http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/article/20090703/SPORTS/907030318/Knights-to-sit-out-next-year&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL

The Battle Creek Knights are no longer a part of the Premier Basketball League and will not play basketball in any league in the 2009-10 season.

Team owners added, however, there is a "50-50'' chance the franchise could be back on the court at a future date.

The Knights announced their plans Thursday, citing financial issues and philosophical differences with the PBL.

"This is a hobby for us, it's an expensive hobby. All four of us enjoy the Battle Creek Knights and we know a lot of the community does, too. But with the way the economy is and the way minor league basketball is right now, it's a very unstable situation and we decided as owners we need to focus on our businesses and we need to give the Knights a rest for a short period of time," said Knights co-owner Scott Niecko, speaking for the ownership group of James King, Mike Beck and Mike Lee. "We will most likely sit out the full 2010 season. If we were to return we'd return to the IBL, but I'm quite positive you won't see us play anywhere in 2010."

The Knights were 76-35 as a franchise during the five years and 44-9 at home. From having over 3,700 in attendance during a game in their first year to having a low of around 300 at certain games in recent years, the Knights averaged close to 1,000 for games at Kellogg Arena during their run. But the franchise didn't know if it could keep those numbers up in the current economy.

"With the state of the economy, we can't fill the stadium and if we can't put people in the seats, we can't keep it going," said Lee. "We just have to give everybody a break, refresh everybody."

The Knights began as a franchise in the IBL - the International Basketball League - and were champions in that first season in 2005.

Battle Creek moved to the PBL to start this past season. The Knights were last in action in the PBL Championship game in Rochester (N.Y.) in April, losing in the final, 152-115.
Beyond the financial situation for the ownership group, the parting of the ways with the PBL generally stems from that championship game.

Originally, the PBL championship was supposed to be decided in a three-game series. Battle Creek, which owned the best record in the league, was to have two home games at Kellogg Arena.

Following the playoffs, the PBL decided the championship would be a one-game, winner-take-all contest in Rochester.

At the time, the Knights argued that they were due home games in the championship series based on the original format. The PBL did not move off of its decision to have a one-game final in Rochester, agreeing it would compensate the Knights for any lost revenue based that decision.

Disagreements based on what that lost revenue was is what has brought the league and the team to this point - where the PBL and the Knights have severed their relationship.
The Knights say they were told they'd receive an undisclosed amount of money for playing the game in Rochester and the franchise says it hasn't received that total amount.

"The Knights have not been invited back to the PBL. This is a membership league and they are not coming back next year," said PBL President Thomas E. Doyle. "We made the decision to have the one-game championship and we appreciate their willingness to play the one game and we paid them for whatever losses they had. But now they want more money and I'm not going to do business with organizations that want to do business that way."

With no interest in playing in the PBL in the future, the Knights say that doesn't mean they won't play again.

"It is probably 50-50, maybe 60-40 that we'll be back," Niecko said. "Everybody just needs a break from the financial part of it. Some of it will hinge on how minor league basketball is doing in the country as to when we'd come back.

"If someone were to want to take over the team, that could change things, too. We'd like to keep an ownership stake in it. But if there were a majority owner who wanted to take it and run with it, that would be different."
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They will probably force every team to be called the Lemmings next season. "Just fall in line and do what we tell you, and we will not tolerate ANY team beating Rochester from now on." Remember, Our League, Our Rules, Welcome to the RBL.

The west seems to be very weak or nonexistent at this point.