Locomotion wide receiver Ronnie Daniel grabs a pass for a short gain in the 4th quarter of Saturday's women's professional football game at Soddy-Daisy High.
photo by Michael Locke
The Chattanooga Locomotion Women's Professional football team did not fill up Soddy-Daisy Stadium in their opener Saturday, but drew more fans than officials had expected.
The crowd was estimated at some 1,500.
Mike Shuford, who heads Finley Stadium, said he was approached by Locomotion owners several months ago about the women's team playing there, but the team was not expecting to draw enough fans to cover stadium costs.
Another factor was that the Locomotion play during the part of the year when the stadium field is being changed over from winter rye grass to the bermuda for the fall UTC Moc football season.
Mr. Shuford said, "They told us they were realistically expecting 800 to 1,000 fans to begin with. That's not enough to cover the costs at the Stadium.
"We hope the Locomotion are a big success and can begin getting enough fans to make it feasible for them to rent Finley Stadium."
He said, "If they can get to 2,000-3,000 fans a game, then it definitely will be worth it for them to rent Finley Stadium."
Mr. Shuford said base rates for rent of the stadium are $8,000 per day (or $5,000 for non-profit groups).
He said it costs about $2,000 just to get the stadium ready for an event.
Mr. Shuford said stadium field crews at the end of May begin killing off the rye grass and preparing for the return of the bermuda. "It is basically a brown dirt field in June," he said.
Action began in the National Womens Football League (NWFL) last weekend, but the Locomotion had a bye.
Chattanooga joined the NWFL on March 2, 2001 when Ken and Tammy Hall of Chattanooga purchased the franchise rights from Catherine Masters, league commissioner.
The team roster contains 60 players - many from the Chattanooga area - and a coaching staff of six.
Tammy Hall is the owner of Island Adventures Travel Agency and is also a top executive with a local media duplication company.
Ken Hall is a former defensive end with the semi-pro Chattanooga Cowboys Football Team and was the owner of the semi-pro Chattanooga Blues Football Team of the Southern Semi-Pro Football League from 1993-1995.
The Halls also own Hall Vending Company, USA that started operations in 1998. Both have extensive involvement in the business community and in the operation of successful businesses.
The National Women's Football League was formed by Catherine Masters in August 2000 with two teams, the Nashville Dream and the Alabama Renegades. Eight teams have since joined the NWFL for the inaugural 2001 season with franchises being issued to Pensacola, Tri-Cities, District of Columbia, Connecticut, Boston and Philadelphia.
Masters is the CEO of MWI, an entertainment marketing company based in Nashville, Tennessee. She has extensive credentials in the music and sports industries. Prior to working in the music industry, she was a scout/liaison on the famed Virginia Slims tennis circuit, owner of a chain of tennis specialty shops and a marketing consultant for the New York and Atlanta Super Shows, the largest sporting goods shows in the world.
The Chattanooga Locomotion will play eight regular season games beginning April 28 with a home stand against the Pensacola Power.
All home games will be played on Saturdays at 1:05 p.m. at Soddy-Daisy Stadium.
Locomotion Roster
2 Candy Bickford 5'-2.5" 29 125 F.S. Dalton, GA.
10 Stephanie Essex 5'-3" 23 135 C.B. Soddy Daisy, TN.
11 Kelly Gutherie 5'-6" 30 190 Q.B. Cleveland, TN.
14 Michelle Simon 5'-7.5" 28 F.S. Clayton, N.J.
17 Tara Farley 5'-5" 28 145 Q.B. Walland, TN.
22 Nedra Hambright 5'-5" 31 155 W.R. Chattanooga, TN.
23 Monica Pierce 5'-6.5" 26 155 L.B. Dalton, GA.
27 Darlene Mitchell 5'-4" 39 135 R.B. Chattanooga, TN.
31 Cara Dulaney 5'-8" 23 W.R. Evensville, TN.
33 Kristie Downer 5'-6" 27 190 L.B. Chattanooga, TN.
38 Cayci Johnson 5'-9" 22 140 F.B. Athens, TN.
42 Patricia Mix 5'-7" 37 145 M.L.B.(injured) Nashville, TN.
43 Filecia McMillon 5'-0" 42 108 C.B. Chattanooga, TN.
44 Sandra Watson-Strong 5'-9" 230 M.L.B. Red Bank, TN.
49 Niakeia Hicks 5'-5" 21 140 D.E. Chattanooga, TN.
53 Felicion McMillon 5'-7" 23 194 D.E. Chattanooga, TN.
54 Kristie Harrington 5'-6" 28 178 L.B. Chattanooga, TN.
56 Abby Springfield 5'-7" 25 180 L.G. Dalton, GA.
57 Jessica Giesler 5'-11" 24 252 R.T. Chattanooga, TN.
58 Julia Maddron 5'-7.5" 29 155 C Athens, TN.
69 Jameese Cox 5'-3" 21 216 L.B. Cleveland, TN.
72 Lisa Baker 5'-9" 30 290 D.T. Gadsden, AL.
73 Rayceen Johnson 5'-8" 22 290 R.G. Cleveland, TN.
74 Julie Dopson 5'-4" 32 170 D.T. Rossville, GA.
77 Peggy Goodine 5'-8" 39 189 D.E. Cleveland, TN.
80 Lynette Carlson 5'-4" 22 130 W.R. Woodhull, IL.
88 Ronnie Daniel 5'-3" 35 135 W.R. Cohutta, GA.
89 Christy Knighten 5'-7" 20 165 T.E. Cleveland, TN.
91 Tammy Hall 5'-7" 28 163 T.E. Chattanooga, TN.
92 Tanza Freemon 5'-5.5" 35 150 D.E. Chattanooga, TN.
95 Joy Storey L.G.
99 Natasha Henegar 5'-4" 24 180 C Cleveland, TN.
Chattanooga Locomotion linebacker Kristie Downer leads a group of players in a fourth quarter cheer.
photo by Michael Locke