Talons To Be Featured On Reality TV Series

David Lynd, owner of the San Antonio Talons Arena Football Team, announced a partnership with local CBS affiliate, to make the station the home of a reality show. "Guts & Glory" will introduce Talon's team members to San Antonio viewers in a weekly series presenting the "behind the scenes" look at Arena Football.

The agreement will bring a 30-minute show called "Guts & Glory 2013" to KENS-TV premiering Sat. June 8, and will air for 11 weeks through August 17. The show will air on Saturdays at noon and repeated on Sundays at 5 a.m.

"We will give South Texas fans the "best" of the Talons off the field," David Lynd, Talons team owner and chief visionary officer for the EnV Group said. "Our coaches and team will candidly discuss the season to date with insight into the player's lives and game strategy."

Talons fans have the opportunity to be a part of the show by participating in interactive interview stations positioned throughout the stadium during home games and open practices.

"David has made the Talons team an essential part of the community," Jerry Kurz, commissioner of the Arena Football League said, "I was pleased that through this series the public will get to know Talons players as fathers, sons, and contributing members of San Antonio."

The Talons will participate in supporting the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital as part of the AFL Championship Game on Aug. 17.

According to Peter Anthony Andrews, show producer and CEO of EnV Media, several AFL teams are closely watching the Talons and have expressed interest in the series.

"We look forward to working together with our players to bring a great series to viewers every week on KENS 5 TV," Andrews, a former VP at NBC, Columbia Pics and MGM Studios said.

"I think this show will inspire other owners to find a way to replicate David's program in every one of our markets," said Commissioner Kurz. "We'll come to know the players much more than what we see on game day. It's been a pleasure working with David. He has the drive, determination and love for the game. He has made it his own, and I admire, respect and appreciate David for doing that."

"Being able to expose Arena Football and the San Antonio Talons through this type of media is an incredible opportunity. Arena Football is the most fan friendly sport out there, and the opportunity to present it to South Texas in this forum is something that most teams and leagues can only dream about," Keith Recine, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the San Antonio Talons said. "I am thrilled that we will be able to inspire the kind of passion we have for Arena Football in new fans around the country."

San Antonio Talons, Momentum Physical Therapy Launch Youth Health And Fitness Program

The San Antonio Talons have teamed up with Momentum Physical Therapy & Sports Rehab to launch a new educational initiative — “Don’t Stop the Momentum.”

The program will educate students about the importance of living an active and healthy life. Participants will also learn proper nutrition and injury prevention.

Talons representatives and Momentum physical therapy staff will provide presentations to students, teaching them exercises and functional movements.

“Proper care for your body and attention to nutrition has to start at a young age,” said John Malfer, co-owner of Momentum Physical Therapy. “We are educating students to encourage them to confront the risk of complacency and injury with proactive and preventative measures to lead to a healthier future.”

The Talons and Momentum will give presentations to students in the North East, Northside, San Antonio and South San Antonio independent school districts.

Interested schools can call 210-390-4284 for more information on the new program.

San Antonio Talons Support Bexar County And United Way With Pre-Season Game

The San Antonio Talons have partnered up with United Way for their pre-season game on March 6. "The Talons are proud to donate our proceeds to the United Way. It is a very worth while charity to be partnered with," said Talon's owner David Lynd. "We hope San Antonio turns out in a big way to support the San Antonio community and our hometown football team!"
With a 7:30pm kick off time, all seats will be available with a $5 general admission ticket. All proceeds from every seat sold will go straight to the United Way. On game day, fans can bring five cans of food to the Food Bank donation station set up and trade them in for a ticket voucher.
"In celebration of the San Antonio community contributing over $50 million this year to support children, families and emergency services across Bexar County, United Way is pleased to partner with the Talons to say thank you to the community." said Doug Yeiser, United Way's vice president of strategic markets. "We rely on the generosity of people throughout the community, and invite everyone to enjoy a night out with friends and family," he said.
United Way is one of the largest private investors in health and human services programs in San Antonio and Bexar County. United Way brings people together through the 2-1-1 Help Line, partner agency programs, Eastside Promise Neighborhood initiatives, and other community work that helps children, strengthens families and neighborhoods, and provides emergency services to those in immediate need of food, clothing, shelter and disaster services.
The San Antonio Talons are entering into their second season in the Arena Football League (AFL). The team was moved to San Antonio from Tulsa, OK in 2012 and won the AFL's Central Division title, as well as hosted their first AFL playoff game in the 2012 season.

San Antonio Talons Sky Dancers Audition Finals Tonight

Tonight the San Antonio Talons will be holding dance audition finals for the 2013 Sky Dancers from 7-10pm at Sam's Burger Joint located at 330 East Grayson Street San Antonio, TX 78215.
Finals will consist of 21 girls competing to fill 16 spots. They will be performing both individual and group routines. They will be competing in front of a panel of seven judges including some of San Antonio's own, Publisher and Editor of INSIDE and NFIT Magazines, Elliott Garza, and former San Antonio Roses Dancer and current Co-Host & Co-Executive Producer of Fox's "Daytime at Nine" Cassandra Lazenby, among others.
Dance finals are open to the public and all are welcomed to come see the 2013 San Antonio Talon Sky Dancers for the first time. This is the perfect opportunity to support San Antonio's only professional football team.
The San Antonio Talons are entering into their second season in the Arena Football League (AFL). The team was moved to San Antonio from Tulsa, OK in 2012 and won the AFL's Central Division title, as well as hosted their first AFL playoff game in the 2012 season. For more information or to inquire about season tickets please call 210.227.TEAM.

San Antonio Hosts Arena Football University

San Antonio had the privilege to host the Arena Football League’s annual "Arena Football University" this week. AFU is a three-day event that gives AFL teams the opportunity to come together and meet with vendors and the League office to game plan for the upcoming season.
Every year, teams vieto host the event in their city. Out of all of the offers in 2012, San Antonio was hand-picked by the League to host this year’s event. AFU was held downtown at the St. Anthony Hotel. In their down time from the event, participants were able to visit and enjoy the Riverwalk.
“We would like to thank the San Antonio Talons for serving as the host of our annual Arena Football University,” Christie Cook, AFL Senior Director of League and Team Operations, said. “This week, we spent three days as a League sharing ideas on ticket operations, corporate partnerships, merchandise, football operations, media relations and game day operations.”
Representatives from Russell Athletics and Riddell were also present showing off samples of the latest and greatest in athletic gear for the teams.
Senior account executive of the Orlando Predators, Jack Benigno was thoroughly impressed with the event.
“I found the event to be not only educational, but inspiring as well. The presentations were informative and motivating and the venue was spectacular,” Benigno said. “Kudos to the AFL and the San Antonio Talons for providing a tremendous all around experience.”

San Antonio Talons Unveil New Logo

The San Antonio Talons unveiled a new look for the franchise today. The new logo is more closely tied with Texas and signals a new direction for the franchise in San Antonio as they start their second season.
"We wanted something that would reflect our Texas roots," said Keith Recine, Executive Vice President for the Talons. "We wanted to move forward as a franchise and give this team an identity that truly tied us to our fans in Texas. We felt that the switch to a new logo, that is reflective of our community, is an important step as we seek to strengthen the connection between the Talons and our fans and corporate partners."
Talons owner David Lynd is also excited about the direction the 2013 team is headed. He stated that one of the goals for 2013 is to give the Talons a new identity that reflects their new home and new fans.
"It was important to do away with all of the Talons look and feel that was representative of Tulsa and make this team a Texas team," Lynd said. "We feel like the new logo does exactly that."

Talons Sign Two-Year Deal with Coach Lee Johnson

The San Antonio Talons announced today the signing of a two-year contract extension with Head Coach Lee Johnson. The announcement had been expected after a successful inaugural season with the Talons. In his first year as a head coach in 2012, Johnson posted a 14-4 record and Central Division title.
Talons Executive Vice President Keith Recine is pleased with the signing.
“The ability to secure Coach Johnson through the 2014 season means that our franchise will have stability on the field and will give us a significant advantage during free agency as we seek to sign players to our roster for the 2013 season,” Recine said.
Talons owner David Lynd is also excited about the direction the 2013 team is headed. “The Talons are pleased that we are able to bring back Lee Johnson as head coach for our team. Lee is a tremendous leader and pushed our guys to play at a high level all year. Coach Johnson established a new program and set a win record for a first year team, which earned him a two-year contract from us,” Lynd said.
Johnson began his coaching career in the Canadian Football League in 1997. During his career, he has coached with the Denver Broncos, Carolina Cobras, Colorado Crush and Orlando Predators.

San Antonio Talons Receive Commissioner's Award

The San Antonio Talons are the winners of the 2012 Commissioner’s Award, Arena Football League Commissioner Jerry B. Kurz announced today.
“The Talons displayed excellence both on and off the field,” Kurz said. “The team’s tremendous success in their inaugural season displayed why San Antonio was a perfect market for the fast-paced game of Arena Football. With just one-year in the League, they are already highly recognized in the San Antonio community.”
The Talons, led by legendary quarterback Aaron Garcia, finished their 2012 campaign with the best record (14-4) in the National Conference and as Central Division Champions.
“It’s more than just on the field. This is the most fan-friendly sport in the world. We stress community and our fans,” Kurz said. “The organization quickly laid down a foundation that this League prides itself on.”
Following the 2012 season, Talons Owner David Lynd announced the hiring of the long-time AFL executive Keith Recine. Recine and the Talons will focus on “community based marketing” and a commitment to providing a total sports entertainment experience for the fans in every game.
In 2011, the Pittsburgh Power received the Commissioner’s Award following their inaugural season.
The Arena Football League also honored Kurz, Jim Foster and William Niro with the 25th Anniversary Service Award. The award exemplifies the commitment of excellence to the Arena Football League over its 25 years of existence. Foster, who invented the game of Arena Football, also served as the League’s Commissioner (1997-92), an owner, president and earned Executive of the Year. Niro represented Foster in the formation of the AFL, was an original founder and served on the AFL Board of Directors (1990-2010). Niro currently represents the League in procurement and protection of AFL brand identity and trademarks. Kurz, who currently serves as the League’s Commissioner, has been involved with the game for 27 yards. He successfully resurrected the League in 2009 and continually displays his passion and devotion to the game.

Talons Hire Orlando Predators Executive

The San Antonio Talons announced today the hiring of Keith Recine as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Recine spent the past five years with the Orlando Predators of the Arena Football League, the last four as Director of Game Day Operations and Corporate Sponsorship Coordinator.
During Recine's tenure in Orlando both attendance and corporate sponsorship revenue grew, making the franchise one of the cornerstones of the AFL. The Predators lead the AFL in attendance this season with an average of 12,552 fans per game and are also among league leaders in corporate sponsorship revenue. Recine will be tasked with leading the Talons day-to-day operations and strengthening the business side of the organization.
"The opportunity to take over the Talons and introduce Arena Football to San Antonio is a dream come true for me," says Recine. "San Antonio has all the ingredients necessary to make it one of the top markets in the Arena Football League and the Talons organization has everything anyone could hope for to make it a world class franchise."
Talons Owner David Lynd expressed his excitement about Recine leading the franchise.
"We are proud to announce the hiring of Keith Recine," says Lynd. "This was among the most important moves we could make and we are glad we made it before our season ended so we could get a jump start on next year. Our 2013 season ticket sales are in full swing and we hope our fans are proud of what we have accomplished this year and will continue to support the team."
"We looked at numerous AFL teams and executives to fill this position and Keith was our number one choice," Lynd adds. "Keith is a veteran Arena Football League executive and has successfully managed one of the most storied franchises in the AFL in the Orlando Predators."
AFL Commissioner Jerry Kurz is also expressed a great deal of optimism about the hiring.
"Keith has been a tireless worker for the Predators and the AFL for years now," says Kurz. "His dedication to our sport has been appreciated and I'm excited that the Talons franchise will now benefit from his vast experience."
Recine's arrival to San Antonio this week signals a change in the direction of the franchise's business operation. Recine is expected to bring valuable knowledge and experience in running an AFL franchise with him from Orlando. The Talons focus off the field is expected to center around expanding both their season ticket base as well as their roster of corporate partners in San Antonio. He is expected to bring with him Orlando's commitment to providing a total sports entertainment experience for the fans every game and a focus on "community based marketing" with a goal of making the Talons a recognized part of the San Antonio community throughout the entire year.
The San Antonio Talons are completing their first Arena Football League Season in San Antonio. The team was moved to San Antonio from Tulsa, OK in 2012 and won the AFL's Central Division title this season. They will host their first AFL playoff game on July 27, 2012 at the Alamodome.

San Antonio Talons vs. Pittsburgh Power Game to Benefit Breast Cancer Awareness

On Saturday, May 12, the San Antonio Talons will take on the Pittsburgh Power at a 7 p.m. game in the Alamodome. But the team hopes to make an impact on a lot more than their opponents that night, as they host an evening to promote breast cancer awareness in San Antonio.
During the game, the Talons players will wear commemorative pink gloves and wristbands, and the quarterbacks will have distinctive pink towels; the team will also use pink footballs as the official game balls for the evening. Immediately following the game will be a live auction on the field where fans can bid for the commemorative pink items. All proceeds from the auction will be donated to a local breast cancer charity.
For more information about the tailgate visit Facebook.com/SATalons.

VooDoo Meet Talons on NET10 NFL Network Game of the Week

The New Orleans VooDoo (2-2) will make the trek to take on the San Antonio Talons (2-2) on Friday for the NET10 NFL Network Game of the Week. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. for the nationally televised game.
The VooDoo is currently riding a two-game winning streak, marking the first time since 2008 that the team has strung together back-to-back wins. The team is also fresh off of ending “The Graveyard Curse” with a 66-47 victory at home against division rival Tampa Bay Storm.
The Graveyard Curse is the nickname given to the franchise’s 12-game home losing streak that dated back to 2008 – the second longest home drought in AFL history to the Carolina Cobras 16-game home losing streak over the course of three seasons (2002, 2003 and 2004)
“It was great to get that home win for our fans last week,” said VooDoo Head Coach Pat O’Hara. “The team feed off of the fans energy, and it got loud in The Graveyard. We thank our fans for their support, and we are going to need them the rest of the way.”
In the win, the VooDoo were aided by two 26-point quarters that included a shutout second quarter. The VooDoo defense recorded four turnovers in the win, with none bigger than Jeremy Kellem’s interception that he returned 39-yards for a touchdown in the second quarter. Kellem, who leads the VooDoo with 28.5 total tackles, was honored by the AFL this week for his interception return touchdown as the Spalding Highlight of the Week.
“Our defense is playing at a high-level right now, and our offense has done a good job not turning over the ball,” said O’Hara. “We will have arguably our toughest test yet this weekend when we go to play Aaron Garcia and San Antonio.”
Aaron Garica  led Jacksonville to an ArenaBowl XXIV to a championship last season, and has guided the Talons this season with 1,244 yards passing and 27 touchdowns. Garcia comes into the game having thrown for over 50,000 yards and 1,000 touchdowns – both AFL records – in his 18-year AFL career.
Garcia’s 1,000th career touchdown pass came in the team’s most recent game against the San Jose Sabercats when he connected with Robert Quiroga on a 47-yard pass in the first quarter.
“They are good; there is no question about that,” said O’Hara about San Antonio. “I have a lot of respect for their team, and no that it is going to take another strong showing from our team on national television.”
The VooDoo counters with quarterback Kurt Rocco who is currently the League’s No. 1 passer, averaging 333.8 yards/game. Rocco, who is in his second year in the AFL, has a host of receivers at his disposal with L.J. Castile leading the pack for the VooDoo with 26 receptions for 315 yards and 7 touchdowns. Castile is coming off of his first 100-yard receiving game of his AFL career.
As a team, the VooDoo ranks second in pass offense (321.2 yards/game), third in total offense (338.5 yards/game) and fourth in pass efficiency (124.6). The team is also first in the AFL in turnover margin (+9).
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. in the Alamodome on Friday night.

San Antonio Talons Cut Ticket Prices

The San Antonio Talons are off and running in the Arena Football League after a successful season opener this past Saturday at the Alamodome. Following the Talons 54-48 victory over the Utah Blaze, new team owner, David Lynd, of Lynd Sports, LLC, huddled with his Talons management team on ideas of how to improve the fan experience.
First on the agenda was ticket pricing. Lynd, a San Antonio native, felt there was a need to reduce prices to make attending Talons games more affordable.
"It was obvious to us that one of the first things we needed to do was cut prices," said Lynd, who took over Talons ownership just last week from original team owner, Jason Lohe. "No matter the quality of the product we put on the field, if it's not priced right for the fans, they simply aren't going to buy."
Lynd chopped all ticket prices, including lowering the lowest priced ticket to $10. Other tickets have been cut as much as $20 per ticket, at every price level.
"We wanted to price a Talons game where a family, or group of four, could spend under $100 and receive four tickets, four hot dogs and four drinks. They can now do that."
Lynd recognizes that ticket pricing and team support go hand in hand. "With me being from San Antonio, I did not want pricing to be an issue with fans when deciding to attend a game," he said. "This is San Antonio's team and we wanted all San Antonian's to be able to get behind us. If we want professional football to succeed here, the fans will have to do their part. But it is our obligation to put a good product on the field and make it affordable for all fans. I feel we have now done both."