The Baltimore Blackbirds, the city?s American Indoor FootballAssociation team, have been kicked out of the league, according to the league?s owner, John Morris.
Morris said the first-year franchise was expelled from the league because of breach of contract, but John Wolfe, the Blackbirds vice president said the team decided to leave to pursue an opportunity to compete in another league.
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“We?ve had communications back and forth, and unfortunately we?re not able to reach an agreement outside the original agreement,” Morris said. “The terms of the contract were not met. I?ve been advised to not get into any more than that. It?s simply a breech of contract. We?re going to exercise our rights to take back that territory.”
Wolfe disagrees — as he claimed the team has been contacted by another league — but refused to reveal which one because of ongoing contract negotiations.
“We appreciate the opportunity the AIFA provided us to play our inaugural season in their league, but at this time we feel there are other leagues that are more established, have greater history and better meet our business model,” Wolfe said in a statement. “Our goal is to provide the fans of Baltimore the best possible indoor football product and we feel this move will enable us to have that opportunity.”
Morris refused to comment when asked how the Blackbirds breached their contract.
Wolfe wants the team to remain in Baltimore and continue to use 1st Mariner Arena for its home games in 2008. However, the AIFA holds the lease regarding arena football played at the arena and would have to give the Blackbirds permission to use the facility, Wolfe said.
The Blackbirds finished 1-12 this season.
“We are hopeful, for the sake of the thousands of fans who attended are games at the arena last season, that we can reach a lease agreement with 1st Mariner,” Wolfe said. “1st Mariner provided excellent support in our inaugural season, and we feel the fans of Baltimore deserve to see us back in 2008.”
Morris said expelling the Blackbirds was his last option. Morris said AIFA officials are working on developing a new ownership group with the intent of fielding a team at 1st Mariner Arena for the 2008 season.
“If anybody knows about this town and how the fans support their local sports, it?s me,” said Morris, a Baltimore native. “It?s a tough decision when you have to do something like this. There comes a time where you have to make a business decision for the good of our league and the good of the city.”
On July 17, it was reported by The Examiner that due to a lack of funding, the Blackbirds? players and coaches had not been paid for the final two games of the season, which concluded on June 1.
Blackbirds owner Alexander Austin, who originally set a July 15 deadline for the owed compensation, pushed that date back to Sept. 1.
“I don?t think there?s any secret right now with some of the press out there that things are not going well,” Morris said. “We had to make this decision.”
Chris Simpson, who served as the team?s head coach and director of player personnel, stepped down from his posts on Friday, citing personal and professional reasons.
Following his resignation, Simpson said he didn?t envision a bright future for the Blackbirds.
“Based on what I?ve heard, it?s not going in the right way,” Simpson said. “Depending on what happens, there may be a chance I?ll be back coaching in Baltimore.”
ONLINE TODAY: What will happen to the Baltimore Blackbirds?
