Post by 50yardfan on May 18, 2011 11:11:24 GMT -5
news.cincinnati.com/article/20110517/SPT/105180347/Commandos-success-field-not-yet-seen-gate?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Sports|s
CINCINNATI -- Life on the indoor football field can't be much better for the Cincinnati Commandos. The second-year team is the defending champion of the Continental Indoor Football League and, with an 8-0 record this season, is seeking a repeat title.
Off the field, however, the Commandos are in the same boat as many organizations in the landscape of minor-league sports: How do you translate that on-field success into long-term success as a business?
That's what general manager Jason Buckley is trying to figure out as the Commandos head into the final two weeks of their regular season before the playoffs begin the first weekend of June.
With home games against the Indianapolis Enforcers and the second-place Marion Blue Racers at the Cincinnati Gardens - where the Commandos have not lost in their existence - the next two Saturday nights, Buckley is hopeful of seeing a turnaround in attendance that will match what the team has done on the field.
"We've had tremendous growth in sponsors, where last year we had four or five sponsors and this year we have 20-plus supporting us," said Buckley. "That will help us succeed, but the single biggest key is attendance. We have to get more people in the arena."
The Commandos averaged more than 3,100 fans last season, including a high of 5,490 for their inaugural game. This year's average is in the range of 1,600-1,700 per game, said Buckley.
This Saturday's game is on Armed Forces Day and the Commandos are having Military Appreciation Night in which they are offering specially-priced tickets for military members or anyone who supports the troops by wearing military clothing.
The Commandos top the six-team CIFL in scoring offense, total offense and total defense and are second to Marion in scoring defense. They handed Marion its lone loss of the season, 50-44 in March.
Former La Salle and Bowling Green quarterback Tyler Sheehan leads the Commandos' offense, but the roster is full of former UC players as well as others who played in the Big Ten, Southeastern Conference and Pac-10.
That kind of talent has led to lopsided scores against out-matched opponents. The Commandos beat Indianapolis, a team that plays all of its games on the road, 82-2 this season and defeated Dayton 41-7 and Chicago 53-7.
They did need to score 13 points in the final 31 seconds of their most recent game at Chicago to come out with a 48-41 victory.
"Any time you have a team like the Commandos, it should be good for the league," said Jeff Spitaleri, commissioner and founder of the CIFL. "What it should do, but it doesn't often do, is set a benchmark for each team. To be able to compete in the CIFL, teams have to compete with Cincinnati.
"The 48-41 games are the ones we want to have. You don't want the other games. Those games aren't good for anybody."
The CIFL has been in existence since 2006 but whether the league is around for 2012 has yet to be determined. The Port Huron franchise had to cease operations recently, but Spitaleri said he has had discussions several different ownership groups looking for a league to join. If that happens, Year 7 for the CIFL will be a reality.
"It's a competitive business," said Spitaleri. "It's probably one of the most cut-throat things I've ever been involved in in my life."
Buckley said the Commandos, owned locally by Crimson Sports Management, will have to weigh their options this offseason regarding whether or not to return to the CIFL although it is definitely a possibility.
CINCINNATI -- Life on the indoor football field can't be much better for the Cincinnati Commandos. The second-year team is the defending champion of the Continental Indoor Football League and, with an 8-0 record this season, is seeking a repeat title.
Off the field, however, the Commandos are in the same boat as many organizations in the landscape of minor-league sports: How do you translate that on-field success into long-term success as a business?
That's what general manager Jason Buckley is trying to figure out as the Commandos head into the final two weeks of their regular season before the playoffs begin the first weekend of June.
With home games against the Indianapolis Enforcers and the second-place Marion Blue Racers at the Cincinnati Gardens - where the Commandos have not lost in their existence - the next two Saturday nights, Buckley is hopeful of seeing a turnaround in attendance that will match what the team has done on the field.
"We've had tremendous growth in sponsors, where last year we had four or five sponsors and this year we have 20-plus supporting us," said Buckley. "That will help us succeed, but the single biggest key is attendance. We have to get more people in the arena."
The Commandos averaged more than 3,100 fans last season, including a high of 5,490 for their inaugural game. This year's average is in the range of 1,600-1,700 per game, said Buckley.
This Saturday's game is on Armed Forces Day and the Commandos are having Military Appreciation Night in which they are offering specially-priced tickets for military members or anyone who supports the troops by wearing military clothing.
The Commandos top the six-team CIFL in scoring offense, total offense and total defense and are second to Marion in scoring defense. They handed Marion its lone loss of the season, 50-44 in March.
Former La Salle and Bowling Green quarterback Tyler Sheehan leads the Commandos' offense, but the roster is full of former UC players as well as others who played in the Big Ten, Southeastern Conference and Pac-10.
That kind of talent has led to lopsided scores against out-matched opponents. The Commandos beat Indianapolis, a team that plays all of its games on the road, 82-2 this season and defeated Dayton 41-7 and Chicago 53-7.
They did need to score 13 points in the final 31 seconds of their most recent game at Chicago to come out with a 48-41 victory.
"Any time you have a team like the Commandos, it should be good for the league," said Jeff Spitaleri, commissioner and founder of the CIFL. "What it should do, but it doesn't often do, is set a benchmark for each team. To be able to compete in the CIFL, teams have to compete with Cincinnati.
"The 48-41 games are the ones we want to have. You don't want the other games. Those games aren't good for anybody."
The CIFL has been in existence since 2006 but whether the league is around for 2012 has yet to be determined. The Port Huron franchise had to cease operations recently, but Spitaleri said he has had discussions several different ownership groups looking for a league to join. If that happens, Year 7 for the CIFL will be a reality.
"It's a competitive business," said Spitaleri. "It's probably one of the most cut-throat things I've ever been involved in in my life."
Buckley said the Commandos, owned locally by Crimson Sports Management, will have to weigh their options this offseason regarding whether or not to return to the CIFL although it is definitely a possibility.