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Post by lionsroar on Oct 10, 2008 7:21:50 GMT -5
The AIFA Expands to Washington D.C. for 2009
BALTIMORE, Maryland (October 10, 2008) – The American Indoor Football Association has awarded an expansion franchise to the District of Columbia. The team, to be known as the D.C. Armor, will begin play in 2009.
“I am so very excited about this franchise,” said AIFA co-founder John Morris. “It is perfectly located in the center of our Eastern footprint. That Washington-Baltimore rivalry is going to be great, and don't forget nearby Richmond in 2010. The Pennsylvania and Carolina franchises are close by as well.”
“I can't say enough about the AIFA,” said Corey Barnette, a principal in the team ownership group. “We are enthused about the opportunity to field a team here. We looked at all of the leagues. When you look at the geographic location and the level of competition, it's hard to not argue that the AIFA is the absolute best. We think it's a very viable league, and we're excited.”
The Armor will play its home games in the D.C. Armory, which is being renovated for its newest tenant. The team will also have its offices in the arena, which is located adjacent to RFK Stadium and is easily accessible through the region's mass transit rail system.
“It's a ten-thousand seat arena,” Barnette remarked for an interview to air on This Week in the AIFA. “It's a phenomenal environment. It's a huge playing facility, but not so much that it would overwhelm a mid-sized crowd.”
“The D.C. Armor will fit beautifully in our league,” said AIFA co-founder Michael Mink. Washington is a fantastic sports market with a huge population base from which to draw.”
Washington D.C. currently ranks as the No. 8 television market, with nearly 2,300,000 TV households. Nearby Baltimore adds over a million more television households into a region with a total population in excess of eight million people.
The AIFA anticipates additional franchise announcements in the near future.
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Post by lionsroar on Oct 10, 2008 7:23:49 GMT -5
welcome DC fans! Being This close to Baltimore hopefully both franchises can benefit.
Now come on and feed me some news for the South!
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Post by UnoBomber on Oct 10, 2008 7:56:11 GMT -5
NICE! I've been anticipating this news for a while. Can't wait to go down to D.C.  Decent looking arena |
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Post by Gene on Oct 10, 2008 8:26:26 GMT -5
I'll make a forum for DC. Tentatively, i'll put them in the east Division.
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Post by oipheroes on Oct 10, 2008 10:39:38 GMT -5
Well I lost my team in Huntington and gained a franchise in my back yard. Good to have indoor football back in D.C since the AFL left us in 1990. I found more information about our owner:
Corey Barnette’s Experience
Owner
The Scroll Companies
(Partnership; 1-10 employees; Venture Capital & Private Equity industry)
April 2003 — Present (5 years 7 months)
The Scroll Companies purchases small businesses with definable competitive advantages, stable business platforms and strong growth opportunities within traditional industries. Scroll seeks to be a solution provider in its investments promoting and supporting talented management teams to a positive strategic outcome. We look for companies with positive cash flow between $1.5 million to $7 million selling at attractive purchase multiples.
Looks like he is solid and hopefully willing to spend the money in order for the Armor to be successful. Just hope he is not seeking a million dollar return on his investment.
There are a few concerns, such as the name. I mean did M&M, the geniuses that had the Mariners play in First Mariner Arena, come up with this one too. Nothing is worse than having your team name dictated by the arena you play in. It kind of makes sense because the D.C Armory is really an armory but a little originality could not hurt. Also I take issue with playing in the D.C Armory at all. The place sucks and has been open since 1941. As of now there only tenet is the DC Roller Girls, a roller derby team. Not to mention it is in a crappy part of town which can be dangerous at night without a big crowd around. A much better choice would have been George Mason University’s Patriot Center. GMU is located in the heart of Fairfax County Virginia which is occupied by of over one million people. The Washington Commanders, D.C’s AFL team played there last season (1990) at the Patriot Center so it is clearly capable. Also, the Washington Bayhawks of Major League Lacrosse play at GMU so people are use to going there. I don't know where the AIFA gets there information in regards to a D.C Armory renovation. No announcement like that has been made by the Armory or the Washington D.C Sports and Entertainment Commission which operates the facility. I gather by renovations the AIFA means turf will be laid down and dasher boards will be erected.
Either way it should be a good time. If marketed correctly I could see any where between two and five thousand people a game. If not marketed correctly crowds could be in the hundreds. D.C is a big market which is good but people have a lot of options for there entertainment dollar.
OIPHeroes: D.C Armor's first fan!
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Post by lionsroar on Oct 10, 2008 15:04:03 GMT -5
I'm Ok with their logo. I wonder how the uniforms will fair out? I like this move for the league. Regional play has become reality in the north/east.
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Post by oipheroes on Oct 10, 2008 22:52:15 GMT -5
Yeah I like the logo too. I could see the team going with a Raiders look, that would be nice. From what M&M said it looks like Washington and Baltimore will be in the same division which like you said is good for regional play.
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Post by expressfan01 on Oct 11, 2008 0:34:53 GMT -5
Good choice of placement for a team, gives a closer team for several teams in different divisions. I feel a real good rivalry between D.C. and Baltimore. Another close team to York, now thats 3 teams if Reading plays I could end up going.
This is what they league needed a major US city that can get the league out there better. If they can also work out getting a team in Vegas they could really spread the name of this league.
The final note, welcome to all the D.C. fans.
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Post by oipheroes on Oct 11, 2008 11:51:36 GMT -5
Being in a big market can be a double edge sword. It is nice to have a lot of people to draw from but customers also have many choices for there entertainment dollar. Two D.C area minor league teams draw well, the Washington Bayhawks (Major League LAX) and the women's pro softball team (Washington Glory). Another minor league team the Potomac Nationals (Carolina League Class A Washington Nationals affiliate) draws poorly. The P-Nats have awful attendance because there stadium might be the worst in minor league basbeall. On the other hand both the Glory and Bayhawks play in nice areas in good facilitys. As a D.C native I have serious questions if the team can make it in the Armory. I hope so but hope only goes so far. I really think they would do better in a suburban area in a newer arena (ex: George Mason Universitys Patriot Center)
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Post by Gene on Oct 11, 2008 12:59:38 GMT -5
Being in a big market can be a double edge sword. It is nice to have a lot of people to draw from but customers also have many choices for there entertainment dollar. Two D.C area minor league teams draw well, the Washington Bayhawks (Major League LAX) and the women's pro softball team (Washington Glory). Another minor league team the Potomac Nationals (Carolina League Class A Washington Nationals affiliate) draws poorly. The P-Nats have awful attendance because there stadium might be the worst in minor league basbeall. On the other hand both the Glory and Bayhawks play in nice areas in good facilitys. As a D.C native I have serious questions if the team can make it in the Armory. I hope so but hope only goes so far. I really think they would do better in a suburban area in a newer arena (ex: George Mason Universitys Patriot Center) |
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Post by oipheroes on Oct 11, 2008 13:14:29 GMT -5
Hard to say because the Armory is such an old arena the cost could be in-line with every one else. Nothing really happens in the Armory either so they might be desperate to have some one keep the lights on. It also might be higher because D.C is a big market which would lend its self to higher fees. Wish we could get a good answer on that.
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Post by expressfan01 on Oct 11, 2008 16:07:42 GMT -5
I don't think that will be much of a problem as long as they can sell the team. Being a minor league team in a major league city could work to their advantage, as people there are use to high ticket prices and when they see how much cheaper tickets are than those other teams it could bring people there looking for entertainment at a cheaper price. Plus there are plenty of people to promote the team to.
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Post by Gene on Oct 11, 2008 16:48:04 GMT -5
I don't think that will be much of a problem as long as they can sell the team. Being a minor league team in a major league city could work to their advantage, as people there are use to high ticket prices and when they see how much cheaper tickets are than those other teams it could bring people there looking for entertainment at a cheaper price. Plus there are plenty of people to promote the team to.
On a side note, i will be working on bus trips to Baltimore, Harrisburg and DC this season. There is another team up North yet to be announced and i might include that one too. Hopefully the economy wont scare the EXPRESSFANS away to give us a strong homefield advantage at our opponents houses. |
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Post by bobscatz on Oct 11, 2008 19:32:23 GMT -5
Gene, Baltimore??? If they get more people in the seats think of how many more drunken fans there would be??? OMG! Just pulling your chain! I hope you guyz do come back in 09. WELCOME TO ALL OF THE DC FANS! Glad to have another team close to us!  |
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Post by Gene on Oct 11, 2008 22:08:12 GMT -5
Gene, Baltimore??? If they get more people in the seats think of how many more drunken fans there would be??? OMG! Just pulling your chain! I hope you guyz do come back in 09. WELCOME TO ALL OF THE DC FANS! Glad to have another team close to us!  |
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