Fate of Albany Panthers remains uncertain

ALBANY — The fate of the Albany Panthers is still up in the air after team officials remained cryptic about the future of the Professional Indoor Football League franchise.

Panthers officials, who announced two weeks ago that they needed an additional $100,000 in funding to avoid canceling the 2014 season, canceled a press conference Monday afternoon and instead sent an email to local media saying that they are “finalizing a potential solution which would allow the team to play in 2014 and beyond.”

Panthers owner Rod Chappell explained in the email that “the team and the PIFL are in the process of developing a bridge gap financing structure this week including a trip from league officials to Albany.”

Neither Chappell nor Panthers GM Will Carter returned messages from The Herald requesting further explanation of the proposed financing structure.

However, Chappell wrote in the email that “the solution would require the Panthers’ (original season opener on) March 22nd … against Nashville to be rescheduled for June 7th. Assuming all details of the financing structure are confirmed this week, the Panthers’ season would kick off at home against 2013 PIFL champion Alabama Hammers on Saturday, April 5th.”

The Panthers, who won league championships in 2011 and 2012, lost many of their star players to retirement last season after finishing the year 7-6 and losing in the semifinals to Alabama.

Chappell wrote that he expects more information to be available by the end of the week.