County Group Pursuing Arena Football Team

Six Orange County businessmen are attempting to bring an Arena Football League team to Anaheim, according to Roy Englebrecht, who heads the group.

The group has made a tentative offer to buy the Las Vegas Sting, Englebrecht said. The purchase would be contingent on the new ownership securing a deal to use The Pond of Anaheim.

“We have been negotiating with The Pond for four months and it’s a matter of dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s on the lease,” Englebrecht said.

Commissioner Jim Drucker said the league would not comment until it receives an application for transfer from the franchise.

The league probably will vote on the deal at its Aug. 31 meeting, at which time a franchise relocation fee will be assessed.

John Nicoletti, a spokesman for The Pond, said arena officials would have no problems scheduling dates for the team.

“The great thing hosting an Arena football team is that at this point it’s only a 12-game schedule,” Nicoletti said. “That’s six games at home, plus the playoffs. The other advantage is they start in May, prior to the other two summer sports we host [the Splash and Bullfrogs].”

3The league’s other franchises are Albany, N.Y., Iowa, Memphis, Milwaukee, Miami, Orlando, Tampa Bay, Arizona, St. Louis, San Jose, Charlotte and Connecticut. Eight-man teams play on a 50-yard field.