Arena Football & NBC can't agree

[walkerws]

If I was the AFL, I would look for a new home too! The second half of the season they had to go to OLN. Alot of places don't even have OLN. Maybe ABC or even CBS will pick them up. They need to go to a channel that will make them a priority. Who wants games bumped off TV for PBR(pro bull riding circuit) events?

Courtesy: Arena Football League

NEW YORK ? The Arena Football League and NBC Sports have failed to reach an agreement to extend their broadcasting contract, both organizations jointly announced today. The AFL will immediately begin broadcast discussions with numerous organizations.

?NBC has been a great partner,? said AFL Commissioner DAVID BAKER. ?We are forever grateful to them for exhibiting our game with the utmost respect and integrity. We wish them well, but are also excited to begin a new chapter that will continue our unprecedented growth.?

KEN SCHANZER, President, NBC Sports said: ?Unfortunately we were unable to reach an agreement. We?ve enjoyed our partnership with the Arena Football League. It?s a great game with great people. We wish them all the best.?

[-Helix-]

My guess is they'll be picked up by ESPN with a few games on ABC maybe.

Do they still have a deal with OLN/Versus?

[TBGKon]

CBS won't take them, since the AFL season occurs during their precious NCAA men's basketball tourney.

[jkrdevil]

My guess is they'll be picked up by ESPN with a few games on ABC maybe.

Do they still have a deal with OLN/Versus?

Yes they have the OLN/VS deal. I would also think that the deal would also preclude them from a contract with ESPN.

[Bleujayone]

I know this might not sound like the greatest idea, but there's always the WB/UPN network -the CW Network.

CW Affiliates

It is covered nationally, it has stations that cover can all the teams (even Grand Rapids), they are in every major television market, and they currently do not have any afternoon programming. I'm sure they could use this to help promote their evening line-ups.

It's not saying much, but the UPN part of them already has experience covering football with the XFL (it's not their fault it was a bad product). If they go to this network, they are more likely to be on regular free TV and basic cable, and even folks in Canada will be able to see the games provided they have a CW affilation with their cable package.

[Gary]

someone was saying on the Arena Football Message Board, is that the NFL Network and ESPN are the leading contenders for the AFL. With TNT being 3rd. But right now, who really knows

[JH42XCC]

What would happen if ABC/ESPN picked up rights to broadcast AFL games?

[lambertjr]

They might get decent coverage.

[NJTank]

and down goes the AFL's dreams of becoming more than a fringe league

[WSU151]

What would happen if ABC/ESPN picked up rights to broadcast AFL games?

I'm sure the apocalypse would occur twenty seconds later.

[NJTank]

ESPN had it before and tretaed it as a second level sport lots of tape delay and obsure hours.

[logodawg]

and down goes the AFL's dreams of becoming more than a fringe league

I don't know about that. The league has made leaps and bounds since the days of the ESPN deal. And I don't know if a fringe league would be able to get football giants like Elway, Ditka, and Jerry Jones as owners.

[jkrdevil]

No the AFL isn't a fringe league but it is essentially a minor league for football. That's why I doubt they will get another network deal. Think about you don't see the AHL or AAA baseball games on newtowrk tv. In fact you don't really see them on cable tv outside the leagues All-Star Game and maybe championship. So the AFL in that regard is already ahead of the game.