Texas Copperheads venue?

[Minor League Man]

I e-mailed the Texas Copperheads contact guy about where they'd play, and I told him the three venue choices. Here's what he said.

I'll tell you the absolute truth: It will not be the Reliant Center.
The ceiling is only 30 feet high and does not meet the duece standards.
Merrell center is 50 ft. and the Berry center is 85 ft. both of which
will suffice.

Thanks. Official announcement will be next week.

So, what is your choice?

MERRELL CENTER
or
BERRY CENTER

[Geoff]

He's right about the Center. Ask him about Reliant Arena.

Reliant Center: http://www.reliantpark.com/facilities/center.asp

Reliant Arena: http://www.reliantpark.com/facilities/arena.asp

[Reichert]

I asked the Copperheads about this, as well. The team is definitely staying in the West Houston region and as a result this rules out anything in Reliant Park, as well as the Toyota Center.

I'm putting my vote and money on the Berry Center. It's a helluva building and can seat a few more thousand than the Merrell Center. Not to mention current Copperheads fans can simply make the drive up Highway 6 or Barker-Cypress to get there.

[Geoff]

Yeah, if anyone in the Arena family stepped into TC, it would be the AFL.

[da man]

The toyota center would be a very good venue for the AFL. But lets concentrate on making the TEXAS COPPERHEADS succed in west Houston. Last year we had some loyal fans who will be back to cheer on the copperheads(including myself) no matter where they will play. I think the Copperheads should play in front of a packed house every home game but it doesnt seem to happen. We need more than just the Katy and Cy-Fair areas to support them. We need all of Houston to do it and the results would be awesome! How is the question? The team broke record after record last season and went into the playoffs with all odds against them and did a great job but never sold out the merrell center.
We need all the support of the fans to come up with solid ideas of what we can do to let everyone know where and when the team is playing and intice them to support our only arena football team in Houston.

[Reichert]

The Copperheads are staying in the West Houston region...even as they have us wait for the official announcement their front office has indeed confirmed they are staying in the region. Katy and Cy-Fair actually have a large enough market to do this by themselves...there is around 350,000 people in the combined region. All of Houston is not required to make this a very successful team...indeed the Copperheads averaged around 3,000 a game despite a league with questionable franchises (resulting in lopsided scores such as Katy 132, West Palm Beach 3) and a league commissioner who seemed to screw the Copperheads at every turn in the playoffs.

Being part of a more stable league with tougher competition should help considerably in increasing the take at the gate. Also, there is no reason an af2 franchise can't succeed at the Berry Center even with an AFL team in the Toyota Center. The two buildings are 35 miles apart and there's plenty of people in the Katy and Cy-Fair areas that would love to see arena football without having to drive all the way into the city.

[rams80]

Being part of a more stable league with tougher competition should help considerably in increasing the take at the gate. Also, there is no reason an af2 franchise can't succeed at the Berry Center even with an AFL team in the Toyota Center. The two buildings are 35 miles apart and there's plenty of people in the Katy and Cy-Fair areas that would love to see arena football without having to drive all the way into the city.

You'd actually run into territorial rights problems there. The AFL enforces something like a 75-to-90-mile bubble around each team that can only be occupied by that one member of the arena family. So if the AFL ever returned to Houston, it would probably mean the death of the Copperheads.

[Reichert]

Well, I guess all I can say is that there are always exceptions to rules. We'll never know how the AFL would address this scenario unless it were to somehow arise later on down the road.

The National Hockey League I believe has a similar rule but has a very notable exception: The Philadelphia Flyers farm team is the AHL Philadelphia Phantoms, literally located down the street at the old Spectrum.

[preeths]

I believe that usually the bigger team has the right to allow another team into its market, but in theory its at that team's sole discretion. Therefore, Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Desperados, could allow an af2 team in Fort Worth if he wished, but any Fort Worth af2 franchise would need his permission first. If the AFL found an interested buyer, they could make keeping the Copperheads a stipulation or the league could simply buy them out.

[da man]

I have been around arena football and the deciding factor of a team making it has nothing to do with the population of the area. There are teams in areas of well under 200,000 people(not all football fans) and often have sell out crowds. You have to market outside of your imediate location in order to get the crowd you are looking for. The copperheads advertised in the Katy area and never sold out games to supposively die hard football fans. This game is not for everybody and some who are just to stubburn to even give it a chance can also hurt attendance. I have corrected people over time when I hear the remark that arena football is not real football and believe it or not this is thinking of many people that really needs to change.
When the Arena Football League signs a new tv deal for the 2007 season and the people start hearing more about the game, maybe the suspense will build back up and things will look better. Not to say things are not looking good now cause they are, I really want to see the TEXAS COPPERHEADS suceed!

[Reichert]

Katy is a diehard HIGH SCHOOL football city. That can definitely be converted to arena or indoor football but the one thing I'd like to say is that such a conversion does not happen overnight. It's not a situation where any team that throws around a pigskin ball and plays on a field can just print tickets and instantly sell out. The locals are tied to their high schools, so they are identified by which school they root for.

I believe Bryan Blake approached the Copperheads with a long term, multi-year plan for success. Moving from the NIFL to af2 ensures that he can continue pressing on with that plan and provide a better product so the Katy/West Houston region can eventually embrace indoor football. He didn't pick up and move from Beaumont to buy a house in Katy planning on it being a hit and run operation, nor to give up after year one because the building didn't sell out.

It's a good market, but they've never had this before, so give the Katy region time to embrace arena football.

[cap]

AFL can have the Toyota Center. Isn't their rent about $15,000?

[austinturfcats]

the toyota center is too expensive and i know blake has deep pockets but only time will tell

[sportsmgrjay]

You are right but it is ACROSS THE STREET

[da man]

You are right reichert! I just want to see the copperheads get what they deserve and thats a packed house every home game. With a little hard work it can and will be done. Houston is known for its football and this is another way we can showcase the athletes right her in the local areas. Has anybody heard the word on the coaching staff?

[sportznut]

I drive about 2 hours to go see Katy play last season and look forward to the drive to what ever venue is used for next season.

[Reichert]

I think you'll be making a turn up the Northwest Freeway to go to this year's game.

[da man]

Its The Berry Center!!!!!!!!! Gotta Be

[sportznut]

Houston Radio is calling the Berry Center the Taj Mahol

[Reichert]

Well, I was told by the Copperheads front office last week that the arena was to be announced last Friday. Well, it's now NEXT Friday and still no announcement.

I don't think the Copperheads have an arena deal of any kind signed yet.

[Malepig]

The delay is from the af2 to make a final formal announcement on all expansion teams for the end of September, not the Copperheads.