This is my first post on here so take it easy on me but I have been observing for 2 months or so now and I want to just make sure I am understanding things as the AIFL has announced a team about 20 minutes from me. They will play in Danville, IL.
1)AIFL started last season with 16 teams 2 league owned teams either flopped before or just after the season started. How many league owned teams were there?
2)The league who according to some on here cant pay some bills as it is, Is not worried about a settlement against them for over 1/4 million dollars.
3)Can a team playing in a 2000 seat arena make a profit?? and if so what kind of fan support will they need.
4) This Daytona Dan guy, I think is is with the thunder correct? but was he affiliated with the AIFL Board so to say? If so it seems like he was the only one with a level head from what I have been reading.
I have more but I am just concerned because I know there is alot of hype around the Danville area with people who want to see professional football but I dont think any of those people have been on here to get a different side of the story. By the way I have forund of the so called rumors I have heard on this board in the last 2 months I would say there is a 90% truth rate to those leaks as the politicians would call it.
Thanks and sorry for typing so much
New Teams and '07 Season
-
Interested Observer
- Site Admin
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Mon Jul 31, 2006 2:24 am
Depending on the amount of sponsorship, the # of employees and their pay, as well as lease agreements and frugality, you can break even or make money at 2,000/game. This depends on specifics such as merchandise sales, how much of beer and concession sales go to the team (if any), as well as the intangiables, such as # of seats sold for how much. A smaller arena would probably have to average about $12.50/ticket (500 or so at $10, 1000 or so at $12.50 and 500 or so at $14), hoping for incremental bump ups if the place isn't sold out.
You'd still be looking at a budget of about $225,000-$275,000 a year for a 14-game AIFL season, and would then require anywhere between $50,000 and $100,000 in sponsorship and ancilliary revenues (beer, concessions, parking, merchandise...).
The key point though is, despite sponsorship and the business climate supporting the team, if only 1,000 show up a game, the team would be in trouble. A sell out every night would basically be a prerequisite.
Sykotyk
You'd still be looking at a budget of about $225,000-$275,000 a year for a 14-game AIFL season, and would then require anywhere between $50,000 and $100,000 in sponsorship and ancilliary revenues (beer, concessions, parking, merchandise...).
The key point though is, despite sponsorship and the business climate supporting the team, if only 1,000 show up a game, the team would be in trouble. A sell out every night would basically be a prerequisite.
Sykotyk
-
Interested Observer
- Site Admin
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Mon Jul 31, 2006 2:24 am
Thank You for your response
From what you told me I think Danville is a bomb waiting to explode
Here is a brief profile of Danville
Population 34,000
Person below poverty rate 19%
Avg income $30K
Danville is known for their state prison, factories, Public Housing problems (to many housing projects), Drugs, Prostitution
Positives in Danville, A nice arena that sits empty outside of hockey season, And there is a walmart. there are more positives but it is going to be hard to convince a family of 4 to go spend $50 plus to go see 1 game of a lower level pro indoor team.
From what you told me I think Danville is a bomb waiting to explode
Here is a brief profile of Danville
Population 34,000
Person below poverty rate 19%
Avg income $30K
Danville is known for their state prison, factories, Public Housing problems (to many housing projects), Drugs, Prostitution
Positives in Danville, A nice arena that sits empty outside of hockey season, And there is a walmart. there are more positives but it is going to be hard to convince a family of 4 to go spend $50 plus to go see 1 game of a lower level pro indoor team.
-
Interested Observer
- Site Admin
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Mon Jul 31, 2006 2:24 am
-
HockeyCanuck
- Site Admin
- Posts: 36
- Joined: Wed Sep 22, 2004 9:28 pm
You Cant run a Team for $250,000.00
That is the biggest lie in indoor football. Payroll alone for players push $100,000.00 then you have to have front office staff, equipment, travel, insurance, etc. Minimum first year is no less than $500,000.00 and there in lies the problem with so many leagues. Most owners where lied to about the dollars they will spend.
The low down on the AIFL
Interested Observer wrote:This is my first post on here so take it easy on me but I have been observing for 2 months or so now and I want to just make sure I am understanding things as the AIFL has announced a team about 20 minutes from me. They will play in Danville, IL.
1)AIFL started last season with 16 teams 2 league owned teams either flopped before or just after the season started. How many league owned teams were there?
2)The league who according to some on here cant pay some bills as it is, Is not worried about a settlement against them for over 1/4 million dollars.
3)Can a team playing in a 2000 seat arena make a profit?? and if so what kind of fan support will they need.
4) This Daytona Dan guy, I think is is with the thunder correct? but was he affiliated with the AIFL Board so to say? If so it seems like he was the only one with a level head from what I have been reading.
I have more but I am just concerned because I know there is alot of hype around the Danville area with people who want to see professional football but I dont think any of those people have been on here to get a different side of the story. By the way I have forund of the so called rumors I have heard on this board in the last 2 months I would say there is a 90% truth rate to those leaks as the politicians would call it.
Thanks and sorry for typing so much
Here is the wiki link to the aifl. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIFL
It has a good background on the league
The league philosophy is to find a city and arena venue, build a team, and then sell it. This would work as long as the new owners are financially stable, which many have not been. So teams start a season with owners then end up back in the hands of the league during the season.
A small arena can make money. Most of the money comes from sponsorships. As long as a team can fill all the seats they can charge a good price for the sponsorships. If the seats are empty, the price of advertising goes down. Just like a radio station, the fewer the listeners, the cheaper the advertising.
Daytona Dan is officially the AIFL Media Coordinator. He is a good guy. He tries to keep the fans updated as to the goings on in the AIFL. He is somewhat hampered by the ownership of the AIFL who seem to think fans are not important. Here is a clue. NO FANS, NO MONEY!
The league was plagued by financial shortfalls throughout both the 2005 and 2006 seasons. The league owner kept spinning the problem and lost some good talent when he couldnt, or didnt want to, pay some players. There is a problem with keeping the officiating staff also.
The judgment against the league is for $450,000. The league owner didnt even put up a fight. He totally ignored the law suit. Not a good business decision. Of course he will, and is, spinning that also.
Best of luck to your prospective team. Indoor football is an exciting sport. I have attended every game in the Richmond Coliseum since 2000 with two different teams and two different leagues. I will continue to do so if Richmond returns next year.
Richmond Football....onward and upward!
No owner is a little shaky at this point. And 34,000 is kind of a low population. You'd have to draw about 10% of the population that's not in the 19% below the poverty line. It's "do-able" (that's what the kids say), but it would be very hard. There are about 120,000 people in Floyd County,Ga (Rome) and it's a stretch for the Renegades to put 2,000 people in the forum. What helps is drawing fans from our surrounding areas. There are several smaller towns within a half hour or so of Rome and alot of people from those places come to Renegades games. I don't know anything about Danville or the surrounding area, but hopefully an owner will be in place soon and the marketing process can begin.Interested Observer wrote:Gonzo,
there is no owner in Danville curently AH even has what I believe is the Danville franchise for sale on Biz sellers. That is what worries me
I never said first year... I meant just year-to-year general operations. The question is 'how cheap will they be'. Too cheap and it turns off fans and sponsors, too expensive and you'll never make enough to cover it.
You're looking at $25,000 for franchise fee, $60,000 or so for the field, and depending on how you go with boards, can greatly change those costs as well.
Sykotyk
You're looking at $25,000 for franchise fee, $60,000 or so for the field, and depending on how you go with boards, can greatly change those costs as well.
Sykotyk
