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Photo: Special to the Chronicle Image 1 of / 22 Caption Close Image 2 of 22 Cow Palace, the home of the San Francisco Bulls, on opening night match against the Bakersfield Condors at Cow Palace in San Francisco on November 8th 2013. Cow Palace, the home of the San Francisco Bulls, on opening night match against the Bakersfield Condors at Cow Palace in San Francisco on November 8th 2013. Photo: Special to the Chronicle Image 3 of 22 Jay Bergers III, a big Bulls fan, holds a light up Bulls sign and a puppet during the San Francisco Bulls opening night match against the Bakersfield Condors at Cow Palace in San Francisco on November 8th 2013. Jay Bergers III, a big Bulls fan, holds a light up Bulls sign and a puppet during the San Francisco Bulls opening night match against the Bakersfield Condors at Cow Palace in San Francisco on November 8th 2013. Photo: Special to the Chronicle Image 4 of 22 San Francisco's Jordan Morrison, center, tries to get the puck as Stockton's Cameron Brodie, left, skates in to get it in the third period. The San Francisco Bulls played the Thunder at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., on Monday, December 17, 2012. The two ECHL Premier 'AA' Hockey League teams played a game in the NHL Sharks' home ice. less San Francisco's Jordan Morrison, center, tries to get the puck as Stockton's Cameron Brodie, left, skates in to get it in the third period. The San Francisco Bulls played the Thunder at HP Pavilion in San ... more Photo: The Chronicle Image 5 of 22 Image 6 of 22 San Francisco Bulls' Dylan King and Stockton's Teigan Zahn get into a fight in the first period. The San Francisco Bulls played the Thunder at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., on Monday, December 17, 2012. The two ECHL Premier 'AA' Hockey League teams played a game in the NHL Sharks' home ice. less San Francisco Bulls' Dylan King and Stockton's Teigan Zahn get into a fight in the first period. The San Francisco Bulls played the Thunder at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., on Monday, December 17, 2012. The ... more Photo: The Chronicle Image 7 of 22 Ian Thompson during the San Francisco Bulls opening night match against the Bakersfield Condors at Cow Palace in San Francisco on November 8th 2013. Ian Thompson during the San Francisco Bulls opening night match against the Bakersfield Condors at Cow Palace in San Francisco on November 8th 2013. Photo: Special to the Chronicle Image 8 of 22 A zamboni on the ice during the San Francisco Bulls opening night match against the Bakersfield Condors at Cow Palace in San Francisco on November 8th 2013. A zamboni on the ice during the San Francisco Bulls opening night match against the Bakersfield Condors at Cow Palace in San Francisco on November 8th 2013. Photo: Special to the Chronicle Image 9 of 22 Edwin M. Lee, Mayor of San Francisco, walks out on to the ice to drop the puck for the first face-off of the San Francisco Bulls opening night match against the Bakersfield Condors at Cow Palace in San Francisco on November 8th 2013. less Edwin M. Lee, Mayor of San Francisco, walks out on to the ice to drop the puck for the first face-off of the San Francisco Bulls opening night match against the Bakersfield Condors at Cow Palace in San ... more Photo: Special to the Chronicle Image 10 of 22 Image 11 of 22 Bulls players sit on the bench during the San Francisco Bulls opening night match against the Bakersfield Condors at Cow Palace in San Francisco on November 8th 2013. Bulls players sit on the bench during the San Francisco Bulls opening night match against the Bakersfield Condors at Cow Palace in San Francisco on November 8th 2013. Photo: Special to the Chronicle Image 12 of 22 The San Francisco Bulls coach rests his hand on the glass during the San Francisco Bulls opening night match against the Bakersfield Condors at Cow Palace in San Francisco on November 8th 2013. The San Francisco Bulls coach rests his hand on the glass during the San Francisco Bulls opening night match against the Bakersfield Condors at Cow Palace in San Francisco on November 8th 2013. Photo: Special to the Chronicle Image 13 of 22 Rawhide, the Bulls official mascot, takes a photo with a fan during the San Francisco Bulls opening night match against the Bakersfield Condors at Cow Palace in San Francisco on November 8th 2013. Rawhide, the Bulls official mascot, takes a photo with a fan during the San Francisco Bulls opening night match against the Bakersfield Condors at Cow Palace in San Francisco on November 8th 2013. Photo: Special to the Chronicle Image 14 of 22 Fans celebrate during the San Francisco Bulls opening night match against the Bakersfield Condors at Cow Palace in San Francisco on November 8th 2013. Fans celebrate during the San Francisco Bulls opening night match against the Bakersfield Condors at Cow Palace in San Francisco on November 8th 2013. Photo: Special to the Chronicle Image 15 of 22 Image 16 of 22 Fans celebrate during the San Francisco Bulls opening night match against the Bakersfield Condors at Cow Palace in San Francisco on November 8th 2013. Fans celebrate during the San Francisco Bulls opening night match against the Bakersfield Condors at Cow Palace in San Francisco on November 8th 2013. Photo: Special to the Chronicle Image 17 of 22 The "Cowbells" Cheerleaders during the San Francisco Bulls opening night match against the Bakersfield Condors at Cow Palace in San Francisco on November 8th 2013. The "Cowbells" Cheerleaders during the San Francisco Bulls opening night match against the Bakersfield Condors at Cow Palace in San Francisco on November 8th 2013. Photo: Special to the Chronicle Image 18 of 22 A fan chants during the San Francisco Bulls opening night match against the Bakersfield Condors at Cow Palace in San Francisco on November 8th 2013. A fan chants during the San Francisco Bulls opening night match against the Bakersfield Condors at Cow Palace in San Francisco on November 8th 2013. Photo: Special to the Chronicle Image 19 of 22 Fans throw soft orange pucks on the ice during half time of the San Francisco Bulls opening night match against the Bakersfield Condors at Cow Palace in San Francisco on November 8th 2013. Fans throw soft orange pucks on the ice during half time of the San Francisco Bulls opening night match against the Bakersfield Condors at Cow Palace in San Francisco on November 8th 2013. Photo: Special to the Chronicle Image 20 of 22 Image 21 of 22 Rawhide, the Bulls official mascot, shoots t-shirts to fans during the San Francisco Bulls opening night match against the Bakersfield Condors at Cow Palace in San Francisco on November 8th 2013. Rawhide, the Bulls official mascot, shoots t-shirts to fans during the San Francisco Bulls opening night match against the Bakersfield Condors at Cow Palace in San Francisco on November 8th 2013. Photo: Special to the Chronicle Image 22 of 22 SF Bulls to fold or move as soon as next week 1 / 22 Back to Gallery

From Chronicle Staff Writer Susan Slusser

After losses of $2 million last season and projected similar losses this season, the San Francisco Bulls minor-league hockey team could fold as soon as next week, coach Pat Curcio told The Chronicle on Monday morning.

Curcio has a pending agreement with a new ownership group that would save the Sharks-affiliated franchise but relocate the team to Oakland or Fresno. The deal hinges on league approval and a new venue, and league meetings are Wednesday in Philadelphia. Curcio cannot name the new potential owners because of a non-disclosure agreement.

With the Bulls folding or moving and the 49ers moving to Santa Clara, the Giants will be the only pro sports team in the greater city area; the Bulls play at the Cow Palace in Daly City, just on the border of San Francisco.

“If anyone can save us …. I don’t know what to do,” said Curcio, who put together an ownership group to bring pro hockey to San Francisco in 2012 only to see investors drop out as losses mounted. “I want to do what’s best for the city, the league and the Sharks. But we may have to cease operations next week if we don’t finalize this deal. It’s devastating.”

The ECHL team would stay in the Bay Area only if the Warriors agree to allow the Bulls to play at Oracle Arena, according to Curcio. The Bulls would reschedule all of their games to avoid conflicts with Warriors games and concerts, but the Warriors have first right of refusal to share the arena and so far have shown no inclination to allow the Bulls to play at Oracle on open dates on the schedule. It’s no secret that the Warriors have been exploring a move to San Francisco.

One major problem for the Bulls has been the Cow Palace, according to Curcio. The Bulls pay all their expenses at the building, and the team made numerous upgrades, including putting in a new ice system and scoreboard; the arena and the team split concessions and parking and the Cow Palace gets a cut of the tickets. The state-owned operated Cow Palace was unwilling to explore new terms, however, even with the Bulls on the brink of defaulting, Curcio said.

“Why not help us out, get us back on our feet and then make revenue when it comes?” he said. “We lost $2 million last year, the Cow Palace made probably $500,000 – we said, ‘Let’s renegotiate,’ but that’s not going to happen. That’s the final nail in the coffin.”

Cow Palace CEO Ken Alstott said Monday that he does not have information about the Bulls’ finances and that his understanding was that the team was restructuring its ownership group. Only then would there be the potential of talks about a new contract.

“We’ve helped them with ideas about cutting costs and they’ve done that,” Alstott said. “I know the league has meetings this week and they’ll be talking about some of this.”

Would the facility consider a new deal with the Bulls under new ownership? “If it made sense we would,” Alstott said. “But it has to be profitable for us or we’d rent the space out for other events. That’s part of this industry, things come and go.”

Curcio claims that the Bulls have brought the city $16 million in revenue and jobs created in their season and a half, but, he said, “The costs of doing business in San Francisco are the highest in the league. …But then you look, and every night, there are 1,000 kids in the stands, watching us and dreaming of being hockey players. You can’t put a price on that.”

Among the issues, Curcio said, is that players are paying $3,000 a month in rent, given San Francisco’s housing costs.

“They’re trying to operate a minor-league team in a major-league city,” Alstott said. “That’s got to be tough. They’ve been doing their best.”

Curcio said he hopes to stay on as coach should the pending agreement with new ownership go through.