Hershey Wildcats folding

By Jeff DiVeronica
Democrat and Chronicle

(Saturday, October 20, 2001) -- Losing in their first A-League Championship Game wasn't the worst thing that happened to the Hershey (Pa.) Wildcats in the past week.

Yesterday, the soccer team folded.

The Sports and Entertainment Group of the Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company announced after five seasons it is discontinuing operation of the Wildcats, who lost 2-0 to the Rhinos in last Saturday's league title game at Frontier Field.

The group also runs the amusement park in Hershey and minor-league hockey Hershey Bears. The announcement stunned the rest of the league and prompted acting league commissioner David Askinas to call yesterday "Black Friday," Rhinos general manager Chris Economides said.

"It's a huge blow to the league. They were one of the better franchises," a somber Economides said. "Not only that, but we lose one of our rivals."

And to think, Hershey fans were upset that their team wasn't picked to host last week's title game, which drew 13,692 fans.

The Wildcats' average attendance of 2,911 was eighth-best in the 21-team league and slightly better than last year's franchise low 2,394. The final straw might have been the 750 or so fans who showed up to watch Hershey's playoff semifinal against Vancouver.

"We were pretty much in the championship game, steamrolling teams and only 750 show up?" coach Bob Lilley said. "Where was the passion for Wildcat soccer? If not there then, after five years, I guess they figured it might never happen." Lilley said he did not think added expenses the team incurred by having to travel twice to the West Coast -- Portland, Ore., and Vancouver -- during the playoffs factored in to ownership's decision.

"To them it was a thorough business decision," said Lilley, whose team never missed the playoffs and went 86-46-6. "There are factors even I am not privy to."

The United Soccer Leagues, which govern several leagues including the A-League, said it will try to find new owners for Hershey. If it cannot, Lilley suspects Wildcats players will become free agents. Former Rhinos star Doug Miller already is a free agent and did not plan to return.

Hershey's demise throws a wrench into a potential realignment from three seven-team conferences to four five-team divisions. Hershey was supposed to join Rochester, Connecticut, Montreal and Toronto. Long Island and San Diego are not expected back, while Calgary is a new team.