Like Most people you probably have not heard of a team called the Florida Falcons. Like most people you most likely have never heard of the Grid Iron Developmental Football League or any other semi-professional football leagues. However in America there is a huge amateur circuit of football leagues.
Some leagues call themselves minor league football or semi-professional or developmental leagues. The fact is however you will most likely not find the games on any television station or covered by any type of media including the local newspapers. People will not know the names of the athletes or the coaches. Matter of fact most people have very little knowledge about this type of football.
The Florida Falcons are one of the teams here in Jacksonville Florida that plays in the Grid Iron Developmental League. The team is lucky to have Andre and Natashia Cooper as part of the team. They coach and run the community relations and have a interest in the teams ownership. Together they are working on establishing the Falcons as a local team.
The Falcons run into many issues in the community however. Finding a place to play the games and attracting a crowd is one of the biggest challenges for teams like the Falcons. In 2009 to 2010 Outlaw Sports Radio covered the Semi National Professional Football League that had 10 teams and out of the five games we broadcasted they had little or no live fans in attendance. One of the issues is where to play the game at. Often the teams must rent a field from the city or find a local school to rent a field. The field rental can run from$250 to $1000 per game. Than on top of that you have to pay the referees to ref the game. The referees can cost between $150 to $350 per game.
Most teams charge a small fee to watch the games to the fans of $5 to $7 dollars per person. These teams are not like the NFL or ARENA or even the UNF football leagues the players, coaches and staffs are not paid. For the most part the PLAYERS PAY TO PLAY. The athletes that play the game usually have to pay a fee to the team to play the game. There are no big fat pay checks, no bonuses, no professional scouts on the side lines, and very little or no media coverage. The fact that the athletes and staff play for no pay makes me believe that the games and leagues are more built around the passion and desire of the heart to play the game instead of many others whom play the game simply for money.
The Falcons like many other teams and leagues follow the same rules and regulations of the National Football League. The games are played in four quarters with fifteen minute time limits including a half time. The scoring system is the same as the National Football League six points for a touchdown and three points for a field goal. The teams are broken down into divisions and play equal amount of home and road games. Here in Florida that can mean traveling 100 miles away for a game. The league has a playoff system like the National Football League and a Championship Game as well for the entire League. The team works much like the professional football teams having an offensive and defensive unit, a coaching staff, cheerleaders and the whole nine yards.
What really is amazing is that teams like the Falcons have been around as long as or longer than the professional football leagues but yet few people are aware of the teams or leagues. People seem to believe they will not get a show but let me tell you from my experience you should attend one of these games and you will get one heck of a show.
The Grid Irion Developmental League or GIDF for short plays the season starting in February usually in the Eastern States. They do this to play off season of the national Football League and also it helps with the heat and humidity that comes later in the summer months. The game is played outdoors in all weather conditions unless the conditions are considered dangerous.
You can check out the Florida Falcons web page at: www.floridafalconsfootball.org
The Florida Falcons are OUTLAWS as well are you going to be an OUTLAW as well and join the FALCONS this year as a fan?