I heard from some local realtors that a new expansion NFL team is coming to Panama City. Any one else heard this?
Nfl team coming to panama city?
- Thread starter beachbliss48
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Seems like I overheard someone saying that PC could handle an "expansion NFL team." Oh, wait, that came up after talking with the assistant to the owner of the expansion team being created in Atlanta, GA.
TooFarTampa
SoWal Insider
Without having any inside information I would say "not a chance." Remember that LA used to have two NFL teams, and now it has none.
There have been only four NFL expansion teams created since 1976, and the last two were to put new teams in markets abandoned by other NFL teams (Cleveland, Houston). LA is not getting an expansion franchise anytime soon. Top officials have said that 32 teams is more than enough -- as it is some of the talent is diluted. Also the costs to start a team are staggering.
It is possible that an indoor Arena Football League team could move to Panama City. The trouble is, the AFL canceled its 2009 season because its business model stinks. They are trying to retool it and may or may not fold. If it gets started again, I suppose a team like the Tampa Bay Storm could move to PC. The team has a fine history but is now a terrible draw because we have other things going on. However that is pure conjecture and I would think it would be more likely that the league will fold. And if you don't have a facility already in place, there is no reason to build one just for the Arena League.
Interesting rumor though. Wonder how it got started? I don't want to just reflexively blame the desperation of some realtors but ... seriously. Kind of sounds like desperation.
There have been only four NFL expansion teams created since 1976, and the last two were to put new teams in markets abandoned by other NFL teams (Cleveland, Houston). LA is not getting an expansion franchise anytime soon. Top officials have said that 32 teams is more than enough -- as it is some of the talent is diluted. Also the costs to start a team are staggering.
It is possible that an indoor Arena Football League team could move to Panama City. The trouble is, the AFL canceled its 2009 season because its business model stinks. They are trying to retool it and may or may not fold. If it gets started again, I suppose a team like the Tampa Bay Storm could move to PC. The team has a fine history but is now a terrible draw because we have other things going on. However that is pure conjecture and I would think it would be more likely that the league will fold. And if you don't have a facility already in place, there is no reason to build one just for the Arena League.
Interesting rumor though. Wonder how it got started? I don't want to just reflexively blame the desperation of some realtors but ... seriously. Kind of sounds like desperation.
I love it -- Arena Football in Ebro! You could bet on each play, coin toss, etc.
To get a top tier arena football team, you need a lot bigger population base. The biggest new team in that tier in recent years was Grand Rapids, which was considered borderline small for the league, and they've got 2 million people within an hour's drive of the arena. There has been a second level of arena football called AF2, and Pensacola had a team for a few seasons before they folded. Still you need a civic center/arena that seats at least 7K for AF2 and can be set up for the right size playing surface and it would be years before PC had something like that.
As for the NFL, Panama City is not Green Bay, and there are seriously 50 cities that it would make more sense to go into before there.
My guess would be that if there was truth underneath the rumor it would be either:
a) someone looking for a training camp site at the beach (Would the Gulf Coast CC campus have the right indoor practice facility?)
or
b) someone looking to put a serious semipro team together in the area
or
c) some mangled game of telephone because the Saints' coaches and front office staff recently had a retreat in the area.
As for the NFL, Panama City is not Green Bay, and there are seriously 50 cities that it would make more sense to go into before there.
My guess would be that if there was truth underneath the rumor it would be either:
a) someone looking for a training camp site at the beach (Would the Gulf Coast CC campus have the right indoor practice facility?)
or
b) someone looking to put a serious semipro team together in the area
or
c) some mangled game of telephone because the Saints' coaches and front office staff recently had a retreat in the area.
TooFarTampa
SoWal Insider
I can see it, actually.
TooFarTampa
SoWal Insider
At least!
I think "b" might be the most likely. Nice conjecture though. And I had forgotten all about the AF2. Are you a closet Arena fan Beachmouse?
I don't watch much football, but I think Arena Football is much more fun to watch than regular football.
I've seen a couple games here and there, and I think AFL has got a fun product to watch. Hope they make it back after the hiatus since their game is a unique niche in American sport.
