Rochester Raiders changing leagues?

[50 Yard Fan]

I just read the article about the $1000 dollar rings if the Raiders win

The last paragraph

McCarthy expects a "big walkup crowd" for Saturday night's game (8:05 kickoff): "Anything less than 4,000 would be disappointing. I hope we have a much larger turnout than that." ... The Raiders and Pirates will split gate receipts, so there are expected to be no "freebies". ... The Raiders expect to play home games at Blue Cross Arena next season, possibly in a more-established league ... The CIFL has added a new team for 2008: the Milwaukee Bonecrushers will play in the downtown U.S. Cellular Center.

I am guessing that league would be AF2 as there is no other more established league near them.
The AIFA only finished it 1st year

[Sykotyk]

They don't have the money for the AF2, unless the league has some financial backers in place and the owner is willing to give up part/most of the team to get it done.

My guess is they, like almost everyone else, consider the AIFL part of the AIFA.

Sykotyk

[RaiderNation]

If they really want to go AF2, they have the money. The question is, do they want to risk the disaster that was the Rochester Brigade, AF2 team? It will be interesting to see if they stay or go. It would be shocking if the CIFL opened next season without either of its championship participants.

[Ducej11]

we are not going to afl2, and Sykotyk, its not because we dont have the money. I know you know a lot around the indoor circuits but we are not one of many CIFL teams with no dough. Our owner owns a multi million dollar communications company with offices in Rochester and Chicago. We have the money. We aren't going to the AFL2 because of the age restrictions. I believe you cant have anyone over the age of like 28 or something like that. We are looking at a few different leagues and don't think that its a lock that we are leaving either. We are a team that has a top notch front office and there are leagues that are actually trying to convince us to join. So we are just weighing our options. Thats all.

[exit322]

The AF2 doesn't have any player age restrictions that I know of. There are AF2 players that have played in the league since 2000.

It will be interesting to see if the CIFL can do what is necessary to ensure the longevity of the league - and not everything they need to do would appease all of the league's team owners, either.

[Minor League Man]

The CIFL is basically made up of well-run teams (with some exceptions). However, what could ultimately be the deathknell for the league is that it's too predictable...We have our upper-echelon teams (Raiders, Pirates, Xplosion), our cellar-dwellers (Revolution) and our middle-of-the-pack teams (Tide, Mayhem, Thunder).

I think what the league needs to do is hold an expansion and/or dispersal draft, to keep things interesting and not too predictable...

[exit322]

That's really not something that's doable, since most of the teams are comprised of mostly local players.

[Sykotyk]

we are not going to afl2, and Sykotyk, its not because we dont have the money. I know you know a lot around the indoor circuits but we are not one of many CIFL teams with no dough. Our owner owns a multi million dollar communications company with offices in Rochester and Chicago. We have the money. We aren't going to the AFL2 because of the age restrictions. I believe you cant have anyone over the age of like 28 or something like that. We are looking at a few different leagues and don't think that its a lock that we are leaving either. We are a team that has a top notch front office and there are leagues that are actually trying to convince us to join. So we are just weighing our options. Thats all.

Well, according to the info I found out about the team, the reason they stopped using the AF2 as the league du jour when it came to venting their CIFL frustrations was because they finally found out the true cost, as well as financial requirements, of the AF2.

Plus, the AF2, despite having the money, is rarely profitable.

It was just frustration and ignorance of the AF2 that led to them claiming they'd go AF2. Since then they've turned their focus to the much cheaper AIFA. Will they jump? I guess no. Same reason why teams in any league don't jump: better to be with the devil you know, than the devil you don't.

Sykotyk

[RevolutionX]

Rochester isn't going anywhere. They wan't to play in a more established league? AFL2? you'll see them in the Atlantic division of the CIFL next season. If not, then happy trails but stop all the speculation already.

[Jamie]

Your dreaming... ;-)

After tonight it will be the "second season", the season of speculation.

[ml91]

we are not one of many CIFL teams with no dough. Our owner owns a multi million dollar communications company with offices in Rochester and Chicago. We have the money.
That may be true, but I don't know if the Raiders' owners want to get into a situation that will significantly increase costs. Everyone should keep in mind that the newspaper article mentioned above says "POSSIBLY in a more established league" (emphasis added). Actually I think the CIFL has a chance to do well in the future if they can manage to avoid ownership groups who either can not or will not spend the money necessary to run a professional sports team for an entire season. I think 2008 will be a "make-or-break" year for the CIFL; if they can get each of the teams to play every game (not with replacement players) there may be a decent future ahead. If we are reading newspaper articles in the middle of next season that say things like "We aren't going to play this week because it is a road game" then I guess the CIFL will turn into a circus like the National Indoor Football League.

[blanketman]

I believe the RAIDERS are going to stay in the cifl.It seems that all these leagues have problems.Look at the UIF,it looks like they are going to loose at least 4 teams next year.That is not good by anyones standards.Rochester will start getting involved in challenge cups.They believe they can play with the storm.First of all, some reasons why they believe they can beat sioux falls include:more speed with 5 guys in the sub 4.4,sioux falls have 2,far more 1A athletes,much larger lines, and a better Quarterback.Rochester would rather stay in the cifl win championships,if another one is possible,then after,have a 50,000 challenge match, each side would put up the 50k, each team would play one half of their football; winner take all.Think about it,there really are only about 8 to10 real good organizations in the country,why not have a unifier series. Sioux falls could not have beaten that Port Huron team. They are loaded with division III players.Port Hurons team was stacked .