Daytona beach leaves WIFL wants to join af2

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Fran
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Daytona beach leaves WIFL wants to join af2

Post by Fran » Thu Sep 20, 2007 3:59 pm

Daytona Beach Thunder CEO Zack McDonald confirmed Wednesday he has decided to leave the World Indoor Football League and is trying to join Arena Football League 2, the feeder league for the Arena Football League.

If the Thunder are successful, it will be the third league in three seasons for the local indoor football team. Daytona Beach played in the American Indoor Football League in 2006. The Daytona Beach Hawgs, under a different ownership group, played in the National Indoor Football League in 2005.

"Starting our third season, and bringing on Tallahassee (to the WIFL), we only had five teams," McDonald said. "That's just not where we want to be.

"Now, with the leagues that are out there -- the AFL is the place to be."

McDonald and the Thunder are scrambling to attract partners to meet the financial requirements to join AFL2. He said he hoped to have a team ready for 2008, but if it doesn't come together quickly enough, they will shoot for 2009.

AFL2 president Jerry Kurz confirmed via email the Thunder had expressed interest in joining his league. A decision on whether to accept the Thunder will come after the team submits an application.

"We're definitely interested in expanding to the Southeast, but we have a rigorous application process," Kurz said.

"We're trying to attract more partners," McDonald said. "We can't do it alone, and we want more community involvement. We weren't able to attract more investors, more partners, to a five-team league.

"We think moving up to a more stable and structured league will help us attract those partners. Who wouldn't want to be part of the AFL? We think it's the right direction to go."

McDonald said he's hopeful the deal can come together quickly.

"I want to play football next year," McDonald said. "We want to play football in '08. We're hopeful to play football in '08. We've built a good organization. We don't want to lose our momentum. My gut feeling is that we may have to shoot for 2009. I think the group of partners we could put together by then would be bulletproof."

McDonald said the AFL is "final frontier."

"This would be the last league we would have to go to until we were ready for the AFL -- if we ever got to that level," McDonald said.

McDonald said the difference in operating budgets between AFL2 and the parent league AFL are considerable. He estimated an AFL2 team would require a budget of about $850,000. He estimated an AFL team would require a budget of nearly $6 million.

"I'm excited about it," McDonald said. "We think the AFL2 gives us the package to attract a group of strong owners and partners."

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Post by rams80 » Thu Sep 20, 2007 4:54 pm

So what's their "safety league"?
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This league (NIFL) is like a frickin' cockroach. You could throw a nuclear bomb at it and it would still survive
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Post by Tater » Thu Sep 20, 2007 7:07 pm

This smells a lot like the team is in financial trouble and in order to get new investors for a "good" reason, we will announce that we intend to go AF2. Maybe that helps the team save face and eliminate discussion about shortfalls from last season.

Of course, we all know that the AF2 will likely reject their application, and then they will either fold or stay in the WIFL anyway.
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Post by The Abyss » Thu Sep 20, 2007 9:33 pm

[quote=""Tater""]This smells a lot like the team is in financial trouble and in order to get new investors for a "good" reason, we will announce that we intend to go AF2. Maybe that helps the team save face and eliminate discussion about shortfalls from last season.

Of course, we all know that the AF2 will likely reject their application, and then they will either fold or stay in the WIFL anyway.[/quote]

If I was an owner in the WIFL and once they don't get in for 08, I wouldn't allow them back in. If they weren't good enough to stay in then they shouldn't be allowed back.

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Jamie
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Post by Jamie » Thu Sep 20, 2007 9:48 pm

Yeah! That'll show `em!

Who needs a nose anyway?

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Post by gonzo13 » Fri Sep 21, 2007 2:49 am

Stupid...Stupid....Stupid....Stupid....

They couldn't afford to fix their bus to get them around the WIFL during the '07 season, and they think they can afford AF2 travel?


They'll also need to pay their coaches if they want to keep them. The Thunder may be the first AF2 team to fold mid-season.

Great move Zack and Kevin. On to bigger and better things.... :rolleyes:
Just when I thought I was out....They pull me back in.

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Post by rams80 » Fri Sep 21, 2007 2:54 am

[quote=""gonzo13""]Stupid...Stupid....Stupid....Stupid....

They couldn't afford to fix their bus to get them around the WIFL during the '07 season, and they think they can afford AF2 travel?


They'll also need to pay their coaches if they want to keep them. The Thunder may be the first AF2 team to fold mid-season.

Great move Zack and Kevin. On to bigger and better things.... :rolleyes: [/quote]

After some of the disasters this past season, I think the af2 is going to be a little more careful about who it lets in. But it does look like this franchise just committed suicide.
Mean Spirited Blogger #24601

Accused of being a Cyber Terrorist by Joe Newman.

This league (NIFL) is like a frickin' cockroach. You could throw a nuclear bomb at it and it would still survive
-tony-o

So I'd rather spend a quarter of an ABA franchise to repair my car, as opposed to spending a franchise and a half to get a new car that might have some planned obsolescence that causes it to break down 5 days after the end of the warranty period.
-Chuck the Writer

fred1965
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And another point

Post by fred1965 » Fri Sep 21, 2007 1:13 pm

What does it say when someone starts a league and decided to leave it after a year. Completely unprofessional.

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so much for being the elite.

Post by blueridge » Fri Sep 21, 2007 1:29 pm

I thought the wifl was supposed to be the elite of the minor leagues. So I am to understand that Daytona has financial problems, we all know the issues the titans have with funds. Looks to me like there may only be 3 teams playing in the wifl come mid season. Thats to bad, I was realy hoping to see some expansion in to the western carolina area. ohhh welll

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Post by chardale » Fri Sep 21, 2007 9:10 pm

[quote=""blueridge""]I thought the wifl was supposed to be the elite of the minor leagues. So I am to understand that Daytona has financial problems, we all know the issues the titans have with funds. Looks to me like there may only be 3 teams playing in the wifl come mid season. Thats to bad, I was realy hoping to see some expansion in to the western carolina area. ohhh welll[/quote] Not even 3 teams playing,,,,,, Ghost Riders are DONE. Confirmed reports are true that Ownership is finished, Daytona done, Augusta doesn't have any money and we know what the Titans problems are. That leaves just Columbus out there trying to make a break for the A2. Looks like Titans shot themselves in the foot by leaving the AIFA. The WIFL IS DONE.. Look for a press release in the near future regarding this. AIFA looks like the lone survivor in the region

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