The Nu Skin International Inc., a skin and health care products marketing firm in Provo that is also a huge supporter of BYU and Utah Jazz sports, has been linked with the ownership vying for an Arena Football League team coming to the Delta Center for the spring of 1997.
One Delta Center employee, not willing to reveal his identity, indicated it was a couple people within the Nu Skin Corporation that want to bring the Arena Football League team to the Delta Center.Nu Skin's Kara Schneck, the company's media relations manager, said Thursday, "If some of our top executives are involved in the purchasing of an arena football team, we are not aware of it at this time."
The Nu Skin people are believed to be negotiating with Delta Center Manager Scott Williams for dates in the arena for an AFL team, probably the Charlotte Rage.
Williams stated in the Deseret News' Tuesday, that he has been contacted by prospective owners about dates in the Delta Center.
"Yes, we have been contacted by prospective owners about the dates," said Williams. "And finding eight dates for the Delta Center has been easy.
"But finding the other two dates won't be."
But Williams admitted, "I'm confident that we can work the other two dates out in our scheduling."
If the dates can't be found by the Delta Center, an AFL Utah arrival would have to be delayed a year.
But Williams is so confident, he is sending his people out to visit Arena franchises in St. Louis, Phoenix, and San Jose to educate his people on the needs for hosting the league.
"We're going to visit with people who have been doing this and learn from them," Williams said.
In Tuesday's Deseret News story, it was rumored around the AFL that prospective Utah owners would be from Utah County, and that current Charlotte Rage owner Alan Swan would retain a percentage of the team.
The Arena Football League runs from April to July, with the playoffs scheduled for August.