Katy Market In Play?

[Reichert]

Well, the Copperheads have hit the road and are now part of af2, as I sort of predicted. However, most indications are that the Copperheads are leaving Katy, with the name change to Texas Copperheads as well as their splash page now saying they are the only arena team in HOUSTON. They are clearly no longer catering to just the Katy portion of that metro market. If they move to the Berry Center, located 15 miles NE of Katy, then the Katy market for indoor football would like be out of play.

However, if the team literally moves to Houston and the Reliant Arena is practically perfect for indoor football...I believe Katy is far enough from Reliant Arena (about 35 miles) to allow for an indoor team to replace the Copperheads in Katy. This could be a golden opportunity for the IFL to regain some traction from the loss of Laredo and the loss of the Corpus Christi arena. The Merrell Center, while only modestly sufficient for af2, would sit very well as an IFL arena.

Unfortunately, the other person watching this development closely is probably Carolyn Shiver...who would put a team of hers back in the Merrell Center in a heartbeat if it made any sort of sense. Indeed, I consider it a possibility that the NIFL could still be in Katy next year, only with a different team and different owner.

[Minor League Man]

So Katy wouldn't have indoor football (or be stuck with the NIFL)?

(play's rams80's tune-BUM BUM BUM BUM BA-BUM BUM BA-BUM!)

[Reichert]

The NIFL Copperheads were Katy's first pro sports team of any kind, so all of this is still pretty notable in that community. I suppose a NIFL team would be better than no team at all, and the Merrell Center would probably still deal with them.

The bottom line is that Katy is such a rapid growth area I can't imagine that NOBODY else would take a shot at indoor football there.

[sportsmgrjay]

It's a money pit, still bleeding from the other team. CANT sell beer there, no consesions. new owner of the copperheads spending money to advertise, and going after katy people, new owners would be foolish.

[preeths]

It's a money pit, still bleeding from the other team. CANT sell beer there, no consesions. new owner of the copperheads spending money to advertise, and going after katy people, new owners would be foolish.

So what you're saying is that the NIFL is sure to place a team there next season?

[Reichert]

It's a money pit, still bleeding from the other team. CANT sell beer there, no consesions. new owner of the copperheads spending money to advertise, and going after katy people, new owners would be foolish.

There wasn't great concessions there, but are you sure there were NONE? As for the beer thing, I think that's something the Katy ISD put on the arena as owners of the place.

[Geoff]

As long as the Copperheads are still in the Houston area and as long as HS and College football reigns supreme, you'd have to be an idiot to place a team in Katy.

[sportznut]

I want to say, having been to almost all the games at Merrel last season. The concessions were great. Outside of not selling beer, but that was not the Copperheads fault in any means. But Food and service and lines.. Top Notch.