News & notes

 A few weeks ago, MVP Arena GM Bob Belber sounded confident he'd be able to bring a new arena football franchise into Albany for the 2024 season.

Now, not so much, though the confidence is still there.

To get a new franchise into the arena, there has to be an agreement with the NY Workman's Compensation Board. The disgraced and defunct Albany Empire, under Antonio Brown, had a WC premium of $1.5 million, much higher than arena teams in other states, according to the Albany Times-Union. Belber wants the state to lower the premium to allow a team to play at MVP Arena, otherwise, there won't be any arena football in 2024. There were two iterations of the Empire (2018-9, 2021-3), and Belber isn't so sold on the National Arena League, which expelled the Empire last month, welcoming Albany back next year. The Indoor Football League remains an option

Stay tuned.

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There's a possibility UAlbany's basketball teams may get to return to what was SEFCU Arena this winter.

SEFCU is now part of Broadview Federal Credit Union, which will necessitate a name change for the campus arena, likely to something like the Broadview Arena or Broadview Center. Renovations have taken longer than expected, but UAlbany Athletic Director Mark Benson told the Times-Union he is hoping the Great Danes will return to the arena in November, and begin play in December. The Danes had trouble drawing non-students to Hudson Valley Community College last season, and that, largely, was due to a lack of on-campus promotion at HVCC, which can't even draw flies for their own team's games.

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Albany Academy's Kennedy Swedick advanced to the 3rd round of the US Girls' Junior Championship in Colorado Springs on Thursday, downing Tarapath Panya of Thailand, 2 and 1. 

Meanwhile, closer to home, the Epson Tour brings the Twin Bridges tournament to Pinehaven Country Club in Guilderland today. In order to attract non-golfing fans, they're adding some music to the mix. Country singers Dylan Scott & Jackson Dean will appear tonight, starting at 7:30 pm. weather permitting, of course. However, while it's $10 for admission for the tournament, the concert costs an extra $35 per ticket.

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The Tri-City Valleycats are back home after losing in sudden death to Ottawa, 9-7, after 11 innings Thursday night. The NY Boulders are in town for the weekend. 1st pitch is scheduled for 6:30, but rain is in the forecast, which might either delay or postpone tonight's game.

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The Albany Dutchmen became the latest team to inflict a loss on the Amsterdam Mohawks.

Albany split a doubleheader with the Mohawks Thursday. Amsterdam came from behind to win the opener, 9-5, but the Dutchmen salvaged the nightcap, 4-0.

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The Troy Haymakers might not get out of the cellar in their division in the Albany Twilight League, but they did pick up their 6th win of the season Thursday, beating the Blue Jays, 6-1, at Bleecker Stadium. Maybe if the league can strike a deal with city officials in Troy and let the Haymakers play at Knickerbocker Park, they might get more attention.