The City of Salina is going to help fund the Salina Liberty football team. By a vote of 4-1 Monday evening Salina City Commissioners elected to provide funds for the indoor professional football team. Mayor Bill Longbine cast the dissenting vote.
Liberty owner Dan Mendicina spoke, requesting the City of Salina to provide $35,000 which will assist the team for next year’s season. There was some discussion questioning if the team falls under the umbrella of “economic development”.
Mendicina displayed a presentation of how the football team serves the community and has been involved with city first responders such as the Salina Police and Fire Departments.
“We think it is an important piece of Salina” said Mendicina.
Commissioner Mike Hoppock’s business is a Salina Liberty sponsor. He was initially hesitant on the City providing public funding, struggling with it being categorized as “economic development”. He ultimately voted yes.
Mayor Longbine also struggled with the money going to a football team as “economic development” funding. He said the $35,000 is excessive as the funds comes from the city budget.
The Salina Liberty has over 200 Salina sponsors supporting the team and plans to receive more from surrounding areas. Last year the City Manager approved $30,000 in funds for the football team’s 2024 campaign.
To visit the Salina Liberty website go to https://www.salinaliberty.com/
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The Salina Liberty are a professional indoor football team based in Salina, Kansas. They began play in 2016 as members of the Champions Indoor Football (CIF) and played in the Arena Football League (AFL) in 2024. In 2025, they will become inaugural members of the newly-formed Arena Football One. The team plays their home games at the Tony’s Pizza Events Center.
Indoor football in Salina started in 2012 as the Salina Bombers, an expansion franchise for the Champions Professional Indoor Football League (CPIFL), were announced for the 2013 season. The Bombers then joined Champions Indoor Football (CIF) due to a merger between the CPIFL and the Lone Star Football League for 2015. However, during their first season in the CIF, the league ejected the Bombers for a “business violation” on May 28 and they would cease operations later that month. In July 2015, the CIF announced it had replaced the Bombers with a new expansion team in Salina called the Salina Liberty.
Salina Liberty plays in the Central Division of the AFL. The 2025 season will begin in May.
