The Texas Attorney General’s antitrust division is investigating anticompetitive business practices in youth hockey, USA TODAY has learned.
The Dallas Stars, the $2 billion National Hockey League team that seized control of youth hockey in the state, are a focus of the investigation.
The state probe, which is in its early, information-gathering stages, comes on the heels of a USA TODAY investigation in August that revealed how the professional sports franchise monopolized every level of amateur hockey in Texas from preschoolers to adults.
"The Dallas Stars have not been contacted by the Texas Attorney General’s office," Joe Calvillo, the NHL team's director of communications, said in an emailed statement to USA TODAY. "The Dallas Stars are committed to providing the best possible experience for all players, teams and families who participate in our leagues and tournaments through long-standing partnerships with cities across the DFW Metroplex."
Reached by phone, assistant attorney general Paige Etherington, who is working on the case, told USA TODAY that the office does not comment on confidential investigations.
