Projected UIF alignment

[Minor League Man]

Assuming:

1. Peoria's not coming back
2. Billings, Rapid City, RiverCity, Tri-Cities, and Wyoming are coming along

EAST
Evansville
Fort Wayne
Lexington
Ohio Valley
MIDWEST
Bloomington
Chicago
RiverCity
Rock River
PLAINS
Omaha
Rapid City
Sioux City
Sioux Falls
WEST
Billings
Colorado
Tri-Cities
Wyoming

One question: How would you work Bismarck and Grand Forks into the scenario?

[Reichert]

To work Bismarck and Grand Forks into the scenario would require only a couple of adjustments:

--Bring in the Cincinnati Marshals and bring them to the East Division.
--Add an Iowa market to the equation. Des Moines and Cedar Rapids would be possibilities, with a better chance on the latter.

That would give you four new teams on top of what's already there and the divisions would still be even.

[FortWayneBballfan]

What happened with Peoria?

[Minor League Man]

It's a pretty safe bet they're not coming back (could take a year off then join af2 in 2008 as the Pirates)

[Thorp]

The Cardinals had their A ball in Peoria and did ok...What happened with the change of owners? Isn't Peoria a good place for minor league ball?

[preeths]

Peoria used to be a great place for indoor football, but ownership and league changes killed off the enthusiasm. Peoria is a market that can be rebuilt, but it will take some work.

[Freedom]

Peoria's fan base suffers from the AFL's NETMD syndrome . . . It's curable, but it takes time, money and patience. It seems to be much worse when combined with the items preeths mentioned.

[CBlack]

A marketing budget is the 5 figures would help as well from what I've heard.

[rams80]

It's a pretty safe bet they're not coming back (could take a year off then join af2 in 2008 as the Pirates)

I'd sooner have no football in town than have an af2 expansion franchise coming in claiming its the Pirates and sullying the once feared name of the Pirates. (no Tennessee Valleys here.)

[ragefan]

you know,,,, the guy who ownes the River City Rage grew up in Peoria... Has family there.... Maybe the Peoria team could be a part of the Rage Team???

[rams80]

you know,,,, the guy who ownes the River City Rage grew up in Peoria... Has family there.... Maybe the Peoria team could be a part of the Rage Team???

You mean dual ownership? Or do you mean taking the players from this year's Rough Riders team (something I strongly recommend against.)

[ragefan]

No he would not take players from a team that is viable, maybe merge the two? Who knows.. I was just thinking out loud ... Will there be a team in Peoria??What happened there?? You went from selling out the civic center to begging people to come. I know Pirates were higher caliber team but most fans do not care what league your in just are fans of indoor/arena football... I know the coach, old coach, pissed alot of fans off. It is to bad.. I hope there will be a team there, a Peoria/St.Louis rivalry would be great!!!!

[rams80]

What was mentioned earlier about poor relationships with the building and poor promotion of the team are the biggest factors in the team's (likely) demise. I'd like to have the UIF back, but personally, the best thing for Peoria would probably be for it to lie fallow for a year.