Anifl 2009 ???

[50 Yard Fan]

Found this posted on the IFF board by a first time poster "newcoach"

The league is coming back in 2009 but with a new name. They will now be the American National Indoor Football League (ANIFL). The last I heard they will start with 14-18 teams, from Florida to North Carolina. They have a new ownership group in place. The league offices will be based out of Tampa,Fl. The new mangement group is named Premier Sports Marketing. They also own the Florida Thunder, a local semi-pro team. I will post more when I hear more.

Didn't we talk about the ANIFL here a while back? I thought I remember seeing something about it.

[indoor fan]

Found this posted on the IFF board by a first time poster "newcoach"



Didn't we talk about the ANIFL here a while back? I thought I remember seeing something about it.

American National ??????? is'nt that redundent. This "league" will have nothing to do with the old NIFL.

[GBoro Rev]

Published: Friday, November 16, 2007

indoor football
ANIFL to Hold Open Tryouts in Tampa

The American National Indoor Football League will hold open tryouts Saturday at Riverfront Park in Tampa at 10 a.m. The professional league plans to begin playing in March 2009, said Warren Watts, partial owner of Premier Sports Management, which runs the league.

Watts said the ANIFL already has contracts to play in Tampa, Orlando, Daytona, West Palm Beach, Jacksonville, Pensacola, Columbus, Ga., Macon, Ga., Baton Rouge, La., Myrtle Beach, S.C., Memphis, Tenn., and Mobile, Ala.

He said Premier Sports Management is interested in placing a team in Lakeland, but hasn't yet signed a deal because it's awaiting final word on the Lakeland ThunderBolts' plans.

Those interested in playing should contact Watts at 813-900-1207. There's a $40 registration charge.

(No word about NC)

[Minor League Man]

Okay, let me try the markets:

Tampa
Won't work (The Storm are top dog there). They're probably tying to get a lease with Clothiersports Arena to get the OIFL's Tampa Bay Marauders in :D
Orlando
Won't work (Preds). Unless they're thinking Kissimmee...
Daytona
Won't work (T-Birds).
West Palm Beach
No arena...Unless they're thinking the Expo Center on the Fairgrounds...If they try a tennis court, I'll throw up.
Jacksonville
Can they afford the Vet or at least Jacksonville Ice? If it's in Green Cove, that's a death sentence?
Pensacola
Don't the Ice Pilots still have that crazy exclusivity clause? Not that it'll matter, as the Pilots will be dead or dying by Spring '09.
Columbus, Ga.
Won't work (Lions)
Macon, Ga
Macon is where teams go to die...
Baton Rouge, La
Centroplex would work...But do they have deep enough pockets?
Myrtle Beach, S.C
Is the Convention Center still usable?
Memphis, Tenn
They WON'T be able to afford FedEx Forum...Do they mean Southaven? (Heck, they might try to get MegaTek Arena and the OIFL's Memphis Crusaders in :D)
and Mobile, Ala
Again, do they have deep enough pockets?

He said Premier Sports Management is interested in placing a team in Lakeland, but hasn't yet signed a deal because it's awaiting final word on the Lakeland ThunderBolts' plans.

The AIFA has reserved the market for 2009...whether the Bolts come back or not

[BananaCat]

Didn't we talk about the ANIFL here a while back? I thought I remember seeing something about it.
Yes. This is old news.
http://www.oursportscentral.com/boards/showthread.php?t=8881

[TheHulk]

[/QUOTE]Don't the Ice Pilots still have that crazy exclusivity clause? Not that it'll matter, as the Pilots will be dead or dying by Spring '09.

Won't work (Lions)

Macon is where teams go to die...

Centroplex would work...But do they have deep enough pockets?

Is the Convention Center still usable?

They WON'T be able to afford FedEx Forum...Do they mean Southaven? (Heck, they might try to get MegaTek Arena and the OIFL's Memphis Crusaders in :D)

Again, do they have deep enough pockets?



The AIFA has reserved the market for 2009...whether the Bolts come back or not[/QUOTE]

For your information....Escambia County is trying to sell the Pensacola Civic Center and the Pilots are one of the leading candidates to purchase the arena. Also, there is no exclusivity clause with the Pilots the fuss was over more weekend home dates and concessions. You can check the archives of the Pensacola News Journal and the Ice Pilots website. Besides, even if one of these so-called "indoor football leagues" wanted to come to Pensacola it would still be a hard sell. There are people and businesses still smarting over how the AF2 Barracudas ran its operations. I should know I was a season ticket holder. Anything other than minor league hockey might be too much for this area to support.

[TheHulk]

Oh, and another thing....quit saying the Ice Pilots are going to be dead in 2009. You have no clue what's going on down here. Yeah they still suck on the ice, but in a 8000 seat arena they are still drawing between 5-6000 per game. That's still in the top half of the league.

[TheHulk]

I know this is a NIFL forum...but to add to what I just said...the IP have been killed by call-ups to Rockford and Chicago.

[Minor League Man]

For your information....Escambia County is trying to sell the Pensacola Civic Center and the Pilots are one of the leading candidates to purchase the arena. Also, there is no exclusivity clause with the Pilots the fuss was over more weekend home dates and concessions. You can check the archives of the Pensacola News Journal and the Ice Pilots website. Besides, even if one of these so-called "indoor football leagues" wanted to come to Pensacola it would still be a hard sell. There are people and businesses still smarting over how the AF2 Barracudas ran its operations. I should know I was a season ticket holder. Anything other than minor league hockey might be too much for this area to support.

Check your archives...The proposed ABA Pensacola Aviators said they couldn't play because of the arena exclusivity clause...

Lemme guess, did Newman lie again? (Wouldn't surprise me if he did)

[rams80]

Check your archives...The proposed ABA Pensacola Aviators said they couldn't play because of the arena exclusivity clause...

Lemme guess, did Newman lie again? (Wouldn't surprise me if he did)

Maybe they actually do read this board for excuses.

That said-the crusade's old out of you.

[TheHulk]

The Aviators were a total non-starter down here. Besides the team was looking more at the University of West Florida Gymnasium. It sounds good in the media to say Pensacola Civic Center. The IP's agreement had nothing to do with the potential of an ABA team coming to Pensacola. The would-be owner didn't have the dough to even talk to the Civic Center. Thankfully neither one (Civic Center and UWF) gave the ABA or the would be owner a second look.