Fran
01-11-2004, 03:35 PM
http://www.caller.com/ccct/local_sports/article/0,1641,CCCT_878_2568709,00.html
Dittman looks ahead to IFL's startup
New Intense Football League is scheduled to begin May 1
By Matt Young Caller-Times
January 11, 2004
When Chad Dittman rolls up in his new Mazda Murano sports utility vehicle, it's hard to miss the garish Intense Football League logos stuck on the doors.
It's Dittman's way of spreading the word about his baby. It's also an invitation for questions, which Dittman wouldn't mind so much if the most frequent query wasn't: "So, is this thing really going to happen?"
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That's why Dittman is counting the days - it's down to 110 - until he proves that the IFL is indeed going to happen.
The 24-year-old cell phone business owner has done plenty - sold teams to individual owners, signed players, hired coaches - to prove he's serious about making his indoor football league work, but skepticism isn't cured easily.
"There are definitely skeptics out there," Dittman said. "It's been like that from the start, but I think people are starting to believe. Our ticket sales are going well, so that's an indication that people know it's going to happen, but some people won't be convinced until that first game."
Dittman took a step toward making believers out of the potential San Angelo fan base Thursday when he hired an experienced indoor football coach, Dean Cokinos, to lead the San Angelo Stampede.
"Any time you start a new league there are going to be skeptics out there," said Cokinos, who coached in the af2 last season. "We haven't done anything yet, so it should be like that. We need to go out there and do things the right way and prove that this league will be successful. It's going to be a huge hit, and we just have to show people how good it's going to be."
Dittman has done a lot in the six months since he announced the conception of his league, but there is still plenty left to do before the league's birth May 1.
The league's cities and arenas are set - Corpus Christi, San Angelo, Amarillo, Odessa, Lubbock and El Paso with San Antonio joining in 2005 - now enough players must be found to fill each franchise's 21-man roster.
Cokinos will help the entire league by looking for players in his visits to different Arena Football League camps, and there will be tryouts in each city. Tryouts for the Corpus Christi Hammerheads will be Feb. 7 at Gregory-Portland High School.
Then, there are the minor details like finalizing deals for turf, goalposts and the like.
"Six months ago, this was just an idea, and we realize we're (110) days away, but we've still got things to accomplish. We're nailing down a lot of different things, but we're making great strides."
Dittman - who still owns the teams in Corpus Christi, San Angelo and El Paso - thought he made a huge stride last month when he was close to inking a deal with former New York Giants linebacker Gary Reasons to coach the Hammerheads. Reasons has since backed out and been named the coach of Oklahoma City's af2 team.
Instead, Dittman expects to hire former University of Florida offensive coordinator and arena football veteran Jimmy Dunn as coach sometime next week.
"A coach will really give us an image, give us a face," Dittman said. "We've got players, and our sales have been tremendous. I think the more pieces to the puzzle we complete, the better reaction we'll get from the public."
According to Dittman, the reaction has already improved. He claims to have sold more than 1,300 Hammerheads season tickets and expects his team to play in front of a sold-out Memorial Coliseum when it plays its first home game May 16.
Dittman's got at least one believer, who doesn't need to ask any more questions.
"When I heard about the league, I called Chad, and he sold me," Cokinos said. "His concept of having a regional indoor league, I think, is a brilliant idea. Texas is such a hotbed for football, and it's an untapped market for indoor football. I think when people see the product, they'll be convinced that this is going to be a success."
Dittman looks ahead to IFL's startup
New Intense Football League is scheduled to begin May 1
By Matt Young Caller-Times
January 11, 2004
When Chad Dittman rolls up in his new Mazda Murano sports utility vehicle, it's hard to miss the garish Intense Football League logos stuck on the doors.
It's Dittman's way of spreading the word about his baby. It's also an invitation for questions, which Dittman wouldn't mind so much if the most frequent query wasn't: "So, is this thing really going to happen?"
Advertisement
That's why Dittman is counting the days - it's down to 110 - until he proves that the IFL is indeed going to happen.
The 24-year-old cell phone business owner has done plenty - sold teams to individual owners, signed players, hired coaches - to prove he's serious about making his indoor football league work, but skepticism isn't cured easily.
"There are definitely skeptics out there," Dittman said. "It's been like that from the start, but I think people are starting to believe. Our ticket sales are going well, so that's an indication that people know it's going to happen, but some people won't be convinced until that first game."
Dittman took a step toward making believers out of the potential San Angelo fan base Thursday when he hired an experienced indoor football coach, Dean Cokinos, to lead the San Angelo Stampede.
"Any time you start a new league there are going to be skeptics out there," said Cokinos, who coached in the af2 last season. "We haven't done anything yet, so it should be like that. We need to go out there and do things the right way and prove that this league will be successful. It's going to be a huge hit, and we just have to show people how good it's going to be."
Dittman has done a lot in the six months since he announced the conception of his league, but there is still plenty left to do before the league's birth May 1.
The league's cities and arenas are set - Corpus Christi, San Angelo, Amarillo, Odessa, Lubbock and El Paso with San Antonio joining in 2005 - now enough players must be found to fill each franchise's 21-man roster.
Cokinos will help the entire league by looking for players in his visits to different Arena Football League camps, and there will be tryouts in each city. Tryouts for the Corpus Christi Hammerheads will be Feb. 7 at Gregory-Portland High School.
Then, there are the minor details like finalizing deals for turf, goalposts and the like.
"Six months ago, this was just an idea, and we realize we're (110) days away, but we've still got things to accomplish. We're nailing down a lot of different things, but we're making great strides."
Dittman - who still owns the teams in Corpus Christi, San Angelo and El Paso - thought he made a huge stride last month when he was close to inking a deal with former New York Giants linebacker Gary Reasons to coach the Hammerheads. Reasons has since backed out and been named the coach of Oklahoma City's af2 team.
Instead, Dittman expects to hire former University of Florida offensive coordinator and arena football veteran Jimmy Dunn as coach sometime next week.
"A coach will really give us an image, give us a face," Dittman said. "We've got players, and our sales have been tremendous. I think the more pieces to the puzzle we complete, the better reaction we'll get from the public."
According to Dittman, the reaction has already improved. He claims to have sold more than 1,300 Hammerheads season tickets and expects his team to play in front of a sold-out Memorial Coliseum when it plays its first home game May 16.
Dittman's got at least one believer, who doesn't need to ask any more questions.
"When I heard about the league, I called Chad, and he sold me," Cokinos said. "His concept of having a regional indoor league, I think, is a brilliant idea. Texas is such a hotbed for football, and it's an untapped market for indoor football. I think when people see the product, they'll be convinced that this is going to be a success."