Travel costs, geography keeps RGV from new league

HIDALGO — On Monday, franchise owners will officially announce the formation of Arena Football 1, a league made up of teams from the old Arena Football League and arenafootball2.

An RGV team, however, will not be part of the announcement.

Because of increased travel costs and the new league’s geographic footprint, the Valley will not have a franchise in Arena Football 1. When Troy Nelson and Grant Buckborough, respectively the owner and general manager of the now-defunct Dorados, last spoke in mid-August at the ArenaCup with prospective owners in the new league about possibly joining, the closest teams to the Valley were going to be Arkansas (Little Rock) and Bossier-Shreveport. Other than the bus trips to those two sites, an RGV franchise would likely have to fly to other road games.

Buckborough estimated that flying to games, depending on the destination, costs around $15,000 per trip.

“Economically, we wouldn’t be able to make that work,” Buckborough said.

During the 2009 season, the Dorados’ last, they played one regular season game at Bossier-Shreveport, Arkansas and Amarillo, and two at Corpus Christi. If an RGV team were to be a part of the new league, it appears the in-state trips could be replaced by longer and costlier outings.

To ease the burden of costs for teams with geographic disadvantages, Arena Football 1 will have a travel pool. Though he couldn’t say how much each team will be allotted, Jerry Kurz, who will be the new league’s commissioner and served as af2 president, said the league will cover the costs for any increased plane trips compared to the previous year. For example, if RGV had three plane trips in 2009 and needed to take five in 2010, the cost for the extra two trips would be covered by the league.

“We would have welcomed them in with open arms,” said Kurz, who joined the new league Sept. 9. “They were a very good contributing member on and off the field to the af2 and I’m saddened they’re not going to be with this new endeavor.”

Nelson, however, said he hadn’t heard of the travel aid.

“Never once did Jerry Kurz or anybody else offer help with travel,” Nelson said. “For him to say that to the press 17 days after the deadline for letters of obligation to the new league were due, is ridiculous.”

Brian Sandalow covers sports for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 683-4436.