Post by 50yardfan on Jun 4, 2010 11:11:17 GMT -5
www.frontiersman.com/articles/2010/06/04/sports/doc4c08b0310cd76228794011.txt
WASILLA — The Arctic Predators will host a game Saturday, but it won’t be against the Wyoming Cavalry.
For the second time in as many weeks, the Cavalry will not make a scheduled trip to Alaska. Wyoming will receive its second forfeit victory against the Predators and improve to 10-0 in American Indoor Football Association play.
Rather than hosting the Cavalry, the Predators will play an Anchorage-based indoor football squad unaffiliated with the AIFA, the Vikings, Predators coach Hans Deemer said Wednesday afternoon.
The game is scheduled for Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Curtis Menard Memorial Sports Center in Wasilla.
The Predators also had to forfeit an AIFA game against the Cavalry scheduled for May 29 in Wasilla.
Both teams cited issues with travel costs as reason for the canceled trip.
“They were not able to take care of their part of the obligation to get our team to Alaska,” Cavalry general manager Mike Layton said in a press release issued by the team.
League rules state the Predators are responsible for the cost of teams to travel to Alaska.
Deemer said the first-year franchise has encountered some growing pains midway through its inaugural season.
“We need to restructure how we do travel,” Deemer said.
The Predators (4-6) do plan to complete their AIFA road schedule, which includes games at Wenatchee Valley (Wash.) on June 12 and July 3, but is tweaking its remaining home slate.
“We’re going to fill the remainder of the home schedule with Alaska teams and travel out for the two games at Wenatchee,” Deemer said.
The Predators had been slated to play San Jose (Calif.) on June 19 and Ogden (Utah) on June 26, but those dates will be filled with unaffiliated teams from Anchorage.
Deemer said bringing the Cavalry to Wasilla is the Predators’ biggest expense of the season. With the hope of solidifying the team’s financial foundation for the future, Deemer said the Predators had to cut a major expense.
“That was the quickest place to cut back,” Deemer said. “That was the place and we decided to go with it.”
Deemer said team officials wanted to do something now, before any problems become worse.
“There are going to be some growing pains, and some people might be upset about it. But it’s a lot better to restructure now than continue down a path with no return,” Deemer said. “We felt like we needed it for longevity.”
Deemer said the organization fully intends to field a team again in 2011.
“We don’t want it to bleed into next year,” Deemer said. “We felt now it was the time to do some restructuring so we can have football in the Valley for years to come.”
Deemer said tickets purchased for either the May 29 or June 5 dates against the Cavalry can be used for Saturday’s contest with the Vikings. The Predators are also hosting a food drive Saturday night. Fans who bring two cans of food will be admitted for $5. All food will be donated to the Alaska Food Pantry.
This will be the second time this season that the Predators face the Anchorage Vikings.
The Predators beat the Vikings 96-6 earlier in the season.
WASILLA — The Arctic Predators will host a game Saturday, but it won’t be against the Wyoming Cavalry.
For the second time in as many weeks, the Cavalry will not make a scheduled trip to Alaska. Wyoming will receive its second forfeit victory against the Predators and improve to 10-0 in American Indoor Football Association play.
Rather than hosting the Cavalry, the Predators will play an Anchorage-based indoor football squad unaffiliated with the AIFA, the Vikings, Predators coach Hans Deemer said Wednesday afternoon.
The game is scheduled for Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Curtis Menard Memorial Sports Center in Wasilla.
The Predators also had to forfeit an AIFA game against the Cavalry scheduled for May 29 in Wasilla.
Both teams cited issues with travel costs as reason for the canceled trip.
“They were not able to take care of their part of the obligation to get our team to Alaska,” Cavalry general manager Mike Layton said in a press release issued by the team.
League rules state the Predators are responsible for the cost of teams to travel to Alaska.
Deemer said the first-year franchise has encountered some growing pains midway through its inaugural season.
“We need to restructure how we do travel,” Deemer said.
The Predators (4-6) do plan to complete their AIFA road schedule, which includes games at Wenatchee Valley (Wash.) on June 12 and July 3, but is tweaking its remaining home slate.
“We’re going to fill the remainder of the home schedule with Alaska teams and travel out for the two games at Wenatchee,” Deemer said.
The Predators had been slated to play San Jose (Calif.) on June 19 and Ogden (Utah) on June 26, but those dates will be filled with unaffiliated teams from Anchorage.
Deemer said bringing the Cavalry to Wasilla is the Predators’ biggest expense of the season. With the hope of solidifying the team’s financial foundation for the future, Deemer said the Predators had to cut a major expense.
“That was the quickest place to cut back,” Deemer said. “That was the place and we decided to go with it.”
Deemer said team officials wanted to do something now, before any problems become worse.
“There are going to be some growing pains, and some people might be upset about it. But it’s a lot better to restructure now than continue down a path with no return,” Deemer said. “We felt like we needed it for longevity.”
Deemer said the organization fully intends to field a team again in 2011.
“We don’t want it to bleed into next year,” Deemer said. “We felt now it was the time to do some restructuring so we can have football in the Valley for years to come.”
Deemer said tickets purchased for either the May 29 or June 5 dates against the Cavalry can be used for Saturday’s contest with the Vikings. The Predators are also hosting a food drive Saturday night. Fans who bring two cans of food will be admitted for $5. All food will be donated to the Alaska Food Pantry.
This will be the second time this season that the Predators face the Anchorage Vikings.
The Predators beat the Vikings 96-6 earlier in the season.