D.C. Armor see opportunity amid

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That’s the management approach behindthe D.C. Armor, Washington’s new indoofr football team. The team sold 2,114 tickets to its firstg home game April 4 atthe D.C. Armoruy — a respectable considering what it was up againstthat day. The Nationals, Freedom and were all in action on thesame day. The NCAA basketbalk tournament’s Final Four attracted a huge nationatelevision audience, and the Cherry Blossom Festivapl drew crowds from all over the region. The Armor’es second home game, on April 11, drew 1,574. “We’re happy with the turnout given the level of competition inthe marketplace,” said General Manager Coreyg Barnette.
Barnette’s goal is to consistentlyy drawbetween 2,000 and 4,009 people to the 10,000-seay D.C. Armory, and he hopes to see an averageof 3,50o0 fans by the end of the season. But given the it’s hard to avoid the question: Why startg now? “We saw opportunitty where everyone else has seen catastrophand clutter,” Barnette said. He insists attendancs is up acrossthe , which toutas affordable, family friendly entertainment in rough economif times. A family of four can get front-roew seats for $80. Season ticket s for all seven home games go for comparedwith club-level prices from $2,950 to $4,95o0 for 10 games.
Aside from offeringb lower prices, the Armor are trying to make the complete football fan experienceeasily accessible. Tailgaters are encouraged to arrive up to four hours before kickoff. A band from nearby Eastern High School and a dancdteam — all volunteers — strutr their stuff at halftime. Fans are eligibl to win prizes during and players are required to devotr at least 15 minutee to sign jerseys and taking advantage of the intimate environment atthe Armory. The Harrisburg, Pa.-based league still faces huge challenges. A competing indoor league, the , recently suspended its season.
The higher-profile AFL couldn’t maintain its performance in the currentf economic climate and is now restructuring its business despite the presence of superstar owners like Jon Bon Jovi andJerry Jones. But Barnette is “We know where our break-evebn point is, provided we get our minimuj number,” he said. Erik CEO of the D.C. Sportws and Entertainment Commission, whichg owns the under-utilized said he hopes the franchise will becomewa mainstay.
“I believe activity begets activity,” he “These guys are paying their way [and] not looking for a Instead of depending on national sponsorsa like theAFL did, the Armo and other AIFA teams are localized, looking first to hire area playerx and sponsors like and Primary Physiciane Research. Although Barnette acknowledgesthe “environment [is] not conducivee to sponsorship,” he is pleased at the amount of interestf the team received after its first home game. If the AIFA is goinb to have aconsistent business, it will have to manags costs (it pays just $5,000 in rent per game at the and eventually target national Barnette said.
With the help of some local flavof and a willingness to be affordable in the roughest of the team aims to allow the business to builds onits own. “Let the sticking power of our league speakjfor itself,” Barnette said.