Post by Banana Cat on Jul 30, 2010 20:17:08 GMT -5
www.themonitor.com/sports/officially-41303-bodytext-returns.html
Indoor football officially returns to RGV
July 29, 2010
David Hinojosa / The Monitor
HIDALGO — Chad Dittman certainly didn’t lack in enthusiasm or offers for help during a Thursday afternoon news conference at State Farm Arena announcing the return of indoor football to the Valley.
Dittman was in town to help officially announce that the Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL) will establish a franchise that will call State Farm Arena home for at least the next three years. The season begins next March.
“I’m so glad to be in the Rio Grande Valley,” Dittman said. “I haven’t met everybody here yet, but everyone has just embraced us so far. It has been an amazing experience.”
Dittman, who will be the team’s owner, was on hand to make the announcement along with league president Thom Hager and Hidalgo mayor John David Franz.
During the news conference, Dittman excitedly told the crowd about the prospects of starting a new franchise in the Valley. Afterward, Dittman had already collected a handful of business cards from prospective sponsors and those who were hoping to become a part of the new franchise’s staff. Hager shared Dittman’s enthusiasm.
“First of all, Texas knows football and you have a great reputation of doing things right,” Hager told those in attendance. “I came into this facility and I was so pleased to see how beautiful it is.”
The SIFL had five teams last season, none in Texas. Dittman said there are plans to establish teams in Houston, San Antonio and possibly Laredo.
The local team replaces the defunct Rio Grande Valley Dorados, who stopped operations last year when the arenafootball2 league folded.
“We had great success with the Dorados so there was a void,” Franz said. “We’re thrilled that the Southern Indoor Football League decided to bring football back to the Valley. I have no doubt that it’s going to have great success.”
Dittman has had his eyes on bringing a football team to the Valley for quite awhile. He owns the Corpus Christi Hammerheads along with the Valley team. The Hammerheads announced this week they have also joined the SIFL. They’ve previously played in the National Indoor Football League, the Intense Football League and Indoor Football League.
“We’ve been watching this market since 2003 and 2004 and now, it’s a neat ending because we finally get to be here,” Dittman said.
The football team will be State Farm Arena’s third main occupant next to the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees of the Central Hockey League and the Rio Grande Valley Vipers basketball team of the NBA D-League.
Dittman is hoping to name a head coach by Sept. 1. He said he’s already received 50 résumés from coaches mostly in arena football about the position. The team is holding a contest to select the franchise’s mascot and hopes to make an announcement about that on Aug. 17.
Dittman said the team is in negotiations to have a radio deal to have their home and away games broadcast on KVJY 840 AM, the Fox Sports radio station set to launch on Monday.
July 29, 2010
David Hinojosa / The Monitor
HIDALGO — Chad Dittman certainly didn’t lack in enthusiasm or offers for help during a Thursday afternoon news conference at State Farm Arena announcing the return of indoor football to the Valley.
Dittman was in town to help officially announce that the Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL) will establish a franchise that will call State Farm Arena home for at least the next three years. The season begins next March.
“I’m so glad to be in the Rio Grande Valley,” Dittman said. “I haven’t met everybody here yet, but everyone has just embraced us so far. It has been an amazing experience.”
Dittman, who will be the team’s owner, was on hand to make the announcement along with league president Thom Hager and Hidalgo mayor John David Franz.
During the news conference, Dittman excitedly told the crowd about the prospects of starting a new franchise in the Valley. Afterward, Dittman had already collected a handful of business cards from prospective sponsors and those who were hoping to become a part of the new franchise’s staff. Hager shared Dittman’s enthusiasm.
“First of all, Texas knows football and you have a great reputation of doing things right,” Hager told those in attendance. “I came into this facility and I was so pleased to see how beautiful it is.”
The SIFL had five teams last season, none in Texas. Dittman said there are plans to establish teams in Houston, San Antonio and possibly Laredo.
The local team replaces the defunct Rio Grande Valley Dorados, who stopped operations last year when the arenafootball2 league folded.
“We had great success with the Dorados so there was a void,” Franz said. “We’re thrilled that the Southern Indoor Football League decided to bring football back to the Valley. I have no doubt that it’s going to have great success.”
Dittman has had his eyes on bringing a football team to the Valley for quite awhile. He owns the Corpus Christi Hammerheads along with the Valley team. The Hammerheads announced this week they have also joined the SIFL. They’ve previously played in the National Indoor Football League, the Intense Football League and Indoor Football League.
“We’ve been watching this market since 2003 and 2004 and now, it’s a neat ending because we finally get to be here,” Dittman said.
The football team will be State Farm Arena’s third main occupant next to the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees of the Central Hockey League and the Rio Grande Valley Vipers basketball team of the NBA D-League.
Dittman is hoping to name a head coach by Sept. 1. He said he’s already received 50 résumés from coaches mostly in arena football about the position. The team is holding a contest to select the franchise’s mascot and hopes to make an announcement about that on Aug. 17.
Dittman said the team is in negotiations to have a radio deal to have their home and away games broadcast on KVJY 840 AM, the Fox Sports radio station set to launch on Monday.