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Richmond Roughriders finished their regular season undefeated in May 2017. (Photo courtesy Richmond Roughriders)
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Eddie Johnson poses with a fan after last year’s title win. (Photo by Dwayne Morris, Richmond Roughriders photographer)
Before the first play of their second season, the Richmond Roughriders, the region's American Arena League football team, had already made a name for themselves on a national level. But it wasn’t their unbeaten record or their championship title that people were talking about, or even a player. It was their new part owner, rapper and reality-TV star Jim Jones.
Fans might recall the headlines the team made in the fall, when they announced that Jones, a performer at the halftime show of the championship game who’s known for his hit “We Fly High,” was now a part owner. He offered positions to Colin Kaepernick and Johnny Manziel, two popular quarterbacks who aren’t part of the NFL at the moment (for very different reasons). He also encouraged athletes who want to protest during the national anthem, offering them beach chairs and chilled drinks. So far, it seems those ideas are little more than hype — the league requires players to stand during the anthem, and Manziel and Kaepernick remain free agents — but the attention Jones brought to the team is real, and it has some Richmonders asking, “What’s arena football? We have a team?”
Arena, or indoor, football is similar to “regular” football, with a few key exceptions. It is, of course, usually played inside. The field is 50 yards long, about half the size of a standard football field. It’s surrounded by a padded wall, and there’s no out of bounds and no punting. It’s a faster, higher-scoring style of play that has caught on with players, and it has its fans. Gregg Fornario, a sports agent and part owner of the Roughriders, says that the atmosphere at the games is more family-focused than that produced by the rowdy crowds who invade most professional football games.
“We all love the NFL. No one’s … putting down the NFL. But I noticed a lot of people don’t want to bring younger kids to the NFL,” Fornario says. “That’s a little different here. It’s a family-friendly environment, you’re closer to the game.”
Close enough to grab a part of it, and if it’s the right time, take it home.
“At our home games, we do football mania,” Fornario says, “which is, in the second and fourth quarter, the ball goes into the crowd, [and] you get to keep the ball. The kids like that.”
Parents will like the affordable ticket prices, which come close to the cost of a drink and a lukewarm hot dog at some professional sports stadiums’ concession stands. Also, when the game is done, there’s time for the kids to meet the players.
“After the game, the players and coaches stay on the field, and all fans can go on the field, and it’s a big meet-and-greet,” Fornario says.
As the reigning champions in the Arena Pro Football league (the team is now a member of the newly formed American Arena league), the Roughriders can expect that the other 12 squads will be looking to knock them off their high horse this season. Coach Mook “Hollywood” Zimmerman, a former arena football player himself, says the team is ready to defend its title:
“We have one goal — and that’s a championship. We’re going to continue to do whatever it takes to be successful.”
The coach is certainly doing his part on the sideline. Indoor football coaches are more visible and active than what fans may be used to, and “Hollywood” is hard to miss during the game.
“If you’ve ever seen me on the sidelines, I’m very animated and very energetic as well,” he says when asked about his enthusiasm for coaching. “It allows me to carry out my passion and coach that way. That’s what the game requires.”
Something else a football team requires is a mascot. Last year, Sir Roland Braveheart, an oversized teddy bear wearing medieval armor, tried to keep fans engaged. The furry knight was actually a temporary worker supplied by “Mascots for a Cure,” a nonprofit that helps children and their families battle cancer.
“This year we’re going to have our own mascot,” Fornario says. The unnamed mascot, said to be a black stallion with a fluorescent green mane, will be revealed at a home game this year.
Fornario says first-time fans should be prepared for fast-paced games with lots of excitement and plenty of points. “It’s a lot of action in a short, short field,” he says. “It’s high scoring. The loser scores 50.” If the high scores and fast plays aren’t enough drama for you, then you should know that Jim Jones will be filming portions of his reality show, “Jim & Chrissy Vow or Never,” seen on WE TV, at some Richmond home games.
The Richmond Roughriders face the Carolina Energy on March 31 at 7 p.m. at the Richmond Coliseum. Single-game tickets are $12 to $38. Season passes start at $84. 866-674-3377 or richmondroughriders.com.