The city of Orlando has notified the AFL Predators that the team "defaulted on its lease at the Amway Center" because "not enough fans showed up during the 2013 season," according to Mark Schlueb of the ORLANDO SENTINEL. The formal notice means the Predators' lease of the city-owned arena "will be terminated Monday." However, Orlando officials have "left open the possibility of negotiating a new lease before the next season begins in the spring." The team's lease "requires attendance, as measured by ticket-scanners and turnstile counts, to average at least 6,000 per home game." City records show that the Predators "fell just short, averaging 5,878." But Predators Majority Owner David Pearsall in a statement on Wednesday said that the "city's attendance numbers are wrong." Schlueb noted the relationship between the city and the Predators "has been quarrelsome, with former managing partner Brett Bouchy accusing the city of mismanaging the arena to the detriment of team." The team also has "complained that the city has reserved most advertising revenue at the arena for the building's primary tenant, the Orlando Magic, making it tougher for the Predators to find sponsors" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 9/5).
