Big names at AF1 Press conference

[indoor fan]

MILWAUKEE – The Arena Football One will be holding a national media
conference call announcing a re-branding effort to the Arena Football One
league as well as its plan for a national television agreement for the
2010 season. The media press conference will take place on Wednesday,
February 17 at noon central standard time.

AF1 commissioner Jerry Kurz, Chicago Rush part-owner Mike Ditka, Cleveland
Gladiators part-owner Bernie Kosar, Arizona Rattlers general manager Danny
White, Chicago Rush head coach Mike Hohensee and Tampa Bay Storm president
and head coach Tim Marcum will all be available during the national media
conference call. Media members will be able to listen in on the call and
ask questions. The call in number and more information will be released
early next week.

In addition to the conference call, the AF1 will have press releases,
stock video b-roll and audio clips available to download at
www.arenafootballmedia.com, which will go live as soon as the press
conference begins. The press conference is expected to last around an hour
and immediately following the conference call Milwaukee Iron general
manager Jason Clark and president Andrew Vallozzi will be available for
questions and comments about the announcements. To ensure availability of
Clark and/or Vallozzi please inform the Iron media services department
ahead of time by contacting Mike Kennedy at mkennedy@mkeiron.com,
414-807-7223 or 262-523-9206.

The Milwaukee Iron have ascended to the highest level of Arena Football as
a member of Arena Football One. Downtown Milwaukee and the Bradley Center
will come alive in 2010 as the Iron host legendary Arena Football League
opponents such as the Arizona Rattlers, Chicago Rush, Cleveland
Gladiators, Iowa Barnstormers, Orlando Predators, Tampa Bay Storm, Tulsa
Talons, Utah Blaze and more.

[preeths]

Was Vallozzi involved with the Iron last year? I'm glad to see that they're going to re-brand right away this year instead of waiting until next.

[Bruiser]

Was Vallozzi involved with the Iron last year?
Yes this Vallozi was involved with the Iron last year while other family members ran the Florida Firecats into the ground down there. And yesirree it is the same Vallozzi clan that screwed over the good citizens of Milwaukee when they disbanded their Mustangs in the early '00's and tried to blame it on a dispute with the Bradley Center (which was a total line of BS)

Much of this AF1 ownership is suspect and makes one wonder why NONE of the succesful former AFL owners are involved with this new venture other than Ditka (and I assume the other Rush owners are paying him for Da Coach's name and Ditka hasn't put up any of his own $$$ for this thing.) But yes, using the original AFL moniker to fool the general public into thinking they are getting the same product is brilliant marketing.

[Indoorfootballguy]

The Player Talent Level in the AF1 will be as good as the Player Talent Level was in the AFL. Which means AF1, IFL, and the AIFA have the same Player Talent Level.

[indoor fan]

The Player Talent Level in the AF1 will be as good as the Player Talent Level was in the AFL. Which means AF1, IFL, and the AIFA have the same Player Talent Level.

Maybe the most ridiculus post of 2010.

[Hockey]

Maybe the most ridiculus post of 2010.

I eat glue and it makes me score touchdowns.

[Bruiser]

The Player Talent Level in the AF1 will be as good as the Player Talent Level was in the AFL. Which means AF1, IFL, and the AIFA have the same Player Talent Level.
Maybe the most ridiculus post of 2010.
The first part most definately.
The 2nd sentance not so much.

[Caballo Diablo]

Yes this Vallozi was involved with the Iron last year while other family members ran the Florida Firecats into the ground down there. And yesirree it is the same Vallozzi clan that screwed over the good citizens of Milwaukee when they disbanded their Mustangs in the early '00's and tried to blame it on a dispute with the Bradley Center (which was a total line of BS)

Much of this AF1 ownership is suspect and makes one wonder why NONE of the succesful former AFL owners are involved with this new venture other than Ditka (and I assume the other Rush owners are paying him for Da Coach's name and Ditka hasn't put up any of his own $$$ for this thing.) But yes, using the original AFL moniker to fool the general public into thinking they are getting the same product is brilliant marketing.
Was Ditka really one of the previous successful owners or just a minor investor to put a face the public knew in the commercials?

Possibly this could be a reason the real businessmen backed away from the league this year. This comes straight from Vallozzi, it doesn't give an investor a very good feeling, especially when another league has proven it's possible to be 100% profitable league wide.


The Milwaukee Iron, the city's Arena Football One franchise, is currently in the process of becoming a publicly traded corporation.

To that end, its owners have filed papers with the Securites & Exchange Commission that provide detail on the franchise's operations to potential stockholders.

The filings indicates that, as Sept. 30, 2009, the Iron has not yet made any money. According to the filings, the Iron has "accumulated losses of $1,157,867 since inception, a working capital deficiency of $582,742 and we expect to incur further losses in the development of our business, all of which, according to our accountants, casts substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. Our ability to achieve and maintain profitability and positive cash flow will depend on the success of the business of the Company following the acquisition."


Wow! Is there an address I can send my donation to today? Yes, donation, we all know it's not an investment with both the league and owners past history.

Full Article -
http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/business/83437947.html

The reader comments all blame it on being year 0ne. I agree start up costs and the first 3-5 years it's common for a business to be in the red but there are a few unusual circumstances here.

This isn't the Vallozi's first time around the block in this type of business. Last season their Florida Firecats disinergrated both on the books and on the field. They were banned from post season play because they couldn't even pay the league fees. In the AFL and af2 yearly losses were more common than not. For the AFL the salary cap and major league arenas were a huge contribution to the losses. The Vallozis have a long history of failures.

The AF1 wants to emulate the failed league and even change their name to it. They still brag about having the highest salary cap and some of their teams playing in major league arenas. It seems the neon lights and glitz of smoke and mirrors is still alive and well. So much for the greatest thing since the forward pass was invented.

[Caballo Diablo]

The Milwaukee Iron have ascended to the highest level of Arena Football as
a member of Arena Football One. Downtown Milwaukee and the Bradley Center
will come alive in 2010 as the Iron host legendary Arena Football League
opponents such as the Arizona Rattlers, Chicago Rush, Cleveland
Gladiators, Iowa Barnstormers, Orlando Predators, Tampa Bay Storm, Tulsa
Talons, Utah Blaze and more.
Smoke and mirrors.

The highest level of of Arena Football - lol - how about the ONLY level and it's far below the previous level.

Legendary opponents - huh?

Arizona and Cleveland seem to be the only real AFL teams to join. The others come from the AFL's minor league, expansion, and yes the Legendary Utah Blaze played in the AIFA last year!

You just can't find this type of entertainment anywhere else except from the man behind the curtain.

Just curious, how many people does it take for the Bradley center to be considered alive? The arena contract makes it seem they're concerned about attendance.

[preeths]

No doubt, start-ups are going to lose money. I wish more folks in the media realized that isn't unusual. The amount of the Milwaukee losses, the reality that their expenses will increase this season, and their expectation that winning will be enough to turn around the finances all give me pause, however.

[Caballo Diablo]

No doubt, start-ups are going to lose money.
It's not uncommon for a business plan to expect losses for the first 3-5 years. It's takes paitence, committment, and lots of money to make it into the black. Many small business startups don't seem to understand this and panic if positve earnings aren't reached in year 1 & 2.

Although, I have heard rumors about a minor league football company being 100% profitable in year one and even returning dividends to every single franchise owner after their first season.

Miracles do happen if you keep the faith.

What would we all really prefer in our personal life? Being able to pretend we're part of a Major business and lose our life savings, or be a part of a percieved lesser company that returns a profit to our savings account?

This is where businessmen make decisons differently than homers.

[Bruiser]

Was Ditka really one of the previous successful owners or just a minor investor to put a face the public knew in the commercials?

Possibly this could be a reason the real businessmen backed away from the league this year.
Most definately Ditka was a hired gun - then AND now. His business is the marketing of his name, not risking his cash on suspect ventures.

And yes, it is VERY telling that the more successful owners (on and off the 50 yd field) want nothing to do with this arenaball equivalent of the other indoor leagues already out there.

[Indoorfootballguy]

Most definately Ditka was a hired gun - then AND now. His business is the marketing of his name, not risking his cash on suspect ventures.

And yes, it is VERY telling that the more successful owners (on and off the 50 yd field) want nothing to do with this arenaball equivalent of the other indoor leagues already out there.

The Arena Football One is better than Equivalent to the other Indoor Football Leagues. They are better than the Indoor Football Leagues.

The IFL, AIFA, and the CIFL have a lot of problems. The Arena Football One does not have a lot of problems, but they may have problems in the future.

Are you going to go to the Chicago Rush's Arena Football One Games this season Bruiser? Or go to all the Chicago Slaughter Home Games and go to the Chicago Rush Home Games when the Chicago Slaughter are playing a long away game from Chicago?

[NatePreds05]

I am glad the re-branding is now as well. AFL is back under it's original founders (Gridiron). The old guard owners (who couldn't agree on squat), if they truly care about Arena Football and the franchises they once ran, will join the AFL in 2011.

Excited and looking forward to kickoff in April.

[indoor fan]

Interesting that the AFL logo is already up on the Cleveland Gladiator website.

[newiflfan]

Interesting that the AFL logo is already up on the Cleveland Gladiator website.

Is it already up or was it never taken down?

[Bruiser]

The Arena Football One is better than Equivalent to the other Indoor Football Leagues. They are better than the Indoor Football Leagues.

The IFL, AIFA, and the CIFL have a lot of problems. The Arena Football One does not have a lot of problems, but they may have problems in the future.

Are you going to go to the Chicago Rush's Arena Football One Games this season Bruiser? Or go to all the Chicago Slaughter Home Games and go to the Chicago Rush Home Games when the Chicago Slaughter are playing a long away game from Chicago?
The new AFL and her teams took on a lot of debt up front, in this unstable economy that's a pretty big problem from the get-go IMO. So are you saying by virtue of the new AFL not playing a game yet they get to claim they are the best? You can't be serious. It doesnt take a genius to see that the new AFL will catch up to, if not seriously surpass, the other indoor leagues in accumulating their fair share of assorted warts and pimples.

As for me, I'm still a card carrying season tix holder for the Slaughter so they have priority in 2010. The Rush and Cards will get a fair share of scrutiny though. Seems my weekends are to be quite busy from March thru August. :D

... and you?

[Indoorfootballguy]

Watch the Green Bay Blizzard and the Milwaukee Iron.