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Post by Free Agent Fan on Jul 17, 2007 15:58:35 GMT -5
The league owners contacted the GM about this information. And they will be paying the money that is owed to them from their own pockets. But, I'm sure someone will find fault with it. Instead of looking at the good point of the league stepping up to the plate and taking care of matters........... www.examiner.com/a-831759~Players__coaches_still_looking_for_their_payday.htmlPlayers, coaches still looking for their payday by Mike Peters, The Examiner - The Baltimore Blackbirds had trouble drawing fans at 1st Mariner Arena during the season, and now the players and coaches are paying for it. They have not been paid for their final two games of the American Indoor Football Association season, which concluded in early June, The Examiner confirmed Monday. “None of the players have been paid for the last two games of the season,” said John Wolfe, vice president and director of corporate operations. The Blackbirds’ inaugural season ended June 1. They finished 1-12 and drew approximately 2,200 fans at each home game. The players and coaches were supposed to receive their final paycheck at a meeting this past Sunday, a sum of approximately $14,000, which was to be distributed among them. However, Austin did not pay anyone, Wolfe said. “We did finish the season with some debt. We’ve been working on getting it paid off,” Wolfe said. “We’ll definitely have them squared away soon. Definitely by the end of the summer.” Wolfe said the players and coaches will be paid by Sept. 1. In the team meeting, which Wolfe said some players did not attend, Austin thanked the players and coaches for their cooperation and understanding for the lapse in compensation. Austin could not be reached for comment. When Baltimore’s final road game of the season in Tallahassee, Fla., was moved from May 27 to May 28, with four days’ notice, both teams were forced to share the arena’s rental fee for the both days. “We had a snag the last two weeks,” Wolfe said. “Things ran smoothly until the last five days of the season.” Wolfe did not mention the extent of the team’s debt, saying it was “very manageable” and on “the minor side of things.” Baltimore head coach Chris Simpson is confident the players and coaches will receive their game checks. “The priority has got to be [paying] the coaches and the players,” he said. “The players are upset, and I don’t blame them. There are concerns, but if there’s a conspiracy out there, I don’t know of it. It is what it is. You can’t draw water from a dry well. It’s not all there. They’re working trying to get it. It’s an unfortunate situation.” |
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Post by exit322 on Jul 17, 2007 18:49:39 GMT -5
This is where the AIFA needs to step up and get better than their predecessor.
Not in paying the bill; that's excellent.
In making sure they don't bring in owners that make this necessary.
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Post by coachsimpson on Jul 17, 2007 19:22:37 GMT -5
The league owners contacted the GM about this information. And they will be paying the money that is owed to them from their own pockets. But, I'm sure someone will find fault with it. Instead of looking at the good point of the league stepping up to the plate and taking care of matters........... From my understanding, that is something that the AIFA is looking into doing at this time. It's an unfortunate situation but, as an organization, we've tried to be honest with everything regarding the Blackbirds. It'll work itself out. Coach Simpson |
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Post by Tatonka on Jul 18, 2007 15:26:16 GMT -5
I guess we all have problems, don't we?
Kudos to them for paying the tab... but it's not their responsibility. You set that precedent where you'll pay the team's bills, and you have to keep doing it now everytime it happens.
Are they paying the bills that reportedly didn't get paid in Erie Joe? Danville? Johnstown? Tallahassee? Mississippi? Do it for one, you have to do it for all...
How about the Baltimore couple who bought the Speed? Wouldn't it have made more sense to bring them into the fold in Baltimore to help out Austin? Strengthen current ownership with additional investors?
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Post by Free Agent Fan on Jul 18, 2007 15:46:54 GMT -5
Last that I checked. I wasn't an accountant or on any of the teams payroll. So, what bills in Erie? And wasn't all those other teams that had public articles about their debt either taken care of, or in process of? For someone that is in another league, you sure try to downgrade ours. Maybe I should start calling and snoop around in your league a little better. Hell, maybe I'll show up at the Rochester game. Just to catch them one last time. Read inbetween the lines on that one.
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Post by Tatonka on Jul 18, 2007 16:11:35 GMT -5
Last that I checked. I wasn't an accountant or on any of the teams payroll. So, what bills in Erie? And wasn't all those other teams that had public articles about their debt either taken care of, or in process of? For someone that is in another league, you sure try to downgrade ours. Maybe I should start calling and snoop around in your league a little better. Hell, maybe I'll show up at the Rochester game. Just to catch them one last time. Read inbetween the lines on that one. I knew you had no argument... you try to throw around old news to throw off the topic. I can post all the articles that have indicated teams are/were in financial difficulty if you want. I stated we all have problems... underfunded teams is not a problem exclusive to the AIFA, and you notice that I never said that it was. So you're saying you agree that the league should pay all of the outstanding debts incurred by each and every team that can't do it on their own? That's what it sounds like... If they pay for one team's back payroll, they open a huge can of worms and every goddamn player that missed a check will come calling. Maybe they are ok with that, I dunno, but I was expressing my opinion that it wasn't their responsibility to do that. And in the spirit of Joe-isms... maybe I'll stop on my way through Erie to pay my respects to the Freeze org... read between the lines on that one.   |
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Post by Free Agent Fan on Jul 18, 2007 16:17:25 GMT -5
Erie will return next year. no need to read between those lines.
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Post by Canton Cougar Fan on Jul 18, 2007 23:29:20 GMT -5
Erie will return next year. no need to read between those lines. And we'll kick their @$$ again!   (never too early to run Erie smack) |
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Post by UnoBomber on Jul 19, 2007 13:36:54 GMT -5
Erie will return next year. no need to read between those lines. And we'll kick their @$$ again! (never too early to run Erie smack)  |
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Post by SOOTH SAYER on Jul 19, 2007 17:36:01 GMT -5
the league owners just might open a can of worms since they have been paying everyones payroll and expenses for the last couple of weeks of the season until now. I give John Morris props for trying to keep things underwraps by not letting things come to a head. I believe this is the reason that Montgomery was in so much trouble because they focused on eveyone else and still are. Maybe next year they will take into account a potential owners finances before they permit ownership of a team so it wont hurt Mr. Morris' pockets so much....
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Post by xmradiodave on Jul 25, 2007 8:35:56 GMT -5
There is NO EXCUSE for players/coaches not getting paid. There has to be more to this story than what we fans see on the surface. There has to be fail-safes put into place to keep this from happening. If you are a team owner and are banking on attendance being the only method of paying your staff, then you have failed as an owner. I do not know Alexander Austin personally, so to openly attack the guy and his ownership practices would be unfair. I have however heard many stories from folks inside the walls regarding who the actual money man of the team was. Mr. Austin, for being so wealthy had a secondary silent owner; David Young. I do not know what became of Mr. Young, as he kept his involvement very quiet. It was Mr. Austin who was seen at the games, sitting with the team in his expensive suits. There is a lot of explaining needed from that camp. Answers I doubt we will get. It is not really the fans business though, is it.  |
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Post by exit322 on Jul 25, 2007 11:09:58 GMT -5
There are no failsafes in any league for that. The AIFA put a few teams through the rest of the season and then used their championship game to woo the few fans that travelled to Florence - I don't know that there are true improvements being made in this regard.
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Post by xmradiodave on Jul 25, 2007 20:42:00 GMT -5
Forgive my knee-jerk reaction earlier. I have talked to some folks in the organization regarding the issue. I will not go into detail but I have been assured the issue is being resolved. There is a logical reason for the league providing a bail-out. I did not agree with it because I did not understand it. Now i do. It looks like some things are gonna be happening for the better of the team going forward. i have a renewed faith in the organization and I sincerely hope I am not disappointed. They get a pass... this time.
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Post by Canton Cougar Fan on Jul 25, 2007 22:50:57 GMT -5
There are no failsafes in any league for that. The AIFA put a few teams through the rest of the season and then used their championship game to woo the few fans that travelled to Florence - I don't know that there are true improvements being made in this regard. I was wooed? Hmmm. Sure didn't feel like it when the bill came. Anyway, we talked to Morris and Mink, they answered our questions and the answers made sense. That's more than I can say for the previous administration. That being said, the proof is in the pudding. Let's see what 2008 looks like and if the problems do, indeed, get fixed. |
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Post by mudcatmaniac on Jul 26, 2007 7:39:46 GMT -5
Morris and Mink are great guys - I've never known them to do anything harmful to any team or owner. They seem to be sincere about helping teams become financially stable. It appears they are doing a great job of growing this league while making sure former teams are trained and prepared for the 2008 season. I wish the Blackbirds much luck and will say "whatever we can do from Mississippi to help you - let us know". We have a few months to polish procedures and formalize realistic sponsorship proposals. This is the time of year when teams should be working together to share "what worked". We don't have time for negative comments - it's time to say "thank you" to the AIFA for starting a great league and move forward with helping the existing teams become stable while welcoming new teams to our league with positive reinforcement. It's been a good year with a few hiccups - *drink a glass of water, eat a sugar cube, stand on your head -- do whatever it takes to get rid of the hiccups --- and move forward*
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