Theo Blanco is the football player turned floorball team owner.
It was football that brought him to Europe for 11 years of playing and coaching and now floorball will take him back to the US by founding and owning the Texas Tornadoes based in Austin. The Tornadoes isn’t the first team Theo is owning though, he was the co-founder of the first professional pan-European American Football league and co-owner of the Stockholm Nordic Vikings. The Vikings won the first two Euro-Superbowls back in 1994 and 1995. After the success with the Vikings, Theo turned to broadcasting and worked with the Swedish channel TV3 Sport and the broadcasting of NFL in Scandinavia. Today, Theo is an entrepreneur and has owned several businesses in Sweden.
Theo first got introduced to floorball through his children, where two out of four kids play floorball. One of his sons had the opportunity to play with the US U19-mens team last year in Texas Open and that was Theo’s first contact with US floorball. When he later got the opportunity to own his own team in NAFL, “it was no brainer” Theo says.
“I said yes within a couple of seconds. Floorball is a fast pace sport that craves great athletic ability and great for TV audiences which for me would work extremely well within the US sports market. There is a vast growth potential for a sport of this kind which easily could be implemented into school physical education programs and can become an Olympic sport in the near future” says Theo about potential of floorball in the US.
As part of an “Original Four” team owner, Theo looks at the inaugural season as a way to promote the sport on the level it deserves with high quality athletes. Theo and the Tornadoes are currently in the process of putting their first roster together.
“We have basically signed all our American players and are now in full recruiting mode for our European players. Our coach is yet to be announced. Just as the name of the team indicates, we will have a fierce aggressive approach to the sport including an explosive offense and a relentless approach to defense.”
If you still want to be part of the historic first season there is still time. Sign up now, here on the website and you have the chance to be part of the league.
“Players should only sign up for the league if they are fully committed both on and off the court, physically ready for top-notch floorball while being a great ambassador for the sport” says Theo as a final statement for what he and the Tornadoes are looking for.
Photo: Adam Troy
Author: Joel Olofsson
