Community mentality leads Andre Reed to commissioner

Former Buffalo Bills wide receiver Andre Reed had a lot of success during his football career, and he’s now focused on providing opportunities for others to succeed.

Through the work of his Andre Reed Foundation and his ties to Boys & Girls Clubs, he has worked to help underprivileged children contribute to their communities and strive to one day realize their dreams.

That’s why helping bring football to athletes still looking to play at a high level and to small towns that have never hosted a team before resonated with Temple’s former Buffalo Bills wide receiver of fame.

Earlier this year, Reed was named commissioner of the Entertainment Football Association, which will begin play next May with four teams and feature a high-profile concert after each game.

“Football has been in my blood since I was born — I played 31 years,” Reed said at a May 9 news conference in Fitchburg, Mass., which along with Danbury, Conn., has been designated to host the first match of the league. two teams.

“This opportunity to come forward and give my knowledge of everything I can to this league is a godsend,” he added.

Tommy Benizio, a Texas-based adviser working with ENTFLA, said that in launching a Northeast league financially backed by New York City leaders, organizers were looking for a soccer spirit also well known there. region.

With the help of league founder Douglas Freeman, they spent a lot of time researching and talking with candidates. When Reed was interviewed, he was accompanied by his wife, Theresa, who has a background in marketing. Reed was also recommended by fellow Hall of Fame wide receiver Tim Brown, who serves as commissioner of the four-team Arena League.

Reed announced his involvement with the league in February during the lead-up to the Super Bowl while doing media interviews. Since then he has been heavily involved in the league, the next two teams to play in year one will be announced soon.

“It was very clear that what Andre brings in terms of character and integrity went beyond what we wanted,” said Benizio, also an Arena League advisor. “And we kind of realized that we would get an overall deal with Andre and Theresa as we tried to launch and grow this business, so Andre became an obvious choice.”

Reed said his new position fits with his efforts to be community-minded since retiring from the NFL in 2000 and starting his foundation 10 years later.

Based in Reed’s hometown of Allentown, Pennsylvania, his nonprofit organization has supported local charities, including Boys and Girls Clubs, with proceeds from the annual Andre Reed Celebrity Golf Classic and a few others fundraising events and efforts. Reed was in Western New York last year, visiting the Boys & Girls Club of Buffalo.

“It’s a great opportunity to bring soccer to these small towns,” Reed said. “For the guys playing this game, it’s all about keeping their dreams alive. For some of our greatest athletes and artists, it only took one time. So we’re excited about that.

Benizio said a lot of time had been spent creating a league model that could be economically sustainable, which is particularly important given that many soccer B leagues often come and go.

ENTFLA will bring soccer and concerts to each of its host communities over the course of an eight-game season. A ninth game will be played on a neutral site which will be identified for its potential to serve as a future expansion community. Two rounds of playoffs will follow in early August after the regular season concludes in late July.

Teams are coming to smaller cities with arenas that can accommodate more than 2,000 spectators to help create full houses and increase demand for tickets, Benizio said. Organizers hope to attract former college players — some with NFL experience — looking to extend their playing careers and hoping to attract the attention of scouts at higher levels of football.

The format will be 7-on-7 with a reduced game clock and the elimination of baskets and extra penalty kicks to help create more excitement. There will be pregame parties, halftime stunts and acts, as well as postgame autograph sessions and meet-and-greets with players, coaches and cheerleaders. Finally, there will also be a concert on the field, bringing an enhanced fun aspect to the event.

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The Buffalo Next team gives you insight into the region’s economic revitalization. Email tips to [email protected] or contact Buffalo Next editor David Robinson at 716-849-4435.