Arena Football League Extends Commissioner Jerry Kurz' Contract
Published on August 31, 2010 under Arena Football League (AFL) News Release
TULSA- Commissioner Jerry B. Kurz will be heading the Arena Football League in 2011 following an extension of his contract, the league announced today. It will be Kurz' second year as AFL commissioner and 25th with the Arena Football Family.
"I couldn't be more pleased to continue to lead the resurgence of the Arena Football League,"Â said Kurz. "I have watched the AFL grow and flourish since its inception, and this is a great time for the Arena Football League. I am honored to have the support of the ownership group."
Kurz has been involved with Arena Football for the past 24 years, including five seasons as president with the arenafootball2 (af2) league. Out-tenured only by the creator of Arena Football, Jim Foster, Kurz has dedicated his life to furthering the sport.
Kurz has been a player, a coach, a general manager and an owner during his lifelong involvement with the game of football.
He is a member of four football Hall of Fames, including the first class of the Arena Football Hall of Fame as well as the arenafootball2 Hall of Fame. He is also a founding member of Gridiron Enterprises, Inc., a sports consulting firm based out of Chicago. Gridiron Enterprises, consisting of Kurz, Foster and attorney William Niro, is the original founder of the AFL.
In his time as the chief of the af2, the league saw extensive growth in small-to-mid sized markets, building an extremely dedicated fan base across the country. That foundation helped to fuel the return of the Arena Football League in 2010, following a year on hiatus due to financial instability. During the comeback season, the AFL continued the trend of growth under Kurz' leadership, including the addition of four teams for 2011: San Jose, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Kansas City.
Under Kurz' direction, the league also opted to go from a 16-game to an 18-game regular season schedule for 2011, providing two more opportunities for fans to enjoy affordable family entertainment.
"I am thrilled with these four additional franchises and truly believe they will be a great fit with our revamped business model,"Â said Kurz. "I look forward to the next season of Arena Football and the other exciting growth opportunities we expect to see in the coming months."
Kurz served as the AFL's Vice President of International Development from 1998-2008, where he was in charge of the League's international exposure. During his tenure, he was responsible for administering the H3 Visa program, allowing international players to play for AFL teams stateside. He also arranged and executed all internationally played games for the Arena Football League.
Arena Football League Stories from August 31, 2010
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- Orlando Predators to Play 18 Game Schedule in 2011 - Orlando Predators
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