Arena Football League to announce season's canceled
An official announcement is expected today.
The source requested anonymity, saying a six-figure fine looms for talking.
The AFL's board of directors voted via conference call late Sunday to shut down in 2009, the source said. The AFL has 16 teams, including the Utah Blaze, after New Orleans folded earlier this off-season.
The AFL has been in existence since 1987.
Tim Marcum, Tampa Bay's coach, told The St. Petersburg Times this weekend that Tampa Bay, Arizona, New York, Orlando and San Jose were committed to playing the 2009 season.
The Plain Dealer's source said the league voted to shut down in 2009 because too many big-name owners or teams in big-name cities said they would not return in 2009. The source said the list of definite outs included the Blaze, the Dallas Desperados, ArenaBowl champion Philadelphia Soul, Colorado Crush, Georgia Force, Chicago Rush and Cleveland.
"We couldn't be taken seriously if we lost too many teams, especially in big markets," the source said. "That's what was going to happen. We needed to shut down and reorganize."
The source said owners of franchises that wanted out, including Jerry Jones (Dallas) and Arthur Blank (Georgia), expressed a desire to return in 2010 under a new league business model.
"The league and the teams could not continue on their current financial paths," the source said. "The economy is one reason why we're going through hard times, but it's not the only reason. We need time to reconfigure everything so we can come back stronger than ever and we will."
Last Wednesday, the board voted not to suspend the season but more teams wanted to shut it down than wanted to play in 2009. Marcum said the vote was 10 against playing, seven for. Since Wednesday, Marcum said, Chicago had switched sides and went against, making it 11-6, if all votes held.
After Tampa Bay, Arizona, New York, Orlando and San Jose, the sixth vote presumably came from Gridiron Enterprises, which holds the patent for the AFL and has a seat on the board.
Evidently, enough of the holdouts were convinced during the conference call Sunday night that the 2009 season needed to be canceled. It is not known whether a two-thirds or three-fourths majority was required to make it happen.
Recent comments
arean football been around a long time about 22yo so please come back...
we love arean football | June 22, 2009 at 6:29 p.m.
arean football is fun to watch come back for 2010 season all other...
arean football is good | June 22, 2009 at 5:58 p.m.
I NEED AREAN FOOTBALL NOW LOVE FOOTBALL WE NEED SOME SUMMER FOOTBALL...
text | June 22, 2009 at 5:28 p.m.
- Rock on 9:00 p.m.
- Lobo land like home for BYU lineman 8:57 p.m.
- 3A soccer all-state first team 8:56 p.m.
- U. hopes to keep clicking 8:28 p.m.
- Steelers lead Broncos at halftime 8:13 p.m.
- Jazz win in N.Y. for 1st time since '04 8:02 p.m.
- Suns outlast 76ers, 119-115 7:51 p.m.
- Quilt auction aims to benefit lives 7:44 p.m.
- Eating fruit not a cause of weight gain 7:44 p.m.
- Wife and friend are too close 7:44 p.m.
- TCU showdown has big implications
- Seniors helped BYU regroup
- Lambert surprisingly tops news
- Hope for single moms
- Bystanders framed for child porn
- Korver and Miles to be evaluated
- Prep girls soccer MVPs named
- Utah Jazz Extra: Whose hot/not
- GOP blasts Matheson after vote
- Newhouse Hotel, an explosive end
- Gay advocates trek to LDS office
269 - House passes health care bill
225 - Lobo suspended
180 - TCU showdown has big implications
177 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
154 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
131 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
113 - Thousands protest health bill
111 - RSL rallies to advance
103 - No 'backlash' for pioneers, gays analogy
94
Ask any defense attorney or judge. Any first time offender who turns himself...
The power of these substances stuns me, because Scott is one of the finest...
He has a great show and good information. It's good to hear from some media...
So much said.... BUT, I REMEMBER watching this on TV!! I remember...
Hard to excuse another big lead lost against a lousy team, but in the end, a...
I'm republican, and all I can say is good job Matheson! I respect him.
The suggestion of a double standard is based on pure ignorance. I personally...
In the days before pepper spray and tazers, Cardall would have been...
As a band we realize this is a burden to the community but becuase our show...
Barely won the game. blew a 17 pt lead. Totally ridiculous why this team...
