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IFL Sioux Falls Storm

Storm Address Fans

May 2, 2009 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Sioux Falls Storm News Release


Dear Storm Fans,

Thank you for all the support over the last week amongst a lot of controversy. We know many of you are upset, frustrated and want answers. So, after a great deal of thought, we've decided to write all our fans to explain the situation, as we are a family.

We at the Storm Office have accepted that there was wrongdoing on behalf of our ownership/management and will continue to accept that. The IFL imposed a penalty on the Storm turning our first five wins of the season into losses for being in non-compliance with league rules. In addition to the loss of wins, the Storm's active roster was shortened to 20-men, our opportunity to host our first playoff game was rebuked and the Storm was fined $10,000.

The situation came down to a mishandling of information. The IFL was informed of our option to "Self-Insure" our team at the beginning of the season. The league asked us if we were set for being "Self-Insured" and it was claimed yes, when in actuality we found out it was not properly done. The policy was never filed with the state. The issue was not brought to our attention by the league until after week 5, which is when we realized the error and potential gravity of the situation.

Our team is currently fully insured and no harm was done to our players, coaches, or staff. The Storm has always had every intention of completely abiding by the rules that the IFL laid out. Our intent was never to deceit anyone and all bills related to any injuries have been paid or are in the process of being paid.

We as an organization do not agree with the harsh penalty, however we do agree for not being in compliance, the Storm organization deserved to be disciplined. The players, however, did not make the error. There was no competitive advantage to gain from the situation, thus our feeling that the penalty towards our wins and roster are disheartening to say the least.

We feel deeply sympathetic for our players, coaches, and most importantly you, the fans! None of you deserve this and we feel like the IFL is penalizing our players and fans more than the ownership/management. We realize that the penalty is extra stiff due to the potential risk we imposed to the league. We could not feel worse, however, The Storm will not take this laying down, as it is not in our DNA.

We have looked into every possible scenario involved in fighting this penalty. If we chose to further fight this, we would be taking the ruling to Federal Court, with the potential of risking close to $500,000 in legal fees of every team/person involved and possible fines from the league. It would come down to us fighting the entire league, taking a great risk that would potentially cripple our organization. So with the recommendation from our team lawyer, Scott Abdallah, we will not be taking this action to the court system.

The Storm organization has decided that it is in the best interest to not focus on the past, but to focus on working our way back to the top. It is now more important than ever to show the team how much we all support them. We have been so blessed through the years having truly one of the most loyal fan bases in indoor football. Our Storm fans are the pulse of our team and a vital part of our organization. It is going to be an uphill battle making it to the playoffs and seeking our 5th straight championship, but if we all pull together, we know we can do it!

Our players, coaches, and staff have been focusing on the huge task at hand. The entire organization has turned our frustration over the situation, into competitive fuel and our players are all extremely excited to get back onto the field to blow off some steam. Already we thank you for the amazing response in getting behind our players and fans. All 5 of our remaining home games are looking like sell out crowds with fans anxious to see us fight through this situation. This set back creates an opportunity to prove to the IFL, along with the rest of the country, that the Sioux Falls Storm is made up of true champions. With the help of our fans we can turn this story into one of sports all time greatest "You-can't-keep-us-down Cinderella Stories!" Please help us rally behind our team the rest of the season as they begin this fight in somewhat uncharted territory.

On behalf of the entire Storm Organization we truly thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Ryan Rickert, Vice President

Colin Steen, President

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