Walking into the Memphis Maniax main office is like walking into an abandoned building. However, the squatters here wear suits and work for juggernaut media companies. The only sign that suggests that they work for the XFL are two helmets placed together near the wall. The sleek blue-green seems out of place with a facility that doesn’t even have phone lines completely installed.
It is not enough to say that Memphis’ newest sporting franchise has yet to put on the finishing touches. It would hardly be adequate to say that they have even moved in. Fold-out chairs replace desk chairs, fold-out tables replace desks. The old Armory building, snugged between the Children’s museum and Liberty Bowl Stadium on Southern (and formerly home to both the USFL Showboats and Mad Dogs of the CFL) doesn’t seem a likely focal point for Maniax operations.
But this is just the beginning of a long burrowing-in process, and all the key components are there to make the Maniax big in Memphis. One reason is the explicit support of both NBC and the WWF and the promise of ample national television coverage rife with fireworks, Vaughneresque spectacles, and other forms of sports-entertainment. Another reason is the personnel already on board with the team, such as director of player personnel Steve Ortmayer. He is directly responsible for all transactions concerning players and their contracts.
This is nothing new to the 25-year NFL veteran who has two world championship rings (from his days with the Oakland/L.A. Raiders). Ortmayer has also worked in key positions for the San Diego Chargers and the L.A. Rams and oversaw the transition of the Rams to St. Louis. He is credited with a big role in that organization’s recent Super Bowl success.
His goal is to put together an XFL championship team. Ortmayer says that two factors brought him over from the NFL. “I was contacted by NBC,” he says. “They told me that I should look [at the new league]” The partnership with the media giant added a great deal of credibility to the XFL, according to Ortmayer.
But he wasn’t convinced until Steve Ehrhart, GM of the Maniax and a good friend of Ortmayer’s, gave him a call. Ortmayer recalls, “Steve pushed me over. He added a lot of credibility. There were questions that people had about [the XFL’s] connection with the WWF . . . but Vince McMahon wants a credible football league.”
Ortmayer goes on to say that the XFL’s connections with the WWF are a positive for him. “The WWF is the most successful and brightest promotional machine in sports today.”
Ortmayer believes that the XFL will bring back a more traditional form of football — one that will also benefit families. He says, “The NFL, in its growth and direction over the past 10 years, has become very corporate. There’s a lot of emphasis on things that have taken blue-collar family of four out of the game.” According to Ortmayer, the XFL will concentrate on bringing that family back. He says, “We want to create some civic pride in this team so that we won’t have to take a back-seat to [the Tennessee Titans] in Nashville. We have to make it happen.”
In a city noted for its poverty, Ortmayer believes that ticket price is a key factor in a community’s involvement with a team. “We’re making it very affordable to families.” According to recent ticket information, XFL tickets will be priced from $20 to $40 a game, a far cry from NFL ticket prices.
In addition, Ortmayer would like for the Maniax to become a contributing member of the Memphis community.
“We want to create a fan-base from the local city,” instead of generating support through corporate interests. In addition, the team is looking into a number of community-related activities such as supporting schools and local groups. Ortmayer says, “In conjunction to making this a family friendly event, we want to make this a community friendly organization … help community schools and organizations.”
