The WHL Calgary Hitmen are the "most valuable franchise in Canadian major junior hockey," worth $68.95M (all figures C), according to a report cited by Rick Westhead of TSN.ca. A report on franchise economics filed in Ontario Superior Court in June states that the Hitmen are "tops among the 42 teams" in the OHL and WHL, both of which fall under the CHL umbrella. The study was "commissioned by the lawyers for former junior players who say that CHL franchises are raking in millions of dollars" and prepared by Brock Univ. assistant professor Kevin Mongeon. The former players have "filed a lawsuit alleging major junior teams should be sharing more of their profits with players." The CHL has "argued that it is a development league featuring amateur student athletes." It has also argued that "if it’s required to pay damages to the players, some teams may go out of business." The study states that the OHL's most valuable team is the Ottawa 67's, who are worth $55.53M. Other valuable CHL teams include the Edmonton Oil Kings ($51.06M), Mississauga Steelheads ($44.85M) and the London Knights ($23.02M). Mongeon wrote that his study was "not scientific, and that he relied on assumptions based on the confirmed sale prices of 11 CHL franchises" since '90. His study is "sure to draw scrutiny after he valued the Knights, a franchise that has repeatedly led the OHL in attendance in recent years and has a virtual monopoly in its market, for so much less than franchises in Ottawa and Mississauga, Ont., where major junior teams compete against NHL clubs for attention and sponsorship dollars." CHL President and OHL Commissioner David Branch in an email wrote that the study was "based on assumptions and was 'contrary to and does not account for the evidence that has been filed (in court) by the teams'" (TSN.ca, 7/6).
