Yakima Mavericks Suspended From GNFA

Incidents on and off field cited.

May 10, 2010

The GNFA Advisory Board met via phone conferences and decided unanimously to suspend the Yakima Mavericks from all GNFA activities for 2010 and the immediate future stemming from problems with the franchise over the past few years.

Over the past two seasons alone, the franchise was involved in a bench clearing brawl with the Columbia Basin Riverhawks and most recently a letter was sent to all WFL owners that the Okanogan Commandos, a league member since 2006 would no longer play games against the Mavericks.  The game played on April 24 in Naches, WA was marred by reports of threats of physical violence in the parking lot after the game should the Commandos defeat the Mavericks which Commando management took as being very serious and credible.  Yakima players were also implicated in altercations in downtown Wenatchee following the 2009 GNFA All-Star game as well as being sent out of the game by officials for behavior and conduct unbecoming of an all-star selection.

In a call with ethics advisor Rob Diebold who was in Detroit on business and a former commissioner of Florida's Diamond Football League, Diebold indicated that "a hard line needs to be taken with teams when behavior is completely out of control and management cannot or will not take appropriate steps to deal with it.  The GNFA is obligated to not reward these types of teams for their behavior."

OFL Secretary Heath Wharton had indicated that the Oregon League was seeking sanctions against the Mavericks for the ongoing problems and would not host the organization in the 2010 GNFA Championship should they win the WFL and the automatic bid to the game.

"This incident is one in a long line of issues that have cropped up in Yakima," said Mark Meadows, "complaints of game officials conducting "homer" jobs to visiting teams, frustrations boiling over in close games which culminated in the brawl with the Riverhawks last year.  The WFL decided to take a wait and see approach and we see the problem again with Okanogan this year.  From what I heard, the WFL opted to take a wait and see approach and discuss the problem after the season, but after consulting with the GNFA advisory board, we decided enough is enough, we are not going to reward the Mavericks for this behavior and hopefully all teams in the area will take note that there is repercussions for ongoing bad behavior as far as the GNFA is concerned.  As a group we reward teams for operating within the bounds of sportsmanship and being a good role model for the community.  Rewarding "thug-like" behavior is something we will not do now nor in the future."

The problems spilled over this past week outside of the GNFA when a team from the NAFL traveled to Yakima and reported experiencing some of the same issues.

"We find it unacceptable for any team to conduct itself in a manner that is detrimental to the image of minor league football, and that goes double when they step out and represent the GNFA when playing teams from other leagues", said Meadows.

Effectively immediately the Mavericks will not be considered for participation in the GNFA Championship or any GNFA sponsored events, nor will any players earn All-Star or All-Region honors.

When asked about the potential fallout if the Mavericks do win the WFL the advisors were together in their opinions that this problem is bigger than any one game played in 2010.  "It's a problem we need to take a stance against today for the good of the GNFA and for minor league football in general".