Arena League To Cancel 2009 Season, AF2 To Go On As Scheduled

[UNHWildCats]

The Arena Football League, which has grown steadily in popularity and fan attendance during the past decade, is expected to cancel what would have been its 23rd season in 2009, according to multiple media reports.

The Rocky Mountain News reported Wednesday that league officials are expected to make the announcement before the end of the week. The Kansas City Star later reported that Pete Likens, communications director for the Kansas City Brigade, said the AFL players' union agreed late Tuesday to the decision.

"It's pretty much a done deal to suspend the 2009 season and work toward a single entity-league," Likens said, according to The Star. "We plan to start up again in 2010."

The league, which has been seeking ways to improve its financial footing, said Tuesday it still is not ready to announce a long-term plan. On Tuesday, the release of the 2009 schedule was delayed for the third time, and the league also put off its dispersal draft and the start of free agency.

In a statement released Wednesday, the AFL said: "Despite rumors and reports to the contrary, all AFL teams are continuing to work towards ArenaBowl XXIII. As it has previously stated, the AFL continues to work on long-term structural improvement options.

http://sports.espn.go.com/extra/afl/news/story?id=3759813

[813Jag]

The Storm are still selling season tickets. The Voodoo already folded.

[TexasTerror]

Arena League is on for now...


PHILADELPHIA -- The Arena Football League's 2009 season is on -- for now.

The AFL's board of directors met via conference call Wednesday night but "despite rumors and reports to the contrary" did not suspend the upcoming season.

"The Board will continue to meet regularly to examine any and all long-term structural improvement options for the AFL," the league said in a statement.

http://sports.espn.go.com/extra/afl/news/story?id=3761294

[appfan2008]

pretty sad but it just never caught my attention... oh well

[DSUrocks07]

The Arena Football League, which has grown steadily in popularity and fan attendance during the past decade, is expected to cancel what would have been its 23rd season in 2009, according to multiple media reports.

The Rocky Mountain News reported Wednesday that league officials are expected to make the announcement before the end of the week. The Kansas City Star later reported that Pete Likens, communications director for the Kansas City Brigade, said the AFL players' union agreed late Tuesday to the decision.

"It's pretty much a done deal to suspend the 2009 season and work toward a single entity-league," Likens said, according to The Star. "We plan to start up again in 2010."

The league, which has been seeking ways to improve its financial footing, said Tuesday it still is not ready to announce a long-term plan. On Tuesday, the release of the 2009 schedule was delayed for the third time, and the league also put off its dispersal draft and the start of free agency.

In a statement released Wednesday, the AFL said: "Despite rumors and reports to the contrary, all AFL teams are continuing to work towards ArenaBowl XXIII. As it has previously stated, the AFL continues to work on long-term structural improvement options.

http://sports.espn.go.com/extra/afl/news/story?id=3759813

xeyebrowx

Thats a shame. I was looking into the financial implications of starting or purchasing an AF2 franchise with a few partners as part of my company. So this part raises a few questions:

Is he referring to combining the two leagues? Because I always viewed AF2 as the "minor league". Or the NBDL of AFL.

[Gil Dobie]

Hope my fantasy season is still on :p

[UNHWildCats]

it's official. 2009 season is cancelled and the future of the league is unknown.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/football/more/12/15/afl.ap/index.html

[siuham]

Sucky. I liked having something to watch in that time period. I don't really like NBA, and the NHL doesn't get any coverage outside of the finals, and early season baseball is pretty boring a lot of the times.

[danefan]

So i'm a little confused. does this now make the AF2 the cream of the crop for arena league ball? Will all of the AFL guys move to AF2 teams and boot all of the AF2 players?

[UNHWildCats]

So i'm a little confused. does this now make the AF2 the cream of the crop for arena league ball? Will all of the AFL guys move to AF2 teams and boot all of the AF2 players?
Depends. I dont know how different the pay scales are, but I would assume any AFL players moving down would have to take a pay cut, also not sure if the AF2 limits the amount of players a team can have that are veterans or over a certain age like the AHL in hockey does.

[danefan]

Depends. I dont know how different the pay scales are, but I would assume any AFL players moving down would have to take a pay cut, also not sure if the AF2 limits the amount of players a team can have that are veterans or over a certain age like the AHL in hockey does.

I don't believe they have age limits, but it is most certainly a pay cut and a significant one at that. But the guys playing in the AFL are there becuase they still want to play in the NFL. Its the only thing they have for a "minor league" system once they run out of NCAA eligiblity. You have to imagine there are some pretty talented players in the AFL and I wonder if they will be willing to take such a huge pay cut to drop to the AF2 - which as it stands if full of guys who have no real chance to make an NFL tryout, let alone a gameday roster.

[kirkblitz]

apparently the afl 2 is a independent league with a small stake owned by the AFL.