Post by fwp on Dec 8, 2009 10:59:46 GMT -5
www.frontiersman.com/articles/2009/12/08/breaking_news/doc4b1db95647f33971030748.txt
WASILLA — The Indoor Football League will not be expanding to Wasilla for the 2010 season.
Last month, it appeared a deal was made to bring a third IFL franchise to Alaska, and that team, the Arctic Predators, would be based in Wasilla and the Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Complex.
But after an apparent disagreement, followed by a stalemate between an ownership group and would-be head coach Hans Deemer, the IFL will instead be expanding to Kent, Wash., co-owner Chris Kokalis confirmed on Monday afternoon. That team will be called the Kent Predators, and will be one of two Washington franchises in the 26-team IFL.
Kokalis said the ownership group was unable to come to terms with the city of Wasilla on a lease agreement, and with no place in Wasilla to play, the IFL made other plans.
“We were in a bind to make a decision,” Kokalis said by phone Monday afternoon. “We made a commitment to the league and the two other Alaska franchises to get them another team to help them cut travel costs. We couldn’t put them in a situation where there wouldn’t be a new team in the Pacific Northwest. We had to do something.”
Kokalis was set to co-own the Wasilla franchise alongside Ken Moninski, a Seattle-area businessman who was born and raised in Anchorage. Deemer, a former youth and prep football coach who also spent time as the head coach of the IFL’s Alaska Wild, was hired to be the Wasilla team’s first head coach.
The franchise held its first press conference on Nov. 16 in a Menard Sports Complex meeting room to formerly announce the plans.
Soon after the announcement, differences, which proved to be irreconcilable, surfaced.
Both Kokalis and Deemer said the differences involved the longterm ownership of the franchise. Deemer has long said his vision is for an indoor football franchise to be Valley owned and operated.
Kokalis said the Deemer family was offered a piece of the ownership for their year-long effort to bring football to the Valley.
The owners submitted a letter of agreement for Deemer to sign two days following the press conference, Deemer said. Deemer said he was not satisfied with the agreement and chose not to sign.
“I didn’t think it was fair,” Deemer said.
Kokalis said the problems could be simply attributed to miscommunication or misunderstanding of each party’s intentions.
With little hope for an agreement, the parties opted to go their separate ways. Deemer was terminated as head coach the following week, he said.
While Kokalis and Moninksi were granted the franchise by the IFL, Deemer maintained he still owned the rights to the name Arctic Predators.
City of Wasilla Recreation and Cultural Services Manager James Hastings, who oversees the Menard Sports Complex, said that because of the struggles between Deemer and the owners, the city opted not to offer the IFL franchise the chance to sign a lease to play its home games in the facility.
“Basically, what we had to do is in the best interest of ourselves and the community,” Hastings said Monday afternoon.
Hastings said until the differences between the owners, the league,and Deemer were sorted out, city of Wasilla officials have opted not to sign a lease agreement with the IFL.
Hastings used the analogy, “As long as you kids are fighting over the swing, nobody swings.”
Kokalis said he is disappointed that he, Moninski and the league were not able to bring football to the Valley.
“It’s unfortunate on both sides,” Kokalis said. “We have no bad blood toward (Deemer) or the city. As much as we wish to field a team in Wasilla, without a lease we have no place to play.”
Even though the IFL has opted against expanding to Wasilla, Deemer said he is still determined to bring indoor football to the Mat-Su Valley.
“We’re going to continue operations as the Arctic Predators,” Deemer said on Monday.
Deemer has already pursed the possibility of teaming with another league, the American Indoor Football Association.
“We’re very serious about doing this,” Deemer said. “We’re moving forward to play in 2010.”
Hastings said the city of Wasilla is still open to the Menard being the home of a professional indoor football franchise.
“Anything new and exciting we can bring to the city and the citizens,” Hastings said. “I hate to see people go to Anchorage for entertainment.”
Hastings did say city of Wasilla officials have what he called “a good faith agreement” with Deemer for the right to use the Menard to house an indoor football team.
The Arctic Predators would have been one of three IFL teams in the 49th state, joining the Fairbanks Grizzlies and Anchorage-based Alaska Wild.
Fairbanks owner Ricky Bertz said he is disappointed there will not be a third Alaska team in 2010 and questioned Deemer’s decision to pursue forming a team from another league in Wasilla.
“I want to see football in Wasilla,” Bertz said Monday afternoon by phone. “I’m very disappointed given the extent we tried to work to bring a team there.”
Bertz said he has explored the option of another league for his own team, the Grizzlies.
“Football will not work with one stand-alone team in the state of Alaska,” Bertz said. “There’s no way one team in Alaska would ever survive. With two teams as it is, it’s a challenge to make it work year in and year out.”
Kokalis did not rule out the potential for a Valley IFL franchise in the future.
“The people in Mat-Su deserve football,” Kokalis said. “The last thing we wanted to do was put a damper on the opportunity of football happening there.”
Deemer said he is in talks with the AIFA, and needs to put a deal together “real quick” to be ready for the 2010 season.
“We’re ready to get a few things worked out,” Deemer said. “If we can get all of our ducks in a row and our finances in order, we’re going to be playing in the AIFA.”
Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com
WASILLA — The Indoor Football League will not be expanding to Wasilla for the 2010 season.
Last month, it appeared a deal was made to bring a third IFL franchise to Alaska, and that team, the Arctic Predators, would be based in Wasilla and the Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Complex.
But after an apparent disagreement, followed by a stalemate between an ownership group and would-be head coach Hans Deemer, the IFL will instead be expanding to Kent, Wash., co-owner Chris Kokalis confirmed on Monday afternoon. That team will be called the Kent Predators, and will be one of two Washington franchises in the 26-team IFL.
Kokalis said the ownership group was unable to come to terms with the city of Wasilla on a lease agreement, and with no place in Wasilla to play, the IFL made other plans.
“We were in a bind to make a decision,” Kokalis said by phone Monday afternoon. “We made a commitment to the league and the two other Alaska franchises to get them another team to help them cut travel costs. We couldn’t put them in a situation where there wouldn’t be a new team in the Pacific Northwest. We had to do something.”
Kokalis was set to co-own the Wasilla franchise alongside Ken Moninski, a Seattle-area businessman who was born and raised in Anchorage. Deemer, a former youth and prep football coach who also spent time as the head coach of the IFL’s Alaska Wild, was hired to be the Wasilla team’s first head coach.
The franchise held its first press conference on Nov. 16 in a Menard Sports Complex meeting room to formerly announce the plans.
Soon after the announcement, differences, which proved to be irreconcilable, surfaced.
Both Kokalis and Deemer said the differences involved the longterm ownership of the franchise. Deemer has long said his vision is for an indoor football franchise to be Valley owned and operated.
Kokalis said the Deemer family was offered a piece of the ownership for their year-long effort to bring football to the Valley.
The owners submitted a letter of agreement for Deemer to sign two days following the press conference, Deemer said. Deemer said he was not satisfied with the agreement and chose not to sign.
“I didn’t think it was fair,” Deemer said.
Kokalis said the problems could be simply attributed to miscommunication or misunderstanding of each party’s intentions.
With little hope for an agreement, the parties opted to go their separate ways. Deemer was terminated as head coach the following week, he said.
While Kokalis and Moninksi were granted the franchise by the IFL, Deemer maintained he still owned the rights to the name Arctic Predators.
City of Wasilla Recreation and Cultural Services Manager James Hastings, who oversees the Menard Sports Complex, said that because of the struggles between Deemer and the owners, the city opted not to offer the IFL franchise the chance to sign a lease to play its home games in the facility.
“Basically, what we had to do is in the best interest of ourselves and the community,” Hastings said Monday afternoon.
Hastings said until the differences between the owners, the league,and Deemer were sorted out, city of Wasilla officials have opted not to sign a lease agreement with the IFL.
Hastings used the analogy, “As long as you kids are fighting over the swing, nobody swings.”
Kokalis said he is disappointed that he, Moninski and the league were not able to bring football to the Valley.
“It’s unfortunate on both sides,” Kokalis said. “We have no bad blood toward (Deemer) or the city. As much as we wish to field a team in Wasilla, without a lease we have no place to play.”
Even though the IFL has opted against expanding to Wasilla, Deemer said he is still determined to bring indoor football to the Mat-Su Valley.
“We’re going to continue operations as the Arctic Predators,” Deemer said on Monday.
Deemer has already pursed the possibility of teaming with another league, the American Indoor Football Association.
“We’re very serious about doing this,” Deemer said. “We’re moving forward to play in 2010.”
Hastings said the city of Wasilla is still open to the Menard being the home of a professional indoor football franchise.
“Anything new and exciting we can bring to the city and the citizens,” Hastings said. “I hate to see people go to Anchorage for entertainment.”
Hastings did say city of Wasilla officials have what he called “a good faith agreement” with Deemer for the right to use the Menard to house an indoor football team.
The Arctic Predators would have been one of three IFL teams in the 49th state, joining the Fairbanks Grizzlies and Anchorage-based Alaska Wild.
Fairbanks owner Ricky Bertz said he is disappointed there will not be a third Alaska team in 2010 and questioned Deemer’s decision to pursue forming a team from another league in Wasilla.
“I want to see football in Wasilla,” Bertz said Monday afternoon by phone. “I’m very disappointed given the extent we tried to work to bring a team there.”
Bertz said he has explored the option of another league for his own team, the Grizzlies.
“Football will not work with one stand-alone team in the state of Alaska,” Bertz said. “There’s no way one team in Alaska would ever survive. With two teams as it is, it’s a challenge to make it work year in and year out.”
Kokalis did not rule out the potential for a Valley IFL franchise in the future.
“The people in Mat-Su deserve football,” Kokalis said. “The last thing we wanted to do was put a damper on the opportunity of football happening there.”
Deemer said he is in talks with the AIFA, and needs to put a deal together “real quick” to be ready for the 2010 season.
“We’re ready to get a few things worked out,” Deemer said. “If we can get all of our ducks in a row and our finances in order, we’re going to be playing in the AIFA.”
Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com