Arena Football League
Upcoming season or competition: Jim Foster | |
First season | 1987 |
---|---|
Commissioner | Lee A. Hutton |
No. of teams | 16, (2024 Season) 18 (in 2025) |
Country | United States |
Headquarters | Phoenix, Arizona |
Most recent champion(s) | Albany Empire (1st title) (2019) |
Most titles | Tampa Bay Storm and Arizona Rattlers (5 titles) |
TV partner(s) | NFL Network, Gray Television |
Official website | arenafootballusa.com |
The Arena Football League (AFL) can refer to one of three successive professional
The AFL played a formerly proprietary code known as arena football, a form of
From 2000 to 2009, the AFL had its own
The league historically had a nationwide footprint, and was recognized as the most prominent professional indoor football league in North America, offering higher payment, more widespread media exposure, and a longer history than competing leagues. From a high of 19 teams in 2007, the league contracted to a low of four teams in 2018, all in the northeastern United States. There were six teams playing in 2019, the league's most recent season.
On October 29, 2019, league commissioner Randall Boe confirmed reports that the league had discontinued operating teams in local markets for the 2020 season.[1] Four weeks later on November 27, league commissioner Boe announced via Twitter that the league as a whole had filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, dissolving the league for the second time.[2]
On February 1, 2023, a new ownership group that had acquired the league's trademarks and social media accounts announced another revival of the league, with intent to resume play in 2024.[3]
History
First incarnation (1986–2008)
Creation
Jim Foster, a promotions manager with the National Football League, conceived of indoor football while watching an indoor soccer match at Madison Square Garden in 1981. While at the game, he wrote his idea on a 9 x 12 envelope, with sketches of the field and notes on gameplay. He presented the idea to a few friends at the NFL offices, where he received praise and encouragement for his concept. After solidifying the rules and a business plan, and supplemented with sketches by a professional artist, Foster presented his idea to various television networks. He reached an agreement with NBC for a "test game".[4]
Plans for arena football were put on hold in 1982 as the United States Football League was launched. Foster left the NFL to accept a position in the USFL. He eventually became executive vice-president with the Chicago Blitz, where he returned to his concept of arena football. In 1983, he began organizing the test game in his spare time from his job with the Blitz. By 1985, the USFL had ceased football operations and he began devoting all his time to arena football, and on April 27, 1986, his concept was realized when the test game was played.[4][5]
Test games
The test game was played in
Inaugural season
Following the successes of his trial-run games, Foster moved ahead with his idea for arena football. He founded the Arena Football League with four teams: the
The first game in Arena Football League history was played on June 19, 1987, between the Gladiators and Commandos at
On September 30, 1987, Foster filed an application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office to patent his invented sport. The patent application covered the rules of the game, specifically detailing the goalposts and rebound netting and their impact on gameplay. Foster's application was granted on March 27, 1990.[10] The patent expired on March 27, 2007.
Early years (1987–1999)
From its inception, the AFL operated in a state of semi-obscurity; many Americans had heard the term "arena football" but knew little to nothing about the league itself.
From the 1987 season until the late 1990s, the most exposure the league would receive was on ESPN, which aired tape-delayed games, often well after midnight, and often edited to match the allotted time slot. The league received its first taste of wide exposure in 1998, when
On July 23, 1989, much of America learned of the AFL for an unintended reason, when the Pittsburgh Gladiators' head coach, Joe Haering, made football history by punching commissioner
One of the league's early success stories was the
Although the Drive moved to Massachusetts, becoming the Massachusetts Marauders for the 1994 season, the AFL had a number of other teams which it considered "dynasties" between 1994 and 2016. The most successful of these were the Tampa Bay Storm and their arch-rival the Orlando Predators, as well as the San Jose SaberCats and their rivals, the Arizona Rattlers. Among those four teams, they won 14 of 22 ArenaBowls in that time span and appeared in all but two.
In 1993, the league staged its first
While some teams have enjoyed considerable on-field and even financial success, many teams in the history of the league have enjoyed little success either on or off of the field of play. There were a number of franchises which existed in the form of a series of largely-unrelated teams with little to no continuity of either coaching staffs or players under numerous management groups until they folded. One example of several which could be cited is the
The new millennium (2000–2008)
The year 2000 brought heightened interest in the AFL. Then-
In 2003, the season expanded to 16 games. There were also several rule changes in this period. In 2005, players were no longer allowed to run out of bounds. The only way for a player to go out of bounds presently is if he is tackled into or deliberately contacts the side boards. This was also the first year the ArenaBowl was played at a neutral site. In 2007,
Decline (2008–2009)
After 12 years as commissioner of the AFL, David Baker retired unexpectedly on July 25, 2008, just two days before ArenaBowl XXII; deputy commissioner Ed Policy was named interim commissioner until Baker's replacement was found. Baker explained, "When I took over as commissioner, I thought it would be for one year. It turned into 12. But now it's time."[16]
In October 2008,
Because of the sudden loss of the New Orleans franchise, the league announced in October that the beginning of the free agency period would be delayed in order to accommodate a dispersal draft. Dates were eventually announced as December 2 for the dispersal draft and December 4 for free agency, but shortly before the draft the league issued a press release announcing the draft had been postponed one day to December 3. Shortly thereafter, another press release announced that the draft would be held on December 9 and free agency would commence on December 11.[19] However, the draft still never took place, and instead another press release was issued stating that both the draft and free agency had been postponed indefinitely.[20] Rumors began circulating that the league was in trouble and on the verge of folding, but owners denied those claims. It was soon revealed the players' union had agreed to cut the salary cap for the 2009 season to prevent a total cessation of operations.[21] However, the announced Platinum Equity investment never materialized.
Canceled 2009 season/first bankruptcy
Although the af2 played its tenth season in 2009, a conference call in December 2008 resulted in enough votes from owners and cooperation from the AFLPA for the AFL to suspend the entire 2009 season in order to create "a long-term plan to improve its economic model."
High hopes for the AFL waned when interim commissioner Ed Policy announced his resignation, citing the obsolescence of his position in the reformatted league.
On July 20, 2009, Sports Business Journal reported that the AFL owed approximately $14 million to its creditors and was considering filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.[26] In early August 2009, numerous media outlets began reporting that the AFL was folding permanently and would file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The league released a statement on August 4 to the effect that while the league was not folding, it was suspending league operations indefinitely. Despite this, several of the league's creditors filed papers to force a Chapter 7 liquidation if the league did not do so voluntarily.[27] This request was granted on August 7, though converted to a Chapter 11 reorganization on August 26.[28]
Second incarnation (2010–2019)
Relaunch and rock star owners (2010–2014)
Following the suspension of the AFL's 2009 season, league officials and owners of af2 (which had played its season as scheduled) began discussing the future of arena football and the two leagues. With its 50.1 percent ownership of af2, the AFL's bankruptcy and dissolution prompted the dissolution of af2 as well.[citation needed] That league was formally considered disbanded on September 8, 2009, when no owner committed his or her team to the league's eleventh season by that deadline.[citation needed] For legal reasons, af2 league officials and owners agreed to form a new legal entity, Arena Football 1 (AF1), with former AFL teams the Arizona Rattlers and Orlando Predators joining the former af2.[29][30]
All assets of the Arena Football League were put up for auction.[31] On November 11, 2009, the new league announced its intention to purchase the entire assets of the former AFL; the assets included the team names and logos of all but one of the former AFL and af2 teams.[32] The lone exception was that of the Dallas Desperados; Desperados owner Jerry Jones had purposely designed the Desperados' properties around those of the Dallas Cowboys, making the two inseparable. The auction occurred on November 25, 2009.[31] The assets were awarded to Arena Football 1 on December 7, 2009, with a winning bid of $6.1 million.[33]
On February 17, 2010, AF1 announced it would use the "Arena Football League" name. The league announced plans for the upcoming season and details of its contract with NFL Network to broadcast AFL games in 2010.[34] AF1 teams were given the option of restoring historical names to their teams. In addition to the historical teams, the league added two new expansion franchises, the Dallas Vigilantes and the Jacksonville Sharks.
For the 2011 season, the
In 2012, the AFL celebrated its silver anniversary for its 25th season of operations. The season kicked off on March 9, 2012. The
It was announced on December 12, 2012, that the AFL had reached a partnership agreement with
In 2013, the league expanded with the addition of two new franchises to play in 2014, the
In 2014, the league announced the granting of a new franchise to
Contraction (2015–2017)
Jerry Kurz also stepped down as commissioner of the AFL as he was promoted to be the AFL's first president. Former
On August 9, 2015, ESPN reported that the
On November 12, the league announced the defending champion San Jose SaberCats would be ceasing operations due to "reasons unrelated to league operations". A statement from the league indicated that the AFL was working to secure new, long-term owners for the franchise. This left the AFL with eight teams for 2016.[48]
On January 6, 2016, the league took over "ownership and operational control" of the
The league's 2016 schedule, announced on the league's website on December 10, 2015, showed an eight-team league playing a 16-game regular season over 18 weeks, with two bye weeks for each team, one on a rotational basis and the other a "universal bye" for all teams during the Independence Day weekend, the first weekend in July. All teams qualified for the postseason, meaning that the regular season served only to establish seeding.[citation needed]
On February 10, 2016, The Washington Post and radio station WTOP-FM first broke the story that Monumental Sports & Entertainment (Ted Leonsis, chairman), which also owns the NHL's Washington Capitals, NBA's Washington Wizards, and WNBA's Washington Mystics, were "close to a deal" in bring a new expansion franchise to the Verizon Center.[52][53] On March 10, 2016, AFL commissioner Scott Butera announced that the deal was finalized and that the new Washington, D.C., team would begin play in 2017.[54] On July 14, 2016, the team name was revealed as the Washington Valor.[55] There was also talk for franchises to return to San Antonio and St. Louis as well as a potential new team for Sacramento.[56] However, when the 2017 schedule was announced, there was no mention of any San Antonio, St. Louis, or Sacramento teams.
On October 12, 2016, both the
On August 23, 2017, the week of ArenaBowl XXX, multiple sources revealed that the AFL planned to expand to Albany, New York, and Newark, New Jersey, for 2018.[64] The Albany Empire was confirmed October 24, with the team owned by Hearst Communications executive George Randolph Hearst III and sharing non-football management with the Philadelphia Soul.[65] There was never another mention of a Newark team in the offseason. On November 28, the Cleveland Gladiators announced that they would have to take a two-year leave of absence while their arena, shared with its primary tenant the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers, was undergoing construction during the basketball offseason.[66] The next month, the longest-tenured AFL team, with franchise roots to the inaugural AFL season, the Tampa Bay Storm, also suspended operations citing financial problems.[67]
Reorganization and second bankruptcy (2018–2019)
On March 27, 2018, the AFL announced that commissioner Scott Butera would be replaced by former AOL counsel Randall Boe prior to the 2018 season.[69] The AFL also partnered with DraftKings to bring back AFL Fantasy Football. The league continued organizational changes for the 2019 season with Philadelphia Soul owner Ron Jaworski taking over as chairman of the executive committee, moving the league's headquarters from Las Vegas to Philadelphia, and naming John Adams as president and chief operating officer.[70]
On December 27, 2018, the AFL introduced a new set of logos to be used beginning with the 2019 season.
After the season, league commissioner Boe announced the closure of all six of the league's teams. The closure came as the league re-evaluated its business model and worked to respond to a lawsuit filed against the league by its former
Approximately a month after the announcement of the closure of teams, on November 27, 2019, commissioner Boe announced via the league's Twitter account that the league would be filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and fully cease operations, citing a lack of capital and unresolved liabilities.[2]
Third incarnation (2023–present)
A year after its second shutdown, the Arena Football League trademarks and logo were bought out by Darren Arbet in 2020. Arbet is a former San Jose SaberCats head coach and was the head coach of the Indoor Football League's Bay Area Panthers. The trademark remained inactive until 2022, when a new website was set up.[78] The website was first noticed on December 12, 2022.[79] Two days later, a tweet from the league account was posted under a post from Tim Capper about the death of John Gregory (head coach of the Iowa Barnstormers), reading "Our thoughts and prayers have gone out to John's family." This tweet was later deleted, along with all the other tweets the Arena Football League Twitter account had up to that point. The new management assumed control of the Instagram account on around December 27 and deleted all posts on around January 6, and then took control of the Facebook account on January 16. On January 16, 2023, after a month of the first tweet, the Twitter account posted a picture of the leagues 2003–18 logo, with the caption #NewProfilePic.[80]
On February 1, 2023, the Arena Football League confirmed its plans to return in 2024, over a year after the rights to the league were purchased by an investment group called F1 Sports & Entertainment.[81] The relaunched league, led by chairman Chris Chetty, president Anthony Rossi, president of operations Shan Singh, and commissioner Lee A. Hutton III, will feature 16 teams playing a 10-game season over the course of the summer months, followed by a postseason format that has yet to be determined. The league returned its logo to the one used from 2003 to 2018. The new iteration of the league will feature "streaming, betting, technology, (and) virtual reality" elements, per Rossi. In a February 2023 interview with ArenaFan.com, the commissioner mentioned that the league would have a salary cap of $700,000, but the league will allows additional salary spending for "franchise players".[82]
On July 18, 2023,
After several supposed expansion teams were announced in late 2023, league commissioner Hutton released a statement regarding addition of these new team names. He states on his Twitter account: "Any information that concerns the Arena Football League must be endorsed by me or our CEO otherwise it is not reliable. AFL team name announcements will be coming soon for all locations. It is an exciting time as we make our mark to be bigger and better."[84]
On August 29, 2023, the league officially announced that the
On November 16, 2023, at the AFL relaunch event, Hutton revealed the 16 teams set play in the 2024 season, while he mentioned the league might expand in the future to 24 teams, as the Chicago Rush and Arizona Bandits are expected to join in 2025 along with other possible teams in markets that were part of the league's original market announcement.[89] Hutton also declared that the league game "will be broadcast, streamed and will also be available in VR". He also referred to the original list of cities and revealed that other "leagues and individuals" (none specified) were trying to cancel teams contracts with the arenas and participated in "anti-competitive practices" to try disturb the league progress, which caused a move to different locations.[90] Hutton also mentioned he's in preliminary talks about conducting international exhibitions games, and with that in mind they changed the official website from "TheAFL.com" to "ArenaFootballUSA.com", as they plan to globalize the game.[90]
Teams
Map of teams
Season format and ArenaBowl
The second iteration's final 2019 season consisted of a 13-week schedule during which each team played 12 games and had one bye week. Each of the six teams played each opponent at least once. At the end of the regular season, the top four teams participated in the ArenaBowl playoffs, in which the top seed faced the 4th seed while the 2nd seed faced the 3rd seed in a home and home series. The team in each series with the higher aggregate score advanced to the ArenaBowl.[97] While the semifinals had two games for each pair of teams, the ArenaBowl was still one game.[98]
From the league's inception through
The third iteration in 2024 will have a 10-week season, with teams playing six of their ten games within the division. When the regular season ends, the top three teams (12 teams total) per division will make the playoffs, and the division leaders get first-round
Rules
- The field: An indoor padded surface 85 feet (26 m) wide and 50 yards (46 m) long with 8-yard (7.3 m) end zones. Goal posts are 9 feet (2.7 m) wide with a crossbar height of 15 feet (4.6 m) (NFL goalposts are 18.5 feet (5.6 m) wide with the crossbar at 10 feet (3.0 m)). The goalside rebound nets are 30 feet (9.1 m) wide by 32 feet (9.8 m) high. Any ball bouncing off of the nets, whether thrown or kicked, prior to contacting the ground, is live, as are balls off of the nets' supporting systems. The bottom of the nets are 8 feet (2.4 m) above the ground. Sideline barriers are 4 feet (1.2 m) high and made of high density foam rubber.[103]
- Equipment: the official football is the same size and weight as a National Football League ball, but with proprietary Arena Football insignia.
- Players and formations: eight players on the field; 21-man active roster; four-man inactive roster
- Substitutions: free substitution; some players may play both ways either by coach's choice or to step in because of injury. (The one-platoon system, from which two players on each side of the ball, the "specialists" and the quarterback or kicker, were exempt.)
- Formation: four offensive players, including a wide receiver, must line up on the line of scrimmage. Of the three interior linemen, one must raise his hand indicating that he is an eligible receiver and hence a guard. Three defensive players must be down linemen (in a three or four-point stance). Only the "Mac"[further explanation needed] linebacker may blitz on either side of the center. The "Jack"[further explanation needed] linebacker is restricted in where he can go prior to the ball crossing the line of scrimmage. Alignment is two or more yards off the line of scrimmage. No stunting or twisting. Offensive motion in the backfield: one receiver may go in a forward motion before the snap.
- Timing: four 15 minute quarters with a 15-minute halftime (in the ArenaBowl, 30 minutes). The clock stops for out-of-bounds plays and incomplete passes only in the last half-minute of regulation[98] and overtime and when the referee deems it necessary for penalties, injuries or timeouts. Except in the last half-minute of regulation, the clock continues to run after a touchdown is scored until the extra-point conversion has been attempted. Each team is allowed three timeouts per half, and two per overtime period if regulation ends tied; as in the NFL, any injury in last half-minute of regulation or overtime costs that player's team a timeout (exception applies to when team has no timeouts, and their player is injured, they're allowed a 4th timeout). Before 2018, the league had clock stoppage rules for the final minute of each half that now are only implemented in the final half-minute of regulation and overtime. Also, prior to 2018 a team with the lead and possession of the ball in the last minute had to gain positive yards on a play from scrimmage or the clock was stopped until the next snap, effectively outlawing the "victory formation". The play clock is 30 seconds.
- Movement of the ball and scoring: four downs are allowed to advance the ball ten yards for a first down, or to score. Six points for a touchdown. One point for a conversion by place kick after a touchdown or if a safety is scored off any conversion attempt, two points for a conversion by drop kick or for successful run or pass after a touchdown. Three points for a field goal by placement or fair catch kick or four points for a field goal by drop kick. Two points for a safety and for a defensive turnover on a conversion attempt returned the length of the field (a play which would be a defensive touchdown under any circumstances other than its occurring during a conversion attempt).
- Kicking: kickoffs are from the goal line, to begin the halves and odd overtimes, or after any score. Kickers may use a one-inch tee. All kicks must be made by either place kick or drop kick; punting is prohibited. The receiving team may field any kick that rebounds off the net or its surrounding framework and lands in the field of play. Any kickoff that goes out of bounds untouched or hits an overhead structure is to be placed at the 20-yard line or the place where it went out of bounds, whichever is more advantageous to the receiving team. If a kickoff goes beyond the end zone and stays in bounds (such as kicking it into the field goal "slack net" or if the ball goes under the net), the ball will come out to the five-yard line. The touchback is not automatic; players must attempt to advance the ball out of their own end zone if it is caught there. The same is true if a missed field goal attempt goes beyond the goal line but is short of the rebound net. If the receiving player chooses not to take the ball out of the end zone (takes a knee) or is tackled in the end zone, the ball is placed on the 2½-yard line (the attempted runback does not result in a safety unless the runner crosses the goal line onto the field of play and then retreats into the end zone under his own impetus and is tackled there). Any field goal or extra point attempted by drop kick is worth one additional point (thus four points for a drop-kicked field goal or two for drop-kicked conversion).
- Passing: passing rules in arena football are the same as outdoor NCAA football in which receivers must have one foot inbounds. A unique exception involves the rebound nets. A forward pass that rebounds off the end zone net is a live ball and is in play until it touches the playing surface, as is a ball which bounces off of the padding of the sideline boards, provided it has not been touched by a member of the crowd. A player who goes over the boards to catch a ball and maintains possession of the ball to the floor is awarded a catch even if he lands out of bounds.
- Overtime: overtime periods are now 15 minutes during the regular season and the playoffs. In the first overtime each team gets one possession to score, unless the first team to possess yields a defensive touchdown or a safety, either of which ends the game immediately. Whoever is ahead after one possession for each team wins. If the teams are tied after each has had a possession, whoever scores next by any means wins. Multiple overtime periods will be played if needed in case of a tie and play continues in true sudden deaththereafter for both regular-season and postseason games.
- Coaching challenges: Coaches are allowed two challenges per game; to do so, they must throw the red challenge flag before the next play. If the play stands as called after the play is reviewed, the team loses a timeout; however, if it is reversed they keep their timeout. If a team wins two straight challenges they are granted a third. In lieu of coaching challenges, reviews are automatic in the final half-minute of regulation and in all overtime periods, as they are for all scoring plays and all turnovers.
- Offsides: Defensive players may not jump offsides twice in any half; they risk ejection for the rest of the half if they do (this penalty is enforced in addition to the yardage penalty). Defensive players called for jumping offsides in overtime risk disqualification.
- Targeting, such as using the helmet to ram another player is prohibited, and players who do so risk immediate disqualification, plus a 15-yard penalty.
- Like the NCAA, CFL, and NFL, players are warned once for their first unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, and if they pick up another, they risk immediate disqualification. Flagrant fouls involving non-football violent acts or flagrantly unsportsmanlike conduct result in immediate disqualification.
Growth of the league
Season format changes
The practice of playing one or two preseason exhibition games by each team before the start of the regular season was discontinued when the NBC contract was initiated, and the regular season was extended from 14 games during the 1996 to 2000 seasons to 16 from 2001 to 2010. From 2011 to 2015, the regular season league expanded to 18 games, with each team having two bye weeks and the option of two preseason games.[104] Since the 2015 season and the decreasing league membership, the season length also decreased, first to 16 games in 2016, then to 14 games in 2017, 12 games in 2018 and 10 in 2024.[97]
China Arena Football League and AFL Global
In August 2012, Ganlan Media International received exclusive rights from the AFL to establish a new Chinese arena football league.[105] The league was eventually named the China Arena Football League (CAFL). The CAFL project is headed up by Martin E. Judge Jr. and Ron Jaworski, who were both part of the Philadelphia Soul's ownership group. The original plans were to establish a six-team league that would play a 10-week schedule that was slated to start in October 2014. The AFL coaches and trainers were to travel to China to help teach the rules of the sport to squads made up of Chinese and American players with the goal of starting an official Chinese arena league.[106] Following delays, the league began its first full season in 2016; however, subsequent play was postponed until a heavily abbreviated tournament was played in 2019.[107]
The CAFL is not directly affiliated with the AFL and is instead owned by AFL Global, LLC, an entity that was created by Martin E. Judge Jr.[108]
Hall of Fame
The AFL had its own Hall of Fame consisting of players, coaches, and contributors who have significantly impacted the league. The AFL Hall of Fame solely existed to honor various AFL affiliates. This was the highest honor for any personnel who have been involved with the AFL. It had no physical location and existed solely as a list of players and contributors maintained by the league itself.
The Arena Football Hall of Fame was not affiliated with the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Former AFL contributors in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
- Kurt Warner, quarterback, Iowa Barnstormers, 1995–97, inducted in the Class of 2017
- Pat Bowlen, owner, Colorado Crush, 2003–08, inducted in the Class of 2019 (Bowlen's business partner in the Crush, John Elway, was inducted into the Hall as a player in 2004)
- Joe DeLamielleure, offensive lineman/defensive lineman, Charlotte Rage, 1992, inducted in the Class of 2003 (note that DeLamielleure's time in the AFL was largely a publicity stunt and that DeLamielleure saw only limited action in two games)
Media
Television
2000s
In 2000 the AFL had a television deal with
For the 2006 season only, the AFL added a national cable deal with OLN (later the now-defunct
On December 19, 2006, ESPN announced the purchase of a minority stake in the AFL. This deal included television rights for the ESPN family of networks. ESPN would televise a minimum of 17 regular season games, most on Monday nights, and nine playoff games, including
2010s
After its return in
The NFL Network ceased airing live Arena Football League games partway through the 2012 season as a result of ongoing labor problems within the league. Briefly, the games were broadcast on a tape delay to prevent the embarrassment that would result should the players stage a work stoppage immediately prior to a scheduled broadcast. (In at least once incidence this actually happened, resulting in a non-competitive game being played with replacement players, and further such incidents were threatened.) Once the labor issues were resolved, the NFL Network resumed the practice of broadcasting a live Friday night game. NFL Network dropped the league at the end of the 2012 season.
For the 2013 season, the league's new national broadcast partner was the CBS Sports Network. CBSSN would air 19 regular season games[114] and two playoff games. CBS would also air the ArenaBowl, marking the first time since 2008 that the league's finale aired on network television.[115] Regular season CBSSN broadcast games were usually on Saturday nights. As the games were shown live, the start times were not uniform as with most football broadcast packages, but varied with the time zone in which the home team was located. This meant that the AFL may have appeared either prior to or following the CBSSN's featured Major League Lacrosse game.
In
2020s
For the 2024 return, the AFL signed a national television deal with the NFL Network for broadcast over 30 AFL regular season games (games will also be streamed on NFL+).[122] The league announced on March 29 that much of the league's schedule will be carried on Gray Television owned-and-operated stations in each team's home market and in regional syndication.[123]
Video games
The first
Literature
In 2001, Jeff Foley published War on the Floor: An Average Guy Plays in the Arena Football League and Lives to Write About It. The book details a journalist's two preseasons (1999 and 2000) as an offensive specialist/writer with the now-defunct Albany Firebirds. The 5-foot-6 (170 cm), self-described "unathletic writer" played in three preseason games and had one catch for −2 yards.
AFL Commissioners
- Jim Foster– 1987–1992
- Joe O'Hara – 1992–1993
- Jim Drucker – 1994–1996
- C. David Baker – 1997–2008
- Ed Policy (interim)[126] – 2008–2009[127]
- Jerry Kurz – 2010–2015
- Scott Butera – 2015–2017
- Randall Boe – 2018–2019[69]
- Lee A. Hutton – 2023–present
League office locations
- Chicago (1987–2009, 2012–2014)
- Tulsa (2009–2011)
- Las Vegas (2015–2017)
- Philadelphia (2018–2019)
- Phoenix (2023–present)
League finances
For its second iteration from 2010 to 2019, the AFL ran under a single-entity model, with the league owning the rights to the teams, players, and coaches.
In 2019, at the time the AFL filed for bankruptcy, it was operated on a $20 million budget.[132]
For the 2024 revival, franchisees pay a $200,000 franchise fee to the AFL.[133]
Players compensation
For most of the 1990s, the average annual salary for an arena football player was around $22,000
In 2003, the league agreed to "freeze" the salary cap in a new CBA at $1,643,000 for 2003 season, with increases for the following years: $1,684,075 (2004), $1,743,018 (2005), $1,821,453 (2006), $1,921,633 (2007), $2,036,931 (2008), $2,179,517 (2009) and $2,332,083 (2010).[143] The CBA also stated that the owners would not be able to lower the cap until the agreement expires. Players were also eligible for housing stipend if they resided year-round within 75 miles of the team's home arena.[144] By 2009, the league minimum salary was $31,000 and $80,000 on average ($125,000 for quarterbacks),[145] while the highest-paid player was Tony Graziani, with a salary of over $200,000, including bonuses.[146][147]
The increased salaries were a major factor in the decision to go dormant for the 2009 season, after failed attempts by the owners to cancel the CBA, as several teams reported losing $2 million a year. It was believed that they were hoping for a plan similar to one used by the
In 2012, the players formed a new union called the "Arena Football League Players Union" (AFLPU),[154][155][156] and signed a new CBA that stated that all players would be paid equally: $830 per game for a "veteran" player and $775 for "rookies" plus a housing plan and three meals a day, with quarterbacks earning an extra $250 per start.[157] The salary would increase gradually to $925 and $870 (respectively) until 2017, the last year of the CBA.[158] In the last CBA, a new salary cap was put in place ($438,480) with a salary "floor" of $340,000 for a 14-game season, and a $501,120 cap with a $388,576 floor for a 16-game season. Players signed one-year contracts,[159] as veteran "compensation range" was $1,100–$1,455 per game, while rookies earned between $650 and $1,000 a game.[160] In addition, player could earn up to $1,000 every year for local business appearances, while per-diem allowance were $41-a-day. In case of a mid-season trade players would have got $500 for moving costs.[161]
Accusation of mismanagement and unpaid bills
In the late 2010s the AFL's entity ownership, Arena Football One, LLC, had been at the center of much controversy over mismanagement of franchises, unpaid bills and several lawsuits against them.[162]
Jerry Kurz lawsuit
On July 21, 2016, league co-founder, former commissioner and president Jerry Kurz filed a class action lawsuit against Arena Football One, LLC, and his successor as commissioner, Scott Butera, for what was deemed "breach of contract" after his effective demotion and subsequent firing following the 2015 season. In August 2018, that lawsuit was dismissed, a new action was filed and ultimately settled. Kurz left for the IFL as Director of Business Development.[163]
Partnerships
American 7s Football League (A7FL)
January 16, 2024, the league announced a partnership with American 7s Football League (A7FL) for player development, as players can transfer between leagues, with the A7FL functioning as its de facto minor league. As part of the partnership, both leagues "will collectively align on marketing efforts that will elevate the visibility of leagues athletes".[164]
League progression
Season | Teams | Average attendance |
---|---|---|
1986 (Test Season) |
2 | N/A |
1987 | 4 | 11,278 |
1988 | 6 | 8,512 |
1989 | 5 | 5,705 |
1990 | 6 | 8,900 |
1991 | 8 | 10,250 |
1992 | 12 | 12,268 |
1993 | 10 | 11,530 |
1994 | 11 | 10,748 |
1995 | 13 | 11,260 |
1996 | 15 | 10,787 |
1997 | 14 | 10,935 |
1998 | 14 | 10,594 |
1999 | 15 | 10,013 |
2000 | 16 | 9,618 |
2001 | 19 | 9,188 |
2002 | 16 | 9,958 |
2003 | 16 | 11,397 |
2004 | 19 | 12,019 |
2005 | 17 | 12,829 |
2006 | 18 | 12,378 |
2007 | 19 | 12,392 |
2008 | 17 | 12,957 |
2009 | 0 | – |
2010 | 15 | 8,135 |
2011 | 18 | 8,241 |
2012 | 17 | 7,841 |
2013 | 14 | 8,195 |
2014 | 14 | 8,473 |
2015 | 12 | 8,947 |
2016 | 8 | 9,342 |
2017 | 5 | 9,248 |
2018 | 4 | 7,767 |
2019 | 6 | 7,195 |
2024 | 16 | – |
Source: ArenaFan
Average attendance for AFL games were around 10,000–11,000 per game in the 1990s, though during the recession connected to the dot-com bubble and the September 11 attacks average attendance dropped below 10,000 for several years. From the start of the 2004 season until the final season of the original league in 2008, average attendance was above 12,000, with 12,392 in 2007.[165] Eleven of the seventeen teams in operation in 2007 had average attendance figures over 13,000. In 2008, the overall attendance average increased to 12,957 (the highest count achieved by the league), with eight teams exceeding 13,000 per game.[166]
In 2010, the first year of the reconstituted league following bankruptcy, the overall attendance average decreased to 8,135, with only one team (Tampa Bay) exceeding 13,000 per game.[167] The 2019 average per game attendance of 7,195 was the second-lowest attendance average in league history, only exceeded by 1989's per-game average of 5,705.
See also
- Arena Football Hall of Fame
- List of leagues of American football
- List of Arena Football League seasons
- Arena Football League arenas
- NFL Europe
- Professional sports leagues in the United States
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