League Announces United Bowl will be on-line only
Just over four days away from the biggest game in the Indoor Football League's two-year history, they have announced that the 2010 United Bowl will not be aired on live national television, contradicting season long reports from the league office that the "biggest game in indoor football" would be televised nation-wide in millions of homes.
In a press release issued late Tuesday afternoon, the league office cites says the SportsPlex is unable to accommodate a TV broadcast.
Here is an excerpt from that press release:
"Earning their way to the United Bowl, Billings had hoped to play the championship game in front of not only their fans, but a national television audience. However, due to technical and other issues related to their alternate game site, the event will not be broadcast on television.
The silver lining in all of this for football fans nationally will be the game can instead be viewed free online at b2tv.com and can be accessed by visiting goifl.com and clicking the B2 logo. Fans everywhere can now enjoy the title game between the Sioux Falls Storm and Billings Outlaws live on Saturday, July 17th at 7:00 PM."
What "technical and other issues" are there that result in the cancellation of nationally televising the championship game between these two rivals but don't have any bearing on a broadcast over the internet?
There are no "technical" issues at the SportsPlex, which has been evidenced by three flawless broadcasts in three playoff games at the facility.
Is the SportsPlex the ideal venue you want to showcase the "Premier league in indoor football"?
No its not, but with a little bit of effort from the league and their broadcast team the country would have been understanding considering the circumstances and ultimately may have been even more impressed that a team in the IFL can overcome a tornado tearing apart their arena six days before the playoffs began.
According to league commissioner Tommy Benizio Billings showed "great resiliency and fortitude...to provide and alternate venue for the games."
To bad the nation won't see it that way.
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