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At a press conference on Tuesday, new Sugar Skulls president Edmund Marquez announced the deal that was approved by the Indoor Football League last week and went into effect on Monday.

Marquez and Ali Farhang are the majority owners. Marquez owns 25%, Farhang owns 20% and the minority owners — most of whom joined Marquez on stage at the press conference — own 5% each.

Cathy and Kevin Guy founded the team, which debuted in 2019, as the original owners with Farhang as a partner. Kevin Guy is also the head coach of the Arizona Rattlers in Glendale.

The Guys are now minority owners.

“The reason we’re doing this, it’s twofold,” Marquez said. “Number one, to give back to our community because we’re Tucsonans, we love Tucson, but primarily, we’re here to win.”

The owners will form a board of governors.

Marquez said, “This is a business model we have not yet seen,” and they will invest in the team, which means they can bring in the best players and coaches and build up the franchise on the business end.

“We came together at his law firm at Farhang & Medcoff, and we put together a list and specifically chose the people that are on stage. This group is dynamic, this group is competitive,” Marquez said. “This group has come together not only as a gift, and (to give) our love back to Tucson, but this group’s here together to win, we’re here to build a championship team, and we’re here to win here in Tucson.

“We’re not doing this for the fun of it,” he added. “We’re gonna have fun, obviously, we’re going to have a great experience on game day, but we’re here to win.”

Marquez is chairman of the Boys and Girls Club of Tucson, on the board of the Southern Arizona Leadership Council and the Chamber of Southern Arizona and a member of the Tucson Airport Authority.

“The City of Tucson is in for something special,” said IFL Commissioner Todd Tryon in a press release. “Under the dynamic leadership of Edmund Marquez, and with the strength of an incredible team of local business partners, the IFL is proud to be a part of an exciting new era of Sugar Skulls football.”

Farhang is a founder of the Snoop Dogg, Arizona Bowl and co-host of the Spears & Ali radio show, alongside the ����Ӱ��AV’s Justin Spears, on ESPN 1490.

“He went to Sabino with me and he is the reason why our colors are the same as the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Marquez said.

The minority owners include former Salpointe Catholic football head coach and Pima County Sports Hall of Famer Dennis Bene, and Brad and Anita Feder, who founded RightFAX, Nextrio and Simply Bits. Their daughter was on the inaugural Sugar Dolls squad (now Sugar Skulls Dance Team).

Jim and Allyson Tofel, who run Tofel Dent Construction and Tucson Racquet and Fitness Club, are also on the board. Allyson Tofel worked for the Sugar Skulls and the Arizona Bowl previously.

Tony and Hedy Ramani are also owners. Tony owns Dozer Construction and went to Sabino with Marquez, while Hedy is a nationally recognized realtor with over 129,000 followers on Instagram.

“Yes, she will be posting about our Sugar Skulls to all of those people across the country,” Marquez said.

Restaurateurs Grant and Katerina Krueger of Union Public House, Reforma and The Maverick are on the board. Grant hosts The Morning Voice radio show.

The deal to purchase the team took about a month, though Marquez admitted that he was “knee deep” in Tucson’s coaching search. On Sept. 23, they announced that they had hired Rayshaun Kizer as head coach.

Marquez said he asked the finalists for their opinion on who they would hire as offensive and defensive coordinators. They all said Kizer, so the Sugar Skulls dove in and hired Kizer.

“I appreciate the ownership group for believing in me to lead this team to the championship, and our goal is to get to the championship because the championship game is here in Tucson for the next few years,” Kizer said. “Our ownership group has done everything possible for me on and off the field and given me the resources to be successful.

“And my job is to deliver in return and bring a championship back to Tucson,” he added. “So, I would do everything in my power to make sure I do that.”

Marquez, who is vice chairman of Rio Nuevo, will be recusing himself from any vote that involves the Sugar Skulls.

“I’ve never seen the excitement at this level, especially everyone who I know who’s local,” said Rio Nuevo District Chairman Fletcher McCusker.

J. Felipe Garcia, CTA President & CEO of Visit Tucson, said the Old Pueblo gets about 250,000 room nights a year and 45,000 of them are sports-related. Having the Sugar Skulls bring in teams from places like Jacksonville, Fla., Massachusetts, San Antonio and the Bay Area helps with that.

“We are very excited to have the Sugar Skulls here in town in a time of the year that we need business, the summer,” Garcia said.

Marquez noted that Ben Thienes, Arizona football’s chief of staff and Tobruk Blaine, Arizona’s director of player development, were at the press conference, along with Kino Sports Complex and Stadium District director Sarah Horvath, Tucson Roadrunners president/alternate governor Bob Hoffman and FC Tucson owner and president Jon Pearlman.

“Tucson is one big high school hallway and it’s really about us,” Marquez said.

Marquez won a football state championship at Sabino and noted that the ownership group includes former Sabercats, as well as Pueblo and Amphitheater alumni.

The UA alumnus suggested partnerships with the other Tucson teams and wants there to be more former Wildcats on the Sugar Skulls.

“We should be collectively supporting hockey and (soccer), Roadrunners hockey and FC Tucson,” Marquez said. “There could be a ticket in which you buy one ticket and you get to see three different games, right?”