Arena Football League 2010

[rams80]

Looks like a done deal with Oklahoma City moving to Seattle(Insert NBA-AFL Joke Here), and Bossier to Nashville

I assume the Seattle team is playing in Kent, right?

From what I read from the team would be playing at Key Arena in Seattle

Edit: Link

It's like the end of the gun barrel is magnetically attracted to the foot.

[Mac the Knife]

AFL franchise territories are only 75 miles, so Seattle is just outside Spokane's territory. The Shock have demonstrated that Seattle having a team won't hurt them to a significant degree anyway - in fact, it might just help them even further.

Unfortunately though, AFL II is resembling the original with franchise musical chairs.

[Mac the Knife]

BTW, the AFL Fan Zone (aflfanzone.com) has a message area in which questions about the league are periodically presented to (and answered by) its commissioner, Jerry Kurz. I've submitted several this time around, quizzing him on some of the league's recent moves. If he responds (he's occasionally been known to answer questions in diplomatic fashion by saying, in essence, "that's a bull**** question" or "I'm simply not going to tell you"), I'll post the questions and his answers here... maybe it'll provide some insight as to what these folks are up to.

[Gary]

BTW, the AFL Fan Zone (aflfanzone.com) has a message area in which questions about the league are periodically presented to (and answered by) its commissioner, Jerry Kurz. I've submitted several this time around, quizzing him on some of the league's recent moves. If he responds (he's occasionally been known to answer questions in diplomatic fashion by saying, in essence, "that's a bull**** question" or "I'm simply not going to tell you"), I'll post the questions and his answers here... maybe it'll provide some insight as to what these folks are up to.

Mac for Commish lol

Here are the Questions Mac asked...The answers from the commish are in Bold

Commissioner, a few questions...

(30)

What thought has the league given to creating its own properties division, or perhaps putting some exceptional people in the web site and graphic arts design professions on retainer to develop the league's web site and identity packages? If none I'd like to suggest this, as much of what has come out recently (the original ArenaBowl XXIII logo, the Pittsburgh Predators, ehr, Power helmet logo design, the resurrected Georgia Force logo and the AFL web site) each are, at least in my view, far inferior to the AFL's pre-2008 standards.

30. Absolutely and I also look forward to those events.

(31)

With a number of the planned 2011 franchises, ticket prices seem to be giving some potential fans in those markets a form of "sticker shock." Is the league involved in any way in advising its member clubs with regard to setting ticket prices, or is that left to the individual clubs to do entirely on their own?

31. No, I do not know as of yet, which uniforms the Soul will wear this season.(WTF does this have to do with your question?)

(32)

A number of Arena Football fans have inferred that there will be a resurrection of AF2 in 2012, yet I've never seen, read or heard anything of such plans from any league source. Can you confirm plans are underway for the relaunch of AF2, and if so, can you provide any information on what stage such plans may be in?

32. Many upgrades and changes will be forthcoming in this area and many

others.

(33)

Finally Commissioner, the 2010-11 off-season is already seeing a repeat of what happened with the original AFL in terms of franchise instability in their current markets. While many could have suspected from the beginning some markets (Alabama and Bossier-Shreveport) would be insufficient to maintain AFL franchises, the "annual franchise shuffle" has become an AFL staple that has fans wondering why they should continue supporting a club that could be gone the next year. Anyway, my question is "What safeguards or standards does the AFL impose upon its membership applicants that prevents them from leaving a particular market?" The NFL for instance has set criteria a club must demonstrate before permitting a franchise relocation, and then the franchisee must pay a relocation fee or subject themselves to other terms and conditions related to the move (the L.A. Rams for instance had to give Paul Tagliabue their proxy on all division realignment votes for the 10 years following their move to St. Louis). The original AFL had no such standards in place in its membership agreements with franchisees, but are such safeguards in place now?

33. Yes and no. While league can and does give input, each individual market

is allowed to set it's own ticket pricing.

(35) Commissioner, the Orlando Sentinel quotes Brett Bouchy as saying that the AFL could expand to over 40 clubs as quickly as 2012, including a European division. Given (i) that existing franchises are locating and presenting an appearance of franchise instability within the league after just one year of operation, (ii) the history of the original AFL of awarding new franchises in part to cover losses incurred by existing club owners, and (iii) the efforts of many clubs in the relaunched league charging ticket prices that are higher than those sold by clubs in the original league, while offering what die-hard fans see as an inferior on-field product, does it concern you that the business practices of the "new AFL" are rapidly gaining a public perception that it is altogether too much like the AFL that preceded it?

35. I respectfully doubt if you actually know what the original documents

stated. That said, yes, the league before had procedures to be followed for

relocation and we do as well.

In all, Jerry Kurz is an idiot.

[MattF]

BTW, the AFL Fan Zone (aflfanzone.com) has a message area

You meant that's not a scene from Lord of the Flies yet?

Eh...Gary, Rams80.

[TBGKon]

BTW, the AFL Fan Zone (aflfanzone.com) has a message area in which questions about the league are periodically presented to (and answered by) its commissioner, Jerry Kurz. I've submitted several this time around, quizzing him on some of the league's recent moves. If he responds (he's occasionally been known to answer questions in diplomatic fashion by saying, in essence, "that's a bull**** question" or "I'm simply not going to tell you"), I'll post the questions and his answers here... maybe it'll provide some insight as to what these folks are up to.

Mac for Commish lol

Here are the Questions Mac asked...The answers from the commish are in Bold

Commissioner, a few questions...

(30)

What thought has the league given to creating its own properties division, or perhaps putting some exceptional people in the web site and graphic arts design professions on retainer to develop the league's web site and identity packages? If none I'd like to suggest this, as much of what has come out recently (the original ArenaBowl XXIII logo, the Pittsburgh Predators, ehr, Power helmet logo design, the resurrected Georgia Force logo and the AFL web site) each are, at least in my view, far inferior to the AFL's pre-2008 standards.

30. Absolutely and I also look forward to those events.

(31)

With a number of the planned 2011 franchises, ticket prices seem to be giving some potential fans in those markets a form of "sticker shock." Is the league involved in any way in advising its member clubs with regard to setting ticket prices, or is that left to the individual clubs to do entirely on their own?

31. No, I do not know as of yet, which uniforms the Soul will wear this season.(WTF does this have to do with your question?)

(32)

A number of Arena Football fans have inferred that there will be a resurrection of AF2 in 2012, yet I've never seen, read or heard anything of such plans from any league source. Can you confirm plans are underway for the relaunch of AF2, and if so, can you provide any information on what stage such plans may be in?

32. Many upgrades and changes will be forthcoming in this area and many

others.

(33)

Finally Commissioner, the 2010-11 off-season is already seeing a repeat of what happened with the original AFL in terms of franchise instability in their current markets. While many could have suspected from the beginning some markets (Alabama and Bossier-Shreveport) would be insufficient to maintain AFL franchises, the "annual franchise shuffle" has become an AFL staple that has fans wondering why they should continue supporting a club that could be gone the next year. Anyway, my question is "What safeguards or standards does the AFL impose upon its membership applicants that prevents them from leaving a particular market?" The NFL for instance has set criteria a club must demonstrate before permitting a franchise relocation, and then the franchisee must pay a relocation fee or subject themselves to other terms and conditions related to the move (the L.A. Rams for instance had to give Paul Tagliabue their proxy on all division realignment votes for the 10 years following their move to St. Louis). The original AFL had no such standards in place in its membership agreements with franchisees, but are such safeguards in place now?

33. Yes and no. While league can and does give input, each individual market

is allowed to set it's own ticket pricing.

(35) Commissioner, the Orlando Sentinel quotes Brett Bouchy as saying that the AFL could expand to over 40 clubs as quickly as 2012, including a European division. Given (i) that existing franchises are locating and presenting an appearance of franchise instability within the league after just one year of operation, (ii) the history of the original AFL of awarding new franchises in part to cover losses incurred by existing club owners, and (iii) the efforts of many clubs in the relaunched league charging ticket prices that are higher than those sold by clubs in the original league, while offering what die-hard fans see as an inferior on-field product, does it concern you that the business practices of the "new AFL" are rapidly gaining a public perception that it is altogether too much like the AFL that preceded it?

35. I respectfully doubt if you actually know what the original documents

stated. That said, yes, the league before had procedures to be followed for

relocation and we do as well.

In all, Jerry Kurz is an idiot.

I honestly think the answers are staggered a bit. I think answer #32 answers question #30 and answer #33 takes care of queston #31.

[Panhead1]

Alabama's moving to Georgia and it appears that Oklahoma City is moving to (And this is hilarious.) Seattle.

[rams80]

Alabama's moving to Georgia and it appears that Oklahoma City is moving to (And this is hilarious.) Seattle.

Yeah, we heard that earlier in this very thread.

[Gary]

Alabama's moving to Georgia and it appears that Oklahoma City is moving to (And this is hilarious.) Seattle.

Just do a search, anyway, OKC is still staying in OKC

[Panhead1]

Alabama's moving to Georgia and it appears that Oklahoma City is moving to (And this is hilarious.) Seattle.

Yeah, we heard that earlier in this very thread.

I didn't read that. If I had, I wouldn't have posted that.

[Mac the Knife]

Yeah, I didn't bother posting his responses because, essentially, he didn't really respond to any of the questions - he evaded, as he always tends to do when encountered with a question that would actually involve him revealing something of substance. And as for my last question, which Der Kommisar respectfully thought I lacked information on - I sent him an e-mail with .PDF copies of every document I was referencing, demonstrating that I knew exactly what I was talking about. So far, no response. Imagine that.

[Gary]

Looks like there will be 18 games next season, now my question is how many weeks? Last year they had 16 games and 18 weeks. So will they go 18, 19 or 20 weeks? I'm confused

[TBGKon]

Well, looking back at the Storm's 2003 season (last Arena Bowl title) they played 16 games in a 16 week period.

I guess it's safe to say bye weeks could be eliminated and the season stays the same length.

[Panhead1]

If nobody folds this offseason, I think there should be an 18-game, 19-week season. One team per week would get a bye.

[Panhead1]

Alabama's moving to Georgia and it appears that Oklahoma City is moving to (And this is hilarious.) Seattle.

Just do a search, anyway, OKC is still staying in OKC

Darn. The league is too south-heavy in my opinion. Also, wouldn't it be hilarious for a team from Oklahoma City to move to Seattle in the wake of a franchise move from Seattle to Oklahoma City? One moe thing: The Yard Dawgz were planning to change their name to the Stink once they moved to Seattle, which never happened. That would make sense since there's a big dog food factory in OKC, and I personally can't stand the smell of dog food.

[Gary]

Well, looking back at the Storm's 2003 season (last Arena Bowl title) they played 16 games in a 16 week period.

I guess it's safe to say bye weeks could be eliminated and the season stays the same length.

I'm thinking with 18 teams, there are an even amount, that way there no byes

[Sodboy13]

Alabama's moving to Georgia and it appears that Oklahoma City is moving to (And this is hilarious.) Seattle.

Just do a search, anyway, OKC is still staying in OKC

Darn. The league is too south-heavy in my opinion. Also, wouldn't it be hilarious for a team from Oklahoma City to move to Seattle in the wake of a franchise move from Seattle to Oklahoma City? One moe thing: The Yard Dawgz were planning to change their name to the Stink once they moved to Seattle, which never happened. That would make sense since there's a big dog food factory in OKC, and I personally can't stand the smell of dog food.

I would love to see your sources on this.