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Wednesday, 30 November 2005 09:14 |
American Indoor Football League officials secured an endorsement on Nov. 21 from the Civic Center Commission to finalize plans to bring an indoor football league team to the Asheville Civic Center.
Both sides have verbally agreed on a deal to lease the civic center for seven home games in 2006.
With the favorable recommendation, the commission??s report will go to Asheville City Council with a proposed contract.
The AIFL, which started last year, has 16 teams throughout the
Southeast and plays a 14-game schedule from late February through June.
The Carolina Ghostriders, a team based in Greensboro that played all
away games last season and was winless, might be relocated to
Asheville. However, a new team is also a possibility.
Asheville??s last minor league sports teams, the Aces hockey team and
the Altitude basketball squad, both left after the 2004-05 season.
On average, the Aces drew 767 fans with paid tickets per game in their
single season in Asheville. The Altitude??s four-year stay ended with
paid attendance averaging 499 per game in their final season.
The Indoor Football League, which has since folded, brought its all-star game to Asheville in September 2000.
The game drew fewer than 1,500 people to the civic center and resulted
in the promoted team skipping town, leaving thousands of dollars in
unpaid bills.
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