Coventry Jets announced their most significant signing in several years when they inked a deal to play all of their home games at the prestigious Butts Park Arena earlier this week. General Manager Gerry McManus was joined by Coventry RFC Director of Operations Michael Doyle in heralding “an exciting chapter in the club’s brief but rich history”. The Jets will be looking to build on the success of a Britbowl berth in 2009 by going one better and reclaiming their national title in 2010.
The Butts Park Arena is a 4000 seat stadium that has been home to Coventry Rugby Club for the past six years. McManus is hoping that the move back to the venue will help the club recapture it’s place as one the finest organisations in Europe. “Looking back to 2005 and 2006 when we played a few sporadic games at the Butts we attracted 1500 to 2000 fans a time. I don’t see any reason why we can’t do that again and, with playing all of our games on a Saturday, we should even surpass those numbers”.
“With the NFL visiting Wembley every year and viewing figures constantly on the rise it’s clear to see that American Football is growing in popularity. This City loves it’s sport and seems to have a particular affinity with North American sports, hearing about the Blaze winning the league has lifted the City again and we want to keep that going by bringing another piece of silverware back”.
Bitter foe the Bristol Aztecs will be the first team to visit the Butts as they look to improve on their 5-3 finish last season. The two clubs have a fierce rivalry and the match up on Saturday the 22nd of May should provide a keenly contested battle between two teams that have met in the playoffs four straight seasons. An even more mouth watering prospect is the visit of the London Blitz on Saturday the 12th of June. The two rivals have fought out the last three national championship matches and this will be their first meeting since the Blitz won Britbowl XXIII in Doncaster last year.
Independence Day weekend will see the first of two games under lights as newly promoted London Cobras bring their NFL Europe laden squad for a 19:00 kick off on Saturday the 3rd of July. The clash with Sussex Thunder will also be floodlit on the 7th of August before the Jets finish their homestand against former quarterback Tim Spaull and the Farnham Fast Lane Knights a week later. With all but one game preceded by the Jets’ newly formed youth team entertaining local rivals in double headed clashes it promises to be an exciting summer for fans of the game.
Still in the midst of a busy off-season of recruitment the Jets are continuing the hunt for more talent to add to their already loaded roster. Seven established players have been drafted in and will be announced shortly alongside the club’s best rookie crop since 2003. “We’re still busy bringing new players in and adding yet more rookie talent” stated McManus “I think signing this deal can only help that push. Any player that doesn’t want to be part of this needs to take a look at themselves and ask why they’re playing the game. I could only dream of running out at a facility like this in my day. Playing in front of a crowd is an amazing experience and something to be cherished”.
Newly appointed Head Coach Stuart Franklin was also enthused by the announcement “Success breeds success and that needs to continue with the Jets programme both on and off the field. The backroom staff is the strongest it’s ever been and will lead us from strength to strength. The move to the Butts is evidence of the club’s ambition and the Saturday night games will breathe new life into the British game. Playing for the Jets isn’t just about wearing the shirt, it’s about having fun and winning football games”.
Whilst Franklin will miss the clash with Bristol to see out a second spell in Spain with the Valencia Firebats, McManus will provide an able deputy. Coventry’s season begins on Sunday the 16th of May with a trip to face newly promoted London Cobras. McManus and his squad will know they have their work cut out for them against a talented young squad that haven’t lost in their two year history.
Apart from the appointment of Franklin and the move to the Butts, the Jets have also helped in the creation of the Coventry University Jets to provide American Football all year round. For further information on the Coventry Jets, the only club in Britain to field teams in all seven disciplines of American Football, please visit their website www.coventryjets.co.uk or follow them on Twitter www.twitter.com/CoventryJets.