Detroit Hockeytown’s Zamboni Legend Faces the Ice… in Court After Peeing Controversy
After 50 seasons as the Detroit Red Wings’ Zamboni driver and arena manager, Al Sobotka is now fighting for his job in a Wayne County courtroom. Sobotka, 68, was fired in early 2022 after a rink employee reported seeing him urinate in an ice drain inside the Zamboni room. Olympia Entertainment, which operates the Red Wings, called the incident “egregious misconduct.” Sobotka says his prostate condition, reportedly benign prostatic hypertrophy, made it difficult for him to reach a restroom.
Sobotka has filed a lawsuit claiming the company used the incident as a pretext to push him out because of his age. According to the Detroit Free Press, he alleges he was replaced by a 37-year-old earning the same $81,000 salary he had spent decades building. The lawsuit also notes that an executive reportedly referred to Sobotka as “old” just weeks before his firing. Lawyers for Sobotka argue the punishment was excessive, suggesting a warning or temporary suspension would have been more appropriate. The suit points out that only the all-male ice crew had access to the Zamboni room, raising questions about the circumstances of the incident, according to ClickonDetroit.
Olympia Entertainment maintains that age was not a factor and has sought to dismiss the lawsuit. Wayne County Circuit Judge Susan Hubbard, however, allowed the case to proceed, citing the severity of the discipline. The trial began this week, with the jury seated on Tuesday.
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