SIFL Will Sport New Look for 2012

[VinnyTheViper]

Hammers to keep on swinging despite losing money, 4-8 record

By Reggie Benson
Huntsville Times
Sports Staff
Thursday, June 16, 2011

The owner of the Alabama Hammers, Huntsville entry into the Southern Indoor Football League, says the team will return next season despite losing money and a losing record.
The Hammers, who finished last in the SIFL's South Division with a 4-8 record, started 0-5, but went 4-3 in their last seven games, and that has owner Jeff Knight excited about the future.
"From an operation standpoint, between the storms and stuff that was out of our control, it was a pretty tough year," said Knight. The team averaged about 3,000 fans per game despite the construction at the Von Braun Center and the tornado outbreak in late April. There wer also problems when Mobile Bay folded its team. Two other teams - Lafayette, La., and Fayetteville, N.C. - also had problems. Lafayette folded and Fayetteville changed ownership groups.

"We didn't break even, but the ultimate measure was not the money. It's the other things, and that is why we're working so hard to fix the league stuff. I am getting much more involved in the league. There are several really good franchises. Us, Columbus, and Albany, have kind of banded together to say, this is the way things are going to be from now on, and we're going to put things in order." Some current teams will be weeded out, Kinght said, but he anticipates new teams in Macon, Ga., and Jackson, Miss., and maybe even more. "We think we're going to have have a Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia base, and from there we will see, " he said. "We're thinking the SIFL will be a 7-to-10 team league. We've got to straighten the ship up a little bit. The league did not do a good job this season." Knight said he is also contemplating putting a team in Knoxville, Tn. "We've been in negotiations with them for quite some time," he said. "Minor league sports are tough, especially when you get into insurance and things like that that are so costly."

[VinnyTheViper]

This would be the 7 franchises mentioned directly or referred to in the article as potential franchises for 2012:

1. Albany, GA
2. Columbus, GA
3. Huntsville, AL
4. Jackson, MS
5. Knoxville, TN
6. Lake Charles, LA
7. Macon, GA

[BananaCat]

He also mentions staying in the SIFL, which I didn't think would happen. If they stay and think things will change, he'll be disappointed once again.

[King Of The Jungle]

Despite the problems, the SIFL is still by far the best run league overall that Columbus has been in. There are plenty of places to improve of course but, when I look at other leagues, I think the problems of the SIFL may be more evident than in other leagues but, they are also easier to fix.

Teams folding are because of lack of research. Than is easily fixed and it should be. I like the 7 team list and hope that it can come to fruition. There are some good rivalries there that should make for high attendance and lots of excitement. I am not Pollyanna, but, I also have seen a couple of other leagues, so give me the SIFL or give me Dea...Ok, let's not go crazy here. Just give me the SIFL over anything else I have seen.

[VinnyTheViper]

The SIFL had a golden opportunity to become something special this season but a few knuckleheads have blown that opportunity. This is the worst league that any Huntsville franchise has ever been in, and it is not even close. This is the first year in eleven seasons that we travelled to no away games, instead, we opted to travel on multiple occassions to Atlanta to see the Georgia Force play, the way that arena football is meant to be played. Are the problems in the SIFL fixable? Yes they are fixable, but not if you are going to invite the same goobers back to run the league right back into the ground for 2012. For 2011, the SIFL played a grossly bastardized set of arena rules, the league needs to learn what yo-yo and loop motion really are, what a jack linebacker is and his relationship is to an illegal defense call, that only the mack linebacker can rush the QB, and there is no stunting whatsoever in an arena league. There were only 2 illegal defenses called the whole season in Huntsville by the officiating crews, the game that I saw in Atlanta on Saturday night had 3 illegal defense called in one game. You have to have an officiating crew that understands the rules and knows how to enforce them. The number of teams that were openly running roughshot over the rules this season was ridiculous. The implementation of the rouge or uno rule was an absolute joke. Goodness knows how many times my owner has heard from me about the way this league is run, the damage done to the Huntsville fan base in 2011 due to everything that happened this season may not be repairable. The nature of "arena" football is that it is supposed to come down to the last possession with the game undecided. The AFL in 2012, has had 42% of its games decided on the last possession, thus far, the AFL regular season season is still ongoing, but if compared that to the 2012 SIFL regular season, only 17% of the SIFL games were decided on the final possession of the game. 138-0, 94-0, 92-12 scores, or even 30 point blowouts prove nothing to the fan in terms of the quality of the product they see, fans want to see close competitive action down to the wire, not blowouts every week.

With a second AFL team potentially being established within a four hour drive from Huntsville, the SIFL is going to have to compete for my entertainment dollar next season. If I detect one ounce of manure being shoveled by the league in the fan's direction, then I will be through with the SIFL and its circus sideshows, there are other acceptable options out there chasing my entertainment dollars. It is time for the SIFL to throw its Huggies away and graduate to Big Boy pants!

[jerry101jlh]

Originally Posted by King Of The Jungle

Despite the problems, the SIFL is still by far the best run league overall that Columbus has been in. There are plenty of places to improve of course but, when I look at other leagues, I think the problems of the SIFL may be more evident than in other leagues but, they are also easier to fix.

Teams folding are because of lack of research. Than is easily fixed and it should be. I like the 7 team list and hope that it can come to fruition. There are some good rivalries there that should make for high attendance and lots of excitement. I am not Pollyanna, but, I also have seen a couple of other leagues, so give me the SIFL or give me Dea...Ok, let's not go crazy here. Just give me the SIFL over anything else I have seen.

I agree with you that the SIFL problems maybe easily fixed. Problem is its the same problems each and every year. Now we have an owner stepping forward saying he's more involved and I guess get things on track like they should be. How can anyone at this point believe anything that is said and how do we know that due diligence would actually happen where any new teams are concerned? I for one sincerely hope that all that remains of the SIFL after this season is the name and a its very few good teams. If any of the top management is around after this season I fear 2012 just another repeat of the last three.

[mace]

Originally Posted by King Of The Jungle

Despite the problems, the SIFL is still by far the best run league overall that Columbus has been in. There are plenty of places to improve of course but, when I look at other leagues, I think the problems of the SIFL may be more evident than in other leagues but, they are also easier to fix.

Teams folding are because of lack of research. Than is easily fixed and it should be. I like the 7 team list and hope that it can come to fruition. There are some good rivalries there that should make for high attendance and lots of excitement. I am not Pollyanna, but, I also have seen a couple of other leagues, so give me the SIFL or give me Dea...Ok, let's not go crazy here. Just give me the SIFL over anything else I have seen.

Amen to this King. The SIFL has all of the information right out on the front lawn, not like some of these other leagues. I for one will be glad that Columbus and Lake Charles will still be in this league, good teams, good rivalries and GREAT FANS!!

[Caballo Diablo]

Originally Posted by mace

The SIFL has all of the information right out on the front lawn, not like some of these other leagues.

Maybe I'm misinterpreting your quote. All of the info right out on the front lawn? Do you mean transparency? Explainations of situations, handled quickly and publically? Do you mean all info a fan would want is easily accessable?

Transaction reporting had been a problem from day one. And what's up with Lafayette? I missed the league briefing about the real reason and the explaination as to why they were left on the league roster all year and still listed in the standings. What was the reasoning behind swaping an actual loss in a played game and changing it to a win? Have we really had access to the true information surrounding Lafayette and Mobile? Roster info and who is really lining up to play some of these bogus games week to week? We've always known the Crush were an honorable league member and their games and stats officially counted in the record books, but don't you think it was a little rediculous this season with replacement teams/games? Do we really have all of that info out on the front lawn for all to see regarding this fiasco?

What about the Tuff man? How forthcoming is he with info? Does he really exist? Does he really work for the league? A coach lays hands on a fan during a game, can I drive by league headquarters and read the true info about this displayed on a bilboard on the front lawn? Hide behind a couple of tweets and pretend it was judiciously handled behind the scenes? Why, because the tweet said so?

"The SIFL has all of the information right out on the front lawn......"

Surely you jest, this has been the worst year of the leagues existence. They used to confront issues head on and put forth corrective action. They used to inform the fans of the issues and steps to resolve them. All of the honorable people behind these great efforts have left the building and the carpetbaggers haven't publically even shown they cared about the issues, much less wanting to resolve them.

Since they unprofessionally imploded the AFL has told them to effoff, now it's on to plan B, or is it x,y, and z? Do you think they're regretting not caring about the product this year? Do they have the concern or ability to to rebuild it back to a respectable league? Wait, it's never been a respectable league.

[Gusher]

Originally Posted by VinnyTheViper

Knight said he is also contemplating putting a team in Knoxville, Tn. "We've been in negotiations with them for quite some time," he said. "Minor league sports are tough, especially when you get into insurance and things like that that are so costly."

knoxville arena football

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/g...14488358604258

http://tngamblers.com/

Could be a "Gamble" but it looks like someone is thinking about it.

[DFWCC]

Looks like that leaves Erie and Trenton looking for a home.
I sure hope you guys can get fix in for the SIFL.
There are a couple of stable teams ABY, CSG and HSV.
That's a good start but they have to take control and
make the commitment.