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Brockton Rox lock doors, restructuring finances

The doors to the team offices are locked, employees were told to take a vacation, and the city has been warned that an Oct. 1 payment won't be forthcoming.

Bad news for the Brockton Rox (independent; Can-Am Association): The doors to the team offices are locked, employees were told to take a vacation, and the city has been warned that an Oct. 1 payment of $62,500 won't be forthcoming.

What comes next is anyone's guess. The team is owned by a group that includes minor-league veteran Van Schley and actor Bill Murray, among others. Besides leasing Campanelli Stadium, the group also manages the adjoining Shaw's Conference Center.

What's a little surprising about this is that the Rox were always seen as one of the two flagship franchises in the indy circuit, alongside the Quebec Capitales. It's no secret many minor-league teams struggled this season; the American Defenders of New Hampshire in the same circuit were locked out of their ballpark earlier this season, and we expect to hear more cases of teams reporting big losses this season. In almost every case, attendance wasn't the issue; decreased sponsorship was to blame.

And the case of the Rox may not be applicable to other teams. The franchise leases both the ballpark and an adjoining Shaw's Conference Center, and we've been told decreased bookings at the conference center has been more of a drain on ownership finances than the Rox. 

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