Tulsa Talons
Encyclopedia
The San Antonio Talons are a professional arena football
franchise in San Antonio, Texas
that plays in the Arena Football League
.
The Talons began in 2000 in Tulsa, Oklahoma
as the Tulsa Talons, a charter member of the defunct minor league Arena Football 2, also known as af2
. In 2009 the Talons moved from their original home field at Tulsa Convention Center
to the new 18,041 seat arena called the BOK Center
.
In terms of victories and championships, the Talons have been a successful af2 franchise. The Talons have more wins than any other team in af2 history. The Talons are the first af2 franchise to reach 100 overall franchise victories. Since inception of the league, the Talons have not had a losing season and have appeared in all ten af2 playoffs. Also, the Tulsa Talons have won two af2 championships, known as the ArenaCup
, in the last eight years. The Talons are also the team with the longest streak of consecutive seasons in the AFL system. Combined with the former af2, 2011 is their twelfth consecutive season of playing.
Head Coach Mitch Allner is the only person in af2 history to win a championship as both player and head coach. In 2004 the Talons were sold to a group led by Henry Primeaux, the owners of automobile dealerships in Oklahoma,http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4182/is_20060206/ai_n16047611/?tag=content;col1, and Paul Ross, an investor.http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3014385 In 2009 three new owners were added to the group.http://www.tulsaworld.com/sports/article.aspx?subjectid=223&articleid=20090507_223_B5_Michae314250
On September 21, 2011, Talons chairman Paul Ross announced the team was moving to San Antonio due to less than desirable attendance and ticket sales. http://www.newson6.com/story/15518119/tutalons-mo
Arena football
Arena football is a variety of gridiron football played by the Arena Football League . It is a proprietary game, the rights to which are owned by Gridiron Enterprises, and is played indoors on a smaller field than American or Canadian outdoor football, resulting in a faster and higher-scoring game....
franchise in San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
that plays in the Arena Football League
Arena Football League
The Arena Football League is the highest level of professional indoor American football in the United States. It is currently the second longest running professional football league in the United States, after the National Football League. It was founded in 1987 by Jim Foster...
.
The Talons began in 2000 in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
as the Tulsa Talons, a charter member of the defunct minor league Arena Football 2, also known as af2
Af2
AF2 was the name of the Arena Football League's developmental league; it was founded in 1999 and played its first season in 2000. Like parent AFL, the AF2 played using the same arena football rules and style of play. League seasons ran from April through July with the postseason and ArenaCup...
. In 2009 the Talons moved from their original home field at Tulsa Convention Center
Tulsa Convention Center
The Maxwell Convention Center or Tulsa Convention Center is a 7,111-seat multi-purpose arena in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The civic arena was constructed in 1964 and named for Tulsa Mayor James L. Maxwell who was the driving force behind the planning and start of the venue...
to the new 18,041 seat arena called the BOK Center
BOK Center
The BOK Center, or Bank of Oklahoma Center, is a 19,100-seat multi-purpose arena and a primary indoor sports and event venue in Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States. Designed to accommodate arena football, hockey, basketball, concerts, and similar events, the facility was built at a cost of $178 million...
.
In terms of victories and championships, the Talons have been a successful af2 franchise. The Talons have more wins than any other team in af2 history. The Talons are the first af2 franchise to reach 100 overall franchise victories. Since inception of the league, the Talons have not had a losing season and have appeared in all ten af2 playoffs. Also, the Tulsa Talons have won two af2 championships, known as the ArenaCup
ArenaCup
The ArenaCup is the af2's championship game. For the league's first five years, it was held at the arena of the higher seeded team. However, the 2005 ArenaCup was the first to be played at a neutral site in Bossier City, Louisiana. The 2006 ArenaCup was played in Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San...
, in the last eight years. The Talons are also the team with the longest streak of consecutive seasons in the AFL system. Combined with the former af2, 2011 is their twelfth consecutive season of playing.
Head Coach Mitch Allner is the only person in af2 history to win a championship as both player and head coach. In 2004 the Talons were sold to a group led by Henry Primeaux, the owners of automobile dealerships in Oklahoma,http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4182/is_20060206/ai_n16047611/?tag=content;col1, and Paul Ross, an investor.http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3014385 In 2009 three new owners were added to the group.http://www.tulsaworld.com/sports/article.aspx?subjectid=223&articleid=20090507_223_B5_Michae314250
On September 21, 2011, Talons chairman Paul Ross announced the team was moving to San Antonio due to less than desirable attendance and ticket sales. http://www.newson6.com/story/15518119/tutalons-mo