An interview with Joey Josephs

by John Gary
Published on January 25, 2005 under American Indoor Football Association (AIFA)


John Gary recently had the chance to pose several questions to Joey Josephs, Director of Media Relations for the new Atlantic Indoor Football League. The AIFL recently named its final roster of teams for its first season and released its schedule.

John Gary: Your website currently states that you have six teams. Are you pleased with the number or would you like to have more?

Joey Josephs: "As a new league in any professional sport, you strive to have a large number of teams to start your first season, but you also want the teams you have to be strong, both on and off the field. I'd rather have a small number of franchises with strong organizations who will be around for the next season than to have a large number of teams to start and lose half next season for financial reasons."

JG: You recently concluded a successful owners meeting. Can you describe the mood the owners had coming out of the meeting for the coming season?

JJ: "I was not in attendance at the meeting in Canton, OH, but from what I was told from our league president, Andrew Haines, the mood was rather upbeat. The franchises we have are excited to be part of our new league and, more importantly, fans are excited about the AIFL. There's not a day that goes by in which I don't get a call from someone wanting information on joining a team -- either on the field or in the front office -- or when a tryout will be held. We have major names on board that want to see the AIFL work as a professional sports league, and we don't want them to be disappointed with the investment they have made in us."

JG: You are using a couple of things that, to my knowledge, have never been used in Arena Football before -- a draft and a scouting combine. How successful do you think you will be with them, and do you think you will stay with them in the coming seasons?

JJ: "First, let me correct you. We can't be called Arena Football. That can get us sued for copyright infringement. It's indoor football. But, to your question, the draft and the scouting combine are unique to us. I think we were very successful with the scouting combines and the draft because it gave those players who want to play and will go wherever they are chosen to join a team. That's not to say if a player wasn't drafted to a team, they can't join the AIFL. The draft allowed teams to stock their rosters with talented players, but teams will still hold tryouts, as well. The scouting combine is no different than the one the NFL holds in Indianapolis before its draft. It gives all teams a chance to evaluate what talent is available."

JG: Do you expect expansion in 2006?

JJ: "Again, I'll go back to what I said in the beginning of the interview. As much as we look to expand in 2006, we want franchises that will be solid both on and off the field. We want teams that are willing to grow with us, not teams that have owners who want to play 'Let's Own A Pro Sports Franchise'. In my years as a sportswriter, both before joining and while with the AIFL, I have seen plenty of successful businesspeople run a sports team as a hobby and have seen those teams fail as a result. We want owners willing to commit the time and resources necessary to run their teams as a business -- a 24/7, 365-day-a-year business. The commitment to making an AIFL franchise doesn't end when the season does."

JG: I noticed that Richmond, VA is one of your cities. You are aware it once had a team in af2. What are some of the differences between your league and af2?

JJ: "First, Richmond is not the only city in our league that has had indoor football backgrounds. Johnstown had two indoor teams, one in the Indoor Football League, the other in the National Indoor Football League. Charlotte had an AFL team. So has Raleigh, NC. So has Erie, PA. I prefer to give cities the benefit of the doubt when it comes to joining our league. Maybe, back then, the fans just weren't ready to accept the game. Or the league was poorly run. Or the team was. We hope the AIFL will be a launching pad for players who may have never had a shot at an NIFL or an af2 team the chance to prove themselves to other leagues. Our most successful day as a league is when we can promote that one of our players has signed a contract with one of those leagues. That will legitimize our league to those who say we will be nothing more than a minor league for the has-beens and the weekend warriors. Even having a team move from us to another league, such as the Amarillo Dusters have moving from the former Intense Football League to arenafootball2, would legitimize us as a league."

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American Indoor Football Association Stories from January 25, 2005


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