| April 11, 2008
Fort Collins, CO - John Cunningham, a local businessman, has purchased the Colorado Ice from the UIFA Operating LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the United Indoor Football Association (UIF) in a deal agreed to in Fort Collins this week.
Paul Aaron, UIF Executive Director, said Cunningham is a great fit for the Ice and the UIF. "John will be a great owner and superb community partner," Aaron said. "One of his first decisions as the new owner was to agree to switch dates with the Colorado Eagles to accommodate their playoff hockey game on Friday, April 11, 2008. The UIF is looking forward to the new local ownership."
Cunningham, a long time Colorado resident has been involved in a number of successful business ventures, primarily in the high technology area.
Cunningham plans to be a hands-on owner and has already begun to get involved with the day-to-day operations of the team. He is committed to keeping the Ice in Northern Colorado and has already had meetings with representatives from the Budweiser Events Center (BEC) and the Larimer County Fairgrounds and Events Complex.
"The Budweiser Events Center is the premier sports venue in Northern Colorado, as evidenced by the success of the Colorado Eagles," Cunningham said. "We look forward to a long-term relationship with the BEC and General Manager Rick Hontz. I'm personally looking forward to meeting with the Eagles' ownership and hope to mirror their success."
Six weeks into their second season with the UIF, the Ice are 1-4 after only one home game. Last season, the Ice were the first team in league history to make the UIF playoffs in their inaugural season. The team had 28,192 fans pass through the BEC, averaging 3,524 fans a game. Cunningham said the market is a strong one for sports and hopes to build the Ice into a vital
community partner.
"The Northern Colorado market is the premier sports market in the Rocky Mountain region," he said. "We are committed to this community and look forward to providing a competitive and exciting football team, both on and off the field."
In addition to the Ice, Cunningham would eventually like to field another team in Colorado. "I am currently exploring the options of adding another franchise in Colorado," he said. "We love our football here in Colorado and I believe another team would be great."
The Ice continue their 2008 season next Friday, April 18, when they host the Sioux City Bandits. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. MST at the Budweiser Events Center. For more information about the Ice, visit their website at www.thecoloradoice.com.
United Indoor Football is the premier indoor football league of North America and is committed to serving its teams and fans. Please contact the UIF league office with any comments, concerns or suggestions.
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