The Iowa Chops came into prominence briefly during the 2008-09 season thanks to a few off-beat marketing schemes, including the mere oddity that is their team ... “mascot.” It didn’t take long for the jokes to fade away and it’s gotten to the point that the team is in limbo. It seems like there might be a light at the tunnel, though. The Des Moines Register reports that the Dallas Stars franchise offered to purchase the defunct Chops franchise, a deal the Polk County Board of Supervisors is currently considering.
Documents obtained from Polk County officials show the franchise would be sold for $3.75 million to the owners of the NHL’s Dallas Stars, which is operating a franchise in suburban Austin, Texas, on temporary status.
If approved by the county, the agreement would pave the way to end nearly a year of uncertainty over the immediate future of AHL hockey in Iowa’s largest city. AHL officials suspended the operation of the franchise after officials for Schlegel Sports acknowledged they intended to sell the franchise and move it from Des Moines after four years of operation.
The owners said they had to sell the team because of millions of dollars in losses.
(H/T to Defending Big D)