First off, the af2 press conference apparently did take place today, where the new team was announced. As the rumors had intimated, the new team will be the Mahoning Valley Thunder. In typical fashion, none of the news outlets in Youngstown have put anything of substance on their websites yet regarding the press conference (even though they've been gearing the public up for the team for weeks now). The most information I could find up to now comes from an apparenly semi-literate poster on the af2 message boards who was at the press conference and describes the logo as having a Thor-like character, with hammer raised, combined with the team's initials. Hopefully, there will be some more news on this soon. The af2 website, oddly enough, makes no mention of any expansion whatsoever.
Also, it appears that my earlier announcement of the demise of the Mahoning Valley HitMen was a little premature. Their website has actually been updated, with logos, uniforms, and even sponsors, and it looks like it's still a go. According to Warren's Tribune Chronicle, the team's owner has decided to press on, despite early setbacks in negotiations with the Ice Zone.
It's still up for debate whether or not Youngstown can support one indoor team, let alone two. I think that the af2 team, as I've stated previously, has by far the better chance of survival. What's particularly unusual is that the HitMen club is meant to be the first team in a brand new league- so it's got that added pressure on top of it, as well. No word yet on where those other teams will be from.
Showing posts with label Mahoning Valley HitMen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mahoning Valley HitMen. Show all posts
Monday, May 15, 2006
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
The Rise and Fall of the Mahoning Valley HitMen
So, it seems, the history of the Mahoning Valley HitMen is over before it ever really started. Apparently, the HitMen would have been an indoor football team- although it was never really clear what league they were going to be a part of. Their website, www.mvhitmen.com, is pretty much devoid of any valuable information, and neither the AIFL nor the NIFL make any mention of them on their websites. I couldn't even find anything on the Vindicator website about them or the press conference that apparently took place this afternoon. They were supposed to play at Boardman's Ice Zone, I do know that- but that's about it.
According to my source, though, the HitMen aren't going to be playing at the Ice Zone- or anywhere else for that matter. The owner has pulled the plug, citing scheduling conflicts with the Ice Zone and the looming shadow of another team that's supposedly on its way to Y-town, from the more established and credible Arena Football 2 (af2) league.
All in all, this is probably a good thing. Outside of the fact that "HitMen" is an incredibly lame nickname (and a recycled one, too- the NY/NJ Hitmen were part of the XFL), the franchise was obviously doomed from the start, and it's better that it died a quick death rather than a long and painful one, which could have killed the city's prospects for more reputable sports ventures in the future. It's much better for a place like Youngstown to field a team that has some pretty stable backing, financially and otherwise, so it can survive long enough to really take hold in the community. The SteelHounds fit that mold. Hockey downtown was never going to be an overnight success, especially when the hockey season starts during the height of the high school football season. But because it had the strength of the CHL to fall back on, the SteelHounds team was able to survive long enough to get over that initial hump and finish the season strong. The process is far from over, of course, but the right things are in place to keep the franchise on the right track.
No word yet on the rumored af2 franchise. Hopefully, we'll hear more soon. Any leads would be appreciated. You can post them below in the comments section.
According to my source, though, the HitMen aren't going to be playing at the Ice Zone- or anywhere else for that matter. The owner has pulled the plug, citing scheduling conflicts with the Ice Zone and the looming shadow of another team that's supposedly on its way to Y-town, from the more established and credible Arena Football 2 (af2) league.
All in all, this is probably a good thing. Outside of the fact that "HitMen" is an incredibly lame nickname (and a recycled one, too- the NY/NJ Hitmen were part of the XFL), the franchise was obviously doomed from the start, and it's better that it died a quick death rather than a long and painful one, which could have killed the city's prospects for more reputable sports ventures in the future. It's much better for a place like Youngstown to field a team that has some pretty stable backing, financially and otherwise, so it can survive long enough to really take hold in the community. The SteelHounds fit that mold. Hockey downtown was never going to be an overnight success, especially when the hockey season starts during the height of the high school football season. But because it had the strength of the CHL to fall back on, the SteelHounds team was able to survive long enough to get over that initial hump and finish the season strong. The process is far from over, of course, but the right things are in place to keep the franchise on the right track.
No word yet on the rumored af2 franchise. Hopefully, we'll hear more soon. Any leads would be appreciated. You can post them below in the comments section.
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