10 Questions: Phil Tesar

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Phil Tesar has gone from Mud Hens public relations intern to general manager in just six years. Tesar, a Hens’ intern in 2005-06, is now the general manager of the Arena Football League’s Cleveland Gladiators. Tesar is a 2004 graduate of Hiram College who played soccer for the Terriers for two seasons. The 29-year-old and his wife, Natalie, live in Westlake, Ohio.

How did your internship with the Mud Hens help you reach your current position?

“I owe a lot of my current success to the Mud Hens and [Hens public relations director] Jason Griffin. In my season and a half with the team, I learned so much and was given the opportunity to really grow in the sports world. Following my time with the Hens, I returned to Cleveland and spent the 2006 season in the Browns’ communications department. I followed that with a stint in Youngstown, serving in media relations for the Mahoning Valley Thunder of the arenafootball2 league. When the Las Vegas Gladiators relocated to Cleveland, I made some calls and was hired as director of communications in 2007. I was promoted to assistant general manager last October and general manager in May.”

What are your responsibilities as GM of the Gladiators?

“I oversee the entire business operation of the club. Our owner and CEO, Jim Ferraro, is not based in Cleveland full-time, so he has entrusted me to direct the organization and lead all aspects of the team. While I am not in charge of the day-to-day signings and player evaluations, I am very involved in the football operations of our team: my football role consists of communicating with the league office to file player contracts or paperwork, coordinating team travel, and most other football related issues not related to the playing field.”

Cleveland is a football-mad town. What has been their response to the Gladiators?

“The response in 2008 was phenomenal. We had a great team, excited fans, and a wonderful atmosphere at our games. After that season, the work stoppage in 2009 took some of the wind out of our sails. Our 2010 and 2011 seasons haven’t been where we would have liked them to be, but we are also trying to rebuild a brand in our market.”

How has BGSU alumnus Robert Redd fared this year?

“Robert is one of my favorite guys on the team. He was with us in 2008, and he and I stayed in touch during the last few years. He reached out to me when he had some offers from other teams for this season. Coach Steve Thonn and I talked about it, and we signed him. His numbers aren’t off the charts, but he is a total player.”

The status of the AFL was shaky a couple of years ago. How would you describe its status now?

“The AFL business model was broken. Simply put, teams were struggling to make money. The work stoppage really needed to happen in order to get the model straight.”

At one point Toledo was hoping to have an arena football team in the Huntington Center, but it was scheduled to play in AF2. Do you see a point in the future where the AFL will expand or AF2 will return to open the door for arena football in Toledo?

“I cannot say if the arenafootball2 league or something similar will ever return. Right now, I know the league is focused doing things right before trying to spread itself too thin. Having worked in the af2 in Youngstown, I can say that was a great concept for the smaller market cities.”

What is it like getting to work with Bernie Kosar, who is a special adviser to the Gladiators?

“Having grown up a Browns fan, working with and getting to know Bernie has been such a cool experience. He is a genuine guy who is really passionate about everything he gets involved in. He attends games, practices, and talks with our coaches and staff regularly. In 2008, he was very heavily involved, but with his kids getting older, he wanted to scale back his involvement and spend more time with them in Miami. We see him less often, but talk to him frequently.”

What, in your eyes, makes arena football special?

“We are one of the few sports — if not the only sport — that requires our players to return to the playing field after the game and sign autographs for fans, win or lose. Another reason is the speed of the game and the excitement of being right on top of the action. If you go to an NFL game and sit as close as the first row, you are still at least 20 yards from the action. In our game, row one is right next to the field. You can interact with the players, coaches, and officials while the game is going on. Our head coach has been known to tell the fans what the play is after he gives it to the quarterback.”

Has the NFL lockout had any effect on the Gladiators?

“Our roster in Cleveland features two players that are currently on NFL rosters but are able to play due to the current lockout. WR Troy Bergeron (Dallas Cowboys) and OL Cliff Louis (Arizona Cardinals) are both starters for us right now. There are also several players in the league that are currently under contract with NFL teams. The downside is that as soon as the lockout is over, those players will not be allowed to play for us.”

Does current Mud Hens general manager Joe Napoli have any worries of you taking his job?

“I would love to continue to work in Cleveland and find a role with any of the teams here. Born and raised here, my wife and I are very happy being surrounded by our family and friends. I really enjoy the public relations aspect of sports, so perhaps making my way back into one of the three major sports here would be a goal. But I don’t think Jason Griffin is leaving anytime soon, so I can cross a return to the Hens off my list!”

—John Wagner