Reading Express Tickets
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Reading Express was formed as a part of the American Indoor Football League, later changed to American Indoor Football Association, and remained a part till the 2011 merger with SIFL (Southern Indoor Football League). It subsequently changed to the newly-formed Indoor Football League. Through all this administrative turbulence, the Express has emerged surprisingly strong, with one AIFA Championship Bowl victory already under its belt from two appearances. Things are looking up for fans with Reading Express tickets as they crowd out Sovereign Center to cheer their team through happy times.
Pennsylvania's fifth most populous city, Reading is the county seat of Berks County. The city has been historically renowned for its tourism & unique pretzel bakeries. The Japanese Pagoda stands as a huge landmark on Mt. Penn. The sport of indoor football is a more recent professional entity, yet indoor football games had been played much earlier, most famously in the 1932 NFL Playoff Game which was handicapped severely by blizzards and had to be played indoor. An indoor football franchise from Reading was hotly sought after since the emergence of a number of leagues, & the AIFL stepped in. The team was proposed to be christened Reading RiverRats, but popular appeal went the way of Reading Express, with the "RiverRats" name falling to a separate Pittsburgh franchise. Ted & Lisa Lavender emerged as the owners & the team commenced playing in 2006. By 2007, AIFA was the league's new name, & the latest season has seen the Express move to IFL. Reading Express has played at Sovereign Center since the start. The arena can host 7,083 raucous football fans, & has served the area of Reading since it broke ground in 1998. It is built on the site of the Astor Theater, & also plays host to the Reading Royals (ECHL), New York Majesty (LFL), & the Reading Railers (PBL). It is home to the Civic Theater since 1914 which produces large-scale Broadway hits, & also contains the Sovereign Performing Arts Center & the Reading Eagle Theater.
Head coach Chris Thompson is in his first full season in charge of the Reading Express, having spent four seasons with the franchise. He is backed ably by a dynamic coaching staff including Kenny Miller (Offensive Line Coach), Bill Sellars (Defensive Line Coach), & Mark Steinmeyer (Defensive Coordinator). Tim Glase acts as manager while the owners Ted & Lisa Lavender complete the selection panel. Minor league affiliates for a number of indoor football teams have sprung up recently, on the model set by the Arena af2 league, & they are contributing players to the professional game. Carmelo Ocasio & Rob Flowers are famous players to have donned the silver, white & blue jersey of the Reading Express.
The Reading Express is part of the United Conference's Atlantic Division, sharing it with the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks & the Richmond Revolution. Reading Express has four Division titles, two Conference Championships & one Bowl Championship under its belt. They hit the ground running in their first season, finishing with a 12-2 record that saw them progress into the far reaches of the tournament, eventually losing the Northern Conference Championship game to Canton Legends. Next year, with the league renamed AIFA, they topped the division & enjoyed vengeance against the Legends in the Conference Championship, but fell at the final hurdle in the Championship Bowl to Lakeland Thunderbolts. 2008 saw them notch up another division title but stumble against the Florence Phantoms at the Eastern Conference title decider. In 2009, Reading Express gobbled up opponents all the way to routing the Wyoming Cavalry to claim their maiden Championship Bowl crown. They currently are enjoying a 6-3 record atop the Atlantic Conference.
Reading Express tickets are a great source of joy to fans with the many fan clubs setting up across Sovereign Center, including the Railheads. Caboose the canine mascot also wins the hearts of families turning up in support of the team. And with the on-field dream run set to continue, fans with Reading Express tickets could be in for a memorable ride.