Former Indiana Firebirds president Jim Riggs sues National Gridiron League in federal court
Ryan Reynolds
EVANSVILLE — The saga of the Indiana Firebirds, a proposed indoor football league team to be located in Evansville, has now spilled over to federal court.
Jim Riggs, who worked as Firebirds team president for a little more than three months, is suing the National Gridiron League, claiming he was never paid for work between Dec. 1, 2018 and March 11, 2019. The civil suit was filed earlier this month in the U.S. District Court for Southern Indiana in Evansville.
Officials with the Ford Center announced in September that the city had been awarded an NGL franchise and that play would start in March. That was eventually delayed as the season neared its initial start date.
Then, the upstart league and its leader, Joe McClendon III, announced in April it would postpone its inaugural indoor football season until 2020. Players accused the NGL of “playing with people’s lives” because they’re still sitting at home even though they signed contracts to play.
Nick Hart, who was hired to coach the team, told the Courier & Press he hasn't spoken to anyone with the league since the 2019 season was canceled.
Riggs was hired on a contract that was to run through Aug. 31, 2020, according to documents filed as part of the lawsuit. His base salary was set at $62,000, though the contract also notes he was eligible for a $1,500 bonus if the Firebirds generated $500,000 in revenue, and a $10,000 bonus if the team hit $1 million in revenue.
Riggs resigned in March, the lawsuit states, because "(the National Gridiron League) never paid Riggs any portion of is salary required under his contract" even as Riggs made "repeated demands" to the league that it do so.
"During his employment ... Riggs adequately performed his contractual duties as team president. Riggs did so despite (the National Gridiron League's) failure to provide adequate financial support."
That included a failure to pay team personnel, provide office equipment, pay office rent, provide team merchandise and acquire football equipment, according to the lawsuit.
When players, coaches and staff members asked about payroll, McClendon would get defensive about people’s commitment to the league, according to Mayes. Payroll information was sent to ADP to be processed. She says he even once proclaimed they would be paid, but they were not.
McClendon told the Courier & Press that there would "absolutely" be a season for the league in 2020, and recent job postings for an "arena football professional" on an online site for Shreveport, Louisiana suggest that the league is looking to establish a team there. The job ad says there is full-time work available for players at $20,000 per year.
In his lawsuit, Riggs is seeking two times the amount owed to him for his work with the Firebirds, as well as court costs and attorney fees. He is being represented by Louisville, Kentucky attorney Michele Henry. The last note in the federal court file says a summons has been issued to the National Gridiron League, but no court appearances have been scheduled.
The Courier & Press sent an email to McClendon and the National Gridiron League seeking a response to Riggs' claims, as well as clarification on whether the league still plans to operate a team in Evansville in 2020, and whether staff has been hired for that endeavor.
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