April 1999

Local sports entrepreneur Art Clarkson will serve as acting Commissioner of the league as well as own the Tennessee Valley (Huntsville, AL) franchise. Clarkson is responsible for bringing back both baseball and hockey to Birmingham years ago when he organized the Birmingham Barons and the Birmingham Bulls. Both teams are still in operation. Clarkson is no longer involved with either franchise, however. Clarkson said, "We're leaning more toward taking the outside game indoors. We'll have offensive and defensive teams with no nets. We are going to entertain people. That's the bottom line." Plans are to have eight players on a side from each team, a twenty-two man roster and a sixteen game schedule. The field size will be 200-feet long and 85-feet wide. Also, each team in the league will have territorial rights to former players from local colleges. Clarkson said, "We have to have a common draft, territorial rights and be in a position where you don't get into a bidding war over players. Once you do that, you're out of business." The league will be divided into two geographical divisions and a two-tiered postseason playoff will determine the league champion. Ticket prices are expected to average around $10. Games will be played on Friday and Saturday nights.

The Birmingham team will be owned by David Berkman, Charles Felix and Bruce Burge, the same ownership group that purchased the Birmingham Bulls of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) from Clarkson last year. The group will also own the Jacksonville (FL) and Pensacola (FL) franchises. Felix said no nickname, colors or logos have been chosen for the Birmingham team yet. "The people are the best ones to name the team," he said. "We're going to have a contest and hope to select a name within the next 60 days."

Clarkson named the cities that have already committed: Birmingham, Greenville (SC), Tennessee Valley (Huntsville, AL), Jacksonville, Norfolk (VA), Pensacola, Richmond (VA), Roanoke (VA) and Tallahassee (FL). Other cities that may join the league include: Charleston (SC), Fayetteville (NC), Winston-Salem (NC). While most of the teams will be owned by current ECHL owners, many of them have failed in other sporting endeavors before. Their Eastern Indoor Soccer League folded last season after just two years of action. Clarkson said, "We're going to have some fun with this thing. That's the idea of the league. If the teams remember people want to have fun, they'll be successful."

Franchises in the new league, now going for $75,000, will be owned in part or in whole mostly by existing ECHL owners. This will allow those owners to use their hockey teams' support and office staff to reduce costs. Maximum team budgets will be around $600,000, which is roughly half of most Arena Football League (AFL) budgets. Each team needs to average at least 5,000 fans per game to break even.

The XFL will face some stiff competition next year. The AFL plans to organize their own minor league called arenafootball2 (af2), that would play in smaller markets. In addition, the Indoor Professional Football League (IPFL) operates franchises from Baton Rouge to Hawaii. Another problem for the XFL could be securing a television deal. ESPN shows AFL games, while springs at Fox are filled with Major League Baseball. "We're working on a TV deal," Clarkson said. "Certainly, you can survive without TV. There's not a minor-league sport that's television-generated. We've got to be arena-driven."

June 1999

July 1999

The XFL teams from Birmingham, Greenville (SC), Tennessee Valley (Huntsville, AL), Jacksonville, Norfolk (VA), Pensacola, Richmond (VA), Roanoke (VA) and Tallahassee (FL) would be joining the previously committed AF2 teams from Little Rock, Oklahoma City, Quad Cities (IL/IA) and Tulsa (OK). It is expected that Shreveport and Ft. Myers (FL) will join the af2 in 2001. There are also six other cities under consideration for franchises. Only two of those cities will be approved and will be named after ArenaBowl XIII. The XFL members each paid $150,000 to enter the af2.

Mary Ellen Garling, AFL vice president of league development and executive director of af2, said, "Geographically and competitively, it makes sense. These markets form a solid southeastern region from which our product can expand and it also allows for competitive football with other regions. I am proud of the entire 2000 ownership group who represent a premiere class of operators and will build the solid foundation of arenafootball2."

According to owner Charles Felix, merger discussions had been taking place even before the XFL's formation was announced in April but only became final earlier in the week. Felix said, "The AFL came to us. At first, we were miles apart, but we worked out the economic differences. The big thing is the AFL understands the middle-tier market, like we do. It makes sense not to compete with each other."

arenafootball2 teams would operate in arenas with seating capacity between 6,000 to 12,000. Teams will operate under AFL rules and operating procedures, and travel to games by bus. Regular season and playoff games would span May to August, concurrent with the AFL schedule, but conclude at least one week prior to the ArenaBowl, the AFL's championship game. The AFL has patented their game system for the rebound nets, sideboards, and equipment. The teams will play a regular season of eighteen games followed by divisional playoffs. The divisional playoffs will determine the two participants for the inaugural ArenaCup.

On February 8, 1999, the National Football League (NFL) acquired an exclusive option to purchase up to 49.9 percent of the Arena Football League. The option can be exercised over the next three years, and is subject to the approval of NFL owners. NFL owners were given the chance to purchase AFL expansion teams for $3 million. Other investors will pay at least $5 million. However, the af2 is not part of the NFL agreement.

August 1999

At the same press conference, former University of Alabama running back Bobby Humphrey was named as the head coach. He will also serve as director of player personnel. Birmingham is the first af2 team to hire a coach. Humphrey, 33 and a native of Birmingham, was a two-time All-American and still holds the title of all-time leading rusher at Alabama. Professionally, he played with the Denver Broncos in 1989-1991, the Miami Dolphins in 1992 and the Buffalo Bills in 1995. While with the Broncos, Humphrey was the NFL's 1989 Rookie-of-the-Year and played in the 1990 Super Bowl. He has had no prior coaching experience. On his coaching future, Humphrey said, "I've never been so nervous in my life. I've stood up in front of hundreds of reporters at the Super Bowl, and I wasn't as nervous as I am today. I just don't know what to expect. I never expected to be here as a head coach. You start asking me questions about how I'm going to coach, what am I going to do on fourth-and-inches? Well, I don't know. I've not faced a lot of fourth-and-inches. I've always been the one running the play. Someone else was making the decisions. This is a big opportunity for me. What better place to be than right here among the people who watched you play in high school, in college and in the pros? It was an opportunity I just couldn't pass up. Ten, fifteen years ago, I could have never seen myself doing this. But I've got a burning desire to coach. I'm going to make the best of this opportunity, unlike some of those that I have blown in the past."

December 1999

Steeldogs Head Coach Bobby Humphrey said one of the eight players he has signed was concerned about the impact of the SFL on the af2. "My main reaction is that it's somewhat of a competition, if this thing does pan out," Humphrey said. af2 teams will only have 18 active and 3 reserve players, which means the SFL shouldn't have much impact on af2 rosters. Humphrey is signing Birmingham natives or players with ties to the state. The SFL will be conducting an invitation-only scouting combine in Tempe, Arizona  in late January. "I'm thinking these guys are not going to be just local guys," Humphrey said. Felix also commented by saying, "I'm not sure who these players are going to be."

January 2000

The af2's Director of Communications and Sponsor Relations, Matthew Eres, said, "We think the rivalry between Birmingham and Tennessee Valley will be strong, kind of like the Orlando Predators and Tampa Bay Storm (of the Arena Football League). They are 100 miles from each other, and we think it's a great way to kick off the inaugural season. It's an historic game for the new league."

March 2000

June 2000

The new playoff schedule begins with quarterfinals on August 1st or 2nd, semifinals on August 5th or 6th and the Arena Bowl on August 10th.

August 2000

September 2000

Garling said she and Bouchy first met with IFL founder and league owner Keary Ecklund a year ago to discuss a possible merger or purchase. Since then, she said, "Brett has maintained a strong interest in the Peoria market. It would not surprise me if they are talking." But, Garling said, "In terms of confirming or denying a deal, that is between Brett and Peoria." In order for the two leagues to come together, however, af2 and AFL approval would be required. "We would have a lot of hurdles to jump through before we get to that place," Garling said. It is not known whether the merger could be accommodated for the league schedule next year.

Still, af2 expansion is an ongoing priority. The af2 debuted with 15 teams last year and during the season announced plans to expand to 24 by next spring's kickoff. The league also has targeted an expansion to 40-plus teams as a goal within the next several years.

The IFL fielded 21 teams last year, with most of the markets based in the Midwest. Foster said many of those would make a sensible Midwest loop for af2, which currently consists of markets in the Southeast that are too far for the Steamwheelers to reach by bus. The IFL markets that might succeed in af2 are Peoria, Wichita, Topeka, Lincoln, Bismarck, Fargo, Sioux Falls, Green Bay, Madison and La Crosse.

The IFL is owned by Ecklund, with the single exception of the locally owned franchise in Lincoln.

October 2000

With the purchase, the af2 will become one of the largest leagues in professional sports. All 15 teams from last season will be back to compete in the 2001 season along with expansion teams in Fort Myers (FL), Lafayette (LA), Bossier City (LA), Memphis (TN), Macon (GA), and (pending arena lease approval) Louisville (KY). League officials indicated they would prefer to form four divisions with eight or nine teams in each. ''We would like to bring in a maximum of thirty-six teams and a minimum of thirty-two,'' Garling said.

 "This is a momentous day for arenafootball2. The acquisition of the IFL gives arenafootball2 the ability to grow and generate a new fan base that has never been exposed to the game of Arena Football, while continuing our expansion goal of reducing travel expenses and creating natural geographical rivalries," Garling said.

"We're proud that the Indoor Football League can add an important building block to arenafootball2. By combining these leagues we can offer the greatest number of fans the best opportunity for their long term enjoyment of Arena Football. We think the excitement and support we've generated in IFL markets will blend well with the existing teams in af2," said former IFL owner and founder Keary Ecklund.

''We want to make sure arena football is there today, tomorrow and 10 years from now,'' said Garling.

The Baton Rouge franchise is owned by the AFL's Tampa Bay Storm. Tampa Bay also owns the expansion Lafayette (LA) Roughnecks.

The Rochester franchise will be owned by the AFL's Buffalo Destroyers.

The Peoria Pirates went undefeated and won the IFL championship last year.

"We are thrilled to have these six new teams in the fold for the 2001 season," said af2 Executive Director Mary Ellen Garling. "To have four AFL owners as well as two proven sports operators, all with a successful track record, adds a tremendous amount of credibility while allowing us to further our goal of bringing the game of Arena Football to small to mid-sized communities through coast to coast expansion."

All of the original fifteen teams from last season will be back to compete in the 2001 season.

December 2000

"We have signed off on an assignment agreement with a new owner. It is making its way through their processes," Poe said. He also said the deal should be completed this week and would not affect the team's current agreement with the BJCC. 

Owners Charles Felix, David Berkman and Bruce Burge have called a press conference for Wednesday. When questioned on the sale, Felix was evasive. "Wednesday will be an update on the Steeldogs, on a lot of topics. We really haven't done anything for the press in a while as far as the Steeldogs are concerned," Felix said. He did say the owners had entertained offers for the team, but nothing was final.

The ownership group still own two other af2 teams, the Jacksonville Tomcats and the Pensacola Barracudas, as well as the East Coast Hockey League's Birmingham Bulls and Pensacola Ice Pilots.  

The sale will give former majority owner David Berkman more time and energy to devote to his hockey teams in Pensacola and Birmingham. "David can direct his passion now toward the Bulls without having to have the concern or decision making relating to the two teams here. He can really focus on the hockey team. And his passion is for hockey," Felix said.

The Umbergers have been searching for an af2 franchise to buy for the last six months. "We chose Birmingham for several reason: A great history of football, a great front-office staff, super coaches and excitement. We feel it's the right city and team and we want to do our part to deliver a product you can be proud of. I can assure you there are better returns on an investment than football. I'm doing this because I love football and what's going on with arenafootball2 is exciting. I have a reputation for being able to see ahead of the curve. We could have bought several teams, but this, we think, was the best opportunity for us. There is a void for entertainment here. This is football country. To me, it made good business sense. There's a lot of upside here," Umberger said.

The former owners of the Steeldogs, Felix, Berkman and Burge, will retain ownership of the ECHL's Birmingham Bulls franchise. However, there is speculation that Umberger will have the option to buy the Birmingham Bulls at a later date. "I want to be a player in this town. I want to put on an event Birmingham can call its own. The opportunities are there to take this in a lot of different directions," Umberger said.

April 2001

December 2001

The Steamwheelers will not have their 2000 and 2001 titles stripped, but the league is clearly keeping an eye on the team, which has a 37-1 record over the past two seasons.

"The commissioner will continue to watch the operation," af2 spokesman Ron Deuter said. "You can probably compare it to a situation with a college team."

January 2002

King began wooing Umberger at a golf tournament late last fall. Even at a meeting with King and Myers last month, Umberger said he wasn't thinking about selling the team. 

"I thought we were throwing our name in the hat," King said. "I said to Scott, the worst thing that can happen is that he knows we're interested, if he ever gets in position to sell. We knew he was from Jacksonville, and had an outside shot (there). We never knew he owned the Jacksonville team as well."

But Umberger had tired of operating the Steeldogs from Jacksonville, and chose the Tomcats as his main focus. It also doesn't hurt that Jacksonville is in line for an Arena League team when the city's new coliseum opens in 2003, and Umberger has expressed a desire to be involved with an Arena franchise.

Both King and Myers previously had ties to professional sports in Birmingham. In 1991 and 1992, King played for the World League of American Football's Birmingham Fire. Myers has worked previously with the Birmingham Fire as well as the East Coast Hockey League's Birmingham Bulls. It was during their time with the Fire that King and Myers formed a relationship and shared a mutual dream of one day owning a team of their own. 

"It's ironic, but ten years ago, Scott and I were sitting at an arena football game in Orlando and we thought this would be a great game for Birmingham. This is a dream come true for me and I look forward to continuing the standard the Steeldogs have set in the af2," said King.

During his second season with the Fire, King tore the arch in his foot and retired from professional football. Later that year, he ventured into the pharmaceutical industry, concentrating on sales and business development. After five years, King started his own company, CTEX Pharmaceuticals, Inc. In 2001, CTEX was acquired by ANDRX Corporation. He is currently the Chairman/CEO of Athlon Pharmaceuticals. King will be the team's financial backing, while Myers will handle day-to-day operations.

"We have a variety of goals, but they essentially boil down to two," Myers said. "Lead the league in attendance, and win the ArenaCup championship. That's what we intend to do this year."

April 2002

March 2003

April 2003

March 2004

November 2004

Pythons owner Art Clarkson is excited about the league's chances. "We have a chance to take indoor football to another level," Clarkson said.

Some speculate the main reason for Tennessee Valley and Peoria's exit from the af2 is the $50,000 fee each franchise must pay to the Arena Football League each year. 

According to a league press release, eight of the twelve teams have been in business four years or more. Nine of the teams come from the National Indoor Football League while Dayton is the lone expansion team.

"When you say it's a new league, it's really not a new league," Clarkson said. "This is going to be a very stable league. We are going to keep this thing fiscally responsible."

Each UIF franchise will play a fifteen-game regular season schedule with eight home games. The season will run from March through July with playoffs to follow. The playoff format has yet to be determined. Neither has the pay scale. In fact, most everything about the league has yet to be decided. 

"This is an ongoing process," Clarkson said. "The league is still being formed. Next year is going to be interesting."

April 2005

August 2005

"After six seasons we decided not to renew Bobby's contract for the 2006 season. We made the decision early on that we were not going to make any changes until after the season. You hope that you don't have to make these decisions," King said.

King said he and Myers had hope that at some point Humphrey would get the season turned around, which factored into their choice not to make a change during the season. "The decisions we made last year, coaching changes at the assistant level, we had hoped that would get us into a position to get into the playoffs and to a championship. It turned out we ended up 2-14. There's only one other way to look at it at that point," King said.

No replacement has been hired, but the team will make a decision as soon as possible. "We'll open it up to anyone. But most likely the candidates at the top of the list will be the ones with (Arena Football League) or af2 experience. They will have arena football coaching experience. It's hard to come into this league with no arena league experience and coach," King said.

Humphrey leaves with a 51-50 record during his six year coaching career. He has coached in the af2 longer than anyone else. His 51 victories are a league record.

"It's a hard decision because he's such as class guy," King said. "He not only came to work, he put his life and family in the Steeldogs. It's tough to make these decisions but at the end of the day, coaching is about winning."

October 2005

Selesky has also been the head coach of the Louisville Fire in the af2 in 2001 and the Buffalo Destroyers and Carolina Cobras of the AFL. His most recent job was as defensive coordinator for the Columbus Destroyers under head coach Chris Spielman this past season. He played college ball at Division III North Central College in Naperville, Ill., and went on to play for the Minnesota Vikings in 1987. 

Selesky has been either director of player personnel or head coach on all nine of his coaching stops. It was that recruiting knowledge that prompted co-owner Buddy King to hire Selesky as the Steeldogs head coach and vice president of football operations. "We talked a lot about the coach we wanted here (would be skilled at) coast-to-coast recruiting," King said. "Ron brings that to us. We feel like (Selesky) has helped players get to the AFL and have tryouts in the NFL."

While his resume includes head coaching stints in the af2 and the AFL, it also shows that Selesky hasn't stayed in one spot for more than a year since his first job as director of player personnel and assistant coach for the AFL's Tampa Bay Storm from 1997 to 1999. "A lot of (my moves) were opportunities to move up. When you look at both leagues, the AFL and af2, the Birmingham Steeldogs are one of the longest continuously tenured teams that have been in the same city," said Selesky.

April 2006

October 2006

"When Buddy and I took over the team in January of 2002, we wanted this to be Birmingham's team and we wanted to prove that a team could be successful. There are easier markets than Birmingham to do minor-league sports. We're always trying to get more involvement from the city. We're always trying to get more involvement from the (BJCC)," Myers said.

Myers and King have no set plan for the search but they want to pattern the franchise after two other af2 teams, the Manchester Wolves and the Louisville Fire. The Wolves have seven partners while the Fire have sixteen. With multiple owners come multiple possibilities; more ways to split costs, more community contacts and more resources.

Myers insists the new partners "are football fans, that enjoy the family entertainment that we provide and that want to be involved in the community."  They have talked to a couple of people who are in the process of looking things over and deciding what level of participation they would be comfortable with.

"We're trying to increase our position so that we're able to stay and maintain the team. We don't want to move. We want to continue to fight," Myers said.

December 2006

King hopes the name change will enable the Steeldogs to branch out to sponsors that have been previously unavailable. This is critical to help keep the team in the city. "What we want to see is the Alabama Steeldogs here thirty or forty years from now," King said.

In October the owners said they were looking for additional ownership partners and King said that effort is still underway.

Other arenafootball2 teams such as the Arkansas Twisters and Florida Firecats have experienced success with a statewide image. "Some of the other teams in the AFL found it creates more opportunities for sponsorship and to reach more people throughout the state," King said.

Team colors will remain orange and black, with "Alabama" on the front of their away jerseys.

March 2007

August 2007

Birmingham is one of only three teams that have been in the af2 since its inception eight years ago. The Quad City Steamwheelers, the Tulsa Talons and the Arkansas Twisters are the others. Current owners Myers and Buddy King purchased the Steeldogs in 2002.

"My inclination is to play football in 2008 as the Alabama Steeldogs. I'm doing everything I can to make sure that is reality. We have to have somebody who is willing to take up a significant portion of the team in order for it to move forward. I'm trying to do whatever I can to keep this team here, to keep entertaining fans and to keep it as a sports product in our community," Myers said.

Naturally, the city can help this situation. A more favorable lease with the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Complex and improved city involvement would go a long way. So, too, would an increase in season tickets. "Birmingham is not the easiest market to do these kind of ventures," Myers said.

Another fly in the ointment is the All American Football League which is scheduled to begin play in the spring of 2008. While the AAFL is an outdoor league that will play in large stadiums, both will play during the spring and summer, which will cause a competition for fans, community attention and corporate support. Exaggerating the issue is the AAFL is mid-to-upper tier professional football while the af2 is a minor league of the Arena Football League. "We have speed bumps like every business does - large companies (and) small companies. Sports business is no different. It's a tough business," Myers said.

All arenafootball2 franchises have until the August 24th executive committee meetings in Shreveport to file the required certificate of obligation to be a part of the 2008 season. "It's a short window. That gives us two weeks," Myers said.

Myers said that there is a possibility he could receive a two week extension from the league but it is unknown whether he will pursue that option.

October 2007

Following the 2006 season, Myers and Steeldogs co-owner and President Buddy King began searching for additional investors with no success. When the 2007 season ended, Myers said, "We really went full bore to find an ownership group that could come in and take over the Steeldogs. I've been working pretty diligently on that for the past three months, since the season ended. I've spoken with people from San Diego, California, to Washington, D.C., to Slidell, Louisiana, to one guy in Montgomery. Yet nobody in Birmingham has expressed interest or have we had any discussions with (anyone from Birmingham). It's been frustrating, obviously."

Myers said all of the discussions were with potential buyers who would have kept the team in Birmingham. "We've wanted the team to stay here. We've wanted to keep this form of football family entertainment in the community and for the community. We just weren't able to find an ownership group that will allow us to do that," Myers said.

The Steeldogs went 65-69 in eight seasons and made the playoffs in 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2007. In 2002, the Steeldogs enjoyed their best season of all and advanced to the af2 National Conference Championship Game.

Myers and King have owned the Steeldogs for the past six seasons. "That's something we're really proud of. When we had our fourth season here, we became the longest-running professional football team in the city's history and we've added four years to that. For us to provide family entertainment and football and opportunities for athletes to go on to the next level has been great," Myers said.

Even with the announcement of suspending play, Myers said there is still a chance that he can find new majority ownership in the next few days. Discussions are taking place with at least one possible buyer, he said, but that won't affect the decision not to play next season.

"The league wants to keep the Steeldogs as a member team, even if we're not playing in 2008 and the team is dormant. We're not officially dormant now. We're still in the holding pattern in the sense that no ownership is in place to file for that dormancy. But we're definitely not playing in 2008," Myers said.