ESPN buys stake, gains TV rights to AFL

Damn, BYH, that possibility is not going to make AFL players into household names. When they cross the threshold, THEN they become household names.

 

No, but to say they're not good enough to write for the Plain-Dealer play in the NFL overlooks a very famous person who did indeed go from NFL castoff to AFL star to NFL MVP.

Of course, Kurt Warner is the exception, not the rule. But I guarantee ESPN and the AFL plays up his ascent to stardom in promos for the new package.

 

But with ESPN in its corner, how soon will these athletes become household names? As I suggested in an earlier post, I would bet within the timeframe of the contract that some Little Leaguer's bio on an ESPN telecast will contain an Arena League player as the kid's favorite athlete, or something of that sort.

 

THAT'S the leap I'm not going to take.

tommy, if the WWL suddenly decides to broadcast Eastern League games on a weekly basis this summer, the star third baseman of the Portland Sea Dogs is not going to instantly become a national entity.

 

I dunno shotglass...X Games athletes are becoming household names...just ask the Little Leaguers. ;-)

 

No. We all know the Harrisburg Senators are going to be the household names.

I agree with Shottie here. ESPN broadcasting AFL games is not going to make the sport any more popular. Nobody gives a shit.

 

Last time I checked, Shaun White, Tony Hawk, Bucky Lasek and their fellow X-gamers are now household names, and one has Olympic medals. Why? Because they can do things that no-one else on earth can. And in turn that got attention from major companies and the aforementioned Olympics.

If anything, ESPN was ahead of the curve on this. They put it on, the kids liked it, and the sponsors came. Just because ESPN puts weight behind it doesn't automatically mean it will be a success. Lots of X-games sports don't exist anymore because they didn't have the appeal. Sky-surfing, gone. Street Luge (one of my favorites I have to say), no more. But the ones that stuck are entertaining, and people enjoy watching them.