The Elkhart Express, a team that won two IBL championships in three years, will fold before its fourth season. Struggling donors and the economy are to blame, according to the team's founder and coach.
Still, the Elkhart Express played winning basketball--and drew thousands of fans.
"For three years in a row, we've had the best attendance in the league," said Daimon Beathea, who founded the team. "We've been able to sustain that and average over twenty seven hundred people," Beathea said.
Ninety percent of revenue came from attendance and sponsorship, Beathea said. But he said potential sponsors have been struggling.
"In talking to some of our sponsors they just didn't have the funding," said Beathea.
That's one reason Beathea decided to file for bankruptcy. But not everyone thinks the move was necessary.
Tom Holt worked as a communication consultant for Beathea in 2007. He says he supports Beathea and the Elkhart Express, but says he thinks the team could have been managed differently.
"You've got to look at maybe cutting salaries, maybe looking at your overhead costs, raising ticket prices slightly, looking at all functions in order to keep the entity going," said Holt.
Beathea said the team could have played this year--but it wouldn't have been the same experience for fans.
"Could we put a team out there? Yeah, but it wouldn't be up to the standards that we've created here," said Beathea.
"If we go back and we cut back like everybody else, we're gonna put a product that is not worthy to be out there."
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