As a former employee of an Arena League franchise, I have an interest in the goings on of the league.  For years the league model itself was so well put together for that it never seemed like it would fail altogether. In fact it was a similar model that many start up leagues like NLL, MISL, and even MLS used to either get their leagues off the ground or reinvent themselves.  The Arena League knew they would never be a major sport on the national landscape, and that was fine. They drew well in a lot of areas (especially Orlando and Tampa) Then they messed with the model…

Now with the 2009 season cancelled, Philadelphia Soul owner John Bon Jovi told the New York Times:

“This is more than a lockout. We’re on the brink of the abyss. I can tell you thousands of man hours are spent trying hard to keep those players employed and keep our fans satisfied. This is my first comment about this process and I’m already regretting giving it to you because I don’t want to talk out of school. We all love it so much that we are working. I swear to you we are working everyday. There are phone calls at seven o’clock every night about what we’re doing to try and keep it afloat.”

Bon Jovi said the league’s chances for survival are “50-50.”

This followed a story by Laurence Miedema of the San Jose Mercury News

“intermittent announcements from the league office that a relaunch is imminent, there are no guarantees” [the Arena League] will resume in ‘10

I’m sure most of you will make cracks, but for many cities Arena Football was very popular. In fact, for years it outdrew the Lightning in Tampa. It was a sport that helped many cities fill dates in venues that would otherwise go unoccupied.

In 2008 the league itself averaged almost 13,000 fans a game. The problem lied in the fact that they didn’t let a good business model stick. Instead they tried becoming a popular TV sport. FAIL.

They moved their season from summer to late winter, where they had to compete in venues with the NBA and NHL. FAIL.

They moved their games from Friday nights to Sunday afternoons (a lot of the Arena League marketing catered to an adults). Want examples? Blow up doll night, Get Behind Your Team, and the most famous…

FAIL.

Finally, they put their championship game at a neutral site. SERIOUSLY?

Now someone will eventually revive it, but it will never be the same. Sometimes, people just don’t know their limits…and the AFL was that someone in this case.

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