Venue Change

[Free Agent Fan]

By Rick McCann
The Herald-Dispatch


HUNTINGTON -- Huntington Heroes football is moving uptown, or downtown in this case.

The indoor football team will play home games at Big Sandy Superstore Arena after going through its inaugural season at Veterans Memorial Field House. Big Sandy Superstore Arena is on Third Avenue, right down from the Pullman Square entertainment and dining complex.

"We're back, and bringing back a better product," team owner Greg Ramey said Tuesday at an arena press conference. "It's going to bring energy downtown. It will better serve the fans with pre-game and post-game meals."

Ramey said the team has a three-year agreement with the arena.

Huntington Heroes football also remains a member of the American Indoor Football League after having a discussion with the World Indoor Football League.

AIFL co-owner John Morris, who also owns the Montgomery, Ala., franchise, said Huntington is one of the league's strongest organizations. Ramey attended an AIFL owners' meeting last week and said he was impressed with how the league plans to give its teams a say in everything that occurs.

"I am happy to announce we have signed a contract to continue playing in the AIFL," Ramey said.

Huntington posted a 9-5 record and made the playoffs in the 2006 season that began in March and extended into June. The Heroes drew crowds of 3,000 or more for the first couple games, but attendance tailed off to about 1,000 later.

In a move that could avoid conflicts with such things as school graduations and early summer vacations, Ramey said the next AIFL season will begin in early February.

The AIFL has 14 teams lined up for 2007 with the hope of growing to 16, Morris said.

Huntington is in the North Division with Canton, Ohio; Danville, Ill.; Springfield, Ill.; Erie, Pa.; Pittsburgh, Pa.; Johnstown, Pa.; and Reading, Pa. The South Division has Florence, S.C.; Montgomery, Ala.; Tupelo, Miss.; Tallahassee, Fla.; and Lakeland, Fla.

General manager Mark Williams said Huntington season ticket plans and next season's schedule will be announced soon.

The team office will be located in Big Sandy Superstore Arena.

[matt]

Potentially a good move for the Heroes as long as they keep the ticket prices reasonable. With a whole new atomosphere in the downtown area....attendance figures should go up a little....

[Tatonka]

Did they need a bigger arena? I thought the Heroes had attendance issues last year during the second half of the season?

[Free Agent Fan]

When I went to the game it was jam packed. It was also an older arena. So, it's a step up. Having Marshall College downtown helps.

[matt]

Well, attendance-wise they didn't need a new arena......but the facility it much better than the Field House in which they played last year. Also, Pullman Square is now downtown which brings out a lot more people and is right next door to the Civic Center......so that could help. It's Marshall University...not college....get it right...haha j/k

[Free Agent Fan]

Scooter is a Marshall fan.....and he's my VP of the Freeze fanclub. I picked on him liking that team also.

[brad]

GO HERD!!!

[GM Mike Napier]

Pullman Square is one of the main reasons why they made the move. The other is the super store arena made them an offer they couldn't pass up. The only bad thing is I think they are going to use the arenas tech crew and so unless they have me back in the capt. heroe coustume me and the guy's might be out. But I haven't talked to Mitch Ramey in a while so I don't know whats going to happen.