Jump to content

Arena Football in Greenville

RestedTraveler

Recommended Posts

RestedTraveler Metropolis

RestedTraveler

Posted
Posted

Will Arena Football ever return to the Bi-Lo Center?

We've already had a couple of Arena Football Teams call Greenville Home:

  • CarolinaRhinos1.GIF
  • Team: The Carolina Rhinos

  • League: AF2

  • Seasons: 3

  • Years: 2000-2002

  • Record: 27-22

  • GreenvilleRiverhawks.GIF
  • Team: The Greenville Riverhawks

  • League: NIFL

  • Seasons: 1 (Shortened)

  • Years: 2004

  • Record: 0-4

**The NIFL Greenville Riverhawks' 2004 season ended after 4 games and before they could play even one at the Bi-Lo Center.

I'm wondering what our chances are of ever having Arena Football return to the Bi-Lo Center. What factors led to the demise of the Carolina Rhinos? Why did the Riverhawks fail to take flight in Greenville? What things were done poorly in both situations and what could be done to improve a team's viability in this market?

Any thoughts?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 56
  • Created
  • Last Reply
goodbye Metropolitan Area

goodbye

Posted
Posted

I know many people who are wondering the exact same thing. In the Rhino's case, it was a colapse within the entire league. If our minor league sports were publicized everywhere in and around town, I don't think it would be so difficult to get people in to watch. I often wonder who will take the next big step to bring major sporting events/venues into Greenville. Scheer did a mamoth amount of work to get the Bi-Lo Center and hockey team from dream into reality, but his days here seem to be over. We need progressive-minded individuals in positions of power at the City government level to take the lead. Other than that, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to form a petition by citizens desiring more sports options year-round. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
GSP Tiger Burg

GSP Tiger

Posted
Posted

I wonder if Greenville can handle an AFL team.

Idea: Upstart a regional arena football league with teams in Asheville, Charleston, Charlotte, Columbia, Fayetteville, Greenville, Myrtle Beach and Raleigh. If the new league has instant success and all franchises are stable into the first two seasons, expand into Georgia and Virginia.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Greenville City

Greenville

Posted
Posted

I think part of the problem with residents supporting these teams is the stigma of them being "minor league" teams. It's not that our teams are not talented, because they usually are. They also tend to be quite competitive. The experience of attending is fun, and I do not think the cost is a prohibitive factor most of the time. Most people simply don't care enough to get behind a team that they consider to be at a lower level of competition. Whether that is right or not, I don't know.

I do think, however, that a city's support (or lack of support) for a minor league team probably has little correlation to how it would support a professional team of the highest level (e.g., NFL, NBA, NHL, etc.).

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Spartan Gigalopolis

Spartan

Posted
Posted

Having two failures, I do not know if Greenville's capable of having a future arena football team. There must be enough interest to support it and strongwilled leaders to organize an effort to land a franchise.

Is there still interest in arena football?

I think the problem is that there is little interest in arena football. It seems like this sport is being forced on people. It isn't exactly a 'phenomenon' that came out of nowhere.... its more like a sport that was invented specifically to make money. With other sports (baseball, basketball, etc), they are about having fun or a challenge (well, in their beginings anyway).

Link to comment
Share on other sites
whitehourseview Burg

whitehourseview

Posted
Posted

Football is VERY important to the Upstate.

Tens of thousands attend high school games on Friday night, spending hundreds a year.

Tens of thousands attend games at Clemson, South Carolina, Georgia, Furman, etc. I would expect somewhere in the nieghborhood of 50 to 60 thousand Greenville county residents are in Pickens, Richland, and Clarke (GA) counties at Div. I football games on Saturday's in the fall.

For college ball, some spend hundreds. Others tens of thousands on parking, seating, tailgating, traveling to away games. A Clemson IPTAY member will spend, on average, over $1,500.00 at minimum to attend a season's home schedule at Death Valley, add extra if he wants to go to a bowl game or a road contest, which many thousands do. Same for USC or Georgia or for a few thousand, Furman. All these big time programs are under tremendous pressure to increase ticket and booster club prices, which the fan is stepping up, however reluctantly, to pay.

Greenville is within a hundred mile radius of three football stadiums that average seating over 80,000.

For those faithful football fans who want more, the Carolina Panthers and the Atlanta Falcons are a two hour drive away.

Adding minor league, indoor football to this mix is a terribly difficult sale. For many folks, either their football loyalties are already decided, or its very, very hard to convince the football fan consumer to add one more entry to his busy and expensive spectator sport hobby.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Greenville City

Greenville

Posted
Posted

Good points, whitehourseview. That is why I think that it will take a professional team of the highest level (e.g., NFL football) to win over Greenville residents. While I am sure Greenville will not be a realistic NFL candidate for quite some time, I do think we would support a team fairly well. What do you guys think?

Just for fun, where would the Greenville NFL franchise build its stadium? Is there any space downtown, or would it need to be somewhere else?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
GvilleSC Megalopolis

GvilleSC

Posted
Posted

Good points, whitehourseview. That is why I think that it will take a professional team of the highest level (e.g., NFL football) to win over Greenville residents. While I am sure Greenville will not be a realistic NFL candidate for quite some time, I do think we would support a team fairly well. What do you guys think?

Just for fun, where would the Greenville NFL franchise build its stadium? Is there any space downtown, or would it need to be somewhere else?

Hmmmm! Interesting!

I can't think of a good place anywhere downtown! Midtown would be a cool place for sure, but there's no room! Actually the absolute best place would be the LEC! That would be an awesome sight driving into Greenville. You could some how manage parking around this area I'd think... The Point would be a cool place for it too-- I just remember the renderings from the proposed new G-Braves stadium along 85... it was awesome. There'd be great exposure, large amount of room for parking (MAYBE? depending on development in the area), but we all know that that's not what Woodruff Road needs. haha

Link to comment
Share on other sites
adrockc2 Whistle-Stop

adrockc2

Posted
Posted

I've been looking at their website and just have to say this is the exact opposite of what I would expect from a semi pro sports team in what appears to be a reputable league. I wish them luck and hope they can make it work. That being said, I have my doubts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
RestedTraveler Metropolis

RestedTraveler

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I could be wrong, but I believe the Greenville Greyhounds have been around at least three or four years. I'm surprised y'all haven't heard of them by now. They used to play at Sirrine Stadium, too, if I recall correctly? :unsure: They're not Arena Football though, but are still worth mentioning.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Danmire Hamlet

Danmire

Posted
Posted

I could be wrong, but I believe the Greenville Greyhounds have been around at least three or four years. I'm surprised y'all haven't heard of them by now. They used to play at Sirrine Stadium, too, if I recall correctly? :unsure: They're not Arena Football though, but are still worth mentioning.

Last year they played down at Sterling Field near St. Francis Hospital. We used to have to share time with them for Rugby down there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.