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While Derek Keenan’s head-to-toe roster makeover in Edmonton has so far seemingly improved the Rush on National Lacrosse League courts, it might be the off floor battles that Rush owner Bruce Urban is currently fighting through that will dictate the franchise’s long-term life span in the City of Champions.

The Edmonton Sun is reporting that Urban has lost in excess of $100,000 per season since the Rush set-up shop in Edmonton in admission surcharges paid to Northlands, who own and operate the Rush’s current home, Rexall Place, due to a city bylaw.

Urban’s beef with the bylaw? The NHL’s Edmonton Oilers and WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings (who share ownership under Daryl Katz’s Rexall Sports) retain that same surcharge while playing at Rexall, a deal the organization made with the city under a separate business decision years earlier.

“I want to make pro lacrosse viable in Edmonton,” Urban told The Edmonton Sun. ”If we’re on a fair playing field as the Edmonton Oil Kings, this sport will flourish.

“The Oilers should have nice breaks because of their economic impact, but not the Oil Kings. If they were faced with the same expenses we have, would they be around as long?”

The paper also says that Urban pays Northlands a $7,500 rental cost for each Rush home date ($60K by the end of the NLL’s regular season), and additional coin to the Oilers for the use of the arena’s score-clock, and then even more to a separate company for use of Rexall Place’s facilities room.

Although Urban has spoken to the city’s past and present mayors about his concerns, The Sun reports he’s heard little back since, while city councillor Kim Krushell feels that between getting the Oilers, Rush, Northlands and city together in the midst of already ongoing arena debates in Edmonton to discuss even the possibility of altering the existing admission surcharge, on top of those surcharge revenues likely playing a big part in operating the arena by Northlands for events like Rush games, it appears very unlikely things will change anytime soon for Urban.

Urban is holding out hope that an agreement can be made, but tells The Sun, “I think it would be sad to treat us so differently and basically squeeze us out of the market. I think that would be a very sad day.”

Check out the Rush’s attendance figures below, including what they’ve done so far this year after two home dates…

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