Dec 15, 2008 - 4:11 PM
2 shoutsNEW YORK (Ticker) -- The Arena Football League will not be in business for the 2009 season.
The AFL's board of directors voted to suspend operations for next year, the league announced in a statement Monday.
"Every owner in the AFL is strongly committed to the League, the game, and, most importantly, the fans," acting commissioner Ed Policy said. "Owners, however, recognize that, especially in light of the current unprecedented economic climate, the AFL, as a business enterprise, needs to be restructured if it is to continue to provide its unique brand of this affordable, fan-friendly sport."
The board of directors met Sunday night and voted in favor of a motion to cease operations.
The decision, which is pending approval of the Arena Football League Players Association, was made with the goal of "developing a long-term plan to improve its economic model."
Tampa Bay Storm coach Bill Marcum confirmed to the web site TBO.com that league owners voted 12-5 to shut down for 2009.
The announcement came just five days after the league issued a statement that it had not suspended play for the 2009 season following a meeting of the league's board of directors.
"We, the owners of the Arena Football League, realize we have the most fan-friendly, affordable and accessible sport anywhere," said Jon Bon Jovi, co-owner of the ArenaBowl champion Philadelphia Soul. "These are trying economic times.
"The revamping will ensure that the AFL continues to provide value to its fans and not only survives but thrives in the years to come."
One team, the New Orleans VooDoo, has already shut down operations. In addition, the league is still looking for a replacement for longtime commissioner David Baker, who resigned in July just two days before the ArenaBowl.
Jim Renacci, the co-owner of the Columbus Destroyers and vice chairman of the AFL Executive Committee, will head the restructuring process.
"Ownership truly appreciates acting commissioner Policy's steady hand and stewardship in what has been a challenging time for the AFL," Renacci said. "Our owners will work in conjunction with Policy to develop a plan that ensures the future of the AFL."
Founded in 1987, the AFL consists of 15 teams and had been gaining popularity in recent years thanks to a television contract with ESPN.
"Our involvement with the Arena Football League was always geared toward promoting football on a year-round basis," said Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Desperados and Dallas Cowboys. "Our experience with the Desperados has accomplished those goals and has been very positive. As we move forward we will explore all of the options that are available in regard to the future of the AFL and the Desperados."
Suspending operations will not affect arenafootball2 league, which is the development league of the AFL.
"Today's decision by the AFL will not affect our preparation for a successful 2009 af2 campaign," af2 president Jerry Kurz said. "We're excited by the addition of Milwaukee to our league family and feel that this, our 10th anniversary season, will provide our fans with the most competitive and most entertaining year ever."
From the Bleachers
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senorpepr
Also, Jaworski mentioned in a separate story that Pittsburgh will be an expansion team in 2010...
http://hamptonroads.com/2009/03/jaws-speaks-and-speaks-0
On the fate of the dormant Arena League. Jaworski is president of the reigning champion Philadelphia Soul. He said there’s a one-tenth of one percent chance the league won’t return from its one-year sabbatical: “We had a board meeting in Chicago a couple weeks ago and we ratified the new collective bargaining agreement. The players association is going through it now. We have a plan in place, we’re going to open up next year again. There’s a lot at stake. I mean, ESPN is a 10-percent partner with us, we’ve got an expansion team coming in in Pittsburgh. So we left the meeting with incredible excitement.”
Shutting down “was disappointing for us, because obviously we were Arena League champions last year, our season-ticket sales were through the roof coming into this season, our partnerships were through the roof. We were all excited. But the model needed to be fixed. We were doing well, San Jose was doing well, but some teams weren’t doing very well. So the business model needed to be fixed. The only question mark is New Orleans right now. They were going to drop, but under the new business model, they’re likely to come back. But I don’t want to say definitively yet we’re gonna have New Orleans next year.”
Mar 16 5:07 PM -
senorpepr
I'm surprised this isn't on RUWT?...
Arena Football League is back
Mon, Mar 16, 2009
Calvin Watkins
http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/03/arena-football-league-is-back.html
At this stage of the spring the talk would be of the Dallas Desperados and the Arena Football League.
But the AFL took a year off to fix its financial model.
Shy Anderson, who runs the Desperados, said the league will be back in 2010.
The Desperados should play downtown at the American Airlines Center but don't rule out a possible move to the new stadium in Arlington or to a new 8,000 to 9,000 seat arena in Allen.
The league has made some changes in order to come back.
Some of the highlights:
The AFL will retain all of its teams.
A Chief Operating Officer will run the league instead of the individual owners.
Rosters will be reduced from 24 to 20.
The minimum salary will be slightly reduced as well.
Every player in the league becomes a free agent starting in mid-May. Teams can begin signing players June 1.
Ironman Football is back. Over the last two years, the league got away from using two-way players. Now, because of the reduced rosters, two-way players such as the Desperados Will Pettis will get to play both ways again, full-time.
The union and the board will sign off on the new deal today and the league should begin play in either February or March.
ESPN is interested in broadcasting the games again.
Anderson said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was a strong influence in getting the league to change its financial model.
Mar 16 5:02 PM
