Hammer Drops: Teams Lay Off Staffs

Adam Markowitz
Monday December 15, 2008

On the heels of the Arena Football League’s darkest hour, several staffs around the league have been disbanded.

In a press release, the Grand Rapids Rampage stating the following:

“The Rampage community and media relations representative position will remain during the transition period with other Rampage front office positions to be laid off as the work is complete in the coming weeks.”

Grand Rapids said it would refund all season ticket holders and pre-paid corporate sponsors, and that coaching contracts will remain in tact.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer is reporting that at least six employees of the Cleveland Gladiators lost their jobs as a part of the suspended year.  Former Director of Media Relations Phil Tesar told the Plain Dealer, “I wanted to let everyone know that Monday, December 15, 2008 is my last day with the Gladiators.  I was let go from the organization when the announcement from the AFL Office came out about suspending the 2009 season.”

General Manager Mike Levy told the Plain Dealer that the Gladiators were going to a “skeleton staff.”

Websites for the Georgia Force, New Orleans VooDoo, and Utah Blaze have all been removed from operation.  In a press release, the Force commented, “We have a very talented group of associates, and we are sorry to see them go.  We hope to have the opportunity to work with many of them again in the future.” 

Sources have told ArenaFan that the staffs for the Force, VooDoo, Blaze, Kansas City Brigade, and Philadelphia Soul have also all been relieved of their duties during the suspension period.

ArenaFan will continue to update news as it becomes available.

ArenaFan staff and reporters aided in the compilation of this report.