supported North York Rockets from their 2nd year in the CSL with only one sidestep, that was when Toronto Blizzard played in the APSL for one year (then they folded). Renamed Toronto Rockets also only lasted one year in the APSL. I'd be interested in the two new local leagues starting up so you may hear from me again. I've got tickets to the Canada-Turkey international at Varsity in June and also plan to see the Canada-Jamaica-Trinidad & Tobago games in August. I saw the Canada vs Denmark, Portugal games but gave away my Denmark-Portugal ticket (vacation in Guadeloupe FWI!). I'll try to continue the first person 'I was there' reports this year. Bye for now Rocket Robin robin.glover@canrem.com