Valley close to scoring arena team

WASILLA — A Mat-Su man’s dream of bringing a professional indoor football franchise to the Valley is one step closer to becoming a reality.

Hans Deemer, who has spearheaded the effort to start a Valley-based professional organization, filed the official paperwork with the Indoor Football League. The letter of intent to bring a third IFL franchise to the 49th state — Anchorage’s Alaska Wild and the Fairbanks Grizzlies call Alaska home — also includes a nonrefundable application fee, IFL commissioner Tommy Benizio said by phone on Friday.

Benizio said the application does not guarantee that the Valley team, the Arctic Predators, will be the 20th franchise in the league, but the commissioner said he is excited about the prospect of having a third Alaska team in the IFL.

“We wouldn’t have agreed to the letter of intent if we didn’t feel like there was a very good chance this was going to move forward,” Benizio said.

Deemer shared a conference call with Benizio and league owners on Thursday, and the league voted to accept Deemer’s application. Benizio said he will now review the paperwork, which includes Deemer’s business plan, and expects a decision to be made in, “a few weeks.”

Prior to this past week, Deemer had expected to present his proposal to league owners in September, but he suddenly found himself putting the finishing touches on the application in mid-June.

“It’s one of the largest obstacles I think we’ll face, to be honest,” Deemer said.

Considering all of the work Deemer has already done, Benizio said the league opted to get an early start on the application.

“The Arctic Predators are so far along with the process, it made little sense to wait,” Benizio said. “Typically when we have a new membership application, you don’t have a dance team. You don’t have an agreement in principle with the arena. You don’t have a name. You don’t have a logo.”

Deemer is in talks with Bruce Urban, the recreation and cultural services manager for the city of Wasilla, about making the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Arena the home of the Predators.

“We’re in the discussion stage now,” Urban said on Friday. “It hasn’t been finalized, but we’re certainly hoping for that.”

Urban said he has presented Deemer with windows in the arena’s schedule. The Menard is already home to the Alaska Avalanche Junior A hockey franchise. The complex also caters to youth hockey and hosts various trade shows.

The Avs’ 2009-2010 schedule has already been released by the North American Hockey League, and their home dates are secure. Benizio said the IFL typically releases its schedule in November. Deemer said if there is potential conflict, the Predators could avoid it by playing on the road early in the season.

Regardless, Urban said the city is excited about the potential of the franchise coming to the Wasilla complex.

“It’s another use for our facility,” Urban said. “It comes at a great time of year when we are looking to put some more activities in our facility.”

Benizio has toured the Menard Arena, and likes what he sees from the facility which could potentially hold 2,200 football fans.

“The sightlines are terrific,” Benizio said. “It’s a really intimate (setting) and I have appreciation for that.”

Benizio said his background is in hockey, and feels Valley fans will appreciate the sport of indoor football.

“After becoming involved in this game, it opened my eyes to indoor football,” Benizio said. “It’s such an exciting brand of the sport. It’s nothing I experienced before. I think they will become instant fans.”

IFL teams play a 14-game regular season schedule, with seven home dates and seven road contests. Teams typically play on either Friday or Saturday, Benizio said, but the Alaska teams also have Thursday and Monday dates.

While Deemer waits for the final word, he said he will continue building an advertising and fan base. He’s been regularly seen in the community promoting the Predators at events such as Colony Days. He’s also used the social networking Web site myspace.com, and has more than 4,500 people listed as friends on his page.

Deemer said he is putting together a board of directors and is incorporating the help of business men and women who have “substantial,” roots in the Valley. He’s even made the first addition to his staff, Randy Magner, who was formerly the longtime head coach of the Colony High School football program.

The IFL was founded in 2008 when the Intense Football League and United Indoor Football League merged. There are currently 19 teams in 14 different states, spanning as far north as Alaska and as far east as Maryland.

Alaska, Texas and Michigan have multiple IFL teams.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.