World Footy News

The USAFL today announced that the 2009 National Championships will be held in Mason, Ohio at Heritage Oak Park, 24 miles north of downtown Cincinnati and South of Dayton Ohio.

The City of Mason covers over 11,200 acres and is home to nearly 25,000 people and approximately 500 businesses. Cintas Corporation, Mitsubishi, Procter & Gamble's Health Care Research Center, and Luxottica Retail are among the companies located in Mason. Mason is known as the resort area of southwest Ohio. Kings Island Amusement Park, The Beach Waterpark, Great Wolf Lodge and Conference Center, and The Golf Center at Kings Island are among the prominent recreation destinations in Mason. Mason is home to the world-recognized Tennis Masters Series-Cincinnati. The main host hotel is the Kings Island Resort, located nearby to the championship grounds. “We are thrilled to bring this world-class event back to the Cincinnati area, host of the first three National Championships from 1997 through 1999”, said USAFL President Richard Mann, also organizer of those first three championships. “The National’s organizing committee would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Ben Huffman and everyone at the Warren County Convention and Visitors Bureau, without whom this event would never have come to be back in Ohio.”

The location of the '09 Nationals will be a boost to the three nearest teams in Cincinnati, Louisville and Columbus. Cincinnati and Louisville have had to team up in the MAAFL this year and Columbus has just played its first two matches as a club. Knowing that the Nationals will be on their doorstep in '09 should give these clubs a big push to be able to put on a strong showing.

Significantly the new facilities in Lauderhill Florida still do not look like hosting Nationals any time soon with prohibitive fees for use of the facilities thought to be all that is keeping the USAFL from scheduling their showcase event there.

Heritage Oak Park, Mason OH