Thunder committed for at least five years

By John Kovach

Mahoning Valley’s owners aren’t overreacting to this year’s struggles.

YOUNGSTOWN — What is the state of the Mahoning Valley Thunder halfway through its second season in the af2?

Bad and good.

The bad: The Thunder has not been attracting as many fans for home games as they did during last year’s inaugural season — 1,088 fewer to be exact. Also, the team has won only one of eight games and is mired in a seven-game losing streak.

The good: The team does have its bright spots and, barring unforseen circumstances, is committed to remaining in Youngstown and playing in the Chevrolet Centre for at least five years and hopefully much longer, said Timothy Chesney, one of three co-owners of the team with Dr. Michael Slyk and Dr. Jon Saadey.

Chesney and Dr. Slyk are principal owners of Jilltin Management of Boardman which owns and manages nursing homes. Their company offices are in the same building as the Thunder offices. Dr. Saadey is a dentist.

“When we started this [franchise], it was for a five-year period of time,” said Chesney. “We are measuring little things for success or failure, but the big picture is over a five-year period of time. We will be better able to gauge the overall success and how well the community likes the product over a longer period.

“Our goal and vision [are] to be here the next 20, 30, 40, 50 years. We want to be a community asset,” said Chesney. “As the arena football league grows closer and closer to becoming a minor league system, then it becomes more valuable to the Valley.”

But the Thunder, coached by Michael Hold in his second season, faces some big challenges to get back on track toward a successful five-year tenure.

The team is averaging 3,412 fans for its first four home games this year, compared to 4,500 fans for all eight home contests last year, according to Adam Tokash, general manager. Those numbers are for tickets distributed, not actual attendance.

And the team has had an opposite start record-wise at home this year (1-3 compared to 3-1 last season and eventually 7-9 overall).

The Thunder also isn’t faring as well through the first eight overall games this year (1-7 to 3-5 last year).

“The attendance exceeded our projections last year but is below our projections for this year,” Chesney said. “I think we are looking internally how we can generate more attendance for the rest of this year. “

To do that, he said, “We have increased the number of sales staff and brought in a couple of successful salesmen in other industries to educate our staff. We want to get more businesses involved in the promotion of each game by offering their employes tickets at reduced rates.”

But although average attendance is down, the number of fans attending each game at least has been consistent, and more people are walking up to buy tickets on game day, Chesney said .

“We averaged 500 walkups a game last year. This year we are averaging a little over 800 a game. There has been a significant increase in the number of walkups.”

Regarding the team’s losing record, Chesney said he supports Hold’s policy of bringing in new players as often as needed to try to improve the team.

“Mike and I usually sit down once a week and go through what he is doing, and I agree with his philosophy of bringing in new players] and what he is doing,” said Chesney. “You have to be flexible and build the team so that it can make the playoffs and win the arena cup.”

Chesney said Hold (like all af2 coaches), gets a one-year contract, which is league policy.

“His performance is evaluated annually [by the Thunder] and then we make a decision whether to keep him or not,” said Chesney.

But although winning is important, Chesney said it is not the paramount factor in the success of the franchise.

Because as long as the Thunder is competitive and the fans keep coming through the gate and are being entertained, then the franchise is serving its purpose.

It provides entertainment and jobs and is helping to enhance the city’s image, improve the downtown and be a catalyst for business development, said Chesney.

“[Restaurant owners] love the Thunder games because quite a lot of people stick around down town and spend money in restaurants and they appreciate it,” he said.

As to membership in the af2, Chesney said that the Thunder also decides annually whether it wants to remain in the league.

“We sign a letter on intent [with the af2] in August that we intend to be playing the following year,” said Chesney. “So prior to September, [the af2 gets] all the commitments from teams and make a schedule, and then we turn in dates available at our arena.”

But is the Thunder making money?

“We are financially solvent,” said Chesney, but not yet making a profit or breaking even, although, “The profit statements from last year to this year [are] better.”

So back to the field: When will the Thunder’s losing streak end?

“It’s going to end on May 31,” boldly predicted Chesney of the Thunder’s next game at home to the Albany Conquest at 7:05 on Cortland Banks Field in the Chevrolet Centre.

kovach@vindy.com