There is no ownership deal between the Lingerie Football League’s newest Canadian team – the B.C. Angels – and the City of Abbotsford, say the city manager, and the league chairman.
Since the announcement that lingerie football was coming to Abbotsford, there has been public speculation that council had signed a contract to bring in the team.
Not so, city manager Frank Pizzuto told The News. The football league will only rent the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre (AESC) for two nights.
“There is no franchise agreement whatsoever. All it is is a rental agreement. So it is not our franchise,” said Pizzuto. He said it’s like any other live show or entertainment event that comes to town.
“There was no council decision on this,” said Pizzuto.
He said as long as there are no community safety issues, council would not step in.
The LFL will pay $9,000 per game and will cover any other production costs. The league will receive 30 per cent of food and beverage revenues, and split suite revenue 50/50. The AESC will also receive a $2.75 facility fee per paid ticket.
“So we’ll make money on the event and there’s really no risk at all to the centre ... the rental money comes at the front end...” said Pizzuto.
Mitchell Mortaza, founder and chairman of the LFL, said the league will own all the Canadian franchises.
He announced on Monday that the local team will be known as the B.C. Angels.
“It will be what we call a single-entity formation, where the league is going to own each of the franchises and then sell them off like we do here in the States,” he said.
While playing its first season in Abbotsford, Mortaza said the squad has more of a B.C. identity. He said before deciding on Abbotsford, several other venues were evaluated.
“We spoke to the BC Place people and we continue to talk to them. They’re a great building. We can see that being the maturation of this team, specifically after a few years in Abbotsford, moving in and playing in BC Place,” he said.
Mortaza said that’s what they have done in the U.S., beginning in smaller venues, building the brand and then moving to a larger facility.
As for criticism that the LFL thrives on the objectification of women, Mortaza said that skimpy attire is hardly unique to his league.
“Tim Tebow (quarterback with the NFL’s Denver Broncos), he’s a religious man, but he’s doing advertisements with his shirt off,” Mortaza argued. “Why? Because it sells.
“Fans may come out to watch the (LFL) players at first, but they return to watch the football.”