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Beginning of the end of Arena Football League? (again)


Soundwave721

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  • 4 weeks later...

Yeah, it seems like the Arena football experiment is unceremoniously coming to a close. It was hot from like 1995-2005, but since then has been a cluster.... Of a mess.

Outdoor football has firmly grasped the fans and there is nothing that is going to stop it, as Steve Czaban calls the NFL, "Lord Football" isn't letting up any time soon. No other league indoor or outdoor will even be able to get a foothold in the scene. Only the CFL can coexist, even though they aren't on solid ground either.

I don't think any national leagues can compete. Maybe some regional Semi-Pro kind of leagues, through a regional sports network and corporate partnership. Like Harley Davidson for a Midwest or Wisconsin league on Time Warner Sports.

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I don't think any national leagues can compete.

They can't using their current business model, because their expectations are too grand and they tend to over-spend in anticipation of them.

A national league can be viable, but it requires three things that the AFL has never had:

  1. Franchise owners willing to lose money for a minimum of 10 years, yet keep the team alive and operating in the same city.
  2. Players willing to join owners in the risk, specifically by tying their income to a percentage of gate revenue.
  3. A comprehension that playing in a more expensive 15,000 seat arena that's half-empty is far worse than playing in a 4,000-9,000 seat arena that's sold out.

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Yeah that's what would absolutely work!

1. There is barely any fan loyalty as some franchises fold and reappear and move here then move there. The fan base has to be established and can't when the league and owners don't give it enough time to grow.

2. They can have guaranteed contracts, but at a base minimum. Make them incentive laden like you said, the players get a cut of the gate receipts. Would make them get more active in the community and try to get butts in the seats. Even when the Mustangs were going strong here, I don't remember them doing anything in and around the city or on radio and tv.

3. Absolutely!!! 100% yes! On this one. For one the rent won't be as high. Two, it would create a much better atmosphere. And 3, it would get a good word of mouth going.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Apparently the guy that bought the rights to the Voodoo trued to use the purchase to acquire the ability to use AFL rules and create his own league, according to a lawsuit filed in Vegas. As screwed up as the league owners can be I'm glad they're trying to squash this one. Apparently he plans on having teams in Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Vegas and a couple cities with teams still the AFL.

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"Oh yeah? Well I'll make my own arena football league! With blackjack! And hookers! In fact, forget the arena football!"

On 1/25/2013 at 1:53 PM, 'Atom said:

For all the bird de lis haters I think the bird de lis isnt supposed to be a pelican and a fleur de lis I think its just a fleur de lis with a pelicans head. Thats what it looks like to me. Also the flair around the tip of the beak is just flair that fleur de lis have sometimes source I am from NOLA.

PotD: 10/19/07, 08/25/08, 07/22/10, 08/13/10, 04/15/11, 05/19/11, 01/02/12, and 01/05/12.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Okay, that's gotta be the end of all this.

On 1/25/2013 at 1:53 PM, 'Atom said:

For all the bird de lis haters I think the bird de lis isnt supposed to be a pelican and a fleur de lis I think its just a fleur de lis with a pelicans head. Thats what it looks like to me. Also the flair around the tip of the beak is just flair that fleur de lis have sometimes source I am from NOLA.

PotD: 10/19/07, 08/25/08, 07/22/10, 08/13/10, 04/15/11, 05/19/11, 01/02/12, and 01/05/12.

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Didn't a few of their dominant players "retire" aka couldn't be paid under the table anymore (e.g. Reggie Gray)?

I also wonder how many vendors still haven't been paid in full after New Orleans and Las Vegas folded thus the league took over operations.

ArenaBowl in Stockton didn't help the league's balance sheet and the Fry family knew it.

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Arrive.

Win Championship.

Leave.

http://www.arenafootball.com/sports/a-footbl/spec-rel/111215aae.html

One of your oldest and most successful franchises leaves after winning your title? I'll get the funeral services ready

Ouch. "For reasons unrelated to league operations?" What, I wonder, does that mean exactly.
The Fry's decided not to stop paying players under the table as much as league management would allow. The team isn't gone from SJ...the owner is.
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Oh, then, league ownership in San Jose should be a rousing success. And by San Jose, I mean Stockton.

On 1/25/2013 at 1:53 PM, 'Atom said:

For all the bird de lis haters I think the bird de lis isnt supposed to be a pelican and a fleur de lis I think its just a fleur de lis with a pelicans head. Thats what it looks like to me. Also the flair around the tip of the beak is just flair that fleur de lis have sometimes source I am from NOLA.

PotD: 10/19/07, 08/25/08, 07/22/10, 08/13/10, 04/15/11, 05/19/11, 01/02/12, and 01/05/12.

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Arrive.

Win Championship.

Leave.

http://www.arenafootball.com/sports/a-footbl/spec-rel/111215aae.html

One of your oldest and most successful franchises leaves after winning your title? I'll get the funeral services ready

Ouch. "For reasons unrelated to league operations?" What, I wonder, does that mean exactly.
The Fry's decided not to stop paying players under the table as much as league management would allow. The team isn't gone from SJ...the owner is.

There's no way (i) the other eight owners agree to operate the team, and (ii) they can find a sucker rich investor to buy it within the next month. There are also rumors flying that Tampa's about to bite the dust now.

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Jeff Vinik owns the Storm, right? If he bails, there goes the theory that the league could rebuild around NHL/NBA ownership if it just survives one or two extra-lean seasons. The guy in one of your cornerstone markets doesn't want to.

On 1/25/2013 at 1:53 PM, 'Atom said:

For all the bird de lis haters I think the bird de lis isnt supposed to be a pelican and a fleur de lis I think its just a fleur de lis with a pelicans head. Thats what it looks like to me. Also the flair around the tip of the beak is just flair that fleur de lis have sometimes source I am from NOLA.

PotD: 10/19/07, 08/25/08, 07/22/10, 08/13/10, 04/15/11, 05/19/11, 01/02/12, and 01/05/12.

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