austinturfcats
01-24-2006, 10:03 AM
National Indoor Football League President Carolyn Shiver was certainly in the right city last week to be speaking of unlimited horizons and a sport and league ready to ascend upward in not only 2006, but over the course of the next decade. Citing “ the sky as our only limit” in addressing the contingent of NIFL owners and executive personnel in Houston, Shiver outlined plans to propel the growing league onto a national platform that would include not only corporate sponsorship, but give the NIFL the credibility and foresight to allow the excitement and popularity of indoor football to reach the far ends of the world.
“ This sport is becoming more popular each year,” said Shiver, “and our league in particular has had the ability to stand on it’s own and carve out a place for itself on the sports scene, in both large and medium sized markets across the country. Our fans know they can expect quality teams on the field and fun in the stands. I’m negotiating with a number of highly visible national sponsors which I hope to bring on board for our sixth season this year. The stage is also being set for a national deal on insurance for all our teams, and the league is ready to embrace 24 teams this season with sights on national expansion both next year and in 2008. It’s controlled growth, pointing the NIFL in a good, strong direction.”
Shiver was particularly pleased at the individual strength and creativity of many teams in the NIFL. She cited the Miami Moray’s desire to create a reality TV show, and the various o ther kid’s clubs and school reading programs implemented by most teams, as a definite sign that the league has sharpened it’s promotional skills and stepped up it’s community involvement. “Any business is only as strong as it’s weakest link, and it’s encouraging to see our teams take an active role in the community, offering help to various causes, and finding ways to promote our product in a positive way. No team wants to be the weak link in the NIFL chain.”
The two day session wound up on Friday, January 20 th, with discussion on the direction needed to take the NIFL to a whole new level by the year 2008. International play is the focus on the horizon. Shiver says the plan is to “expand to the point of having 10 countries involved initially, then look to the end of the first decade with 24 countries in the loop, thus setting the groundwork for introducing indoor football as an Olympic sport, perhaps as early as 2014.”
Detail was also provided regarding the outline of insurance issues, rules and regulations, scheduling and travel issues for 2006, and media contacts and game day operations for the coming season. In addition, the franchise known as the Lubbock Gunslingers was eliminated from the current list of teams scheduled for play in 2006, the league citing travel proximity concerns and business related matters as the cause of concern.
“ This sport is becoming more popular each year,” said Shiver, “and our league in particular has had the ability to stand on it’s own and carve out a place for itself on the sports scene, in both large and medium sized markets across the country. Our fans know they can expect quality teams on the field and fun in the stands. I’m negotiating with a number of highly visible national sponsors which I hope to bring on board for our sixth season this year. The stage is also being set for a national deal on insurance for all our teams, and the league is ready to embrace 24 teams this season with sights on national expansion both next year and in 2008. It’s controlled growth, pointing the NIFL in a good, strong direction.”
Shiver was particularly pleased at the individual strength and creativity of many teams in the NIFL. She cited the Miami Moray’s desire to create a reality TV show, and the various o ther kid’s clubs and school reading programs implemented by most teams, as a definite sign that the league has sharpened it’s promotional skills and stepped up it’s community involvement. “Any business is only as strong as it’s weakest link, and it’s encouraging to see our teams take an active role in the community, offering help to various causes, and finding ways to promote our product in a positive way. No team wants to be the weak link in the NIFL chain.”
The two day session wound up on Friday, January 20 th, with discussion on the direction needed to take the NIFL to a whole new level by the year 2008. International play is the focus on the horizon. Shiver says the plan is to “expand to the point of having 10 countries involved initially, then look to the end of the first decade with 24 countries in the loop, thus setting the groundwork for introducing indoor football as an Olympic sport, perhaps as early as 2014.”
Detail was also provided regarding the outline of insurance issues, rules and regulations, scheduling and travel issues for 2006, and media contacts and game day operations for the coming season. In addition, the franchise known as the Lubbock Gunslingers was eliminated from the current list of teams scheduled for play in 2006, the league citing travel proximity concerns and business related matters as the cause of concern.