Milwaukee Iron

StormHawkeye · Joined: 15 Apr 2005 Location: SILVER SPRING MD

Milwaukee may have an af2 team at the Bradley Center.

The team will be known as the Milwaukee Iron and will begin in 2009.

Good luck Milwaukee!
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LEONARD "HAWKEYE" WEIRICH
TAMPA BAY STORM FAN SINCE 1991
FAN OF THE af2 SPOKANE SHOCK SINCE 2006

graz2cj · Joined: 21 Mar 2008 Location: UDEL

Why not just use the name "Mustangs"? I really liked the purple/pink helmets back in the day. I am sure it will be able draw numbers up there but I think the purple/pink works. I mean the Voodoo use it in the AFL and the FireCats have purple as a secondary color, something you would not expect when their nickname is the FireCats.

I guess I am just trying to emphasize the saying that: "Real men wear pink!" Except in this case I am rooting for the purple to take storm in the arena football league.
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"The Fifty Yard Indoor War"

Sec. 216 Row 2 Seat 10

Sec19Row53 · Joined: 08 Jun 2004 Location: Oconomowoc, WI

Milwaukee Iron = Harley Davidson. Look for the colors to be black and orange.
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A new league; a shorter drive

StormHawkeye · Joined: 15 Apr 2005 Location: SILVER SPRING MD

Here is the link from the Journal Sentinel regarding the Milwailee Iron:

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=730567
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LEONARD "HAWKEYE" WEIRICH
TAMPA BAY STORM FAN SINCE 1991
FAN OF THE af2 SPOKANE SHOCK SINCE 2006

graz2cj · Joined: 21 Mar 2008 Location: UDEL

Ok so now this raises two questions for me. If they are adding a team in Milwaukee is there going to be any opposition to it from the Green Bay Blizzard front office? Obviously they do not have to deal with any of the television rights, but what about radio? I am sure the games will be announced on the radio for both teams. The expansion will of course give rise to an in-state rivalry, but at what cost to the development of both franchises? Are there enough people in both cities that want to attend both teams?

And secondly, could either of the teams now move up to AFL like the Wranglers moved down this year? Obviously they want a team up there when the Mustangs were there in the mid-90's. The attendance was astronomical and the game was well recieved, but with the prospect of there being two teams in the area there is going to be some strife as to which team will be promoted.

This is all hypothetical of course. The AFL might not be planning to add a franchise in Milwaukee, and instead keep those two teams in the af2. At the end of the day I am simply speculating and looking for answers.

Gazza
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"The Fifty Yard Indoor War"

Sec. 216 Row 2 Seat 10

Ewok · Joined: 22 Sep 2007

Nice to have the team, I hope they kept the receipt on the name....because that thing needs to be changed.

Sec19Row53 · Joined: 08 Jun 2004 Location: Oconomowoc, WI

Sec19Row53 · Joined: 08 Jun 2004 Location: Oconomowoc, WI

Brian Noble posted this on the AFL Boards:

Let me clear things up here a little, I have nothing to do with this group and from MY understanding....this was an approval for the Madison Market..not Milwaukee. There might be some issues that need to be settled prior to this being final! I have worked very hard trying to establish that market for an AFL team and right now the financial business model needs to be tweaked a little before I'll drop the $20,000,000.00 their asking for a team. I would still and are still looking to get that done but at the right price and under the right circumstances. The MIlwaukee market has the chance to be one of the most successful cities in arena football. I have spoken with Drew and Joe about this and would hope that although they are intent on doing this, it only complicates my actions in securing an AFL team. For us(Green Bay)it would mean an opponant instate and would also give us a very good division but for my ultimate goal, it makes things a little more difficult. This has been and from what I have understood is an AFL market! I will leave it at that. I realize that this has been talked about for the better part of three years but I hope you guys can appreciate that the cost of doing business in the AFL has been high and having to tell my friends that I lost ?_umpteen million dollars might not set too well. I was hoping that some of the issues that I have been waiting for to get resolved(i.e. salaries, union issues, ect.)before I made the purchase wouldve been done but oh well. There is still alot of time between now and 2009.
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A new league; a shorter drive

malepig · Joined: 05 Aug 2002 Location: Fort Myers, FL

I have been asked if the Firecats will be moving to Milwaukee and the answer is right now I don't know. That is a question that has to be answered though.
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If you hate me, its only because you are jealous and inferior to me.

Adam Markowitz...AFL crybaby of the year

Where's the lawsuit????? HAHAHAHA

Caballo Diablo · Joined: 18 Jul 2007

There's a RUMOR an ownership group is investigating the possibility of putting an af2 team in Jacksonville next season.

StormHawkeye · Joined: 15 Apr 2005 Location: SILVER SPRING MD

That would be interesting.

Jacksonville were among the original af2 teams when the af2 got started in 2000.
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LEONARD "HAWKEYE" WEIRICH
TAMPA BAY STORM FAN SINCE 1991
FAN OF THE af2 SPOKANE SHOCK SINCE 2006

Ewok · Joined: 22 Sep 2007

ColdBlizzard · Joined: 11 Feb 2003 Location: Eau Claire, WI

Actually, I think there would definitely be a strong market for an af2 team playing at the Kohl Center in Madison. The Madison Mallards of the NWL (an NCAA sanctioned summer baseball league) play at Warner Park and easily average over 6,000 fans per game over the course of a 32 game Summer schedule. This coming from a university town that doesn't have an NCAA baseball program and has had a lot of tough luck with minor league baseball teams over the years.

Now, this isn't necessarily the best comparison when it comes to football, but it does show their is definite interest in minor league sports in a city that's roughly 5 times the size of the city of Green Bay. You don't think in a town, where there is a Big Ten college football program that is heavily supported, wouldn't take to an af2 team during the slower late spring and summer months once the college basketball and hockey seasons are over? If the Blizzard can survive for going on their 6th season in a market the size of Green Bay (admittedly not without a few bumps in the road), I think the Madison area fans would definitely get behind a local af2 team if given the chance.

Now that being said, I understand why they would want to put an af2 team in Milwaukee. The Mustangs drew very well in the 90's, and getting the proverbial Arena Football foot in the door with af2 could eventually lead to an AFL team finally returning to Wisconsin. Frankly, I'm geting sick of having to root for the Rush since they're the closest AFL team to me. :P

Ewok · Joined: 22 Sep 2007

Madison's reputation as a minor-league graveyard is what makes me hesitate. Technically the Mallards aren't even minor league, but rather members of a summer collegiate (read amateur) league. It might work, but history indicates it wouldn't.

StormHawkeye · Joined: 15 Apr 2005 Location: SILVER SPRING MD

At least give Madison a chance. If Madison can support the NCAA Wisconsin Badgers, then it deserves a chance to support an af2 team.
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LEONARD "HAWKEYE" WEIRICH
TAMPA BAY STORM FAN SINCE 1991
FAN OF THE af2 SPOKANE SHOCK SINCE 2006

Sec19Row53 · Joined: 08 Jun 2004 Location: Oconomowoc, WI

only1scratch · Joined: 16 Jun 2008

StormHawkeye · Joined: 15 Apr 2005 Location: SILVER SPRING MD

Not unless Daytona Beach ceases operations.
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LEONARD "HAWKEYE" WEIRICH
TAMPA BAY STORM FAN SINCE 1991
FAN OF THE af2 SPOKANE SHOCK SINCE 2006

only1scratch · Joined: 16 Jun 2008

StormHawkeye · Joined: 15 Apr 2005 Location: SILVER SPRING MD

I can check for you, if you wish.
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LEONARD "HAWKEYE" WEIRICH
TAMPA BAY STORM FAN SINCE 1991
FAN OF THE af2 SPOKANE SHOCK SINCE 2006