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NIFL Falling Apart...Again; Ten Teams Cut Ties
Topic Started: Monday May 28 2007, 05:26 PM (205 Views)
WeatherManNX01
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The Yanks are coming!

If you haven't heard of the NIFL (National Indoor Football League), you should. If you are ever planning on starting a sports league of your own, take notes. These people are experts; they do this for a living. Please, do not try this at home.

Quote:
 
With the National Indoor Football League struggling for survival midway through the 2007 schedule, embattled NIFL director of operations Cleveland Gary confirmed that several teams would not make it through the season.

Teams that will immediately cease operations include the Fort Myers Tarpons, Sarasota Knights, Green Cove Lions, Port St. Lucie Mustangs, Colorado Wild Riders, Denver Aviators, Pueblo Pistols, the unnamed Dallas team and the Fort Worth Sixers.

All told, Gary said 13 of the league's 25 listed franchises would not play any more home games. The Colorado Castle Rocks and San Antonio Steers may play one or two road games each, while Gary held out hope that the Pomona Cool Riders and Los Angeles Lynx, both of which recently lost their venue, may play in doubleheaders elsewhere in California.

The changes leave the Palm Beach Waves as the lone remaining team in the Atlantic Florida division. Gary said he plans to revive the other four Florida franchises next season. In a published report in the Fort Pierce Tribune, he also promised all players and coaches would be paid for games played.

The cutback comes on the heels of a NIFL owner revolt in which 10 teams have reportedly banded together to set their own schedules in order to ensure they finish the season. According to articles by Brett Friedlander of the Fayetteville Observer, those teams include the Fayetteville Guard, Atlanta Thoroughbreds, Dayton Marshals, Columbia Stingers, Greensboro Revolution, Beaumont Drillers, San Bernardino Bucking Bulls, San Diego Shockwave, Tri-Valley Ranchers and Wyoming Cavalry.

The league has been beset by other substantial problems this season including questions about insurance coverage for its players, nonpayment of players and coaches and substandard playing conditions. Some venues are using worn out, patchwork turf surrounded by inflatable air mattresses instead of dasher pads. Other turf has been shipped around to multiple locations. One facility recently hosted a game without any goal posts.

The NIFL returned just five of 22 franchises from last year. Gary insists that he wanted a smaller NIFL this season and many of the problems are the result of expanding by too many teams.


Full article


Quote:
 
A group of National Indoor Football League owners, led by the Fayetteville Guard’s Richard King, has voted to seize control of their struggling league by agreeing to only play games against one another.

The decision was made during a conference call late Monday night among representatives of the NIFL’s eight independently owned franchises and at least two other league-owned teams.

Frustrated by unfulfilled promises and a growing shortage of viable opponents, King said that the unprecedented end-run around NIFL president Carolyn Shiver and director of football operations Cleveland Gary was necessary to ensure the completion of the 2007 season as scheduled.

“Basically, we’ve made our own schedule,” King said Tuesday. “It was something we had to do to make sure we get play all our games.

“Everyone knows the NIFL is in trouble. This is a bad situation. But it’s better to do this and know we’re going to finish out the season than not do anything.”


Full article.
Similar article.

The NIFL is screwed. It would be best if they just cut their losses and died off. The NIFL Wikipedia article (which I recommend reading - proof this league is nuts) indicates that the ten teams that revolted will look for other leagues to play in next year. The af2 can quit looking for expansion cities - everyone else is jumping off their leagues' ships.

Other items of note: players aren't being paid. Arenas are not being paid. Some teams have no home arena at all. Teams have no equipment. The league's liability insurance was canceled. Seriously, this league has one foot in the grave already.
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