Arena Backs Out Of Deal To Host Clarett’s Football Team
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Arena Pulls Out Of Deal On
Day Of Clarett's Arrest
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By Paul Sanford, SportsBusiness Daily
Thunderplex, an arena in Vienna, Ohio, has pulled out of its agreement to serve as the home of the Mahoning Valley Hitmen, the Eastern Indoor Football League team that recently signed Maurice Clarett, who was arrested again this week on weapons charges with a judge setting a $5M bond. While Thunderplex claims the Clarett situation is not the reason for the move, Hitmen Owner, GM & coach Jim Terry said, “Read between the lines. [Thunderplex Owner Dave Anderson] had our contract for 40 days. He quits the day [Clarett was arrested], literally hours after it happened, so we’ve never really received an e-mail or anything from him. It was [the reason]. Even though he’ll say it wasn’t, it was.” Terry added of Anderson, “He saw the dollar signs with Clarett, and evidently he thinks that those have gone away now. But actually, the last 72 hours: boom. It doesn’t matter what Clarett does. It always benefits us. He could have went out [sic] and blew away people and we would have been on more news stations. ... There’s that core group of fans out there that likes to see that train wreck, and that’s our demographic.” Anderson did not return calls seeking comment.
MERCHANDISE: Terry said “Free Mo’” T-shirts are “flying. I can’t even begin to tell you how many of those we’ve sold.”
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