Buffalo gets af2 franchise

[YardRat]

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/story/354801.html

Buffalo has been awarded an arenafootball2 franchise by the Arena Football League, and will begin play in 2009 if a lease agreement with HSBC Arena can be reached.

Rochester businessman Bob Bartosiewicz will be the majority owner while former Buffalo Bills running back Thurman Thomas and possibly former Bills quarterback Jim Kelly will serve as minority owners. Negotiations with HSBC Arena have not started, said Thomas’ business partner and brother-in-law John Mariacher.

“We haven’t even entered into talks with HSBC, but Thurman is a minority owner and Bob is calling all the shots,” said Mariacher on Saturday. “If they can get that ironed out, they’re going to bring a team here.”

Bartosiewicz is the co-owner of the Continental Indoor Football League’s Rochester Raiders. The Raiders are currently on a 22-game winning streak and are the defending CIFL champions.

“Before we even considered this, we looked hard into Bob’s business,” Mariacher said. “He’s an outstanding businessman, a good guy and an outstanding football guy.”

Indoor football was last in Buffalo in 2003 before the Buffalo Destroyers moved to Columbus, Ohio, ending the franchise’s five-year run in Western New York.

Then owner Mark Hamister, who lost more than $5 million on the club over the last two seasons, said at the time that it wasn’t economically viable for the franchise to remain here.

[Jan Reimers]

I'm glad that charlatan Hamister isn't involved. He'd turn and run at the first sign of trouble, as he did with the Destroyers, and his half-assed attempt to buy the Sabres.

[HHURRICANE]

Yeah, we'll lose a pro-team to get a roller derby team.

[Bill Brasky]

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/story/354801.html

Buffalo has been awarded an arenafootball2 franchise by the Arena Football League, and will begin play in 2009 if a lease agreement with HSBC Arena can be reached.

Rochester businessman Bob Bartosiewicz will be the majority owner while former Buffalo Bills running back Thurman Thomas and possibly former Bills quarterback Jim Kelly will serve as minority owners. Negotiations with HSBC Arena have not started, said Thomas’ business partner and brother-in-law John Mariacher.

“We haven’t even entered into talks with HSBC, but Thurman is a minority owner and Bob is calling all the shots,” said Mariacher on Saturday. “If they can get that ironed out, they’re going to bring a team here.”

Bartosiewicz is the co-owner of the Continental Indoor Football League’s Rochester Raiders. The Raiders are currently on a 22-game winning streak and are the defending CIFL champions.

“Before we even considered this, we looked hard into Bob’s business,” Mariacher said. “He’s an outstanding businessman, a good guy and an outstanding football guy.”

Indoor football was last in Buffalo in 2003 before the Buffalo Destroyers moved to Columbus, Ohio, ending the franchise’s five-year run in Western New York.

Then owner Mark Hamister, who lost more than $5 million on the club over the last two seasons, said at the time that it wasn’t economically viable for the franchise to remain here.

I was keeping my mouth shut on this for a while, but this is my boss who bought this team.

[YardRat]

I was keeping my mouth shut on this for a while, but this is my boss who bought this team.

Great! Hook us up with tickets....Now.

[Oaf]

So wait, is AF2 a feeder league for AF1? Geez, AF1 isn't a feeder league in itself.

[FlyingDutchman]

I work with Freeman and work for Bob. I will say this about the guy, everything this man has touched turned to gold.

[Ebenezer]

I'm glad that charlatan Hamister isn't involved. He'd turn and run at the first sign of trouble, as he did with the Destroyers, and his half-assed attempt to buy the Sabres.
he quit on the Destroyers because he didn't get the Sabres.

[Tiburon1724]

af2, great. So we're in the same class as Lexington and Wilkes-Barre, woo! High goals, fellas. At least get another AFL team, not this high school level trash.

[FlyingDutchman]

af2, great. So we're in the same class as Lexington and Wilkes-Barre, woo! High goals, fellas. At least get another AFL team, not this high school level trash.

Relax man, it cant hurt. Hey it least it gives you something to do during the down time of NFL. Call it trash if you will, but the games are fun. I have season tickets to the Rochester Raiders since I work with a lot of the players and there is some talented players. Maurice Jackson was a Syracuse standout with Mcnabb and played for the Bills for a bit on the PS. Its my first year watchin arena and its starting to grow on me.

Bob has managed to build a powerhouse with Rochester, and I can only imagine the Rochester team will now be moved to Buffalo. Maybe this is just another stepping stone before a real AFL team is in the area. Bob is the kind of guy who will aim to grow. Would you rather have nothing so you can just ***** about hows theres nothing to do in WNY?

[Ebenezer]

I say bring the team on...let people pay their buck for their enjoyment.

[SeatownBillsFan21]

Huh AF2 thats not that cool

[Night Train]

I never watch the Arena games.

They bore me to tears.

[TedMock]

Good. It won't make or break anything for the city. It will cost next to nothing. During the offseason you can go to the arena, pay a few bucks, have a few beers and enjoy a cheap couple of hours. The quality of play is probably somewhere between high school and D3 football, but I actually like watching a HS or D3 game, so for the wopping maybe $15 per seat it's really not a bad deal.

[Ebenezer]

Buffalo fans are so great......as long as it is the Bills or the Sabres and they are winning.

[Bill Brasky]

Relax man, it cant hurt. Hey it least it gives you something to do during the down time of NFL. Call it trash if you will, but the games are fun. I have season tickets to the Rochester Raiders since I work with a lot of the players and there is some talented players. Maurice Jackson was a Syracuse standout with Mcnabb and played for the Bills for a bit on the PS. Its my first year watchin arena and its starting to grow on me.

Bob has managed to build a powerhouse with Rochester, and I can only imagine the Rochester team will now be moved to Buffalo. Maybe this is just another stepping stone before a real AFL team is in the area. Bob is the kind of guy who will aim to grow. Would you rather have nothing so you can just ***** about hows theres nothing to do in WNY?
I personally don't get into arena football, but some love it. At least it will fill an otherwise empty arena a few Saturdays. Thurman and Kelly's involvement won't hurt either.

People will look at this franchise in a different light when the Bills move. And by that time maybe they will be arena 1. Hell, if ESPN says it's cool then it has to be! Just my 2 cents...

[venis2k1]

I would kill to get an AF2 team here in western mass, alot of you guys need to stop looking a gift horse in the mouth and go out and support local sports.

[Michael82]

I would kill to get an AF2 team here in western mass, alot of you guys need to stop looking a gift horse in the mouth and go out and support local sports.
Great post! :bf1:

We used to have an AF2 team here in Rochester, the Rochester Brigade and I was a season ticket holder. It was only like $60 for the season and we had a pregame party before each home game where we got snacks and free beer. Just alone on the free beer, a bunch of people more than paid for the cost of the ticket. :up:

[FlyingDutchman]

Great post! :bf1:

We used to have an AF2 team here in Rochester, the Rochester Brigade and I was a season ticket holder. It was only like $80 for the season and we had a pregame party before each home game where we got snacks and free beer. Just alone on the free beer, a bunch of people more than paid for the cost of the ticket. :up:

Exactly. It cost me 50 bucks for season tickets. Me and some buddies go get some beers at a bar down the road the go watch some football for a little bit. Its fun. Obviously this is no NFL but there is still some nice plays and hard hits. At least it gives me something to do.

[JD]

I'll support anything Buffalo

[SpillerThrills]

I would kill to get an AF2 team here in western mass, alot of you guys need to stop looking a gift horse in the mouth and go out and support local sports.


I feel the same way!!! Plattsburgh, NY has college hockey and a semi pro football team.... that's it!!! to go see a pro hockey game, gotta go to Montreal.... I would love to have an AF2 team in upstate NY!

[PromoTheRobot]

I never watch the Arena games.

They bore me to tears.
Boy I agree 100%. I'd rather watch the old XFL. But having said that, Buffalo fans bought 12,000 season tickets to the old Arena League Destroyers. The most of any Arena franchise. There's no question it would have succeeded in Buffalo if that team wasn't so god awful.

PTR

[Night Train]

I'll support anything Buffalo

Anything ?

The WNBA ? Roller Derby ? Cricket ? World Team Tennis ? Bocce ? Extreme Hopscotch ?

[blackonyx89]

Huh AF2 thats not that cool

Something's better than nothing. They should call the new franchise the
Buffalo Thurmanators!!!

:bandwagon

[THATHURMANATOR]

I'll support anything Buffalo
:hi5: GO GO BUFFALO GO GO BUFFALO

[hydro]

I would buy seasons if they were that freakin' cheap.

[Ebenezer]

I would buy seasons if they were that freakin' cheap.
hell, nothing wrong with grabbing a beer, a hot dog and watching a sporting event.

[DrGraves]

so this is what jim kelly meant when he said he'd keep football in buffalo... bye bye bills!

[DraftBoy]

I would buy seasons if they were that freakin' cheap.
Seasons to the local arena team here in Georgia run about 80 bucks for upper deck seats.

[hydro]

Seasons to the local arena team here in Georgia run about 80 bucks for upper deck seats.
AF1 or AF2?

Upper Level seats in HSBC wouldn't be bad at all. There really isn't a bad seat in the place.

[HHURRICANE]

Seasons to the local arena team here in Georgia run about 80 bucks for upper deck seats.

You just made the point of why this is such bad news for Buffalo. I live in Georgia and didn't even know we had an Arena team.

[FlyingDutchman]

You just made the point of why this is such bad news for Buffalo. I live in Georgia and didn't even know we had an Arena team.

why does that mean bad news for Buffalo

[HHURRICANE]

why does that mean bad news for Buffalo

Because Arena football is pure irrelevance. If we lose the NFL I wouldn't waste my time on roller derby football.

[FlyingDutchman]

Both of your answers have been from your standpoint. You dont represent the general public of Buffalo. If that number of Destroyer season ticket holders is correct, id say theres a market. You live in Atlanta, where there is an NFL, MLB, NBA, and an NHL team. Not to mention numerous Division 1 colleges around. The only sporting events I have around here at this time of year is minor league baseball....Id rather watch AF2 or grass grow over that s@#* anyday.