heroesjets Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 The Albany Firebirds Are Back Times Union Center officials are pleased to announce that arena football will be played this spring and summer in Albany. Capital Cities Professional Football, LLC has re-branded its arenafootball2 team as the Albany Firebirds. The Firebirds are returning to the Capital Region this season thanks to a number of people as a deal was negotiated between SMG, Albany County, the Times Union and Walter Robb, owner of the Albany River Rats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heroesjets Posted October 3, 2008 Author Share Posted October 3, 2008 Football team staying, changing name to Firebirds ALBANY - The Albany Conquest are gone. The Albany Firebirds are back. Owner Walter Robb announced Friday that arenafootball2 will return to Times Union Center in 2009 under a new name. After seven seasons as the Conquest, the franchise has reclaimed the name and logo of the Firebirds, the Arena Football League team that played in Albany from 1990 to 2000. "Its to change to a winning image," Robb said. "(The Firebirds) had a great track record and, unfortunately, the Conquest hadnt done very well. Hopefully, some people would like to see a winner and say, 'Lets give the Firebirds a new chance.'" The old Firebirds won a league championship in 1999 before moving to Indianapolis. The Conquest suffered from declining attendance and a poor performance on the field. Robb said hes entering an advertising and marketing partnership with the Times Union and SMG, the firm that manages Times Union Center, that will allow the franchise to stay in the Capital Region. Last week, the team was preparing to announce it would cease operations until Robb met with Times Union publisher Mark Aldam. "We had told the league we were going to go dark," Robb said. "So it was that close. But sometimes these things always seem to wait until youre at the cliff, about to fall off." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heroesjets Posted October 3, 2008 Author Share Posted October 3, 2008 ALBANY, N.Y. -- There have been rumors that the Firebirds might be coming back to Albany, but this was a pretty well-kept secret. The Albany Firebirds were here from 1990 through 2000 and they were a very successful AFL team. The franchise is coming back as part of the AF2, the same league as the Albany Conquest, which is a notch below the AFL. It's a homecoming of sorts for a team that was loved in Albany for years. Marisa Jacques has the latest on the return of the Firebirds. Even though the franchise is coming back as part of the AF2, President and CEO Garen Szablewski said the head coach and most of the players will change, so we won't necessarily see the Conquest players we saw last season. Szablewski also said just last Wednesday he sat down at his desk and started to write a letter explaining why there would no longer be arena football in Albany. They thought they were done here. Enter the Firebirds franchise and things quickly turned around. Walter Robb who owned the Conquest will remain the owner of the Firebirds. Szablewski will remain president. No word yet on who will be the head coach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the soveriegn Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 this is really good news Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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