Pyle said the city has no plans to be heavily involved in the team's operations but will work to achieve profitability with the franchise, which in past seasons always managed to square its books with the city.

"Obviously (the Grizzlies) would probably rather not have our involvement at all as far as partnership or ownership." Pyle acknowledged. "But they also recognized the responsibility of what they owed the city."

Bruder sees no problem with that.

"With the city having a stake … they have a right to be more involved and more informed," he said. "We very much want them to be a part moving forward."

While the city and team are presenting a united front, the Grizzlies remain a troubled franchise, in a troubled league, amid troubled economic times. The Grizzlies are currently 14th in league attendance in the sprawling 21-team East Coast Hockey League, averaging fewer than 3,500 fans per game. Attendance-leading Stockton, Calif., is averaging just more than 6,000 fans per night.

Meanwhile, the ECHL is experiencing tremendous turmoil itself. The Fresno, Calif., and Augusta, Ga., franchises ceased operations in midseason due to financial hardships, and the Phoenix Roadrunners folded after the final game of the regular season Saturday.

The Grizzlies finished in fourth place in the ECHL's West Division and open a best-of-seven playoff series Friday against the division champion Alaska Aces.

Bruder, stiff upper lip in place, sees the partnership as the best way to run the current economic gauntlet.

"You look at restructuring the lease and selling a portion of our asset (membership to the league), and it definitely gives (Grizzlies) ownership the relief and the strong ongoing structure to continue improving the overall operation," he said.

Pyle is more pragmatic.

"I'll never be in position of making the decision whether it's smart for the Grizzlies to stay or the Grizzlies to go," he said. "That will be for (the Grizzlies) to decide. But I do feel like from the standpoint of our having some ownership that we have more say and have a closer relationship with the ownership group."

Despite recent struggles, the team still enjoys value as an asset, Pyle said. So if the team were to eventually move elsewhere, the city would retain its 40 percent interest. A city staff report estimated the total value of the team and its membership in the ECHL at $1.5 million.

If there's hope for success, West Valley may want to look to Ohio, where a viable community-owned sports team business model exists in blue-collar Toledo.

Research by The New Rules Project from a decade ago identified at least seven minor league teams, across multiple sports, owned by their respective communities. That number may be as high as 10 or more now due to ownership changes in recent years.