Alaska Wild
Encyclopedia
The Alaska Wild was a professional indoor football team, a member of the Indoor Football League
. The Alaska Wild played their home games in the Sullivan Arena
in Anchorage, Alaska
. The team suspended operations after 9 games of the 2010 season, and the league is looking for new ownership to be able to resume play in 2011.
to the state of Alaska
. At that time Alaska was the only state in the United States that did not have football played above the high school level. The original business plan for APS was written by David Weatherholt during the winter and spring of 2005-2006.
During the business planning process Weatherholt was in contact with the "arena football 2" (af2) league headquartered in Chicago about joining that league. The original goal was to join the af2, and on April 25, 2006 Weatherholt paid the application fee for admission to the league. The next step was to secure funding and form the team. The goal was to incorporate APS, which took place on May 4, 2006 and to raise equity capital by selling common stock in the newly formed corporation.
On Friday May 5, 2006 Weatherholt made his plan public when a press release was sent to the Alaska media outlets announcing his plans for bringing a professional indoor football team to Alaska. The Alaska Wild team name was selected as part of a "Name the Team" contest hosted by APS. Over 1,500 names were submitted online by football fans across the United States and Canada. United States Air Force TSgt Deryl Morse submitted the winning team name. Morse was on hand to accept a family four-pack season pass to inaugural season from Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich
and Weatherholt.
A public offering for the sale of common stock was approved by the State of Alaska on August 28, 2006. This made Alaska Professional Sports, Inc. one of only three professional sports teams that were publicly owned. (The Boston Celtics
in the National Basketball League
and the Green Bay Packers
of the National Football League
are the other two teams.)
The public offering did not raise enough capital to meet the October 1, 2006 deadline for admission to the af2. On September 29, 2006, Weatherholt made a public announcement that the deadline was missed. Two weeks after Weatherholt announced the delay, Chad Dittman, President of the Intense Football League
and the owner of the Corpus Christi Hammerheads
contacted Weatherholt. Weatherholt flew to Dallas, Texas and signed an agreement to join the Intense Football League on October 26, 2006. This meant that in less than 162 days, the Alaska Wild needed to secure a coach, players, equipment, cheerleaders, mascot, reconfigure the Sullivan Arena for football and all of the thousands of details needed.
Then on January 17, 2007, APS announced that the Alaska Wild has concluded a national search and signed Keith Evans to lead Anchorage's first professional football team. Evans, of Tacoma, Washington, visited team executives in early January for an interview and to familiarize himself with Alaska and the organization. Evans was selected from other applicants because of his west coast background.
On April 12, 2007 at 7:00 pm Alaska sports history was made when the Frisco Thunder
, an expansion team, narrowly defeated the Alaska Wild in front of a sellout crowd of over 6,100 excited fans.
The day after the first game, team management accepted the recommendation of Randy Magner, VP of Operations, the coach's boss, to terminate Keith Evens (0-1) the first coach for the Alaska Wild. Magner was offered the head coach position and refused to take it and ultimately resigned from his position with APS. On April 17, 2006 Hans Deemer (7-21), who had been a volunteer coach, accepted the position of Alaska Wild Head Coach becoming the second head coach in the team's history.
The 2008 Alaska Wild season opened on March 6, 2008 with an 88-7 victory over the new expansion team from Fairbanks
, the Grizzles
. On the field, the Alaska Wild was off to their best start going into their 7th game with a 4-2 record.
In February 2009, Coach Deemer resigned and was replaced by Floyd Johnson (0-8) the third head coach of the Alaska Wild. New team owner Deeter replaced Johnson after 8 games with Sonny Rodriguez (0-6) the fourth head coach. The Alaska Wild finished its third season with a 0-14 record, sagging game attendance and fleeing sponsors. Deeter scrambled to get out from under the staggering debt brought on by the team's on and off the field performances.
In August 2009, Charles Matthews, a Fairbanks pastor, took over the team from Deeter to become the third team owner. On September 27, 2009, Matthews announced that Darnell Lee would take over as the fifth head coach for the Alaska Wild. Mathews did not have the financial resources to support the team, nor was he able to sell enough season tickets and team sponsorships. In March 2010, the Indoor Football League took control of the Alaska Wild team and will operate the team until a new owner is found or the season ends. In May 2010, after 9 games, the team suspended operations. Coach Lee and multiple players left to play elsewhere and the team no longer had money to continue the season. The league is still looking for an owner for 2011.
| colspan="6" align="center" | Alaska Wild (Intense Football League)
|-
|2007 || 2 || 12 || 0 || 8th League || --
|-
|2008 || 6 || 8 || 0 || 6th League || Lost Round 1 (CenTex
)
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" | Alaska Wild (Indoor Football League)
|-
|2009 || 0 || 14 || 0 || 4th Intense Pacific || --
|-
|2010 || 2 || 7 || 0 || -- || --
|-
!Totals || 10 || 42 || 0
|colspan="2"| (including playoffs)
* = Did not finish the 2010 season.
Indoor Football League
The Indoor Football League began in 1999 as an offshoot of the troubled Professional Indoor Football League. Keary Ecklund, the owner of the Green Bay Bombers and Madison Mad Dogs, left the PIFL after its first, financially-troubled, season to start his own league. Unlike the PIFL, the IFL was an...
. The Alaska Wild played their home games in the Sullivan Arena
Sullivan Arena
The George M. Sullivan Arena is an arena in Anchorage, Alaska. The arena opened in 1983 and has a seating capacity of 8,700 for basketball, 6,251 for hockey...
in Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage is a unified home rule municipality in the southcentral part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the northernmost major city in the United States...
. The team suspended operations after 9 games of the 2010 season, and the league is looking for new ownership to be able to resume play in 2011.
History
On March 20, 2006 Alaska Professional Sports (APS) was formed by Weatherholt & Associates, LLC with the goal of bringing professional footballProfessional football
In the United States and Canada, the term professional football includes the professional forms of American and Canadian gridiron football. In common usage, it refers to former and existing major football leagues in either country...
to the state of Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. At that time Alaska was the only state in the United States that did not have football played above the high school level. The original business plan for APS was written by David Weatherholt during the winter and spring of 2005-2006.
During the business planning process Weatherholt was in contact with the "arena football 2" (af2) league headquartered in Chicago about joining that league. The original goal was to join the af2, and on April 25, 2006 Weatherholt paid the application fee for admission to the league. The next step was to secure funding and form the team. The goal was to incorporate APS, which took place on May 4, 2006 and to raise equity capital by selling common stock in the newly formed corporation.
On Friday May 5, 2006 Weatherholt made his plan public when a press release was sent to the Alaska media outlets announcing his plans for bringing a professional indoor football team to Alaska. The Alaska Wild team name was selected as part of a "Name the Team" contest hosted by APS. Over 1,500 names were submitted online by football fans across the United States and Canada. United States Air Force TSgt Deryl Morse submitted the winning team name. Morse was on hand to accept a family four-pack season pass to inaugural season from Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich
Mark Begich
Mark Peter Begich is the junior United States Senator from Alaska and a member of the Democratic Party. A former mayor of Anchorage, he served on the Anchorage Assembly for almost ten years prior to being elected mayor in 2003...
and Weatherholt.
A public offering for the sale of common stock was approved by the State of Alaska on August 28, 2006. This made Alaska Professional Sports, Inc. one of only three professional sports teams that were publicly owned. (The Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
in the National Basketball League
National Basketball League
National Basketball League may mean:* National Basketball League , the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Australasia* National Basketball League * National Basketball League of Canada...
and the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
are the other two teams.)
The public offering did not raise enough capital to meet the October 1, 2006 deadline for admission to the af2. On September 29, 2006, Weatherholt made a public announcement that the deadline was missed. Two weeks after Weatherholt announced the delay, Chad Dittman, President of the Intense Football League
Intense Football League
The Intense Football League was a professional indoor football league that initially began operations in 2004. Its focus was in Texas, but was notable for being the first professional football league to place a franchise in Alaska.-History:...
and the owner of the Corpus Christi Hammerheads
Corpus Christi Hammerheads
The Corpus Christi Hammerheads are a professional indoor football team from Corpus Christi, Texas. They are a member of the Lone Star Football League.-History:The Hammerheads were a charter member of the Intense Football League...
contacted Weatherholt. Weatherholt flew to Dallas, Texas and signed an agreement to join the Intense Football League on October 26, 2006. This meant that in less than 162 days, the Alaska Wild needed to secure a coach, players, equipment, cheerleaders, mascot, reconfigure the Sullivan Arena for football and all of the thousands of details needed.
Then on January 17, 2007, APS announced that the Alaska Wild has concluded a national search and signed Keith Evans to lead Anchorage's first professional football team. Evans, of Tacoma, Washington, visited team executives in early January for an interview and to familiarize himself with Alaska and the organization. Evans was selected from other applicants because of his west coast background.
On April 12, 2007 at 7:00 pm Alaska sports history was made when the Frisco Thunder
Frisco Thunder
The Frisco Thunder was an indoor football team in Frisco, Texas. They were a member of the Intense Football League and played their home games at the Dr Pepper Arena....
, an expansion team, narrowly defeated the Alaska Wild in front of a sellout crowd of over 6,100 excited fans.
The day after the first game, team management accepted the recommendation of Randy Magner, VP of Operations, the coach's boss, to terminate Keith Evens (0-1) the first coach for the Alaska Wild. Magner was offered the head coach position and refused to take it and ultimately resigned from his position with APS. On April 17, 2006 Hans Deemer (7-21), who had been a volunteer coach, accepted the position of Alaska Wild Head Coach becoming the second head coach in the team's history.
The 2008 Alaska Wild season opened on March 6, 2008 with an 88-7 victory over the new expansion team from Fairbanks
Fairbanks
Fairbanks may refer to:Places in the United States*Fairbanks, Alaska, city*Fairbanks, California, unincorporated community in El Dorado County*Fairbanks, Mendocino County, California, former settlement*Fairbanks, Indiana, unincorporated community...
, the Grizzles
Fairbanks Grizzlies
The Fairbanks Grizzlies are a professional indoor football team in the Indoor Football League. The team plays their home games at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks, Alaska...
. On the field, the Alaska Wild was off to their best start going into their 7th game with a 4-2 record.
In February 2009, Coach Deemer resigned and was replaced by Floyd Johnson (0-8) the third head coach of the Alaska Wild. New team owner Deeter replaced Johnson after 8 games with Sonny Rodriguez (0-6) the fourth head coach. The Alaska Wild finished its third season with a 0-14 record, sagging game attendance and fleeing sponsors. Deeter scrambled to get out from under the staggering debt brought on by the team's on and off the field performances.
In August 2009, Charles Matthews, a Fairbanks pastor, took over the team from Deeter to become the third team owner. On September 27, 2009, Matthews announced that Darnell Lee would take over as the fifth head coach for the Alaska Wild. Mathews did not have the financial resources to support the team, nor was he able to sell enough season tickets and team sponsorships. In March 2010, the Indoor Football League took control of the Alaska Wild team and will operate the team until a new owner is found or the season ends. In May 2010, after 9 games, the team suspended operations. Coach Lee and multiple players left to play elsewhere and the team no longer had money to continue the season. The league is still looking for an owner for 2011.
Season-by-season
|-| colspan="6" align="center" | Alaska Wild (Intense Football League)
|-
|2007 || 2 || 12 || 0 || 8th League || --
|-
|2008 || 6 || 8 || 0 || 6th League || Lost Round 1 (CenTex
CenTex Barracudas
The CenTex Barracudas was a professional indoor football team based out of Belton, Texas. They competed in the Indoor Football League. They played their home games at Bell County Expo Center....
)
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" | Alaska Wild (Indoor Football League)
|-
|2009 || 0 || 14 || 0 || 4th Intense Pacific || --
|-
|2010 || 2 || 7 || 0 || -- || --
|-
!Totals || 10 || 42 || 0
|colspan="2"| (including playoffs)