Post by Banana Cat on Nov 30, 2011 4:50:30 GMT -5
slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Columnists/Brennan/2011/07/17/18432376.html
Lingerie league wants team in Ottawa
by Don Brennan / Slam Sports
Mitchell Mortaza, the commissioner of the Lingerie Football League, told the Ottawa Sun he’s confident there will be a team in Canada’s capital within the next three years.
That could mean some competition for places like the Bare Fax and Silver Dollar, since the stars of the LFL, as you probably guessed, are scantily clad beauties.
“We have two different groups specifically in Ottawa that are interested in bringing a franchise there,” said Mortaza, claiming the venues being looked at are a redeveloped Lansdowne Park and Scotiabank Place. “One is tied to a sports group, the other is a major commercial real estate developer. The real estate developer is also looking at the rights for Montreal.”
Jeff Hunt, a partner in the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group that will put a CFL team and a North American Soccer League team in Lansdowne as soon as the redesign is completed, said he was approached by Mortaza a few months back.
“I’d never heard of the league,” said Hunt, who promptly did some research. “I’m not sure how our market would react to such a sporting spectacle. I think we’re talking about a very, very unique niche, and it seems to be out of sync with our family-centric approach.
“It’s not something we’re going to look at seriously at this time.”
To hear Mortaza tell it, the Lingerie Football League is sweeping the world. From what started as a “stunt” during halftime at the 2004 Super Bowl, a 12-team league has been formed in the U.S. He also says in the past week deals have been signed to launch the league in Australia in 2013 and Europe in 2014.
“Our priority is really Canada,” said Mortaza, who says there will be 10-12 teams north of the border by 2014. “Then the four winners of LFL U.S., Canada, Australia and Europe are all going to play in the first-ever World Bowl in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the same week as the World Cup in July 2014.”
Mortaza says average attendance for LFL games in the U.S. last season was between 5,000-7,000. The average ticket price was $48.
A franchise fee, it’s believed, ranges anywhere from $1.5-$7 million.
“We didn’t know we’d get through the first four or five games here,” Mortaza said. “I’m a diehard football enthusiast and I had my skepticism, just as a lot of people do, like hey, can these girls really play the game at a high level? The sex appeal is great, but that’s not going to have much shelf life, if you’re purely selling the concept of sex appeal. It has to be compelling.”
Mortaza says the league’s players can really play.
“It started out being a stunt,” he said. “The athletes were more models than athletes. Now it’s more about the athletics. These people are military personnel, they’re mothers, doctors, lawyers. The one common denominator is they all played high level college athletics, basketball, gymnastics, track ... they just happen to be beautiful.
“We managed to make an entire league of Maria Sharapovas and Gabrielle Reeces,” he added, referring to gorgeous tennis and volleyball stars. “There’s three components to being a LFL athlete — No. 1, you have to be athletic. If you’re not athletic, we can’t do anything with you. No. 2, you have to be beautiful and marketable. And No. 3, you have to be confident. Those are the three factors we look for when we field these teams.”
Mortaza says two Canadian TV networks are already bidding on rights, and that advertisers in the U.S. are of the “blue-chip” variety.
“If somebody told me the Lingerie Football League was coming around the bend, I’d probably roll my eyes,” Mortaza said. “Until you know what this is, until you’ve been to a game or seen a game, and seen the intensity and how well these ladies play and how well they’re prepared, and that these are intelligent women that are also athletic and beautiful ... until you know those things, you’re going to have your perceived notions of what this is. And that’s understandable.
“We only tell our players to go out and play the game, and I assure you with every play and every game, you will change perception . That’s what has happened in the U.S. That will surely follow in Canada.”
by Don Brennan / Slam Sports
Mitchell Mortaza, the commissioner of the Lingerie Football League, told the Ottawa Sun he’s confident there will be a team in Canada’s capital within the next three years.
That could mean some competition for places like the Bare Fax and Silver Dollar, since the stars of the LFL, as you probably guessed, are scantily clad beauties.
“We have two different groups specifically in Ottawa that are interested in bringing a franchise there,” said Mortaza, claiming the venues being looked at are a redeveloped Lansdowne Park and Scotiabank Place. “One is tied to a sports group, the other is a major commercial real estate developer. The real estate developer is also looking at the rights for Montreal.”
Jeff Hunt, a partner in the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group that will put a CFL team and a North American Soccer League team in Lansdowne as soon as the redesign is completed, said he was approached by Mortaza a few months back.
“I’d never heard of the league,” said Hunt, who promptly did some research. “I’m not sure how our market would react to such a sporting spectacle. I think we’re talking about a very, very unique niche, and it seems to be out of sync with our family-centric approach.
“It’s not something we’re going to look at seriously at this time.”
To hear Mortaza tell it, the Lingerie Football League is sweeping the world. From what started as a “stunt” during halftime at the 2004 Super Bowl, a 12-team league has been formed in the U.S. He also says in the past week deals have been signed to launch the league in Australia in 2013 and Europe in 2014.
“Our priority is really Canada,” said Mortaza, who says there will be 10-12 teams north of the border by 2014. “Then the four winners of LFL U.S., Canada, Australia and Europe are all going to play in the first-ever World Bowl in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the same week as the World Cup in July 2014.”
Mortaza says average attendance for LFL games in the U.S. last season was between 5,000-7,000. The average ticket price was $48.
A franchise fee, it’s believed, ranges anywhere from $1.5-$7 million.
“We didn’t know we’d get through the first four or five games here,” Mortaza said. “I’m a diehard football enthusiast and I had my skepticism, just as a lot of people do, like hey, can these girls really play the game at a high level? The sex appeal is great, but that’s not going to have much shelf life, if you’re purely selling the concept of sex appeal. It has to be compelling.”
Mortaza says the league’s players can really play.
“It started out being a stunt,” he said. “The athletes were more models than athletes. Now it’s more about the athletics. These people are military personnel, they’re mothers, doctors, lawyers. The one common denominator is they all played high level college athletics, basketball, gymnastics, track ... they just happen to be beautiful.
“We managed to make an entire league of Maria Sharapovas and Gabrielle Reeces,” he added, referring to gorgeous tennis and volleyball stars. “There’s three components to being a LFL athlete — No. 1, you have to be athletic. If you’re not athletic, we can’t do anything with you. No. 2, you have to be beautiful and marketable. And No. 3, you have to be confident. Those are the three factors we look for when we field these teams.”
Mortaza says two Canadian TV networks are already bidding on rights, and that advertisers in the U.S. are of the “blue-chip” variety.
“If somebody told me the Lingerie Football League was coming around the bend, I’d probably roll my eyes,” Mortaza said. “Until you know what this is, until you’ve been to a game or seen a game, and seen the intensity and how well these ladies play and how well they’re prepared, and that these are intelligent women that are also athletic and beautiful ... until you know those things, you’re going to have your perceived notions of what this is. And that’s understandable.
“We only tell our players to go out and play the game, and I assure you with every play and every game, you will change perception . That’s what has happened in the U.S. That will surely follow in Canada.”