Interesting news on the former owner

[rkb]

please forgive me if this was posted elsewhere and I missed it, BUT Todd Ellis, the former owner of the Mudcats is now a part owner of the Ft. Wayne Freedom of the CIFL.

from www.continentalindoorfootball.com

The Fort Wayne, IN-based company Fort Wayne Sports Partners is announcing that they will be "Bringing the Freedom Back to the fans of Fort Wayne". The Fort Wayne Freedom indoor football team will begin play in March 2008 as a member of the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL). The company has presented a lease to the Memorial Coliseum Board of Directors and is awaiting final approval.

Fort Wayne Sports Partners was founded in 2007 by Todd Ellis, an Atlanta, GA businessman who is currently relocating to Fort Wayne, John Christener, who currently owns businesses in South Bend, and Mike McCaffrey, an eight-year veteran of indoor/arena football who has lived in Fort Wayne since January 2007. Since the company's inception, three local businessmen and longtime residents have become partners of the company and are committed to providing the fans the best product possible for many years to come. The company has reached agreements to have 40% of the franchise be controlled by local investors. Investors request to remain anonymous at this point in time. Once arrangements have been finalized they will be released.

Todd said he was relocating to Tupelo when he founded the Mudcats as well. Looks like he has learned from the past, too, with having partners. He would have been better off in Tupelo if he had done that. You live and you learn.

[frostbite]

saw that, and christner is the douche who screwed up the danville demolition. doesnt look like the cifl is being very discriminating in its ownership choices this season, what with letting a current owner start a second team in the same state as well.

at least they haven't tried to expand out west though, lol.

[rkb]

a match made in heaven!

[timraiders]

I am from fort wayne indiana. Todd Ellis has said he has moved here from atlanta. John Christener who was one of the investors has left. Todd Ellis "claims" he bought john out. Todd Ellis has lost the three original local investors because of what they read from the Tupelo Mississippi paper. They pulled out right before the press conference when he first came to town. the only other local owner he has is a guy who owns a printing company here in town. Todd Ellis will not show financials so he's had trouble finding local owners. he has his wife working in the front office with a couple other folks. one is going to play quarterback for the team. This town is very luke warm on football especially with an owner coming from out of town. We'll see if he makes it to the season.

as far as the CIFL the league managers claimed they knew NOTHING of Todd Ellis financial problems in tupelo. They did say they do a detailed background check. they must have missed that. Mike McCaffrey is a kid who's been here for two years now. He has no ties to fort wayne and has NO money invested in the team.

[rkb]

fun stuff

[mudcatmaniac]

Hey, Todd Ellis: