Opinion: Pigskin league chases corporate greenbacks

Little’s newly formed Ozarks Football League Inc. is a pigskin version of little league baseball.

It’s taken the business acumen of Little, owner of physician recruitment firm Little & Associates, and two other Springfield businessmen to get the Missouri not-for-profit corporation off the ground.

The group filed paperwork with the state in December and amended OFL’s articles March 6 to reflect its pursuit of 501(c)3 status under the Internal Revenue Code. “We should be receiving the letter soon,” Little said.

With the help of Opfer Communications’ Scott Opfer, Stamina Products’ Bob McBride and several area high school coaches, Ozarks Football League has assembled 190 kids and five teams, representing Catholic, Glendale, Hillcrest, Kickapoo and Parkview high schools.

Now, the organizers are rounding up the fund-raising wagons for a final push. They’ve collected approximately $19,000 of a needed $25,000 to $28,000.

“We’re not far from doing it,” Little said of breaking even the first year. “I just wish (funds) would come a little faster,” he laughed.

Funds raised, combined with the $100 player’s fee, pay for equipment expenses, player insurance and game operations.

Several businesses have jumped on board. There are four $1,000 Big Hit sponsors: Stainless Fabrication Inc.; Liberty Bank; Vanguard Homes; and The Alliance of Medical Recruiters, a subsidiary of Little & Associates. The three $500 Field Goal sponsors are: Royal Screen Printing; Guaranty Bank; and David and Lisa Vaughn. And the three $250 Player sponsors are: Kirkpatrick, Phillips & Miller, CPAs; Supercuts; and Peterbilt of Springfield Inc. Mark and Kara Waterman and Thomas Y. Auner, Attorney at Law, are providing player scholarships.

But the top three sponsorship packages, totaling $17,500, were not spoken for at press time. Those are the $10,000 Hall of Fame presenting sponsorship, the $5,000 Champion sponsorship, and the $2,500 Touchdown sponsorship. The Hall of Fame package entitles a company to league naming rights and logo placement on some player helmets, game-day banners and on the Web site, www.ozarksfootball.com.

This corporate association with athletics is growing. Even the National Football League has gone this route. In 2003, the Chicago Bears unveiled “Bears football presented by Bank One” under a 12-year, multimillion-dollar deal. The Bears caught flack in the Windy City media, but it did generate revenues. Additionally, Cadillac is the official vehicle of the Chicago Bears, and Miller Lite is the Bears’ Web site poll sponsor.

Little and company are hoping for similar results here.

“We’ve gotten a fairly good response from the community, not a great response,” Little said. “We’re not in dire straits. We will meet all of our expenses. We might have to dig into our own pockets, but I’d rather not.”

He already has, at least through his companies, donating about $2,000. Other organizers Opfer and McBride have made similar donations through their companies.

Several other businesses have made verbal offers, such as Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper Bottling Co. providing the concession and sideline soft drinks.

The OFL is two years in the making, beginning when parents approached Little, then working with Mighty Mites, about a league for seventh- and eighth-graders.

“Springfield is the only town around here that hasn’t really done that,” Little said, adding that the purpose of the league is to “promote continuity and enhance football in Springfield.”

The OFL is a chapter of the American Youth Football League, which means the NFL backs it and that it will qualify for NFL grants next year.

All coaches are National Youth Sports Coach’s Association-certified, said Marcus Wolfe, who is coaching the Hillcrest team.

Wolfe said eight weeks of instruction begin March 30. Each team plays five games, all at Springfield Catholic, followed by playoffs.

“It is designed to teach the kids,” Wolfe said, “but there is a competitive nature to it.”

Let the games begin.

Eric Olson is SBJ news editor.[[In-content Ad]]