Post by fwp on Jun 5, 2009 4:51:33 GMT -5
www.houmatoday.com/article/20090604/SPORTS20/906049964/1032/SPORTS?Title=Conquerors-hire-local-marketing-group-
HOUMA — Since the Houma Conquerors joined the Southern Indoor Football League in November, owner Franklin Thomas has been forced to wear many hats.
Thomas has served as the Conquerors’ head coach, general manager, president and handled all of the day-to-day operations.
On Wednesday, Thomas handed off the marketing duties to the Louisiana Sports and Entertainment Group, which is run by former Bayou Bucks general manager Travis Carrell, Kirk Bonvillain and Tate Boudreaux.
Thomas and SIFL President Thom Hager announced Louisiana Sports and Entertainment Group will handle the marketing, promotion and sales for the team. The announcement was made an afternoon press conference at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center.
“Franklin has been wearing many hats and he’s been doing agood job,” Hager said. “We wanted to figure out a way to help the team grow.”
Thomas said adding a firm to handle the team’s marketing will do more than his job easier. It will help make the team more viable in the community.
“We felt (the marketing firm) would be a real asset to the Houma Conquerors from a marketing and sales standpoint,” he said. “I know the area and I feel that they can bring a lot of help to our organization from a sales and marketing standpoint.”
Carrell understands what it takes to run an indoor football team from his time as general manager of the Bayou Bucks. The marketing company was formed for the sole purpose of helping the Conquerors, but the company is looking at other future ventures.
Since the Conquerors Louisiana Sports and Entertainment Group reached an agreement, Carrell said several local companies, including Southland Mall, South Louisiana Bank and Synergy Bank, have signed on as corporate sponsors.
Carrell said the company has working throughout the community promoting Saturday’s home game against the Texas Pirates. Kickoff is set for 7:05 p.m. at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center.
“All we want is am opportunity,” he said. “Give me a chance to sell you again and you will want to come back.”
Carrell said he is hoping that 1,500 people attend Saturday’s game and it could build to 2,500 a game by the end of the season. The Conquerors remaining home games are against the Louisiana Swashbucklers (June 22 and July 3), North Texas Crunch (June 27) and Acadiana Mudbugs (July 11).
“The players deserve to have a good crowd behind them for these next five home games,” he said. “I think with the marketing group coming in to help us will be good. They can concentrate in that area, and I can concentrate on the day-to-day operations and coaching the team.”
Saturday’s game is the second home game of the season for the Conquerors. The teams’ April 26 home opener against the Austin Turfcats was delayed for more than two hours because league officials said protective padding along the sidelines were not installed, posing a safety hazard for the players. The padding is required by league rules.
The Conquerors found the pads at the Terrebonne Parish Recreation Center in Bourg, which were transported to the Civic Center and installed by members of the team’s booster club — the Knights of the Crawfish Table.
“We know we had a delay the first game because there were some communication issues but that won’t happen again,” Carrell said.
“Everything is here now, and it will go on without a hitch Saturday night.”
Hager said the league has experienced some problems in its first season, but it has overcome the obstacles and continues to grow. The league is drawing interest from 20 teams — some currently participating in another indoor league — interested in joining for the 2010 season.
“There’s a lot of excitement with what is going on in the SIFL,” Hager said, “The Southern Indoor Football League is in the growing mode, and we just can’t do it unless we have teams in the growth mode.”
HOUMA — Since the Houma Conquerors joined the Southern Indoor Football League in November, owner Franklin Thomas has been forced to wear many hats.
Thomas has served as the Conquerors’ head coach, general manager, president and handled all of the day-to-day operations.
On Wednesday, Thomas handed off the marketing duties to the Louisiana Sports and Entertainment Group, which is run by former Bayou Bucks general manager Travis Carrell, Kirk Bonvillain and Tate Boudreaux.
Thomas and SIFL President Thom Hager announced Louisiana Sports and Entertainment Group will handle the marketing, promotion and sales for the team. The announcement was made an afternoon press conference at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center.
“Franklin has been wearing many hats and he’s been doing agood job,” Hager said. “We wanted to figure out a way to help the team grow.”
Thomas said adding a firm to handle the team’s marketing will do more than his job easier. It will help make the team more viable in the community.
“We felt (the marketing firm) would be a real asset to the Houma Conquerors from a marketing and sales standpoint,” he said. “I know the area and I feel that they can bring a lot of help to our organization from a sales and marketing standpoint.”
Carrell understands what it takes to run an indoor football team from his time as general manager of the Bayou Bucks. The marketing company was formed for the sole purpose of helping the Conquerors, but the company is looking at other future ventures.
Since the Conquerors Louisiana Sports and Entertainment Group reached an agreement, Carrell said several local companies, including Southland Mall, South Louisiana Bank and Synergy Bank, have signed on as corporate sponsors.
Carrell said the company has working throughout the community promoting Saturday’s home game against the Texas Pirates. Kickoff is set for 7:05 p.m. at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center.
“All we want is am opportunity,” he said. “Give me a chance to sell you again and you will want to come back.”
Carrell said he is hoping that 1,500 people attend Saturday’s game and it could build to 2,500 a game by the end of the season. The Conquerors remaining home games are against the Louisiana Swashbucklers (June 22 and July 3), North Texas Crunch (June 27) and Acadiana Mudbugs (July 11).
“The players deserve to have a good crowd behind them for these next five home games,” he said. “I think with the marketing group coming in to help us will be good. They can concentrate in that area, and I can concentrate on the day-to-day operations and coaching the team.”
Saturday’s game is the second home game of the season for the Conquerors. The teams’ April 26 home opener against the Austin Turfcats was delayed for more than two hours because league officials said protective padding along the sidelines were not installed, posing a safety hazard for the players. The padding is required by league rules.
The Conquerors found the pads at the Terrebonne Parish Recreation Center in Bourg, which were transported to the Civic Center and installed by members of the team’s booster club — the Knights of the Crawfish Table.
“We know we had a delay the first game because there were some communication issues but that won’t happen again,” Carrell said.
“Everything is here now, and it will go on without a hitch Saturday night.”
Hager said the league has experienced some problems in its first season, but it has overcome the obstacles and continues to grow. The league is drawing interest from 20 teams — some currently participating in another indoor league — interested in joining for the 2010 season.
“There’s a lot of excitement with what is going on in the SIFL,” Hager said, “The Southern Indoor Football League is in the growing mode, and we just can’t do it unless we have teams in the growth mode.”