New league takes AIFL's place
by Paul Reeths
Published on October 2, 2006 under American Indoor Football Association (AIFA)
Michael Mink and John Morris may be newcomers to the world of indoor football, but they've already seen a lot of the pitfalls and possibilities it offers.
On Monday, the two announced the formation of the American Indoor Football Association, a circuit they own. They expect all 14 members of the American Indoor Football League to join the AIFA.
AIFL teams in line to join the AIFA are the Canton (Ohio) Legends, Carolina (Concord, N.C.) Speed, Danville (Ill.) Demolition, Erie (Pa.) Freeze, Florence (S.C.) Phantoms, Huntington (W. Va.) Heroes, Johnstown (Pa.) RiverHawks, Lakeland (Fla.) ThunderBolts, Mississippi (Tupelo, Miss.) Mudcats, Montgomery (Ala.) Bears, Pittsburgh (Pa.) RiverRats, Reading (Pa.) Express, Springfield (Ill.) Stallions and Tallahassee (Fla.) Titans.
The duo got their first taste of the sport earlier this year when they bought a floundering National Indoor Football League franchise in midseason. In August, they severed their ties to the NIFL and decided instead to field a Montgomery, Alabama-based franchise in the American Indoor Football League. Last month, they also secured a North Carolina AIFL franchise.
Morris and Mink became concerned with the negative perception of the AIFL among some arena operators and potential sponsors. Plans for the AIFA took shape over the last month.
"We were faced with deciding if we want to play this year or wait until next year," said Morris. "We were running into obstacles when we talked with arenas and some other parties. After several months of investigating and looking into certain things, we had to decide what we were going to do.
"We had to decide if we were going to lead with our heads or our hearts. We were prepared to sit out this season."
The two-year-old AIFL faced several questions regarding its operations, particularly over the last year when the league expanded by 10 teams. Franchises in Asheville, NC and Syracuse, NY failed to finish their seasons, and Asheville owner Rob Boyd holds a $435,000 default judgment on the league.
"That's an Andrew Haines and AIFL issue," said Morris. "I don't know where the AIFL stands with the stuff they left behind."
The pair presented their plan for a new league to team owners at ownership meetings in Florence, South Carolina over the weekend, and it met with unanimous approval.
"The owners made the decision they wanted to play football under Morris and Mink and their new league, and that's what they did," added Morris. "This weekend was the first time the owners saw the agreement. For us to be able to sign everyone up this fast shows they have confidence in this direction."
Morris indicated that 12 of the 14 former AIFL teams have signed the agreement to move to the new league, and the remaining two had indicated they would join after a further review of the agreement. He did not indicate which two had not yet signed the deal.
Though the AIFL had referred to Mink and Morris as co-owners of that league, they insist they never completed a deal with league Commissioner Andrew Haines.
"We never reached an agreement with the AIFL," said Mink. "No money exchanged hands. We felt it was better to do something on our own. We wanted to do it 100 percent right from the start. Basically, we wanted to form our own league. It is an owner-based league where every owner gets one vote.
"Teams are not franchises and are not bound to the league. We're not binding teams to stay in the league. If we don't do our jobs and keep teams happy, they're free to go."
Jack Bowman, general manager of the Florence (S.C.) Phantoms, will serve as the AIFA's National Director, a position roughly equivalent to the AIFL's commissioner. Five committees composed of league owners will set rules and guidelines. Former AIFL Commissioner Andrew Haines will also have a place with the league.
"Andrew does not have a title," said Morris. "He has an employment contract and has to adhere to certain levels for us to maintain the deal."
Mink added Haines' primary responsibility would be to secure national sponsorships for the league.
American Indoor Football Association Stories from October 2, 2006
- New league takes AIFL's place - OSC Original by Paul Reeths
- AIFL is Dead, AFIA is Born - AIFA
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