AFL announces new commish, Empire adds two more
LAS VEGAS » The Arena Football League today announced the appointment of Randall Boe to be Commissioner and Ron Jaworski to be Chairman of the Executive Committee.
As Commissioner, Boe will run the league office and oversee all league operations. While serving as Commissioner, Boe will also remain in his position as Executive Vice President and General Counsel at Monumental Sports & Entertainment.
Jaworski, majority owner of the Philadelphia Soul, has been serving as Chairman of the Executive Committee for the past 3 months and will continue serving in this capacity. As Chairman, Jaworski will oversee football operations with the goal of ensuring that the caliber of play meets and exceeds the highest standards.
“Together, Ron and I are committed to developing the best fan experience for all arena football fans, and to making arena football one of the most cutting edge, technologicallyadvanced games in sports,” said Boe. “We are excited to bring in new partners to continue to grow and evolve this innovative league.”
“I am proud to continue working closely with some of the hardest working players I’ve ever been fortunate enough to work with,” said Jaworski. “Our game is fast, exciting and constantly finding new ways to integrate the latest technology in everything we do.”
Boe and Jaworski are succeeding Scott Butera, who is currently serving as Commissioner and will depart the league on March 31st.
“The Arena Football League is an outstanding organization that provides cutting edge fan experiences,” said Butera. “I am proud of our team’s ability to develop a platform for growth by creating financial stability and recruiting world class team ownership. I am fully confident in the league’s future success and ability to be the most innovative organization in sports. I will mostly miss the dedicated people who play and support the game and the energetic and loyal fans.”
TWO ELITE NAMES ADDED TO DEFENSE
ALBANY» The Albany Empire announce that two additional All-Arena level players have been assigned to the team roster on the second week of free agency. Per League and team rules, terms are not disclosed. The free agency signing period for the Arena Football League began at 7 a.m. on Monday March 19.
“Defense wins championships, right?” Said Rob Keefe, Head Coach of the Albany Empire. “We continue to load up on defense with All-Arena caliber guys. Not only will the Empire light up the scoreboard on offense, but we will also force many turnovers and even score a lot of points on defense. This coaching staff has put together elite players on both sides of the ball.”
WILLIE MCGINNIS, DL
Growing up about two hours away from Albany, Willie McGinnis is looking forward to playing football in New York State for the first time since he was in high school. Attending Rhode Island University, McGinnis red shirt his first year of NCAA eligibility, but started every game in his next four years. In both his junior and senior year, McGinnis was named team captain and second team All-Conference in the CAA. After graduating, he made his debut in the AFL playing for the Pittsburgh Power. He spent 2014 and 2015 playing for the Cleveland Gladiators, where he earned All-Arena honors in both seasons. After a brief stint in Orlando playing with Keefe, McGinnis made his way back to Cleveland where he added more sacks to his name and became the franchise’s all-time leader in sacks.
TERENCE MOORE, LB
Terence Moore is yet another veteran to join the Empire. Hailing from Georgia, Moore attended Troy University, where he helped the team win conference championships in both his sophomore and senior seasons. Entering his senior year, he was named one of the top safeties in the nation and capped his collegiate career off with All-Conference honors. His first professional experience debut came with a minicamp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After attending a camp in Montreal, Moore made his way to the AFL where he debuted in Spokane and played for three years. In 2015, he was assigned to Orlando where he played under Keefe and earned All-Arena honors in consecutive seasons. Moore spent last season playing with the Cleveland Gladiators where he led the team in interceptions and tackles. Moore is looking forward to reconnecting with Coach Keefe and credits Keefe to his breaking out during his time in Orlando.
Single game tickets for the Albany Empire’s inaugural game are available at TheAlbanyEmpire.com or by calling the ticket office at 518-533-2200.