Post by Free Agent Fan on Apr 29, 2010 12:14:52 GMT -5
www.cantonrep.com/sports/x57975539/Indoor-league-hopes-to-bring-football-to-Canton
Indoor league hopes to bring football to Canton
CantonRep.com staff writer
Posted Apr 29, 2010 @ 12:06 AM
CANTON — A new arena football league is in negotiations to bring a team to Canton.
The United Indoor Football League is discussing franchise sites with cities, but does not have any commitments yet to announce, league co-founder Andrew Haines said.
Haines is a Jackson Township resident and original owner of the Canton Legends. He said the league offices will be located in Canton, but whether a team lands in Stark County still is unknown.
“I’d love to see indoor football come back to Canton, whether it is through the Canton Legends or one of our teams,” Haines said. “Hopefully, we’ll have some announcements at the end of May.”
Along with owning the Legends, Haines also founded the Atlantic Indoor Football League in 2005. That league folded in 2006 and reformed as the American Indoor Football Association.
Haines also founded the Mid-Atlantic Hockey League in 2007. That five-team league suspended operations in February 2008. Haines sold the league six months later, but play never resumed.
Warren Price, Canton’s city service director and chief of staff to Mayor William J. Healy II, confirmed the city is discussing the possibility of renting Memorial Civic Center to a UIFL team.
“We will carefully evaluate anyone with whom we would agree into a license,” Price said.
As for what this would mean for the Legends, Price would not speculate. The team continues to hold office space at the Civic Center but has not competed since the 2008-09 season.
“The Legends have a history here,” Price said. “They have overall had a good relationship with the city. We hope to be as supportive as we can.
“We’ve continued to keep an open line of communication with the Legends, and afforded the Legends the one thing we can give them right now, which is time to associate themselves with a league and bring arena football back to Canton.
“As we engage in these more serious negotiations with other teams, though, that time we’ve given the Legends gets tighter and eventually will run out.”
Legends owner Joe Hoffman said a meeting was scheduled for Wednesday night to discuss the team’s return. Hoffman said the Legends have discussed joining the Continental Indoor Football League, which has teams in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin.
Indoor league hopes to bring football to Canton
CantonRep.com staff writer
Posted Apr 29, 2010 @ 12:06 AM
CANTON — A new arena football league is in negotiations to bring a team to Canton.
The United Indoor Football League is discussing franchise sites with cities, but does not have any commitments yet to announce, league co-founder Andrew Haines said.
Haines is a Jackson Township resident and original owner of the Canton Legends. He said the league offices will be located in Canton, but whether a team lands in Stark County still is unknown.
“I’d love to see indoor football come back to Canton, whether it is through the Canton Legends or one of our teams,” Haines said. “Hopefully, we’ll have some announcements at the end of May.”
Along with owning the Legends, Haines also founded the Atlantic Indoor Football League in 2005. That league folded in 2006 and reformed as the American Indoor Football Association.
Haines also founded the Mid-Atlantic Hockey League in 2007. That five-team league suspended operations in February 2008. Haines sold the league six months later, but play never resumed.
Warren Price, Canton’s city service director and chief of staff to Mayor William J. Healy II, confirmed the city is discussing the possibility of renting Memorial Civic Center to a UIFL team.
“We will carefully evaluate anyone with whom we would agree into a license,” Price said.
As for what this would mean for the Legends, Price would not speculate. The team continues to hold office space at the Civic Center but has not competed since the 2008-09 season.
“The Legends have a history here,” Price said. “They have overall had a good relationship with the city. We hope to be as supportive as we can.
“We’ve continued to keep an open line of communication with the Legends, and afforded the Legends the one thing we can give them right now, which is time to associate themselves with a league and bring arena football back to Canton.
“As we engage in these more serious negotiations with other teams, though, that time we’ve given the Legends gets tighter and eventually will run out.”
Legends owner Joe Hoffman said a meeting was scheduled for Wednesday night to discuss the team’s return. Hoffman said the Legends have discussed joining the Continental Indoor Football League, which has teams in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin.
