a January 31 media release announcing the move of the MAINEiacs franchise, owner Mark Just said that community support for the team was a major consideration. During the six seasons since the team moved from Sherbrooke, Quebec, to Lewiston, the MAINEiacs never managed to break even. However, on February 2, Farrel Miller, owner of the QMJHL's Montreal Junior Hockey Club, issued a statement that his team would fight the MAINEiacs move to Boisbriand on territorial grounds. The Montreal Junior Hockey Club has communicated to the QMJHL that it will retain, without modification, its exclusive geographic territory that it acquired in connection with its 2008 Franchise Agreement with the QMJHL. On January 21, 2009, the Montreal Junior Hockey Club communicated to the Governors of the QMJHL that (i) it has chosen to retain its exclusive territory without modification and (ii) that it is not seeking any financial compensation in connection with this issue. After several weeks of negotiations with a number of Canadian cities (most notably Fredericton, New Brunswick), MAINEiacs Head Coach Don Macadam announced on March 24, 2009, that the MAINEiacs would be remaining in Lewiston. In June 2010, Lewiston businessman Paul Spellman became minority owner of the team, and in early August 2010, former Moncton Wildcats General Manager Bill Schurman was named as the team's Sports Management Consultant. However, relocation rumors continued to follow the team, with Summerside, Prince Edward Island (where Schurman, a native of that town, had recently been the municipality's Director of Community Services), and St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, named as a potential destinations in January 2011. Schurman's denials of the team looking into a Summerside relocation proved unconvincing, and the rumours had a negative effect on attendance. However, Schurman's dream of moving the MAINEiacs to his home city ultimately failed, as a preliminary exploration to gauge support for a move to Summerside found little traction. The team then began to look at other possibilities, but found that few other relocation options existed. The Lewiston franchise was disbanded by the QMJHL in the summer of 2011. To replace the defunct MAINEiacs club, the Sherbrooke Phoenix were scheduled to begin play for the 2012–13 season, the 3rd franchise to call Sherbrooke home in 25 years. Takeover by league and disbanding On May 31, 2011, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League held a conference call to prepare an offer to purchase the team from Mark Just for