News and Announcements
Empire Football League Press Release May 5, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(877) 624-4485
e-mail: empirefoot@aol.com
website: www.empire-football-league.com
The Empire Football League met in Amsterdam, May 4th to revise its 2008 season schedule due the admission of the Massena Silver & Black into the EFL. The Massena franchise re-establishes semi pro football to an area with a rich semi pro legacy dating back to the early fifties. Latest Press Releease: Semi-pro player from Denmark joins new Massena Silver & Black team
With the Broome County Dragons and Scranton Eagles both on leave of absence, this now results in 7 active teams for the 2008 season.
The EFL season starts July 12th, has bye August 30th and ends October 4th. The EFL Playoffs are scheduled for October 11th and will conclude with the EFL Championship Game on October 18th.
We are excited about the 2008 season and remain committed to providing the best semi pro football for our member teams and their communities.
For additional information visit our EFL web site at www.empire-football-league.com
Judge rules Red & Black name will stay where it is (click to view video)
The semi-pro team, the nation's oldest, is trying to prevent a new team from using its now famous Red & Black name.
Thomas Shultz, a Watertown businessman, who owns Re-Sale America, said he was given the rights to the team name and planned to use it for his new team he's creating for a different league.
It's a claim the Red & Black deny and took to court to settle.
"I can't believe the way it went down," Red & Black Head Coach George Ashcraft said. "It's one person's story on the way things were. There's a lot of deep things that have been happening with them. It's just a shame, just a shame."
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It's a ruling Ashcraft said allows his team to move forward and carry on its history of more than 110 years.
"I think the tradition will go on another 100 years," Ashcraft added. "I truly do. It's an incredible thing to have in this area."
For Ashcraft, it's back to the field hosting a sign up day on April 11th for interested players.
But he said he expects Shultz, who is out of the country on vacation and was unavailable for comment, to present a countersuit; a move Ashcraft said he'll stay out of and leave to his lawyers.
Both teams are expected to start their seasons this July; the Red & Black in the Empire Football League and Shultz's team in the Northeastern Football Alliance.
Red and Black name stays with old team March 8, 2008
The "original" Watertown Red and Black has won the exclusive right to the use of the semipro football team's name.
State Supreme Court Judge Hugh A. Gilbert has ruled that Sports Partners Inc. cannot use the team name or logo for any purpose in Jefferson County, according to documents filed Friday at the Jefferson County Clerk's office.
Greater Watertown Red and Black Inc., which has been using the name the team has been known by since its inception in 1896, sued Sports Partners and its general manager, Thomas J. Shultz, in January claiming the company is misrepresenting its affiliation with the team and creating confusion among players, fans and sponsors as to who owns the right to field a team named Red & Black.
Shultz fired back an answer, claiming that the Red and Black's coach, George Ashcraft, had agreed to Sports Partners' taking over the team and its marketing in exchange for a coaching contract for Ashcraft. The alleged agreement was never formalized, laying the basis for the suit.
Judge Gilbert's decision was not based on the merits of either side's arguments; rather it was based on a state law requiring a corporation to have an attorney appear on its behalf in Supreme Court.
According to court documents, Shultz submitted an answer and affidavit in response to the Red and Black's complaint, but the corporation was never represented by an attorney, something Judge Gilbert indicated was "critical" to his decision.
"The court is intrigued by the dispute between (Red and Black Inc.) and Sports Partners Inc. and would like to address the merits," Judge Gilbert wrote. "We are constrained, however, by the provisions of (state law) which requires a corporation to appear by an attorney in an action in this Court."
Ashcraft said he was "very pleased with the judge's ruling," although he added "some of the turn of events that happened, some of the things that were said, were too bad."
"We're moving forward," he said. "This year is going to be a good year and we're looking forward to it. That's the point."
Shultz, reached on vacation in Jamaica, said he had not been able to fully digest the judge's decision because of being out of the country. He said the legal battle may not be over, as he plans to file a countersuit against Red and Black alleging fraud and breach of contract.
The Red and Black's suit against him, personally, was allowed to continue by Judge Gilbert. The judge ruled because Shultz did appear in court "in his individual capacity," the issues between Shultz and the Red and Black could not be resolved on motion.
Sports Partners has received approval from the Northeastern Football Alliance to compete in its 15-team league. The Red & Black plays in the Empire Football League.
