Standing Together: A Message from the Motor City Rockers

To Our Rockers Family,

We want to begin by sincerely thanking our loyal fans, partners, players, boosters, and staff for your unwavering passion, dedication, and support. Although our tenure began only on January 23rd, it feels like a lifetime with all that we have traveled together since that day.

What wasn’t publicly known until now is that when we stepped in mid-season, the team was just days away from folding. Thanks to your incredible support, we stabilized operations and finished the season strong, creating unforgettable memories both on and off the ice.

Along the way, the Rockers were proud to make a profound impact across our community – honoring military heroes on Military Night, supporting 4 Paws 1 Heart, celebrating our Girl Scouts and Scouting America troops, encouraging childhood literacy through story time events at local libraries during National Reading Month, raising autism awareness through our Autism Awareness Night with the Autism Alliance of Michigan, mentoring young skaters through the rink’s Learn to Skate program, paying tribute to Coach Ryan Abraham with our Stick to Strength Night, and so much more. It was truly heartwarming to see the difference your Rockers made both on the ice and throughout our community.

Our original plan was simple: resolve the immediate crises, finish the season, and use the offseason to rebuild and plan a stronger future – something the Rockers, our fans, and this community have long deserved.

However, despite our best efforts, we now find ourselves in an impossible position – one not of our choosing, but forced upon us by decisions outside of our control. We believe you, our loyal Rockers family, deserve a full and honest explanation.

The Challenges We Faced

From day one, the challenges behind the scenes were significant. Poor decisions from prior management, six-figure hidden liabilities, and conflicts of interest left a complex and difficult environment for us to navigate. We worked hard to make things right – paying down vendor debts where possible, stabilizing operations, and protecting the integrity of the Rockers brand.

A particularly difficult challenge was the dynamic between the team and the rink management. The team’s former managing owner, who remained the facility manager, held significant conflicts of interest – operating the rink while also profiting separately from the team's success through bar and concession revenues.

While we initially believed we had a mutual understanding to move forward – agreeing to maintain existing arrangements through the end of the season and negotiate fairly afterward – we quickly found ourselves faced with broken promises and a deteriorating relationship.

Despite these challenges, we remained committed to staying at Big Boy Arena. We viewed BBA as a unique facility with tremendous potential and were planning substantial investments during the offseason to improve the venue experience for players and fans alike.

However, despite our commitment, we encountered consistent obstacles from rink management:

• Our players and staff faced mistreatment and a difficult work environment.
• Staff turnover escalated due to these conditions, despite their deep dedication to the Rockers mission.
• Rumors circulated during the season regarding interference with team operations. One such instance involved concerns about the condition of the ice during a critical game, including severe pooling water and areas worn down to the liner — all of which were documented. While we cannot confirm the source or intent behind these issues, the circumstances raised serious safety concerns and further highlighted the challenges we faced.
• Despite all of this, we fulfilled every operational and financial obligation for the season, including paying our non-refundable 2025–26 league deposit in early March to signal our commitment to next season at BBA.

Why We Are Unable to Return to Big Boy Arena

Following the conclusion of our season, we attempted to move forward as previously agreed — finalizing the rink manager’s exit from the team and negotiating a new lease. These steps were part of a written interim agreement that outlined the intention to complete an operating plan for the following season and required both parties to negotiate in good faith. However, in a meeting held on April 16, that agreement was disregarded when we were told there was no path forward and were asked to vacate the building as soon as possible. This was an abrupt reversal from assurances just three days earlier, when we were told that the rink "absolutely" wanted the Rockers to remain at BBA.

At that same meeting, the rink manager stated that he was stepping away from the team. Based on the circumstances and our discussions at that time, it was our understanding that he was relinquishing any involvement or claims related to the team moving forward.

In the weeks that followed, we made multiple good faith attempts to formalize a resolution that would allow both sides to move forward cleanly. We submitted a detailed proposal outlining a fair and complete separation, including the assumption of team liabilities and a full release of all claims. After considerable delay, we received a minimal written response that declined to engage further on those terms. At this point, it has become clear that no workable resolution can be reached, and we are moving forward accordingly to protect the team’s future and fulfill our commitments to our fans and partners.

While we had every intention of continuing at Big Boy Arena and would have welcomed a lease renewal under fair and professional terms, we recognized that continuing under the same operating conditions that challenged us throughout the season would likely have prevented the kind of success we and our fans expect. While we had a vision for how BBA could be improved, it became clear that it would have required a level of cooperation and shared commitment that wasn’t possible under the existing leadership model.

We must also stress that while Big Boy Arena carries the Big Boy name, our local Big Boy restaurants are completely separate and not responsible for this situation. We kindly ask our fans not to direct any frustration toward them.

Our Path Forward

Although disappointed by these circumstances, we are not defeated. We are proud to announce that the FPHL has formally approved the Motor City Rockers’ request to enter dormant status for the 2025–26 season. In addition to approving our request, the league has been an incredible partner throughout these challenges — offering support, expert guidance, and a steady hand as we navigated this complex situation. We are extremely thankful for their leadership and backing during this time.

This period of dormancy gives us the necessary time to regroup, explore new venue options, and rebuild even stronger — with the continued support of a league that shares our commitment to doing things the right way.

Our commitment to you – our fans, our partners, and our community – remains unshakable.

• We are already in conversations with multiple potential new venues within the Metro Detroit area and are incredibly excited about the positive reception we’ve received.
• We are building a future where the Rockers will thrive in a facility that supports and values a professional hockey organization.
• We will continue community outreach and fan engagement through the offseason, including updates on our progress and the future of your Rockers.
• We are working directly with partners to make them whole wherever possible for the upcoming year given we’ll not be on the ice.
• We are also using this time to strengthen our internal operations, revamp our online store to better help our supporters show their Rockers pride, and continue developing programs like our Junior Rockers initiative – giving kids affordable access to elite hockey opportunities while being part of a professional team, making high-level development more accessible to families in our community.

We want to be clear that the Motor City Rockers name, brand, and likeness remain solely under our stewardship, and that we continue to operate with the full support and recognition of the FPHL. All legitimate communications from the Rockers will come directly from our official email accounts, social media channels, website, or from the league itself. We are in the process of reaching out to our partners directly to ensure they are informed and supported, and we encourage fans and partners to verify the source of any communication that claims to represent the team.

While others may attempt to position themselves as a replacement or continuation of the Rockers, we know — and we believe our fans know — that there is no substitute. We trust that our fans and partners, now fully aware of the circumstances, will make thoughtful decisions about where they choose to show their support moving forward.

In Closing

We truly hate to bring our fans into behind-the-scenes issues we worked tirelessly to manage privately. However, given the gravity of this decision and the understandable questions and disappointment it will cause, we felt you deserved an honest, transparent explanation.

There is much more that we endured that we have chosen not to share publicly – not out of weakness, but out of commitment to keeping our focus where it belongs: on our future, our fans, and rebuilding stronger than ever.

Your Rockers are far more than a team – we are a community, a family, and a movement. This is not the end. It is simply a transition to a stronger, brighter future.

While this message aims to provide a transparent and fair summary of events, it does not represent a complete or exhaustive list of all challenges, obligations, or considerations involved.

From the bottom of our hearts – thank you for standing with us. Thank you for believing in us. And thank you for giving us the privilege of being your team. We can't wait to share some positive news soon!

With gratitude and Rocker pride,

 The Motor City Rockers Ownership and Staff