EIFL future cloudy at best
Jim Terry's league is being attacked on several fronts.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
MASURY -- Commissioner Jim Terry's four-team Eastern Indoor Football League is being attacked on several fronts by disgruntled associates and business partners who feel betrayed and cheated, following a game two Saturdays ago at the Thunder Dome on Bedford Road when a player for the Mid American Buzzards, Matt Holem of Davenport, Iowa, was seriously injured.
As a result, the Buzzards have withdrawn from the EIFL while Thunder Dome field sponsor, FrontLine Insurance, has severed all ties with the league and Terry, and is threatening legal action against Terry for fraud and false advertisement.
In addition, Thunder Dome owner Stephen Lisko of Hubbard has padlocked the facility and begun eviction proceedings against the EIFL and Terry's Mahoning Valley Hitmen, to prevent them and other team members -- the North East Ohio Panthers and the 3 Rivers Rats -- from using the Thunder Dome any more for games or practice sessions.
The bone of contention primarily centers on the fact that the EIFL did not provide the league with any liability insurance with Frontline Insurance of Troy, Ala., even though Terry told the players they were covered.
And so Holem, 25, who suffered two broken bones in his left hand, a broken bone in right thumb, two broken ribs and a bruised lung during the Feb. 10 game against the Panthers (he also was thrown over the field fence by two opposing players), has no insurance to cover his medical bills.
Holem ponders legal action
Holem, who lost his regular job after suffering his football injury when he informed his employer he would have to miss work for a week or two, also is considering legal action against the league and Terry for negligence.
"The Buzzards have withdrawn from the EIFL," said Holem Monday, saying he represented his friend and coach, Larry Macon (who did not return telephone calls from The Vindicator).
The Buzzards and Macon are from Chicago, and Holem traveled 21/2 hours to play.
"Larry and I talked about this and agreed that we are going to withdraw from the league," Holem told The Vindicator Feb. 16. "Larry and I are focusing on putting together a league in the Midwest and that's the direction we are going."
The Buzzards were scheduled to play a game Feb. 17 at the Thunder Dome.
Even though the EIFL had no liability insurance with FrontLine, Holem said that FrontLine has been very good about the situation and has offered to help.
He said that Jim Bohanan of Frontline "mentioned that he would help with my medical bills. They didn't have to do that but they are doing it, and I appreciate it. [Bohanan] is a first-class guy."
Severing ties with EIFL
FrontLine, which gave the EIFL and Terry 3,500 for naming rights to the field in the Thunder Dome, said in a Feb. 14 announcement that it is severing all ties with the league.
"As of February 14, 2007, Frontline Insurance Group, is announcing that we have no further affiliation with Jim Terry and the Eastern Indoor Football League," the company said. "This announcement was made today on Moohead radio, and this letter is to put those words into writing. At this time we have fulfilled our side of the obligation and have paid for the painting of the field at the Thunderdome, we have paid for banners, and have donated 3,500 to help with the first year costs of the Eastern Indoor Football League."
FrontLine said the EIFL never purchased liability insurance from FrontLine.
"At this time we have only given Jim Terry a quote [for insurance], and neither he nor his league has insurance coverage through FrontLine Insurance," said the release.
However, the Hitmen's website (www.mvhitmen.com) still lists FrontLine as a sponsor and also displays a photograph from the Thunder Dome that shows a FrontLine Banner in the background during a game.
"We advertised with the league but we didn't provide the league with liability insurance," said Tim Sims, a partner in FrontLine Insurance, Monday.
"We were one of the sponsors. It's not the first time that we lost 3,500. If they had contacted us regarding liability insurance, we would have been glad to [provide it]. They never followed through with their plan to get liability insurance from us.
"Our understanding from the beginning was that each [team] owner was to contact us to make arrangements for insurance coverage," added Sims.
But Holem said, "We were under the impression that we had insurance and were covered and no one ever mentioned signing a waiver or anything else. My coach was under the same impression. He told me before the game that everyone was told that FrontLine was the official insurance company of the EIFL, and I asked him several times because I have a family and children, and my coach said that he talked to Terry and that Terry said that the EIFL has insurance that covered everything."
Holem and Sims both conceded that Macon may have contacted FrontLine for a team quote, but that no insurance was purchased.
Holem said his coach could have been looking for future coverage in some new league they are thinking of joining.
Holem said that Terry as commissioner of the EIFL should have made sure that the league had liability insurance, and should not have deceived the players that he had insurance when he didn't.
Eyes legal action
Sims said FrontLine is looking into legal action against Terry and the EIFL.
"We don't know what our options are. We are leaving all of our options open. We regret ever having been associated with that league. And we are considering legal action for false advertisement and fraud," said Sims.
kovach@vindy