Indoor football in Augusta will remain dormant for the second year in a row, according to an official with the Southern Indoor Football League's front office.

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Matt Hester, media relations director for the SIFL, said the league office planned a conference call Thursday evening with Atlanta businessman Erick Moore, who intended to create a new team called the Augusta Mavericks. Hester said the call's purpose was to discuss the postponement of the Augusta team's inaugural season until 2011.

"They're not going to play in 2010," he said. "They're just too far behind all the other teams at this point. They don't even have helmets yet."

The league is expected to announce today it will begin the 2010 season in two months with six teams competing: the Albany Panthers, Columbus Lions, Greenville Force, Houston Lightning, Lafayette Wildcatters and Louisiana Swashbucklers.

The Augusta Mavericks could play one exhibition game in Augusta this year, Hester said, and will regroup with plans to return in 2011. Moore did not return multiple phone calls seeking comment.

The Mavericks had yet to secure a lease to play at James Brown Arena, Augusta's only indoor football venue. Arena general manager Monty Jones Jr. said Monday a lease agreement had not been finalized partly because he was double checking references supplied by Moore.

"We have to be careful, because we don't want what happened with some other teams (at James Brown Arena) to happen again," Jones said.

Moore said at a November news conference that he represented a group of current and former NFL players looking to invest in an Augusta indoor football team. The Mavericks were planning to rise out of the ashes of the Augusta Colts after a deal for Moore's group to purchase the team from Colts owner John Sisson fell through in December.

The Colts, who last played in 2008, fell dormant after sitting out the 2009 season, and their plans to regroup for 2010 have yet to materialize.

Reach Billy Byler at (706) 823-3216 or billy.byler@augustachronicle.com.