Marion Blue Racers join the UIFL

[Banana Cat]

The first team to join the UIFL from another league is the Marion Blue Racers, coming over from the CIFL.

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Marion Blue Racers join UIFL

July 5, 2011

FT. MYERS, FL – The Ultimate Indoor Football League (UIFL) is pleased to announce the addition of the Marion (OH) Blue Racers from the Continental Indoor Football League to the North Division.

They become the fifth expansion team announced for the 2012 season, and the second in the North Division. Marion joins Danville, IL as a North Division expansion team. The inaugural members of the South Division are Tupelo, Miss., Rome, Ga. and Ft. Myers, Fl.

“Marion is the first of several potential existing teams that will be joining the UIFL for the 2012 season,” said UIFL league president Andrew Haines. “The Marion ownership group shares its vision with the UIFL and its member teams.”

Blue Racers CEO LaMonte Coleman stated, “I want to thank president Andrew Haines and the UIFL for the opportunity to be apart of their family. My organization is getting ready to compete for the North Division title and hopefully bring home a championship to the good people of Marion, Ohio.”

The Blue Racers just completed their first season in CIFL, finishing the season 9-3 after falling in the CIFL championship game. Their three losses all came to the same team.

“I saw the Blue Racers play in their league’s championship game several weeks ago,” said Cecil Van Dyke. “I was impressed with the teams talent and pool of players. They will make the UIFL’s Northern Division a much more competitive part of the UIFL. I am very pleased with their ownership’s decision to join us for our second year.”

Single game tickets will start at $7.00. Season tickets start at $42.00. The team will play seven home games at the Veterans Memorial Arena starting in March 2012.

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www.marionstar.com/article/20110705/SPORTS/110705001/Blue-Racers-changing-leagues?odyssey=nav|head

Marion Blue Racers will join Ultimate Indoor Football League in 2012

Jul. 5, 2011
Written by Staff report

MARION — Marion Blue Racers CEO/general manager LaMonte Coleman said today that the team will play in a new indoor football league for the 2012 season.

The Blue Racers will join the Ultimate Indoor Football League, ending Marion’s affiliation with the Continental Indoor Football League.

The UIFL began this past February with six teams and in a statement on the league’s website, UIFL president Andrew Haines said Marion became the fifth expansion team to be accepted into the league.

“The Marion ownership group shares its vision with the UIFL and its member teams,” Haines said in the statement. “Marion is the first of several potential existing teams that will be joining the UIFL for the 2012 season.”

The UIFL began with six teams -- Canton Cougars, Eastern Kentucky Drillers, Huntington (W.Va.) Hammer, Johnstown (Pa.) Generals, Saginaw (Mich.) Sting and Northern Kentucky River Monsters.

The Sting defeated the Drillers to claim the first league championship.

By mutual agreement the UIFL and Northern Kentucky parted ways at the end of the season and Marion joins Danville (Ill.), Tupelo (Miss.), Rome (Ga.) and Fort Myers (Fla.) as expansion teams.

“My organization is getting ready to compete for the North Division title and hopefully bring home a championship to the good people of Marion,” Coleman said.

Marion has had a team in each of the first six years of the CIFL, five as the Mayhem and the Blue Racers in 2011.

The Blue Racers were 9-3 last season, losing last month to the Cincinnati Commandos in the league championship game.

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www.marionstar.com/article/20110706/SPORTS/107060311/Blue-Racers-moving-Ultimate-Indoor-Football-League

Blue Racers moving to Ultimate Indoor Football League

Jul. 6, 2011
Written by Bob Putman

MARION - For the past six years, Marion indoor football fans have have rooted for their team as it played rivals of the Continental Indoor Football League.

The Marion Blue Racers will once again be playing their 2012 home games in the Veterans Memorial Coliseum, but this time they will be taking on teams of the Ultimate Indoor Football League.

The UIFL and Blue Racers CEO/general manager LaMonte Coleman announced Tuesday the Blue Racers will be joining the UIFL for the 2012 season.

"The Marion ownership group shares its vision with the UIFL and its member teams," UIFL president Andrew Haines said in a statement on the league website.

Marion has had a franchise in the Continental Indoor Football League since its inception in 2006, the first five years as the Marion Mayhem and then the Blue Racers in 2011.

"We owe a lot to the CIFL and league owner Jeff Spitaleri," Coleman said. "They have allowed me to become a professional football owner."

But Coleman had some uneasiness in remaining with the CIFL.

During several of the seasons, the CIFL had teams that were unable to finish a season, including the Mayhem in 2010, and had teams that did not have a home arena, playing all of their games on the road. Marion is lone city to have a team in each of the six years.

"Teams were not committing to the league," Coleman said. "I told Jeff we needed to know something by July 1. Andrew Haines reached out to us to be with the UIFL."

A phone message was left for Spitaleri but was not returned as of press time.

The UIFL's inaugural season was 2010 and it started the year with six franchises, two located in Kentucky along with Canton, Huntington, W.Va., Johnstown, Pa., and Saginaw, Mich., which was the league's first champion.

Through an agreement with the UIFL one of the Kentucky franchises, the Northern Kentucky River Monsters, left at the end of the season, but Marion is one of five teams recently added to the league.

The Blue Racers will join teams in Danville, Ill., Tupelo, Miss., Rome, Ga., and Fort Myers, Fla.

The Blue Racers will be placed in the North Division, which includes the original five teams and Danville.

"The UIFL was a viable option for us and it was nice to be courted," said Coleman, adding he has signed a three-year deal with the league. "The league is offering their assistance to the team owners.."

The UIFL is eight-on-eight, just like the CIFL, and there are several other things the same, including length of a game and starting the league in February or March, but there are some different aspects to how the game is played.

Two players may be in forward motion at the same time as opposed to one in the CIFL, the active roster is reduced to 18 from the CIFL limit of 21 and defensive linemen have more freedom to twist and stunt than is allowed in the CIFL.

Marion County Fairgrounds manager Candy Tripp is pleased to have the team once again playing in the Coliseum.

"We just want them to be here," Tripp said. "It is a good thing for Marion."

"We are looking to be part of something special," Coleman said. "It is the same brand but a newer model of indoor football."