R.i.p. Afl

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Northstar

Northstar

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I guess it's not that surprising. Link
The Arena Football League will soon announce that it is folding, multiple media outlets reported on Monday.

Arizona Rattlers owner Brett Bouchy said the league will also declare bankruptcy, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

"It's just unfortunate we're in this situation," Bouchy said, according to the newspaper. "Everyone knows myself and Arizona fought hard to avoid this day. The league was divided into two groups and factions. You had one group of committed owners who contributed capital and willing to do whatever it took to bring the league back in 2010. I have been in that group the entire time. Then there was another group that just wasn't willing to make the investment. We could never get a consensus."

Tampa Bay Storm owner Jim Borghesi posted a message on his Facebook page saying: "The AFL will be having a press conference to announce that the league will not be returning," according to the Albany Times-Union.

The league suspended play for the 2009 season in December. In March, players and management agreed in principle on a new collective bargaining agreement, and in April a business plan for the league was put together. But longtime commissioner David Baker stepped down in July, and a date to resume football operations was never forthcoming.

The New Orleans VooDoo had already folded in October, and the Los Angeles Avengers also ceased operations in April, leaving the league with 15 teams.

The AFL was formed in 1987. By the late 1990s, games were broadcast on ESPN, which owns a minority stake in the league.
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Kind of sad though since it was something different from NFL/College football.
 
9/10 people say, "What's that?" Half of that remainder say, "The American Football League?" Not surprised.
 
I guess I can quit saying, "I'd like to go see one of those games," now.
 
FoolKiller
I guess I can quit saying, "I'd like to go see one of those games," now.
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You didn't miss much. I've been to a Florida Wildcats game and I never wanted to see another one. Boooooring.
 
Omnis
You didn't miss much. I've been to a Florida Wildcats game and I never wanted to see another one. Boooooring.
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Louisville Fire was often in contention for the championship in AFL2. They won their division a few times. I was hoping it would be exciting. If nothing else it would have been an opportunity to drink beer and get a footbal fix during the NFL off season.
 
Just to quickly explain Arena Football:

It is was American football played inside an arena, making the playing field only 50 yards. It had more hits and higher scores, and the out of bounds line was a wall. It had the feel of a mix of American football and hockey. In some cases hockey and AFL would use the same arenas (like in Louisville).

It was introduced in an attempt to get attention from football fans in the off season and act as a sort of minor league for the NFL so that American players that didn't get picked up in the NFL could show they had the talent to make it without having to go to Canada or Europe.

Unfortunately it didn't get proper major television coverage and for the past few years they had been dealing with money issues.

Here is a highlight reel.

Warning: features loud music with an unstable volume level. It also has an AFL advertisement at the beginning.
 
The only thing worse than the AFL was the XFL. (aka the sadomasochist league)
 
He hate me! That's the ONLY thing I associate with the XFL. The Arena Football League was a good alternative to the "No football, no problem!" deal. Good while it lasted for what, two or three decades?
 

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