The future of East Coast Youth Hockey and Black Bear Sports Group LLC

[Guest]

To be fair, BCI isn't owned by BB. They simply took over the lease. I haven't been to Rev much lately but last time I was there the parking lot didn't require a 6" lift kit and the locker rooms didn't smell like sewage.

[Guest]

Same at PIC.  Thank goodness for the new bathroom fixtures!  Still can't keep a decent sheet of ice and lockers are terrible.  Took at least an extra nine months from what was promised just to get a functioning OLY rink.  Missed an entire season waiting last year.  Way to go BB.

[Guest]

Over 100 million into bankrupt rinks across states that are affluent however unregulated when it comes to rink management. IMO it’s a giant money laundering scheme hiding money in construction costs (as all rinks are almost always getting worked on) and utilizing 501(c)’s to enjoy tax breaks while also having the luxury to siphon off the money at the end of the year from their clubs till to zero out, again if you think just sheer numbers from there Teir1/tier 2 clubs that’s a ton of money. To put it into more simple terms BBSG owns 22 rinks- here’s just one guy owning one rink right up the block - if it’s unregulated no ones stopping it and in the end our kids will lose .NJ Junior Titans show youth sports becoming big business. -

Are the former DVHL and other hockey clubs with Black Bear home ice remaining separate 501c3s (assuming they are 501c3s)? From my understanding, to maintain tax-exempt status with IRS, there need to be wide and bright lines in dealings with businesses. Or are you referring to Black Bear's own charitable youth hockey organization? For clubs and USA Hockey to be so seemingly intertwined with a for-profit business  seems questionable and with blurred lines. I know even when our rink asked our club parents to "volunteer" to help at rink run skating programs (as opposed to club run we bought the ice) even if the person running the program for the rink was a USA Hockey member, it was a hard no otherwise risk our 501c3. I'm curious how this stays untangled.  With many attorneys,  I'm sure. Or maybe clubs just call themselves nonprofit without having a 501c3 status. I just looked and didn't find a few clubs actually registered as a 501c3.

[Guest]

They put an entirely new sub floor and ice plant into Rev.  Probably spent $1mm.  Kind of a silly comment to say they are a scam

[Guest]

would you rather the prior owner who put zero money in and lost a sheet of ice?

[Guest]

It seems to me that BB is taking over ones that are not in great shape or profitable and putting in some capital to keep them running.  Without BB I'd be willing to guess some of the rinks would have closed on their own.  Maybe some of the places could use a little more to make them NHL ready but at least they're still open for kids to go and play some hockey.

[Guest]

ProTech closing?  is this another Big Bear takeover?  sorry if late to the news here, heard over that ProTech closing at end of year, looking to be sold for $8m?  Any insight on this?

[Guest]

Black Bear not involved.  But for everyone who hates on Black Bear, Protec is an example of what would happen to most of the rinks Black Bear has purchased - they would no longer be hockey rinks.  What would that do to hockey in NJ?  We can complain about Black Bear, but the alternatives seem to be worse.

[Guest]

The alternative is better but only without BB in the mix. Less rinks means more competition since those players with no home rink would be absorbed by the the teams that exist at the rinks still running. At the same time it could be a bad thing because at some point the only rinks that will remain in operation will be Black Bear and when that happens nobody will be able to afford youth hockey.

[Guest]

Only upgrades to Twin Ponds (Harrisburg, PA) since purchase, have been a new arcade. Yes, a way to make even more money. Maybe I'm being a pessimist and perhaps that money will go towards other improvements for the rink...or a fund to help reduce the fees for some hockey families who soon won't be able to afford it. But I doubt it.