Morris to Pass the Drive, and Handoff the Edge
July 2, 2012 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Bloomington Edge News Release
Bloomington, IL, 7/2/12 - Bloomington, Normal business man, Jim Bob Morris, owner of the Central Illinois Drive, the recent PBL (Premier Basketball League) Champions at 23 and 1 record, and the Bloomington EDGE which just completed its season in the Indoor Football League at a 10 and 5 record, announced plans on Monday that he is looking to sell all or part of the franchises to local investors if a deal can be structured for the teams and that he may stay involved with the teams if the right ownership group(s) can be assembled.
Morris indicated that he had put forth a tremendous amount of personal capital for both teams as they worked towards winning championships as well as personal time and commitment to each team. "The time commitment was probably the hardest issue for me, as it was difficult to be in two places at once and we really did work long hours at bringing the community their first professional championship this last year with the DRIVE" Morris said.
Morris said that the organization known as the DRIVE which finished the inaugural season in the PBL at 23 and 1, and won the PBL Championship was a great experience for him personally and provided many people within the organization a life time opportunity which he was proud to create.
Morris said "that a lot of hard work went into the development of the team as well as the many elements that fan's don't always recognize. We have a first class place to play in U.S.
Cellular Coliseum and our first year sponsors were simply great. Our game day operations were bar none the best in the country and we have a nationally recognized dance squad via Miss Stacy at the Dance Factory ", Morris commented. "I am so proud of the staff at the DRIVE and the efforts that the U.S. Cellular Coliseum team and the building management put into moving the team forward. Our day operations were fantastic. I was originally concerned with the community support, as we had a first class product on the floor virtually every night and we were 15 and 0 and the best basketball in town before we started to see the element of fan growth.
The fan base grew, and our last season game, which of course was for the PBL Championship, is a reflection of how the team can do going forward from a fan perspective. I believe a winning scenario for the next ownership group is in place for the DRIVE to repeat as Champions in the PBL or any other league for that matter. The DRIVE is one of the top teams in the United States outside of the NBA. In fact I have stated many times that we would be a top five team if not better in the NBA D League. Our players are grown men with very high basketball IQ."
Morris cited his other business concerns are growing at a pace that require more and more of his commitment to the likes of Heartland Supply Company a national distributor of food ingredients, and Morris Packaging, a packaging company that suppliers various packaging products for major food companies nationally as well and his development of ROAR Foods, which is Morris's Sonic Drive In's and other retail restaurant holdings. "I'm anticipating that we have two or three companies that are going to double in size over the next 12 to 16 months due to a number of national accounts we've recently acquired and our development plans to open more retail restaurant operations.
We have two new business acquisitions as well for a new honey operation and a new packaging company and those things take a lot of time to button up and close to insure success. As fun as the sports teams were, I just can't justify all of the time and attention to the many aspects of the team functions going forward and I'd like to see the DRIVE and the EDGE succeed in the future.
If I can be a part of it with less time and we have some new capital, that's great!
Morris also stated that he was working on a deal for the Bloomington EDGE, his indoor arena football team that also plays their home games at U.S. Cellular Coliseum. "I'm waiting on all our financial data to be completed on the teams, but again, this is a difficult business to succeed in and the great winning success that we have had with the DRIVE and the EDGE this last season comes from a lot of hard work from our staff, our coaches and players and our business associates that are involved with the teams each week."
"We proved we can build championship caliber teams in both sports. I never had a doubt about the success of either team as far as success on the court or the field. The teams accurately reflect my personality in winning and what it takes to win in effort and ability. Again we built a great football team that was entertaining and won just as we did with the DRIVE. We probably have one of the top 2 or 3 indoor arena football teams in the entire country right here in Bloomington, Normal and I'm not sure our community actually realizes this fact. I played in the NFL and I can tell you we have some guys on our team that given the right breaks could have played for a lot ofNFL teams. The game is about chances and opportunities opening up for you at the right place and right time. I know all about that."
Morris said that he was working with Scott Henderson who was the Vice President of Operations for the DRIVE, along with the U.S. Cellular management company of John Butler and Bart Rogers to bring in a successful locally owned group or individual that would commit to the continuation of the first class business operation that the DRIVE is noted for around league circles. Morris said that he'd talk to members of his coaching staff for the EDGE and General Manager Marcus King and determine who would be the person to field the inquiries for the EDGE on the potential sale or interested investors.
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