The Xtreme Football League will begin its inaugural 16-
game indoor football season in April 2000, which will run
through August. The operating budgets for the nine teams
are estimated to be between $550,000-650,000. In announcing
the league yesterday in Birmingham, AL, league execs said
that teams could break even with an average attendance of
between 4,500-5,500 per game, and an average ticket price of
$9-10. The nine team owners are: Birmingham, Jacksonville
and Pensacola -- The Berkman Group: Charles Felix, Bruce
Burge and Dave Berkman; Greenville -- ScheerSports: Carl
Scheer; Tallahassee -- Centennial Management: Dave Elmore
and Donna Tuttle; Huntsville (AL) -- Clarkson Sports
Management: Art Clarkson; Roanoke -- Feurstein Sports Group:
Harry Feurstein; Norfolk -- Bruce Smith and Ken Easley;
Richmond -- Roanoke Express Hockey, Dick Yancey (Xtreme).
I GO TO XTREMES: In Jacksonville, Michael DiRocco wrote
that the league is headed by Huntsville Owner & Acting
Commissioner Art Clarkson. The league will require a
$75,000 franchise fee while owners will be required to
provide a letter of credit, financial statements, resumes
and references to go along with annual dues of $25,000.
Teams also must have a "minimum three-year lease agreement"
with a facility that holds at least 6,000 (FL TIMES-UNION,
4/20). Asked to compare his league to the AFL, Clarkson
said that the Xtreme league is "leaning more toward taking
the outdoor game indoors. We'll have offensive and
defensive teams with no nets." Clarkson added that the
league is "working on a TV deal," although the XFL could
"survive without TV." Clarkson: "There's not one minor-
league sport that's television generated." In Birmingham,
Doug Segrest called Fox Sports Net a possible TV partner
(BIRMINGHAM NEWS, 4/20). A search for a permanent
commissioner is underway. Owner Bruce Burge: "This isn't a
minor league. We're not taking a back seat to the Arena
League. We're going for the best available players" (AP,
4/21). In Jacksonville, Michael DiRocco writes that The
Berkman Group is faced with "the tasks" of hiring a staff,
signing players and negotiating an arena lease before
February's draft. The Group has a deal with SMG to
negotiate a three-year lease for the inaugural season at the
Jacksonville Coliseum (FL TIMES-UNION, 4/21).
