Brian in Boston Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 The latest developments in the planned launch of the All American Football League:* Pending approval by the War Memorial Stadium Commission, the All American Football League has signed a two-year lease to play five games a season at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Arkansas.* Birmingham's Legion Field has inked a "contract" with the AAFL to play host to an Alabama-based team's games.* The University of Florida has signed an "agreement" to play host to a portion of a Florida-based franchise's schedule at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, with the balance of said team's schedule being played in Jacksonville (Gator Bowl), Orlando (Citrus Bowl) or Tampa (Raymond James Stadium).* The University of Tennessee has signed an "option contract" to host games at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, with negotiations towards a final lease agreement reportedly all but completed.* Austin, Texas and Detroit, Michigan are now reported to be the fifth and sixth franchise sites in a league that is planning to launch with "six to eight" teams.* Should the league opt to launch with eight franchises, it is contemplating placing teams in Mississippi and Nebraska.* Apparently, despite having signed "option contracts" with North Carolina State University (Raleigh, NC) and Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN), as well as "letters of intent" with Florida State University (Tallahassee, FL) and the University of Iowa (Iowa City, IA), use of facilities at those institutions has been put on hold.So, as of today, the AAFL's lineup is apparently...Austin, TXBirmingham, ALDetroit, MIGainesville/?????, FLKnoxville, TNLittle Rock, AR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myartsaywhat Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 thats a great east coast league Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 why Detroit, if this supposed to be for the College cities, why not Ann Arbor or even Lansing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nwtrailtrekker Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 This looks like a money pit for the team owners and I have a feeling at the end alot of players will be getting bounced checks.If they charge minor-league ticket prices which would be around $10 and sell 10,000 tickets a game that would bring in $100,000 per game. Out of that they would have to pay around 40 players, the coaching staff and front office personal, stadium rental which cost alot more than a arena would come out of that, payment for ads and then the visiting team would have to be given a cut to cover all of their costs.EXACTLY. And they were talking like players were going to make $100K/per each season. That means that to meet a 40-man payroll at that minimum they'd have to draw 20,000 per game at home with an average ticket price of $20 a seat. Early on they'd get that but as the novelty wore off, attendance would drop and they'd be sunk.Television could step in to an extent, but I can't see any outlet coughing up upwards of $40 million a year for an unproved AAFL product.Y'know, maybe I should start my own spring football league. Everyone else seems to be getting in on it... the "United Spring Football League." Yeah... anyone want a franchise?ya know, i've been saving up $85 to purchase the Arizona Cardinals franchise, but what the hey, I'll take a franchise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBGKon Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 why Detroit, if this supposed to be for the College cities, why not Ann Arbor or even LansingIt could possibly be because the University of Michigan and Michigan State University may not want to sign an agreement with the league, thus playing in Detroit is the next best thing. I could see them placing the team in the currently vacant (and still standing) Pontiac Silverdome, rather than the NFL's Ford Field.Also about the Florida team, I think the 2nd venue along with Gainesville's Ben Hill Griffin Stadium would be Orlando's Citrus Bowl since it it a vacant venue that does not have an NFL tenant, like the case in Tampa and Jacksonville. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luigi74 Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 why Detroit, if this supposed to be for the College cities, why not Ann Arbor or even LansingIt could possibly be because the University of Michigan and Michigan State University may not want to sign an agreement with the league, thus playing in Detroit is the next best thing. I could see them placing the team in the currently vacant (and still standing) Pontiac Silverdome, rather than the NFL's Ford Field.Also about the Florida team, I think the 2nd venue along with Gainesville's Ben Hill Griffin Stadium would be Orlando's Citrus Bowl since it it a vacant venue that does not have an NFL tenant, like the case in Tampa and Jacksonville.I think it's more that Ford Field want's to host some more event's, and the Silverdome the faster they tear it down the better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian in Boston Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 thats a great east coast leagueHow so? Florida is the only state hosting a team that is even situated on the "east coast". Knoxville, Tennessee and Detroit, Michigan are both inland Eastern Time Zone cities. Birmingham, Little Rock and Austin are all firmly ensconced in the Central Time Zone, as would be the case for possible franchise sites in Mississippi and Nebraska.If anything, the league has a decidedly Central/Southern bias. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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