TIEHL suing six clubs who left for HPHL

TIEHL has filed a lawsuit against six former youth hockey organizations who abruptly abandoned the league to form their own youth hockey league (HPHL). The six members include Detroit’s Honeybaked, Little Caesar’s, and Compuware, and the Chicago Mission, Chicago Young Americans and Team Illinois. This was the press release from the Tier I Elite Hockey League on April 22.

PRESS RELEASE

On April 22, 2011, the Tier 1 Elite Hockey League, Inc., filed suit against six of its former Members who surreptitiously and abruptly resigned March 17 from Tier 1 after organizing a competing hockey league.  Prior to March 17, these organizations, while allegedly acting in the best interests of the Tier 1 Board of Governors and making decisions concerning the Tier 1 league, were organizing a new league to directly compete with Tier 1.

The basis of the lawsuit is quite simple - a board member owes a legal fiduciary duty to the organization and cannot have any undisclosed conflicts of interest.  These six Members never disclosed that they were working for months to undermine Tier 1 and set up a competing league even while serving on Tier 1's Board of Governors.  They secretly organized the competing league and then, after completing their improper work, announced their resignations.

Because of their improper conduct, Tier 1 had no choice but to file an action seeking to stop the new league and to stop these six associations from being able to benefit from their wrongdoing.  The action filed in court seeks only to enjoin, or stop, the associations and the new league from competing. The Tier 1 league is not seeking monetary damages.

Tier 1 Elite Hockey League is ready for the 2011-2012 season with 19 organizations committed to compete at the midget level and additional organizations are applying to become part of Tier 1. The boys (bantam through squirt) and girls divisions also are ready to compete with multiple committed organizations and additional organizations applying.  The League provides the highest level of competition in the United States for teams and players from East to West and from North to South.

The number of organizations and national scope of the Tier 1 League provides the highest competition among the best players through Showcase formats, ensuring national exposure while limiting travel costs and missed school days, and avoiding expensive tournament fees.

The Tier 1 League is excited to continue in its position as the national leader of youth ice hockey development.