Say good-bye to Hollywood, say goodnight Arena Football League?

April 6, 9:12 PMTampa Bay Sports ExaminerTed Fleming

Previous Next

7 comments Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Tampa Bay Sports Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

On March 24 I reported there was actual hope for the Arena Football League to return after a one-year hiatus. A new collective bargaining agreement had apparently been struck between the league and players to run through 2013 which was supposed to go a long way to saving the longest continuous running independent professional sports league after 22-years.

Now it appears the news was a bit premature because interim commissioner Ed Policy has stepped down following a surprising resignation of long time boss David Baker and everyone is searching for answers, including the possibility of shutting the league down – permanently.

"I stepped down really because we've been undergoing a major restructuring," Policy told ESPN.com. "And part of that restructuring is doing away with the commissioner. There will probably be a CEO rather than a commissioner, but [league owners] haven't defined what that will entail."

Policy insists he is remaining with the league as further restructuring takes place but it hard to think how an entity like the AFL can exist without an independent voice.

The league has some strong franchises including Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay and Orlando but another, the New Orleans VooDoo, folded despite leading the league in attendance in 2007 and fifth the next. A dispersal draft was schedule to be held but even that was postponed.

A teleconference call was held earlier today but Policy did not elaborate on what was said.

Philadelphia Soul President Ron Jaworski and Grand Rapids Rampage GM Scott Woodruff are optimistic about the AFL’s return but with speculation the 17 companies that operated teams who ended the 2008 season would be rolled into one  single company and without a commissioner, the future is bleak.

Other leagues have tried the one company, CEO concept and have fallen by the wayside.

The league also fell on hard times in the ratings. NBC was not pleased under their four year agreement and ESPN had a five-year equity share of the league yet essentially walked away after one just season once the league called off its 2009 campaign.

Drawing fans back may be tougher than restarting the AFL plus the lack of a TV contract means no extra revenue to give the league a chance at long-term viability. Should the league return it may only be a shell of what fans once knew.
 

Ted Fleming is the host of "Speaking of Sports" on Sarasota's WSRQ Sundays from 7-9 pm along with
Rays' Examiner Rob Quinn and Althea Pashman

LISTEN LIVE HERE