50 Yard Fan
01-28-2010, 10:49 AM
http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/article.aspx?subjectid=407&articleid=20100128_223_B2_Imagin150718
Talons could play overseas
The International division is included in league's vision.
By MIKE BROWN World Sports Writer
Published: 1/28/2010 2:34 AM
Last Modified: 1/28/2010 5:53 AM
Imagine the Tulsa Talons playing an arena football game in Cologne, Germany, or Barcelona. It's not that far-fetched. Teams in the new Arena Football One league haven't played a game, and owners are already talking about expansion.
One possibility is an international division by 2012 — pretty ambitious for a league that has been cobbled together in the last six months, following the crash of the Arena Football League.
"As crazy as it sounds, it makes perfect economic sense with our economic model to have a four-team division in Europe. The goal is to have an international division as soon as 2012," said Brett Bouchy, president of the Arizona Rattlers and Orlando Predators.
The league will play its inaugural season in 2010 with 15 teams and Bouchy sees expansion in the U.S. to 20 to 22 in 2011, with possible new markets in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia or New York. The ultimate goal is to reach 28 or 30 markets, with several overseas.
Talons co-owner Paul Ross said the AFL staged about a dozen games in Europe over an eight-year period and all were successful.
"There's a strong commitment there (for international expansion)," Ross said. "We've got several wealthy owners. We're very good financially with this new league, and we've told (commissioner Jerry Kurz) that we want to make a push."
Bouchy and others were in town Wednesday for league meetings at the Downtown Doubletree Hotel. AF1 is expected to move into its new Tulsa office within 30 days. Accomodations will be provided by the City of Tulsa, Metropolitan Tulsa Chamber of Commerce and the Tulsa Sports Commission.
The new league will have two conferences of two divisions each. The Talons will compete in the Southwest Division of the American Conference with the Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings, Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz and Dallas Desperados.
The Desperados are new a franchise taking the name of the old AFL team. The Battle Wings and Yard Dawgz are former Talons rivals from the af2 developmental league.
Tulsa opens by hosting the Tampa Bay Storm, a five-time AFL champion, on April 3.
Ross said the league expects to announce a television contract shortly.
Fans can expect a higher level of play than the old af2, said Battle Wings president Dan Newman, who chairs the league's board of directors.
"Yes, the talent level's going way up," Newman said. "Pretty much what you're going to see when you come to the BOK Center is the Talons all-stars from yesteryear, (along with) guys that played for (AFL salaries of $1,500 per week)."
Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/article.aspx?subjectid=407&articleid=20100128_223_B2_Imagin150718
Talons could play overseas
The International division is included in league's vision.
By MIKE BROWN World Sports Writer
Published: 1/28/2010 2:34 AM
Last Modified: 1/28/2010 5:53 AM
Imagine the Tulsa Talons playing an arena football game in Cologne, Germany, or Barcelona. It's not that far-fetched. Teams in the new Arena Football One league haven't played a game, and owners are already talking about expansion.
One possibility is an international division by 2012 — pretty ambitious for a league that has been cobbled together in the last six months, following the crash of the Arena Football League.
"As crazy as it sounds, it makes perfect economic sense with our economic model to have a four-team division in Europe. The goal is to have an international division as soon as 2012," said Brett Bouchy, president of the Arizona Rattlers and Orlando Predators.
The league will play its inaugural season in 2010 with 15 teams and Bouchy sees expansion in the U.S. to 20 to 22 in 2011, with possible new markets in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia or New York. The ultimate goal is to reach 28 or 30 markets, with several overseas.
Talons co-owner Paul Ross said the AFL staged about a dozen games in Europe over an eight-year period and all were successful.
"There's a strong commitment there (for international expansion)," Ross said. "We've got several wealthy owners. We're very good financially with this new league, and we've told (commissioner Jerry Kurz) that we want to make a push."
Bouchy and others were in town Wednesday for league meetings at the Downtown Doubletree Hotel. AF1 is expected to move into its new Tulsa office within 30 days. Accomodations will be provided by the City of Tulsa, Metropolitan Tulsa Chamber of Commerce and the Tulsa Sports Commission.
The new league will have two conferences of two divisions each. The Talons will compete in the Southwest Division of the American Conference with the Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings, Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz and Dallas Desperados.
The Desperados are new a franchise taking the name of the old AFL team. The Battle Wings and Yard Dawgz are former Talons rivals from the af2 developmental league.
Tulsa opens by hosting the Tampa Bay Storm, a five-time AFL champion, on April 3.
Ross said the league expects to announce a television contract shortly.
Fans can expect a higher level of play than the old af2, said Battle Wings president Dan Newman, who chairs the league's board of directors.
"Yes, the talent level's going way up," Newman said. "Pretty much what you're going to see when you come to the BOK Center is the Talons all-stars from yesteryear, (along with) guys that played for (AFL salaries of $1,500 per week)."
Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/article.aspx?subjectid=407&articleid=20100128_223_B2_Imagin150718