Bears owners sold on AIFL

by Paul Reeths
Published on August 15, 2006 under American Indoor Football Association (AIFA)


When John Morris and Michael Mink bought the Montgomery Maulers of the National Indoor Football League in the middle of the 2006 season, they took over a franchise awash in problems. Jamie LaMunyon, the previous owner, had made national news when she fired the entire team after they complained about not being paid for several weeks. Even before the incident, crowds had dipped well below 1,000, and the team had fallen behind on its rent to Garrett Coliseum.

In stepped Mink and Morris. The Gulf Coast Raiders, their Tampa, Florida-based semi-pro team, filled in for the Maulers at a game in Florida. When NIFL President Carolyn Shiver offered the pair a chance to own the Montgomery team, they jumped at the chance, rehiring, and paying, all the players and making good with sponsors and the arena.

"We worked hard to restore confidence in the community," said Morris. "We had over 2,000 fans on a Monday night for our last home game, when we started at 400 or so after we took over."

The team won five out of its next six games and earned a playoff berth. But all was not well. Mink and Morris became concerned about the NIFL's stability after nearly a third of league teams folded during the season and others left to join different leagues earlier this month. Last week they announced they were withdrawing their franchise from the NIFL and joining the American Indoor Football League, rechristening their team the Montgomery Bears.

"I'm not going to badmouth them (the NIFL), but they have their own way of doing things," said Morris. "We felt it was in our best interest to move. A lot of the turmoil we went through last year, we inherited. We were able to say, 'We made it through that, now where do we go from here?' Now we own this situation."

According to the two, the AIFL is in the process of changing from a league in which founder Andrew Haines made all the decisions, to one in which owners will vote on league issues.

"We restructured the management of the league," said Mink. "It's now a republic of owners, so we're all going to have a vote. The procedures manual is being rewritten to reflect those changes.

"Andrew is the commissioner of the league and is in charge of marketing and sponsorships. We want to make this so that teams want to come to this league."

"One of the reasons we decided on the AIFL was when we talked with Andrew, we told him we felt everyone needed a say," added Morris. "We found out last year everyone needs input in order to be successful, as opposed to seeing decisions on a website or in a press release and not knowing where they came from. As businessmen, we're pleased that every single owner has control, has a say, in the AIFL."

Both Mink and Morris acknowledged the AIFL saw its share of problems this year. Franchises in Asheville, NC and Syracuse, NY failed to finish their seasons, and the Asheville owner successfully sued the league for over $400,000, a judgment the league plans to appeal. The Richmond Bandits were booted from the playoffs on the eve of their first postseason game because of unpaid fines and late game tapes.

Still, Morris and Mink felt the league had the foundation of solid teams it needed, and with input, can be put on the right path, a view reinforced by this past weekend's AIFL ownership meetings.

"We felt it went very well, especially since we came in as newcomers," said Morris. "As owners, we broke up into five committees where we share ideas and voice opinions. They're there to give the owners an assist.

"Being able to have a say was important to us. That's what was most important to me. We felt like we made the right decision."

Another change will be reflected in how the league chooses expansion markets. Previously, Haines would reach an agreement with an arena, announce an expansion franchise, and then seek local ownership. If he was unable to sell the team, the league operated it.

"We'll choose markets with our expansion teams, but if we can't find an owner, then it shouldn't have a team," said Mink. "As a league, we can get a tentative deal with an arena, but if we don't have an owner, we won't have a team.

"We're looking to limit the league to 14-16 solid teams, with some very solid teams joining us. We want to close down membership in the next couple of weeks."

Morris added the AIFL would return to Huntington, West Virginia and Florence, South Carolina. The two are also negotiating with the arena in Columbus, Georgia, which recently revoked the contract of the AIFL's Chattahoochee Valley Vipers due to nonpayment.

Mink and Morris said the league would meet all its financial obligations and was considering a neutral site championship game. They added the league has placed a high priority on communications and will revamp the AIFL website in the near future.

"The proof is in the pudding," said Mink. "The proof will be a good season. We'll do what we have to do to win back trust."

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American Indoor Football Association Stories from August 15, 2006


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