Post by Banana Cat on Jan 20, 2011 11:42:03 GMT -5
sportsyakima.com/2011/01/no-indoor-football-in-yakima-for-2011/
From Oursportscentral:
No indoor football in Yakima for 2011
January 19, 2011
by YH-R Sports
YAKIMA, Wash. — The indoor football league that included the Yakima Valley Warriors is shutting down for the 2011 season after one year of play.
The move is immediate for the American Indoor Football Association West, league Commissioner Michael Mink said in a news release issued this morning.
He said the league would focus on building a stronger business plan for a 2012 relaunch.
Mink had said in September that he expected the Warriors to “be a staple in Yakima.”
The league was already losing teams that bolted for a rival league. A Tucson, Ariz., franchise that had been expected to be part of the league dropped off the roster of new teams. Only the Yakima and San Jose, Calif., franchises were to remain a part of the original league formation.
Mink said he hopes to bring eight to 12 teams into the league for 2012.
The Wenatchee Valley Venom, the Warriors’ closest rival last year in the AIFA, has joined the Indoor Football League, which also has teams in Kent, Wash., and the Tri-Cities.
Yakima’s last venture into indoor football — the Yakima Shockwave of the National Indoor Football League — also played just one year. The Shockwave completed its 2001 slate despite a coaching and ownership change during the season, and a fluid schedule that saw games moved to different sites within a few days of their scheduled date.
The Shockwave folded just weeks before the start of the 2002 season.
January 19, 2011
by YH-R Sports
YAKIMA, Wash. — The indoor football league that included the Yakima Valley Warriors is shutting down for the 2011 season after one year of play.
The move is immediate for the American Indoor Football Association West, league Commissioner Michael Mink said in a news release issued this morning.
He said the league would focus on building a stronger business plan for a 2012 relaunch.
Mink had said in September that he expected the Warriors to “be a staple in Yakima.”
The league was already losing teams that bolted for a rival league. A Tucson, Ariz., franchise that had been expected to be part of the league dropped off the roster of new teams. Only the Yakima and San Jose, Calif., franchises were to remain a part of the original league formation.
Mink said he hopes to bring eight to 12 teams into the league for 2012.
The Wenatchee Valley Venom, the Warriors’ closest rival last year in the AIFA, has joined the Indoor Football League, which also has teams in Kent, Wash., and the Tri-Cities.
Yakima’s last venture into indoor football — the Yakima Shockwave of the National Indoor Football League — also played just one year. The Shockwave completed its 2001 slate despite a coaching and ownership change during the season, and a fluid schedule that saw games moved to different sites within a few days of their scheduled date.
The Shockwave folded just weeks before the start of the 2002 season.
From Oursportscentral:
Yakima Valley Ceases Operations
January 19, 2011
Yakima Valley WarriorsEffective immediately the Yakima Valley Warriors is ceasing operations for the 2011 Season. In the League release today Michael Mink advised, "There was little room for error going into the season and certainly no room for error during the 2011 season. After reviewing our current members status and with the loss of Tucson, I feel to move forward at this point is not in the best interest of the League, including our fans. It is my intention to focus our energy on returning in 2012 with a stronger business plan, one we know will result in long term success. We will look to increase our footprint into 2 regions and become a 8 to 12 team league in the future. We will operate under new membership guidelines and announce member teams in the future."
The Warriors will stay active in the community and continue to work with youth's from all over the Yakima Valley region. The Warrior organization will need to improve the teams corporate sponsorship and ticket sales in order to be successful in Yakima Valley. "We have to better support from this community for this team to make in 2012. We did all that was asked of us last season and continued to improve on the field all season. We will go back to the drawing board and see what we can do better to make this team successful," said GM Adrian Johnson.
The AIFA West was formed after the AIFA East sold out to the SIFL in 2010. The AIFA is guided by long time indoor football veteran Michael Mink who has seen duty as a Co-owner of the AIFA,Team Owner, General Manager and Head Coach along with many team and league management positions.
January 19, 2011
Yakima Valley WarriorsEffective immediately the Yakima Valley Warriors is ceasing operations for the 2011 Season. In the League release today Michael Mink advised, "There was little room for error going into the season and certainly no room for error during the 2011 season. After reviewing our current members status and with the loss of Tucson, I feel to move forward at this point is not in the best interest of the League, including our fans. It is my intention to focus our energy on returning in 2012 with a stronger business plan, one we know will result in long term success. We will look to increase our footprint into 2 regions and become a 8 to 12 team league in the future. We will operate under new membership guidelines and announce member teams in the future."
The Warriors will stay active in the community and continue to work with youth's from all over the Yakima Valley region. The Warrior organization will need to improve the teams corporate sponsorship and ticket sales in order to be successful in Yakima Valley. "We have to better support from this community for this team to make in 2012. We did all that was asked of us last season and continued to improve on the field all season. We will go back to the drawing board and see what we can do better to make this team successful," said GM Adrian Johnson.
The AIFA West was formed after the AIFA East sold out to the SIFL in 2010. The AIFA is guided by long time indoor football veteran Michael Mink who has seen duty as a Co-owner of the AIFA,Team Owner, General Manager and Head Coach along with many team and league management positions.