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Sports
Oct. 16, 2007
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Gladiators' exit could bring new team

By MARK ANDERSON
REVIEW-JOURNAL


David Baker
Commissioner says Arena Football League was unhappy with the Gladiators' operation

Today's announcement in Cleveland of the Gladiators' move there will mean the end of the Arena Football League in Las Vegas after five seasons, but probably not the permanent demise.

AFL commissioner David Baker said Monday he hopes to bring the league back to Las Vegas in time for the projected 2010 opening of a 20,000-seat arena just off the Strip.

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    • Baker said the league long desired to find a club in Miami or Cleveland for Gladiators owner Jim Ferraro -- the cities where he has the closest ties -- while seeking local ownership to run the Las Vegas franchise.

    "Jim still loves Las Vegas, and we had to do a lot of convincing to get him to leave Las Vegas," Baker said. "But the best way we thought this could be fixed ... is frankly by giving the Gladiators a fresh start someplace else and doing it under a structure where some of the same mistakes would not be repeated.

    "(The league is) working to get a good ownership group there in Las Vegas so that as the new arena comes on board, we could really launch this thing in the right way and build a product everybody could be proud of."

    Ferraro called it "a mutual decision" between himself and the AFL to take the club to Cleveland, which might remain the Gladiators.

    "I was really the only absentee owner in the league," Ferraro said Monday from Jacobs Field in Cleveland before the Indians-Red Sox playoff game. "I love Las Vegas. I'll miss having a team there. I thought about staying. It was a very difficult decision to leave Las Vegas. I went back and forth for weeks."

    The league has mandated that Ferraro satisfy all debts, including refunds to those who bought 2008 season tickets as well as paying $56,000 to the Thomas & Mack Center for unfulfilled dates after the team's late move to the Orleans Arena this past season.

    Ferraro said he would meet those financial obligations, adding, "I feel bad for the loyal fans we have there in Las Vegas. Unfortunately there just weren't enough of them."

    Shrinking crowds were one of the Gladiators' many problems. Baker made clear the league was not happy with the way the club was run, but was satisfied Ferraro owned up to the shortcomings.

    "Frankly, it was not a product that the rest of us were very proud of," Baker said.

    "The product wasn't good," Ferraro said. "I take responsibility for that. We didn't have good operators. I take responsibility for that."

    Baker said Ferraro must meet an operational standard in Cleveland and pay a relocation fee of about $4 million that includes penalties if certain conditions are not met.

    As for the AFL's future in Las Vegas, the ArenaBowl was scheduled to return next year, but Baker said the championship game might not return until later.

    Beyond that, Baker said the league still considers Las Vegas a prime destination for a team with local ownership.

    There could be competition for the local football dollar by two start-up leagues. The United Football League is considering placing a team here next August, and the United States Football Association plans to open in the fall of 2009.

    "In my 12 years in the Arena Football League, this was one of the most debated and contentious issues that I've come across," Baker said of letting the Gladiators relocate.

    "(Las Vegas) is consistently one of our highest markets in terms of TV ratings. We thought we had a good start there. We've got a core of good fans."

    Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or (702) 387-2914.



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    Warren Willis Jr wrote on October 30, 2007 01:04 PM: Hey Big Fat Baker, don't bother bringing another bush league team back here. Fool us once, shame on you; fool us twice, shame on us!

    Granted, the Sting was never destined to work here, but the Gladiators had a good chance of succeeding with a decent owner.

    So since you worked so hard to get the Gladiators out of Vegas (along with our 2008 season tix money), don't bother coming back. Scrubs!


    Warren Willis Jr wrote on October 30, 2007 01:02 PM: So, the league even encouraged greaseball ferraro to move the Glads to Cleveland? Interesting. Now we know where else to send subpoenas to.

    Any season ticket holders not getting refunded for their 2008 payments interested in joining together for a class-action lawsuit against greaseball ferraro & the bush league office?


    ike wrote on October 17, 2007 05:38 PM: Hey Las Vegas fans, get in line! You will get your $$ from that jack-ass Ferraro after he pays everyone he screwed in New Jersey where he pulled the same crap. He was selling season tickets in NJ the SAME FRIGGIN DAY the office was packed up to move to Vegas. I was there and caught them red-handed with Mayflower trucks in the parking lot. Ferraro is a low-life and the AFL openly associates with this scum. Good riddance!


    Warren Willis Jr. wrote on October 16, 2007 08:44 PM: I could care less about any other arena league teams coming here...I've had it after this debacle with the Gladiators. The arena league should be renamed Bush League, because that's all it is...from the instability of many of the teams, to the HORRIBLE officiating during games, it's just BUSH LEAGUE. I'll never watch it again.


    Warren Willis Jr. wrote on October 16, 2007 08:42 PM: Pro sports WILL work here, as long as we have ownership who are committed to making a whole-hearted go at it. The UFL has a great business plan, and I can't wait to see when they come to town. Failed teams from the past suffered from problems stemming from outside Las Vegas, not because of it (except for the Canadian Football League team, the Posse...how can you play in 115-degree heat???).


    Warren Willis Jr wrote on October 16, 2007 08:40 PM: Did anybody ask that big fat piece of crap named David Baker how we 2008 season ticket holders are supposed to get our refunds, when we can't get through to anyone in the team office??? He'd better get us our refunds, or else it's personal lawsuit time (and chargeback time for credit card charges).


    Doug wrote on October 16, 2007 05:42 AM: Another black eye for professional sports in Las Vegas.If you build them,they won't come.Vegas is not the place for a full time sports francise of any kind, but an excellent place for finals and championship playoffs,although UFC fights and boxing do pretty well here.But thats not a full time full time activity and a casino/resort venue.