Post by xmradiodave on Aug 30, 2007 4:59:35 GMT -5
Sports
Mariners picked as new arena team name
Mike Peters, The Examiner
2007-08-30 07:00:00.0
Current rank: # 497 of 6,997
BALTIMORE -
The American Indoor Football Association has unveiled Baltimore’s newest team: the Mariners.
“Mariners” was chosen over “Steamers” after more than 700 votes were cast on the league’s Web site to select the name of the city’s new indoor football team during the past two weeks, said league co-owner John Morris.
However, Morris, who will run the franchise along with league co-owner Michael Mink, said he felt the name “Steamers” was more appropriate considering the city’s reputation for its seafood.
“As it turns out, the fans kind of stepped up and blew the Steamers away, which really surprised me,” Morris said. “In the end, you really want to go with what the fans want. So the Baltimore Mariners it is.”
Suggestions for the Mariners’ mascot will be accepted on the league’s Web site at www.aifaprofootball.com. Morris said approximately 75 percent of the suggestions so far have been for a pirate.
Chris Simpson, who resigned from the Baltimore Blackbirds after coaching the inaugural franchise to a 1-12 record, will coach the Mariners, with Mink serving as the offensive coordinator and director of player personnel.
Simpson resigned from the Blackbirds on Aug. 3–three days before the AIFA decided to terminate the contract with the 2007 expansion team.
The Blackbirds are in negotiations with different arena leagues for the 2008 season, but do not currently have a place to play. The AIFA holds an exclusive deal with 1st Mariner Arena through the 2009 season with a two-year option.
The AIFA, which will likely begin its season in March, has made several changes during the first three months of the offseason. The league parted ways with the Blackbirds and the Tallahassee Titans before announcing four new teams for the 2008 season: the Florida Stingrays, Wyoming Calvary, Fayetteville (Ark.) Guard and Baltimore Mariners.
Morris also announced a $2.5 million, three-year national television broadcast deal with Simply 4 Me TV through 2010, with an option that can be exercised 12 months prior to expiration of the contract.
Morris and Mink finalized the deal with Simply 4 Me TV Chief Operating Officer Krystol Cameron and President Terrell Newby this past weekend.
“These guys believe in us,” Morris said. “We went from a one-year deal to a three-year deal with an option on top of that.”
The AIFA will receive 40 percent of the profits Simply 4 Me TV makes off sponsoring, and the league will spread 50 percent of revenue to its franchise owners.
“We’re putting our owners in a position where they’ll be able to make a profit in this game,” Morris said. “And that’s a hard thing to do.”
— mpeters@baltimoreexaminer.com
Examiner
Mariners picked as new arena team name
Mike Peters, The Examiner
2007-08-30 07:00:00.0
Current rank: # 497 of 6,997
BALTIMORE -
The American Indoor Football Association has unveiled Baltimore’s newest team: the Mariners.
“Mariners” was chosen over “Steamers” after more than 700 votes were cast on the league’s Web site to select the name of the city’s new indoor football team during the past two weeks, said league co-owner John Morris.
However, Morris, who will run the franchise along with league co-owner Michael Mink, said he felt the name “Steamers” was more appropriate considering the city’s reputation for its seafood.
“As it turns out, the fans kind of stepped up and blew the Steamers away, which really surprised me,” Morris said. “In the end, you really want to go with what the fans want. So the Baltimore Mariners it is.”
Suggestions for the Mariners’ mascot will be accepted on the league’s Web site at www.aifaprofootball.com. Morris said approximately 75 percent of the suggestions so far have been for a pirate.
Chris Simpson, who resigned from the Baltimore Blackbirds after coaching the inaugural franchise to a 1-12 record, will coach the Mariners, with Mink serving as the offensive coordinator and director of player personnel.
Simpson resigned from the Blackbirds on Aug. 3–three days before the AIFA decided to terminate the contract with the 2007 expansion team.
The Blackbirds are in negotiations with different arena leagues for the 2008 season, but do not currently have a place to play. The AIFA holds an exclusive deal with 1st Mariner Arena through the 2009 season with a two-year option.
The AIFA, which will likely begin its season in March, has made several changes during the first three months of the offseason. The league parted ways with the Blackbirds and the Tallahassee Titans before announcing four new teams for the 2008 season: the Florida Stingrays, Wyoming Calvary, Fayetteville (Ark.) Guard and Baltimore Mariners.
Morris also announced a $2.5 million, three-year national television broadcast deal with Simply 4 Me TV through 2010, with an option that can be exercised 12 months prior to expiration of the contract.
Morris and Mink finalized the deal with Simply 4 Me TV Chief Operating Officer Krystol Cameron and President Terrell Newby this past weekend.
“These guys believe in us,” Morris said. “We went from a one-year deal to a three-year deal with an option on top of that.”
The AIFA will receive 40 percent of the profits Simply 4 Me TV makes off sponsoring, and the league will spread 50 percent of revenue to its franchise owners.
“We’re putting our owners in a position where they’ll be able to make a profit in this game,” Morris said. “And that’s a hard thing to do.”
— mpeters@baltimoreexaminer.com
Examiner
