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Post by DiamondThief on Jan 2, 2016 14:34:18 GMT -8
Updated: Jan 6
Jan. 6 -- The Arena Football League has taken over operations of the Portland Thunder, it announced today on its website.
The board of directors made the move in an effort to "solidify its membership foundation." The team will be run by the AFL without their original ownership group in place; namely Terry Emmert.
"After many months of attempting to work out an arrangement for the AFL to provide financial and operational support to current ownership, we were unable to successfully work something out and thus assuming ownership and operational control of the Thunder," said AFL commissioner Scott C. Butera in a statement on the league's website. "We highly value the Thunder fans and this step was needed to stabilize the team in the Portland market."
In a report from The Portland Tribune last week, Emmert hinted that the team, scheduled to go into its third season, may cease its operations.
Emmert cited the Arena Football League's medical insurance policies its players, as well as attempts to attract investors to help continue the team's operations.
Under the AFL's single-entity model, each team owner and investors' financial contributions are pooled to contribute to the league's overall operations. This means financially unstable teams are aided by contributions from teams which are on more stable footing.
The AFL took over two teams near the end of last season -- the New Orleans VooDoo and Las Vegas Outlaws. In the fall, the San Jose Sabercats announced they would cease operations, and prior to that, the Spokane Shock moved to the Indoor Football League. The league went from 12 teams to eight. If the Thunder fold, the league would be at seven.
Last month the league announced a two-conference alignment which kept the Thunder in the National Conference, along with the Arizona Rattlers, Los Angeles KISS and Cleveland Gladiators. the Philadelphia Soul, Jacksonville Sharks, Orlando Predators and Tampa Bay Storm make up the American Conference.
"We have not re-signed our commitment for 2016 yet," Emmert said in the report. "Chances are good we'll be back next season."
In September, former Shock coach and Chehalis, Wash. native Andy Olson was hired on a two-year contract to take the helm of the Thunder. Olson has brought in former All-Arena quarterback Shane Austin, as well as other players to start filling out the roster.
The Thunder finished their first season in 2014 with a 5-13 record and a loss to the eventual champion Rattlers. An identical 5-13 mark in 2015 lead to a second playoff berth, where they lost to the Sabercats, who also would go on to win the Arena Bowl.
- ANM
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Post by David on Jan 2, 2016 17:33:54 GMT -8
Emmert's comments are interesting. Specifically these two:
This is highly surprising, especially since the AFL released its schedule. Granted, the IFL had its schedule released before they kicked the Minnesota Axemen out for not paying its bills, but this is bizarre. Why release a schedule if you haven't committed to the upcoming season?
It also makes you wonder which of the other 7 teams haven't re-signed their commitments for 2016. If there's others that haven't, I think the AFL is doomed.
This is a double edged sword. On one hand, he's offering encouragement that they would bow out of 2016 and return in 2017. However, most teams that say they'll be back after a year off haven't returned, specifically Milwaukee and Utah.
It also makes you wonder if he's considering jumping ship to the IFL, which appears to be the most league compared to the AFL.
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Post by DiamondThief on Jan 3, 2016 1:08:19 GMT -8
Emmert's comments are interesting. Specifically these two: This is highly surprising, especially since the AFL released its schedule. Granted, the IFL had its schedule released before they kicked the Minnesota Axemen out for not paying its bills, but this is bizarre. Why release a schedule if you haven't committed to the upcoming season? It also makes you wonder which of the other 7 teams haven't re-signed their commitments for 2016. If there's others that haven't, I think the AFL is doomed. This is a double edged sword. On one hand, he's offering encouragement that they would bow out of 2016 and return in 2017. However, most teams that say they'll be back after a year off haven't returned, specifically Milwaukee and Utah. It also makes you wonder if he's considering jumping ship to the IFL, which appears to be the most league compared to the AFL. I think Butera and the AFL assumed, after the Sabercats folded, that they had their eight teams for the season regardless of whether they committed for 2016 or not. The thought of another team (or more) shutting down had occurred to me also. I do not know which would, but there could be any possibility. It is sad that the league is not doing a better job giving the owners more resources and assurances. Butera says he has a plan, but can that plan come to fruition? The league needs a major breath of optimism. Some of the Soul owners have been hinting on deals and new teams starting in 2017 but who knows if that's true. This uncertainty about the Thunder is more of an indictment of the league than the team. |
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Post by newellbrian on Jan 3, 2016 16:47:33 GMT -8
This is very unfortunate.
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Post by David on Jan 3, 2016 21:07:53 GMT -8
It is sad that the league is not doing a better job giving the owners more resources and assurances. Butera says he has a plan, but can that plan come to fruition? The league needs a major breath of optimism. Some of the Soul owners have been hinting on deals and new teams starting in 2017 but who knows if that's true. This uncertainty about the Thunder is more of an indictment of the league than the team. Some of the comments on ArenaFan's Facebook page should give you an idea of what the fans think of Butera. For example, this is the opinon of Ty Whitman, a SaberCats fan: It probably doesn't help that Butera wasn't being 100% truthful about Las Vegas and its position in the playoffs. As for the uncertainty being an indictment of the AFL than the team, you're 100% correct, Angi. I don't believe this is all on the Thunder for this situation. If you ask me, I'm crossing my fingers they decide to ditch for the IFL. Be nice to re-establish the Spokane/Portland rivalry. |
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Post by DiamondThief on Jan 4, 2016 18:07:34 GMT -8
This is very unfortunate. I agree. I would hate to see it happen. There are a lot of things at the league level which are proving unattractive to owners in the league. |
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Post by DiamondThief on Jan 4, 2016 18:18:09 GMT -8
It is sad that the league is not doing a better job giving the owners more resources and assurances. Butera says he has a plan, but can that plan come to fruition? The league needs a major breath of optimism. Some of the Soul owners have been hinting on deals and new teams starting in 2017 but who knows if that's true. This uncertainty about the Thunder is more of an indictment of the league than the team. Some of the comments on ArenaFan's Facebook page should give you an idea of what the fans think of Butera. For example, this is the opinon of Ty Whitman, a SaberCats fan: It probably doesn't help that Butera wasn't being 100% truthful about Las Vegas and its position in the playoffs. As for the uncertainty being an indictment of the AFL than the team, you're 100% correct, Angi. I don't believe this is all on the Thunder for this situation. If you ask me, I'm crossing my fingers they decide to ditch for the IFL. Be nice to re-establish the Spokane/Portland rivalry. I do not see that Butera has instilled much confidence in fans at all. I know there were the issues with Las Vegas. It is clear he wanted that team to succeed. That was a losing proposition from the get go (which was have discussed to death). It is just that the league seems to be going nowhere and what Butera has done and whatever his plan is, is not apparent to anyone. I will believe the potential progress in 2017 when I see it. If there is indeed a plan, I want to see and hear about it. I get the idea of trying to attract more owners who also own NBA or NHL teams, but I just do not see that they have much potential in doing that. This threat to the Thunder's existence has very little to do with the team at all. Emmert is a jerk, but his one positive trait is that he is stubborn. Whether he is too stubborn to fold the team could be another story. |
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Post by Kasey on Jan 6, 2016 11:56:04 GMT -8
the AFL has taken over the Thunder. Emmert is out. from what i've read, it appears the league will run the team this year.
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Post by David on Jan 6, 2016 12:23:17 GMT -8
the AFL has taken over the Thunder. Emmert is out. from what i've read, it appears the league will run the team this year. If the ownership group is out, it makes you wonder if the Emmert International advertisements on the dasher walls will be covered up. It's really disheartening to hear the league has taken control. Their track record of finding an ownership group after taking control is usually the kiss of death. To my knowledge, only Orlando was able to find new ownership back in 2014. I have a suspicion that Butera's thinking he can convince Paul Allen to purchase the team so he can get his beloved NHL/NBA ownership model. |
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Post by DiamondThief on Jan 6, 2016 21:25:11 GMT -8
the AFL has taken over the Thunder. Emmert is out. from what i've read, it appears the league will run the team this year. If the ownership group is out, it makes you wonder if the Emmert International advertisements on the dasher walls will be covered up. It's really disheartening to hear the league has taken control. Their track record of finding an ownership group after taking control is usually the kiss of death. To my knowledge, only Orlando was able to find new ownership back in 2014. I have a suspicion that Butera's thinking he can convince Paul Allen to purchase the team so he can get his beloved NHL/NBA ownership model. Considering it was Paul Allen's lackey Chris McGowan who was looking to find an AFL owner to help fill arena dates, I would highly doubt that Allen himself would be interested in owning the team. Butera may have a plan, but it has little to no chance of working. |
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Post by David on Jan 6, 2016 21:49:13 GMT -8
I don't believe Allen would be interested in owning them either. If he was interested, I would suspect he would have done so back when the AFL was a major success in the 2000's. As for Butera? The more things that go wrong with the AFL, the less confidence I have. At least the IFL is trying to grow and they address problems instead of just sweeping it under the rug. |
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Post by Kasey on Jan 19, 2016 19:25:53 GMT -8
there has been no word beyond the AFL's statement, there have been no player additions and the team's social media has been dormant. do we know to what extent the league will reach out to fans or when and/or if we might see some normal operations? is the league going to fold the team or just put it on auto pilot?
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