Saints may look elsewhere if financing isn't found

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Wayne Belisle, president of the financially struggling Minnesota Fighting Saints, said for the first time Wednesday night that he will move the World Hockey Association franchise if financing cannot be found here. Belisle, who had insisted previously that if the Saints did not make it in St. Paul the franchise would be abandoned, said his players “deserve the chance to continue playing together.” The club president said he has received “four solid offers” to move the team to Miami, Louisville, Philadelphia and Massachusetts. “And if somebody wants the names of those people (in the cities) all they have to do is call me,” Belisle added. The Saints have been skating without pay since the club failed to meet its Dec. 31 payroll. Wednesday, the Saints' staff voted to go without paychecks until the players get paid. Minnesota played its most exciting game of the season Wednesday night, tying Phoenix with one second left in regulation play and then going on to defeat the Roadrunners 76 in overtime. But only 6,120 fans turned out despite city-wide efforts to raise funds and attract support for the team. Belisle cited the 13-below-zero temperature for the low turnout, but the Minnesota North Stars, playing in suburban Bloomington, attracted 9,055 fans. The St. Paul Shakers and Movers group collected $5,000 in donations during the game Wednesday night and the team's fan club, the Booster Shots,' donated $2,000 toward the goal of getting together the payroll amount of $150,000 by Monday to keep the Saints in town. “We're going to keep the team together at all costs,” Belisle said. “If things don't work out here, we'll move. Before tonight I wouldn't have done that but these guys deserve the chance to continue playing together.”

A group calling themselves the St. Paul Movers and Shakers have asked the public to donate anything from (1 to $100) to help raise the $150,000 bi-weekly payroll of the troubled Minnesota Fighting Saints. The players have worked without pay since December 31 when president Wayne Belisle announced that the club didn't have the money to meet its next payroll. The drive is called “Save Our Saints — SOS.”