Titans Miss Deadline.

[Gridiron Battle Sports]

www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071001/BREAKINGNEWS/710010345

Originally published October 1, 2007
Titans miss deadline for paying Civic Center
By Bob Ferrante
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The Tallahassee Titans missed their Oct. 1 deadline to return $30,000 of their security deposit that had been given to the financially struggling indoor football team almost six months ago.

Titans owner David Morris and Director of Operations Misty Sullivan had appealed to the Civic Center's board of directors in April asking that $30,000 of the $75,000 deposit be returned so the first-year team could cover operating expenses. The board approved but indicated that the move was not to be considered a long-term loan.

"I do have calls in to David but I have not heard back from him," Civic Center director Ron Spencer said on Monday. "I'm going to give him a little bit of time. He knows it's an obligation."

Morris told the Tallahassee Democrat last week that he had not talked with Spencer but would likely ask for an extension.

Spencer said Monday he was not aware of that request and wasn't sure if board members would approve an extension or payment plan.

The Titans went 11-4 in their first season and were among the American Indoor Football Association leaders in attendance. But the team could not pay players, coaches and front-office staff for the last month of the season.

Morris did not immediately return a message to his cell phone this afternoon, but he said last week that he has been in talks with an investment group that wants to buy a piece of the team.

"It's obvious we need some help," Morris said. "I need local investors."

[Gridiron Battle Sports]

This does not look promising for us.

[xmradiodave]

I have been following the turmoil with the team all of last season. I can not for the life of me figure out how a team that had such good attendance and marketing could let things get this far away from them financially. I have read the speculation threads, but is there any clear-cut word on how they got so far into debt?

There are teams still around and playing in arenas and who pay their players/staff who had only half the attendance that the Titans had.

Would increasing their ticket costs a few bucks help out? Would ditching the video feed of the games help out at all? Their had great production value on their videos and it seemed expensive.

[Gene]

xmradiodave said:

I have been following the turmoil with the team all of last season. I can not for the life of me figure out how a team that had such good attendance and marketing could let things get this far away from them financially. I have read the speculation threads, but is there any clear-cut word on how they got so far into debt?

There are teams still around and playing in arenas and who pay their players/staff who had only half the attendance that the Titans had.

Would increasing their ticket costs a few bucks help out? Would ditching the video feed of the games help out at all? Their had great production value on their videos and it seemed expensive.

One factor was the arena rent. Its reported that it was very high. Whether or not that was the lone factor i couldnt say.

[Gridiron Battle Sports]

10,000 dollars per home game for rent. That was a big issue throughout the season.

[xmradiodave]

gridironbattle said:

10,000 dollars per home game for rent. That was a big issue throughout the season.

TEN THOUSAND??? Holy crap! That would certainly hurt the budget.

[Gridiron Battle Sports]

Yeah and that doesn't include the 70,000 dollar deposit that was paid before the season started.

The Civic Center is a nice Arena. Probably one of the nicest in the League last year, but the operating budget of the arena is just too much.. You would think they would have learned their lesson from when the Thunder left for the same exact reason.

The Titans woud flourish in a cheaper arena.

Dave Morris is a good owner, but the Civic Center isn't cutting him any slack on the rent. The players have the best of everything Great practice facility, great training rooms, and equipment. This guy paid a lot of money to get this team the best of the best. Averaging about 3,000 fans a game with tickets as low as 10 dollars. 30,000 dollars minus $10,000, plus player salaries, and other costs. There is just not enough money coming in to keep up with the cost. He needs investors.

[xmradiodave]

I wish him and the team luck. Talk about being between a rock and a hard place. Investors would be very beneficial. It does not sound like he is gonna take a field otherwise. There is a lot of talent on that team and I assume behind the scenes as well. It would be a shame for Tallahassee to lose yet another team.

[exit322]

Another owner got into things without having the money to get into things. I have no sympathy.

[xmradiodave]

In their defense, I am sure the owner had a game plan. I would have to believe that he thought he could be successful in the market. Why else would he field a team there. Aside from the complete nonsense reason of "To line his pockets", I mean a real reason. No one gets into this sport as an owner expecting to be profitable from the word go.

The cost of the arena was apparently a detrimental and determining factor. When selling tickets at a venue like that, you have to adjust your seat costs accordingly. Baltimore is a very expensive market as far as this league goes. They have hands down, the single most expensive ticket package, yet the people of the city still shell out the cash. Even last year, the Blackbirds season ticket sales were very good and their rates per ticket (face value) were no more than the Mariners this year.

I guess what I am saying is, if the facility is charging that much for the venue, then the team is going to have to recoup that money from somewhere.

[Gridiron Battle Sports]

bernie said:

Another owner got into things without having the money to get into things. I have no sympathy.

No one is asking for sympathy. The guy put his players first. This is not the same as Danville. The team was and is being ran in a first class way. Like I said before Dave Morris Put his players first. Even when they were not being paid they still had the best facilities and equipment. The guy has good intentions for this team and to this point is still trying to find investors to keep this team in Tallahassee. You have to give him a little bit of credit. He's not hiding, he's being straight forward.

[d'oh!]

That's a shame.

Brian