Is Westye West Distribution Dividing?

We have received 4 tips that the territory of Southern California is being removed from the Westye Group West portfolio to be managed directly from the factory (Sub-Zero), which seemed strange to us and the many who have heard the rumor, because the Westye Group is an arm of Sub-Zero. 

• Westye West says "this (the split) is just a rumor".  What the heck does that mean?
• Sub-Zero Corporate has not yet responded.

UPDATE:  Feb 15:  Sub-Zero will not be responding

As far as rumors go, it's viral, as most we had spoken to had heard it, and were talking about it, though no one could officially confirm it.

So if any of you can confirm or deny the validity of this tidbit we're listening.
If confirming the rumor, there are extra points if you know:

• exactly what drove the split
• why does everyone care, deeply, since on the face of it, a territory split is less exciting than our broiler pan "EXCLUSIVE" two weeks ago.

UPDATE:  March 9:  So far this is what we have....which isn't much.  The problem, we have been told, may have started between two feuding dealers.  (Is there any other kind?)  One of these, dealer 'A'  inadvertently quoted a consumer a Wolf dual-fuel range at the less expensive "all-gas range price".  The consumer, looking a gift horse in the mouth, shopped the quote around for a better deal....including to the other side of the feud, dealer 'B'.  Dealer 'B' reported the UMRP (price fixing) infraction to Westye West which then fired Dealer 'A', plus several other dealers for similar infractions, and as luck would have it, Dealer 'B' which had also in its history priced below the pricing floor.  Westye was told as much by Dealer 'A' while on the way out the door.
Enter Sub-Zero HQ, which now comes to the realization that dealers responsible for a WHOPPING chunk of their California sales had been pitched out of the bus.  HQ decides to take over S.CA & S.NV, and reinstate the dealers, while N.CA & N.NV becomes "independent" and to be run by Bobby Riggs, (the heretofore president of the entire Westye West, not the dead tennis pro).
There was also the story that a Dealer 'C' was officially fired by Westye at the exact hour that the Dealer 'C' principal was taking an unrelated meeting with Jim Bakke, president of Sub-Zero.  In that story Mr. Bakke's head explodes....as you would imagine.  A Dealer 'C' manager reached for comment for this article, would not comment, and further would not confirm that Dealer 'C' was now, or ever was a dealer of Sub-Zero.  We like this story only because it amuses us, but we have no confirmation.
Standards of Excellence did lose Sub-Zero, and quickly regained it.  That was confirmed.
Are any of these other stories true?  
If there are UMRP breaches here, is UMRP legally flexible enough to allow a dealer to be immediately rehired after being fired, or has Sub-Zero taken on a certain amount of legal risk?  Don't know.
It do smell a wee bit like a train wreck though maybe it will turn out to be just a minor dust up.  We continue to dig.
Forgot this last item.  We were told that Westye West (South) will merge with the Westye Group acquisition, Interwest Distribution