6.08.2009

Meet the Newest Sports League, the UFL!!!


I had to shoot a press conference announcing the ownership for the New York Team (no name, uniform or logo yet) for the upstart United Football League (UFL) via US Presswire.  Being a football fan, I was quite interested in hearing what was going on with the league, as well as shooting it, and left with the impression that the league has a shot at making it, as there are some very personable and intelligent people in charge and they are content taking their time building the league slowly.


The man behind UFL Football  is Commissioner Michael Huyghue, who was the Senior VP of Football Operations for the NFL's Jaguars.
 Just listening to him speak about the league's goals gets you into it and makes you believe they not only have a chance, but will succeed.  

There will be four teams (Las Vegas, New York, Orlando, and San Francisco) to start and interestingly, they will play in 7 cities, as NY will also play in Hartford, Las Vegas in Los Angeles, and San Francisco in Sacramento, which could help build expansion.  Players will be drafted in July, and training camps will begin in September.  The season will be 6 games long and culminate in a championship game on Thanksgiving weekend.  They have also landed a TV contract with VERSUS and games will air on Thursday evenings in October.  

For the sports fan, here's a GREAT note, tickets will average $20 a seat...

Anyway, on to the shoot, a collection of media gathered into a room at the Cornell Club in NYC to hear the commissioner announce the league's newest investor, and owner of the NY team, William E. Mayer, who was on hand, along with NY Head Coach, former NY Jets defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell, who is getting a chance to run the show in NY.  

After a standard press conference, it wrapped up with some one-on-one's, at which point I began my edit and transmission for the league.  In the middle of my work, I was politely interrupted by Coach Cottrell, who was looking at my images. He was great, tremendously friendly, and was amazed at the speed that the photos could be uploaded, edited, and transmitted..."Man it's amazing what you guys do and what technology is capable of these days."  

Pretty ironic, I'm wanting to ask him about the team and the league and his work on the sidelines, and he's genuinely interested in seeing how a photographer works, and edits images.  I was very impressed with the Coach, and everyone affiliated with the UFL at the presser, with people like this involved, they are already off to a great start.  Hopefully I'll get the chance to cover it regularly and go along for the ride...

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