The cancellation of Western Washington University’s football team left football fans with little to cheer about—until now. The announcement of the Next Level Football League starting a team in Bellingham is putting fans in a much better mood.
“I’m pretty stoked about it,” said football fan Casey Silva. He said while he didn’t attend many of the WWU football games, he plans to attend some of the Bellingham Blitz’s games. Matt Jackson, also a football fan, said he gives it a thumbs-up. He said he wished there was even more football in the area. “I’m a football fan all the way," Jackson said, "there can never be too much football.”
Even residents who do not regularly follow football think the Bellingham Blitz team is a good idea. Sherry Sayre, who said she doesn’t really follow football said, “I don’t really know about it, but it sounds like a good idea.”
Alice Despopoulos was initially concerned about the cost to the city. She was relieved to find out that the team was privately owned and hoped that a good turnout would benefit the community. The city may actually benefit financially from the team, since the team will be playing their games at the city-owned Civic Stadium. According to the City of Bellingham's website, the city’s fees for the use of the stadium range from $80-900 an hour depending on the use of the stadium.
The Bellingham Blitz general manager Mike Kulcheski and co-owner Tom Abbott gave the City Council an informative presentation on the NLFL at the Feb. 12 City Council Meeting, but did not ask for any support. Kulcheski also highlighted that there is an exclusive three-year contract with Comcast to televise the games. Silva said he looked forward to watching the games as well as attending them.
Nicole Valencia was not as enthusiastic as Silva. "I'm not going to watch it, but it's a good option for people who like it," she said. Valencia also said that the new team is good for an area as large as Bellingham, especially since the WWU football program was cut.
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