Arena Football League taking close look at Kent's ShoWare for professional franchise
Jul 02 2009
The fully dressed men of the professional Arena Football League 2 could be joining the scantily clad women of the Lingerie Football League as housemates next year at the ShoWare Center in Kent.
Jerry Kurz, president of the Chicago-based AF2, met June 25 with city of Kent and ShoWare Center officials at the arena to discuss adding a team in Kent for the 2010 season. The minor-league team would play eight home games at the events center during the regular season that runs from mid-March through July.
“We’ll do everything we can to have a team there next year,” Kurz said in a phone interview Tuesday from his Chicago office. “I believe we will be (in Kent). But there’s still work to be done.”
That work includes ShoWare officials finding a local owner as well as a lease agreement between the league and arena.
“We’re very hopeful we can conclude something within the next six weeks,” said Ben Wolters, city economic development director, at a June 25 meeting of the Public Facilities District board that oversees operations of the arena. “We continue to make progress and look forward to bringing some good news.”
Wolters said Tim Higgins, ShoWare general manager, “is in the midst of negotiations with an ownership group.”
Higgins and Wolters met with Kurz last week during his visit to Kent.
“It was a fruitful discussion and we could possibly bring an AF2 team here,” Wolters said.
Lingerie Football League officials announced in March that the Seattle Mist would play games this Sept. 11 against the San Diego Seduction and Jan. 1, 2010 against the Phoenix Scorch at the ShoWare Center.
The AF2 started 10 years ago and features 25 teams. The league plans to add as many as five teams for 2010, Kurz said. So far, the league has only announced the addition of a team in Toledo, Ohio, for next season.
“We’ll announce all of the new teams at our championship game in Las Vegas on Aug. 22,” Kurz said. “All of the lease terms will be done by then. Our (2010) schedule will come out Oct. 15.”
Kurz came away impressed with the ShoWare Center. The $84.5 million arena opened in January, and can seat 6,000.
“I like it very much,” Kurz said. “I make my living putting teams in buildings and that’s a first-class facility in a great location.”
The AF2 features former college players. Several players each year move on to play in the NFL, Kurz said.
A Kent team probably would be added to the West Division that includes the Spokane Shock, Tri-Cities Fever, Boise Burn, Stockton (Calif.) Lightning and Central Valley Coyotes, of Fresno. Everett had a team in the league for two years before the franchise folded after the 2007 season due to ownership problems.
“It would be an absolutely great fit with the Tri-Cities, Spokane, Boise and the California teams,” Kurz said.
Spokane joined the league in 2006 and Tri-Cities joined in 2007.
Eight players are on the field for each team in the high-scoring, fast-paced game.
The field is a padded surface 85 feet wide and 50 yards long with 8-yard end zones. Rebound nets around the goal posts are 30 feet wide and 32 feet high. The receiving team may field any kickoff or missed field goal that rebounds off the net. Sideline barriers are 48 inches high and made of high-density foam rubber.
“This is our 10th year and we’ll be around for a long time,” Kurz said. “Our instructions from our owners are to grow, but to grow slow and steady.”
The Arena Football League, a higher level indoor football league than AF2, suspended operations in 2009 but plans to return in 2010.
Kurz said the AF2 has different goals than the Arena Football League that seeks to be a major professional sport similar to the NFL, NBA or major league baseball.
“Everyone likes to be the next major league but that’s not always necessary,” Kurz said. “People can get good, solid entertainment from Single A or Triple A baseball. Fans respond. I know fans respond to us.”
An AF2 team is similar to a Triple A baseball team, Kurz said with its level of play and goals to succeed financially in smaller cities.
For more information on AF2, go to www.af2.com.
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