New England Surge

The Surge would start the 2008 season with a 5–0 record, highlighted by a dramatic 49–41 victory over the Chesapeake Tide and a ferocious rally to defeat the Flint Phantoms 49–48, before losing a 62–20 game against Rochester. They would finish the season with an 8–3 record and won the Atlantic Division East regular-season title. They would go into the playoffs as the #1 seed. On the eve of their semifinal playoff matchup with the Lehigh Valley Outlawz, Offensive coordinator Jerry Snay abruptly resigned from the team, stating that he had not been paid in two years. The Surge would go on to lose the game by a score of 27–21. This would end up being the last game played by the Surge.

After only two years in existence as a franchise, the team investors stated that the Surge had lost a total of about $577,000. Still, on January 29, 2009, Lucas told the Worcester Telegram and Gazette, "we can guarantee there will be indoor football in Worcester in 2009." Shortly thereafter the investors voted 5–1 to remove Lucas as president. The same investors, mostly small business owners and retirees who borrowed some of the money they put up and had no experience in professional sports, allege that Mr. Lucas buried the team with sloppy bookkeeping, poor business practices, and out-of-control spending on hotel rooms, restaurant tabs, rental cars, airline tickets, and marketing expenses.^[1] The Surge announced that they would be leaving the CIFL and would be starting a new league (the United States Indoor Football League) along with the Lehigh Valley Outlawz. Three other teams were announced but despite promises, the league never produced a schedule and is presumed defunct.

Reasons cited for the huge losses include the $40,000 plus tab the team ran up the first season with the Hilton Garden Inn hotel to house players, as well as money for plane tickets. Several out-of-state players were brought in and housed in the hotel rather than the Surge using local talent. Others cite that Lucas took on too many duties when he named himself the team’s coach and tried to handle on-field duties and the general manager’s job at the same time. Last, the Surge spent a large amount of $107,000 in advertising costs in its first season. On April 3, 2009, Lucas notified The DCU Center that it would be voiding the third and final year on its lease with the Arena. Several court cases have been filed as investors, creditors, as well as players and coaches, have all attempted to recover money owed to them.^[1]