AAFL On the Outs?

That's the final graf. The lead-in to that is almost laughable:

The A-AFL: Another victim of the housing bubble Almost_Famous swore didn't exist.

 

I'm surprised Versus didn't take a crack at the league. Would have been a good pairing with the hockey, but I gather they might have looked at the league's business plan and said uh, no. I also wonder if FSN and ESPN would have shied away (even if the league had a strong financial plan) due to their ties to the NFL. Funny the way the Arena League has stuck around, of course the NFL has a stake in it.

 

I suspect any of those networks might have taken a flier on it, if the AAFL had given away the TV rights for free.

But the doofuses in the league office actually thought networks would line up to pay for the rights to televise a bunch of guys not good enough to make the AFL2.

 

I can't stand AFL games--they're instant migraines--but I give the league credit for smartly building itself up. Plays in the spring and summer, never tried to be a rival to the NFL. Started out in smaller markets before branching off. And the game emphasizes athleticism, so you're not going to get Joe Blow who played freshman football at Podunk Tech playing in the league and thinking he's one break away from the NFL.

It's still a niche, and it should leave the New Yorks of the world and head back to Iowa, but it's a pretty legit success story.

 

The thing the AFL figured out is that substandard football can't compete with standard football. Never has, never will. Which means you need a gimmick. You need to be able to throw a ball the length of the field or slam somebody into the sideboards or kick a field goal through tiny goalposts.

That's why it works. They do shit that makes you forget you're watching second-rate football players.

 

The Arena League also works because they've remained true to their fan-friendly philosophy. Players regularly sign autographs, and make charity appearances. As long as they don't try to take on the NFL, they'll remain a popular niche sport.

And for old-school NFL fans, remember, the league barely existed in its first dozen years or so (1920-32, read the list of teams that barely lasted), and was pretty much considered a niche sport from the 1930s until the mid-50s. It took the NFL decades to become the powerful entity that it is today.

 

Hey now, be kind to those young men. They work hard just like everyone else!

 

Do their parents subscribe to the paper too?

 

At least our lack of coverage isn't costing them scholarships.

 

That you know of

 

Don't kick too much dirt on this league yet...It's quite possible that the Commissionator & Friends have come to the rescue. Not completely solid yet, but it's leaning in that direction.

 

I just read a story saying there was an 11th-hour deal last night, they're postponing the start of training camps, and players will find out Monday the new date.