▁Sp urs ▁began ▁play ▁in ▁the ▁Western ▁Hockey ▁League ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁and ▁had ▁been ▁mod est ly ▁successful ▁in ▁the ▁min ors ▁before ▁moving ▁to ▁the ▁WH A ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 . ▁ ▁However , ▁fans ▁in ▁Den ver ▁had ▁been ▁expecting ▁an ▁N HL ▁team ▁after ▁Sp urs ▁owner ▁Ivan ▁M ull enix ▁won ▁a ▁conditional ▁N HL ▁expansion ▁franch ise ▁to ▁begin ▁play ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 - 7 7 , ▁only ▁to ▁see ▁those ▁plans ▁f izz le ▁out . ▁▁▁ ▁The ▁Sp urs ▁were ▁pl ag ued ▁by ▁financial ▁difficulties ▁and ▁poor ▁attend ance ▁( less ▁than ▁ 3 , 0 0 0 ▁per ▁game ), ▁widely ▁attributed ▁to ▁the ▁Den ver ▁fan base ▁reject ing ▁the ▁WH A ▁as ▁a ▁minor ▁league . ▁ ▁However , ▁they ▁were ▁also ▁do gg ed ▁by ▁rum ors ▁that ▁the ▁N HL ▁was ▁planning ▁to ▁move ▁either ▁the ▁Kansas ▁City ▁Sc outs ▁or ▁the ▁league - owned ▁California ▁Golden ▁Se als ▁to ▁Den ver ; ▁the ▁Sc outs ▁would ▁indeed ▁eventually ▁move ▁to ▁Den ver ▁as ▁the ▁Colorado ▁Rock ies ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁off season . ▁ ▁M ull enix ▁knew ▁that ▁he ▁could ▁not ▁possibly ▁comp ete ▁with ▁an ▁N HL ▁team . ▁ ▁The ▁team ▁uno fficial ly ▁fol ded ▁in ▁December ▁when ▁M ull enix ▁wanted ▁out , ▁and ▁the ▁league ▁stepped ▁in ▁to ▁bro ker ▁a ▁deal ▁with ▁an ▁Ott awa ▁group ▁called