Next fall, Columbus could get a whole lot sexier.
The Lingerie Football League, consisting of 11 women’s tackle football teams, is considering Columbus or Cleveland for an expansion franchise in 2011.
The LFL is an extension of the Superbowl halftime blockbuster special called the Lingerie Bowl, which debuted in 2004 — coincidentally, the same year as Janet Jackson’s infamous “nip slip.” The Lingerie Bowl draws millions of viewers and seven-figure advertising annually, said LFL media director Stephon McMillen.
The LFL confirmed a new league in Las Vegas, might add one in Pittsburgh, and will “probably add one more market to that mix-making as many as four expansion markets in 2011,” McMillen said.
The LFL’s executive committee and chairman will make the final decisions.
McMillen said Ohio attracted the league because “the heart of the state is football.”
“Primarily, it’s the tradition of football in the state of Ohio and Columbus in particular … besides the NHL team, there really isn’t much else as far as professional sports,” he said, adding the league thought the “fanatical nature of the sport of football for Ohio State … could possibly translate to the LFL.”
McMillen said finding the right ownership and venue is crucial. The league is considering Nationwide Arena.
“Probably the most important element is initial fanfare,” he said. “And I know our offices have been flooded by both Cleveland and Columbus fans wanting it.”
The teams — which have names such as the Baltimore Charm, Dallas Desire and Los Angeles Temptation — play in a seven-on-seven style, with the players clad in shoulder-, elbow-, and knee-pads, as well as bras, panties, garters and ice-hockey style helmets.
But don’t let their get-ups fool you.
“If you’ve been to a game or seen a game on MTV2, you’ll know that this is real football,” McMillen said. “The name is designed to pique curiosity.”
McMillen also said the players “are all former college athletes” and “come from all walks of life.”
“I guess I’d say it’s degrading,” said Jordan Vidra, a third-year in strategic communication who said he has watched a couple games on TV. “It’s great in terms of women playing football, though,” he said.
Business Builders Club president and fourth-year in finance, Nils Root, said he understands why the LFL is considering Columbus.
“From a business standpoint, I think it’d be good for their business, but maybe not for Columbus,” he said.
Root said he thinks the potential LFL franchise coupled with the addition of new casinos in 2012 will be interesting.
“All of these ideas are great for business,” he said. “They’re profitable — but then we have to take a step back and look at the product we’re selling. Are we taking steps forward or steps back? I guess we’ll find out.”
If the LFL comes to Columbus, Root and Vidra said they would “probably check it out.”
The LFL had record Internet traffic and surpassed projected attendance by 30 percent in its first year. At times, it attracted near-capacity crowds.
“2009 was a really tough economy that greatly impacted all major professional sports,” McMillen said. “Despite that, the LFL actually somewhat thrived.”
McMillen said tickets are “normally more in line with the NFL and NBA,” ranging from $25 to $150. Students are usually offered discounted tickets for around $10, McMillen said.
People interested in bringing the franchise to Columbus can e-mail [email protected].
