Huntington Hammer Fold After All

[Banana Cat]

This explains why the UIFL Schedule was pulled hours after it was announced yesterday. This also explains why Wooten is now playing with the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks.

From the Huntington Hammer's facebook page:www.facebook.com/HuntingtonHammerWV

It is with deep regret that we are announcing the 2012 season for the Hammer will not be taking place. We in the front office will keep everyone posted with information on developments as they become available. The unfortunate fact is that the business structure left behind after the sale/transfer of the team and league has left us without the ownership in place to be able to confidently complete the season. The front office has been working hard to solve this problem, but there were liabilities that could not be overcome.

Action is being taken to solidify the structure, move ahead, and begin to lay the foundation for 2013. We will be sure to notify everyone of any news or updates as soon as we have the information and are able to release it.

[Banana Cat]

www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x1689944170/No-Headline

Huntington Hammer goes out of business

January 25, 2012
DAVID WALSH / The Herald-Dispatch

HUNTINGTON -- Roll up the carpet. Huntington won't have a semi-pro indoor football team this year.

The Huntington Hammer, a 2011 member of the Ultimate Indoor Football League and scheduled to be one of 11 teams in the new United Indoor Football League in 2012, isn't taking the field because of financial troubles.

The new United League acquired assets of the Ultimate League earlier this month from Cecil VanDyke and Assured Equities IV and moved the league office to Fort Myers, Fla. VanDyke was CEO of Assured Equities and owned two teams.

Andrew Haines, owner of the Florida Tarpons franchise, is the United League president.

Dan Fisher, the Huntington Hammer general manager, part owner and director of communications, said he's talked with Haines and decided trying to salvage the 2012 season won't work.

"Putting together a local ownership group is not possible because of the way the business is structured," Fisher said Tuesday.

Haines said Tuesday the league has a good business model in place. The goals are to be fan, player and business friendly.

"The goal is not to have the league own teams," Haines said. "It would be smart for Huntington to re-establish and prove themselves again."

Hammer coach Michael Owens was ready to begin training camp in February. Forty players had been invited. The 2012 opener was scheduled for mid-March. The UIFL has now redone the 2012 schedule with only 10 teams.

"A new business structure needs to go into place," Fisher said.

Fisher and Veronica Hordubay, the Hammer director of marketing, had secured several sponsorships for 2012. In addition, season tickets were sold for home games in Big Sandy Superstore Arena.

"We could've brought the guys (players) in," Fisher said. "We had enough money to play the first couple of games, then we would've had to pull the plug and stop playing. That would've done more damage to Huntington and the league."

This is the third time indoor football has come and gone in Huntington.

The River Cities LocoMotives played in the National Indoor Football League in 2001. The team finished 1-13 and that was it. The Huntington Heroes took the field in the American Indoor Football Association for three seasons (2006-2008). They played the first year at Veterans Memorial Field House and the next two at Big Sandy Superstore Arena. The West Virginia Wild was set to play in the Continental Indoor Football League in 2009, but the franchise was revoked prior to the start of play.

"We were in position to capitalize on a fantastic 2012," Fisher said.

Fisher can now only hope for a return in 2013.

"New investors are possible," Fisher said. "And there has to be a completely new business structure."

[exit322]

That's a good pickup for Lehigh.

[briguy73]

That sucks! Being from WV this saddens me.This is the third time Huntington has failed to keep a indoor team.Wish they would try Charleston or Wheeling next time.