Post by augustaspartans on May 6, 2007 0:15:31 GMT -5
I had the pleasure of finally meeting Bobby today the General Manager of the Columbia Stingers. I want to first say that he is a class gentleman and is committed to turning Columbia around it will take time. Stinger fans let me first say that the Augusta Spartans Football team of the WIFL isnt a team full of Gods. We don't sit around in Augusta going out trying to meddle in the affairs of other teams. My only motive in attending your games and hanging around you is because I care. I have been there and I know what youve been through and I want to see arena football sucessful everywhere,besides one day we may be brothers ha ha.
Tonight while I have a minute Im going to share with you briefly a couple of points concerning where we came from and my thoughts on what needs to be done to make you sucessful.
The Augusta Spartans started as a AIFL arena team in Feburary 2006 and was owned by another owner who bought the team and had it for 30 days spent no money on it and ran it in the ground.
With less than thirty days before opening kickoff and with no players signed equipment or anything Jimmy Young bought the team from the AIFL for $ 50,000 and signed a lease with the civic center to play in Augusta. In less than 23 days the Spartans were set to play. A coach was pulled out of retirement and players somehow trickled in and a team was born.
The team opened the season in Asheville NC against the Carolina Ghostriders had no helments and had to have them delivered to the resturant with less than one hour before kickoff.
Somehow Augusta won the game. They went on to have 3400 on opening night in Augusta against Florence still with very little sponsorship and with the offices in a corner of the bosses bar.
By mid season Augusta was averaging 1800 a game still with only a few wins and with very limited staff and sponsorship but we kept on fighting never giving up and beleaving.
We played on and we lost game after game on the road by a point here and a point there and found Mike Rathe who over night turned us around. The last game of the season came up and Augusta was 4-9 still drawing 1899-3000 on average. We played Raleigh and was down by 17 at one point came back and tied the game with no time left and won it in overtime with over 5300 fans present in Augusta to see the best game of the year.
We then played a charity game in Florence SC to pay the players who were not being paided and beat them to finsh 6-9 for the year.
The off season came and each and every few weeks we did different things in the commuinity, fan club meetings, partys various things and kept the name going year round. I had no idea how much Augusta loved us until the Saint Patricks Day parade when we gave out every schedule and item you could find.
We were all moved. Game night came and we welcomed the Youth Indoor football league to Augusta four teams that play before the home games it took off like a rocket. We welcomed the largest crowd in Augusta history to the civic center 5900 strong a sell out and left 1000 in the yard with no tickets. Weve had a bad game with 3800 but for the most part are hitting on 4000 average.
How do we do it?
1.) Group ticket sales, churches, schools, civic clubs they range in size from 9 to 900. Discount tickets but still good seats
2) Lasting friendship with Ft Gordon Army base soldiers love going to games
3) Youth Challenge Academy Ft Gordon after a week of living there youll love going to our games.
4) Love affair with Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts we have nights for them
5) Theme nights such as Law Enforcement night, Western Night, Military night, Nascar night they work folks plus High school football team recognition night
6) Advertising not exactly for cash either, ticket trades, coop advertising, flyers, web sites, anything that moves including myspace.
7) Community service players helping out in the community. Hospital Visits, reading programs giving back to the area.
8) Non paided staff of several and a fulltime staff of five so eight people make up the Spartans.
9) Youth indoor football league we were a genius for pulling that off. Esspecially with all day ticket for $ 7.00
10) Folks who love the game and who want to see it sucessful without regard for themselves.
Stinger fans Im sorry if you didnt like the opponent tonight. I loved the game myself the Carolina Express is a scrapy little team and will be trouble in their league.
But yes its time to leave the NIFL
I love all of you and wish you my best Im going to be hanging around because i want you to win
Tonight while I have a minute Im going to share with you briefly a couple of points concerning where we came from and my thoughts on what needs to be done to make you sucessful.
The Augusta Spartans started as a AIFL arena team in Feburary 2006 and was owned by another owner who bought the team and had it for 30 days spent no money on it and ran it in the ground.
With less than thirty days before opening kickoff and with no players signed equipment or anything Jimmy Young bought the team from the AIFL for $ 50,000 and signed a lease with the civic center to play in Augusta. In less than 23 days the Spartans were set to play. A coach was pulled out of retirement and players somehow trickled in and a team was born.
The team opened the season in Asheville NC against the Carolina Ghostriders had no helments and had to have them delivered to the resturant with less than one hour before kickoff.
Somehow Augusta won the game. They went on to have 3400 on opening night in Augusta against Florence still with very little sponsorship and with the offices in a corner of the bosses bar.
By mid season Augusta was averaging 1800 a game still with only a few wins and with very limited staff and sponsorship but we kept on fighting never giving up and beleaving.
We played on and we lost game after game on the road by a point here and a point there and found Mike Rathe who over night turned us around. The last game of the season came up and Augusta was 4-9 still drawing 1899-3000 on average. We played Raleigh and was down by 17 at one point came back and tied the game with no time left and won it in overtime with over 5300 fans present in Augusta to see the best game of the year.
We then played a charity game in Florence SC to pay the players who were not being paided and beat them to finsh 6-9 for the year.
The off season came and each and every few weeks we did different things in the commuinity, fan club meetings, partys various things and kept the name going year round. I had no idea how much Augusta loved us until the Saint Patricks Day parade when we gave out every schedule and item you could find.
We were all moved. Game night came and we welcomed the Youth Indoor football league to Augusta four teams that play before the home games it took off like a rocket. We welcomed the largest crowd in Augusta history to the civic center 5900 strong a sell out and left 1000 in the yard with no tickets. Weve had a bad game with 3800 but for the most part are hitting on 4000 average.
How do we do it?
1.) Group ticket sales, churches, schools, civic clubs they range in size from 9 to 900. Discount tickets but still good seats
2) Lasting friendship with Ft Gordon Army base soldiers love going to games
3) Youth Challenge Academy Ft Gordon after a week of living there youll love going to our games.
4) Love affair with Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts we have nights for them
5) Theme nights such as Law Enforcement night, Western Night, Military night, Nascar night they work folks plus High school football team recognition night
6) Advertising not exactly for cash either, ticket trades, coop advertising, flyers, web sites, anything that moves including myspace.
7) Community service players helping out in the community. Hospital Visits, reading programs giving back to the area.
8) Non paided staff of several and a fulltime staff of five so eight people make up the Spartans.
9) Youth indoor football league we were a genius for pulling that off. Esspecially with all day ticket for $ 7.00
10) Folks who love the game and who want to see it sucessful without regard for themselves.
Stinger fans Im sorry if you didnt like the opponent tonight. I loved the game myself the Carolina Express is a scrapy little team and will be trouble in their league.
But yes its time to leave the NIFL
I love all of you and wish you my best Im going to be hanging around because i want you to win