Lions, Steelhawks join new Arena Developmental League

The “worst-kept secret in football,” in the words of Columbus Lions managing owner Skip Seda, was finally let out of the bag Tuesday afternoon.

The team will be a part of Seda’s newly-created Arena Developmental League, joining the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks, who also announced their intentions to join the ADL earlier in the day on Tuesday.

Seda is in a unique situation as one of the owners of the ADL along with father Kike and now managing owner of one of the league’s member teams in Columbus. According to him, any thoughts of collusion or favoritism should go out the window.

“I’ve been in many leagues before where the league owner has also owned teams in the league,” Seda said. “I have not been comfortable many times in that situation, so to avoid that, I won’t be involved in any competitive decision or rules decision. The only thing I reserve the right to be involved in is finance and player safety.”

Seda said he has received nothing but positives from owners around indoor football about the ADL.

“From what I’m getting back from other owners, they agree. So far I haven’t talked to anyone who wants nothing to do with it. We’re just excited about it. We’ve got a great commissioner in John Gregory.”

Gregory, an Arena Football League and Canadian Football League veteran coach, stressed that regardless of where franchises may have previously played, he hopes to have them all on a level playing field in the ADL.

“We’re going to do a lot of things to help recruiting at all levels.” Gregory said. “We’re going to have league-wide training camps. If we have to, we’re going to help out the coaches, give them some training.

“One thing we’re not going to have here is teams not playing their games or looking like they just got done playing in the mud.”

Head coach Jason Gibson is proud and thrilled for the Lions to join the ADL, but most of all, he relishes the opportunity his players will have to hone and showcase their skills in the league.

“I’m excited for them,” Gibson said. “I talked to them in private about what’s about to happen. They have no idea.”

Also attending the meeting was the new director of marketing for the league, Ken Wimberly. Wimberly’s resume is impressive, having been on many executive boards in the metro Atlanta area. He was the vice president for athletics at Morris Brown College, where he helped to generate sponsorship and private donations for the programs there. He also is president of his own KW Event Management Services and has raised over $20 million over the past 10 years for endeavors in both the private sector and non-profit areas.

Wimberly was equally excited about having the Lions join the stable of ADL teams.

“It’s great to have a three-time championship team part of the ADL,” Wimberly said. “We have a lot of work ahead of us and look forward to working with them. We’re also going to plan some fun activities around the league. It’s going to be fun for families to come out and partake in it.

“I am very excited about working with the ADL. I am 90 percent done with a contract with a major transportation company.”

“You want to know how much the contract is for? $200,000,” Gregory interjected.

The ADL season will begin next March, with a schedule due in October. More teams are expected to announce their intentions to join the league in the coming weeks, according to Gregory.

This story was originally published July 19, 2016 at 8:49 PM with the headline "Lions, Steelhawks join new Arena Developmental League."