Indoor football league headed to Richmond

Minor-league sports have not been a growth industry in Richmond, but the owners of the American Indoor Football Association think they can change that.

The unnamed team, which will launch in 2010, does not have a local owner. The league will own the team in its first year of operation, at which point they plan to hand it over to a local group.

"We go in and set up the business plan, the footprint, make it successful and get it off on the right foot," Director of Football Operations Jack Bowman said. "Then if there are one or more local investors that want to, we'll let them come in at that point."

Commissioner John Morris has built the AIFA on a model of cost-cutting. Players and coaches have other full-time jobs, and teams are grouped together geographically to cut down transportation costs.

The team will play from March-June at Richmond Coliseum. Teams carry a 30-man roster, partially filled through open tryouts for local players.

The AIFA is the successor to the AIFL, a league that was won in 2005 by the since-defunct Richmond Bandits. From 2000-2003, the Richmond Speed played in the higher-profile ArenaFootball2 league. The league also fights recent history, with the Renegades and R-Braves having left town in the past year.

"Bring the only game in town, obviously people still want to do something and get out with their families," Morris said. "But what's to keep a fan from saying, gee, I supported a hockey team and they left, and I supported a baseball team and they left. It could be a negative as well."

Morris said community involvement is a trademark of the league, which is entering its third year. Richmond would play in the "South" division against cities like Florence, S.C., Fayetteville, N.C., and Charlotte.

During an introductory news conference yesterday at the Coliseum, Morris announced that the Richmond franchise would be coached by Mike McDowell, who goes by "Coach Mack."

McDowell, the defensive coordinator in Harrisburg, was the defensive backs coach for the Speed. The Portsmouth native was happy to get the nod.

"It's an opportunity for me to come home, and I'm excited about that," he said.

The AIFA rules are similar to those of Arena Football, with eight players on the field instead of the NFL's 11. The league also allows fans to keep footballs that fly into the stands. The field itself is smaller, to accommodate the reduced dimensions of indoor arenas. Players are paid $200 per game, with a $50 bonus for winning.

Those economics, along with tickets priced at $20 or less, keep AIFA executives optimistic about the future of the league, even in a climate that has forced the Arena Football League to suspend operations for the year.

"I don't care what kind of business you're running -- if you're not in a position to be successful, you're only going to go for so long," Morris said. "Looking at our budget, I like our chances."

Contact Michael Phillips at (804) 649-6546 or .