By NATE KING
Salina Post
At its Monday regular meeting on Oct. 14 Salina City Commissioners approved $35,000 in financial support for the Salina Liberty, Salina's only professional indoor football team.
Commissioners voted to allocate the funds from the city's 2025 contingency budget, following a discussion that focussed on both the team’s contributions to the community and its recent league financial and management struggles.
Salina Economic Development Organization Executive Director Mitch Robinson addressed the commission, emphasizing the importance of Salina Liberty to the city's quality of life and its ability to attract residents and businesses to the area.
“When people think about relocating to a community, they look at arts, recreation, and sports programs,” Robinson said. “Salina Liberty adds to that by providing professional football, which has been a part of Salina for the past nine years.”
Salina Liberty co-owner Dan Mendicina followed Robinson, explaining the history of the Liberty. After the abrupt departure of the Salina Bombers in 2015, Mendicina and other local business leaders founded the Salina Liberty. Since then, the team has become one of the most successful franchises in indoor football, winning a national championship in 2022.
Last year, the Salina Liberty joined the relaunch of the Arena Football League (AFL) and reached the Final Four, competing against teams from large markets like Orlando and Nashville. However, the league ultimately collapsed, leaving the Salina Liberty team short by $250,000 in expected revenues.
The new league, not affiliated or rebuilt from the AFL, called Arena Football One is led by former Los Angeles Rams and Tennessee Titans head coach Jeff Fisher.
Adam Pelletier, spokesperson for Arena Football One said the Salina Liberty's team's stability and professionalism is seen both on and off the field.
"Salina has been a pillar of stability in the 50-yard game for years," Pelletier said. "It's really exciting to see the community get behind them [Liberty] in a big way like this. The team and the games belong to the communities where they are played. We're here for the fans."
Additionally, Adam talked about how the league is working to improve stability and consistent scheduling.
"Thanks to the leadership of our Commissioner Jeff Fisher, our CEO and all of our amazing teams, we're going to deliver stability, which means there's going to be a consistent schedule," he said. "It's going to be known. There's not going to be last-minute changes. The schedule is going to be locked in in November, and all those games are going to get played. "
"As we look forward, we've committed to 2025 our head coach is one of the winningest coaches in indoor football-Heron O'Neil. He's in the Hall of Fame for the IFL, and also played professionally in the National Football League," Mendacina said.
"Liberty works hard to build strong relationships with community partners, and it's just a great value add, because you have a team in Salina that was incredibly competitive last year on the field," Pelletier said. "This support is really going to go a long way to showing that the 50-yard game is here to stay in Salina, Kansas."
While commissioners expressed support for the team, some questioned whether the funding should fall under economic development. Commissioner Mike Hoppock suggested viewing the financial support as more of a community investment.
"It just didn't feel right to me for this to fall under the economic development umbrella," Hoppock said. "When we look to bring workers into the community you don't know what it is that makes somebody want to be here. Is it the Art Center? Is it the community theatre or the baseball fields at Bill Burke Park. I do believe it adds something to thecommunity, but I think it maybe sends the wrong message falling under the Economic Development."
Hoppock also said that his business, Land Title Services Inc., is one of the 200+ Salina Liberty sponsors.
Mayor Longbine said he felt the dollar amount was a little too high.
"This really doesn't fall under economic development, and I think I would be okay with this sponsorship, but I think the $35,000 is a little excessive, just coming straight out of the city budget."
Commissioners voted 4-1 in favor of allocating $35,000 from the 2025 contingency fund to support the team, which will begin its next season in March.
Mayor Longbine was the dissenting vote.