Talons' cost of business rises

[bmuscotty]

During the 2009 season, their first in the BOK Center, the Tulsa Talons set a nine-year attendance high, drawing 6,300 spectators per game.

Can they exceed that total in their first year in the new Arena Football League? Co-owner Paul Ross has a pointed answer: "We'd better."

Ross said operational costs are up some $800,000 over last season as the team takes a big step up in class. Meanwhile, season ticket sales and corporate sponsorships are up only slightly. Ross calls it "disappointing, compared to other teams."

Talons officials won't predict what a slight rise in ticket sales will mean for this year's attendance. They're hoping that an anticipated rise in the level of play and competition against glamorous cities from the former Arena Football League will lure more and more fans.

"You'd like to see people embrace the change that's occurring with the bigger cities coming back. There's real excitement in some parts of the league," Ross said.

Former AFL franchises like the Tampa Bay Storm, Orlando Predators and Arizona Rattlers haven't played in over a year, not since the old league canceled its 2009 season and went out of business last August.

Those teams joined the Talons and other successful af2 franchises in forming the new AFL, a move that essentially saved the indoor game invented by Jim Foster in 1981 from dying without a whimper.

Tulsa opens play in the new league by hosting Tampa Bay at 7:05 p.m. Saturday. Storm head coach Tim Marcum is regarded as one of the legends of the game, with seven ArenaBowl titles in his 20 indoor seasons. According to totals found on the Internet, Marcum will be looking for his 200th career win.

The main reasons for higher costs in the new league are more airline travel, higher pay for players and the higher cost of workman's compensation insurance.

According to the Internet site Asylum.com, most players will earn $400 per week, double what it was in af2, while three so-called "market-status" players will make $1,000 per week. That's not counting the cost of housing and meals, which teams also provide.

Ross said the level of play will have to rise, judging on the former AFL standouts who are finding their way into the new league. The Talons will have at least four.

Receiver Donovan Morgan was AFL's 2008 rookie of the year, while defensive end Steve Watson earned all-rookie honors in 2007 and all-league honors in 2008. Odie Armstrong was on the league's all-rookie team in 2008, and Gabe Nyenhuis led the AFL in tackles for loss that same year.

Through their 10-year af2 history, the Talons never failed to attract a small, devoted group of fans. What they haven't done is expand their appeal to a wider audience.

"It's kind of frustrating, because nobody ever says they didn't like the product, once they've been out to see a game," Ross said. "We have to make Talons football the thing to do in Tulsa on a Saturday night."


Talons season opener
7:05 p.m. Saturday • Vs. Tampa Bay

Radio: KRMG am740, fm102.3

Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/article.aspx?subjectid=407&articleid=20100328_223_B2_During394005

[OpenYourEyesTulsa]

I will be at the Talons games!

[cannon_fodder]

I am concerned... the afl model failed.  It failed nationwide.  The af2 model worked, it worked well in tulsa.  So the response is to scrap the af2 model and go to the afl model?

I hope it works well, but tulsa is a dubias sports town.  I'm not sure af2 to afl will draw double the revenue. In fact, if it is just based on attendance - I doubt it.  Ill be at.a game or two and wish them luck, but if we need to double attendance to make it work I don't see it.

[sgrizzle]

I am concerned... the afl model failed.  It failed nationwide.  The af2 model worked, it worked well in tulsa.  So the response is to scrap the af2 model and go to the afl model?

I hope it works well, but tulsa is a dubias sports town.  I'm not sure af2 to afl will draw double the revenue. In fact, if it is just based on attendance - I doubt it.  Ill be at.a game or two and wish them luck, but if we need to double attendance to make it work I don't see it.

I believe they are using the AF2 model and calling it the AFL

"The main reasons for higher costs in the new league are more airline travel, higher pay for players and the higher cost of workman's compensation insurance. "

That's not a change in model and I believe the increase in player pay is not very substantial either. That is supposedly the reason some teams didn't join, because it wouldn't pay enough.

[Conan71]

I believe they are using the AF2 model and calling it the AFL

"The main reasons for higher costs in the new league are more airline travel, higher pay for players and the higher cost of workman's compensation insurance. "

That's not a change in model and I believe the increase in player pay is not very substantial either. That is supposedly the reason some teams didn't join, because it wouldn't pay enough.

And high costs of far-flung travel is, I believe, what sank the original CHL.

AF2, apparently has worked, why mess with success?

[swake]

And high costs of far-flung travel is, I believe, what sank the original CHL.

AF2, apparently has worked, why mess with success?

they would like the TV contract from the old AFL, that means they need teams in bigger markets and more travel.

[bmuscotty]

First home game is this tomorrow (Saturday 04/03/10 @ 07:00pm) vs Tampa Bay. Come on out and cheer them on!!

http://www.tulsatalons.com/

[JeffM]

I believe they are using the AF2 model and calling it the AFL

"The main reasons for higher costs in the new league are more airline travel, higher pay for players and the higher cost of workman's compensation insurance. "

That's not a change in model and I believe the increase in player pay is not very substantial either.  That is supposedly the reason some teams didn't join, because it wouldn't pay enough.

^^Agreed.^^

I don't think this is primarily about fan support, anyway.

Here's the REAL problem:

From last September:
http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/article.aspx?subjectid=407&articleid=20090902_223_B1_TheTul975394&archive=yes

Corporate sponsors left the Talons to join the BOK Center, and it cost the team about $88,000, Ross said.

"Let's try to build this thing and move Tulsa up," Ross said. "But I can't sit there and double the cost on a budget to play with the big cities and compete when I can't even get basic sponsors that other cities have in their pocket."

I get the sneaky feeling that if team ownership determines that Arenafootball1 and WNBA are cannibalizing each other's corporate tie-ins, somebody's getting thrown under the bus next fall...