All American Football League To Begin Play in Spring ‘08

The All American Football League (AAFL), which was scheduled to begin play this year, has been “pushed back to 2008, when it will launch (theoretically) during the last week of April,” according to Chuck Klosterman of ESPN.com. The AAFL is “trying to be a professional version of college football” and the league has “no intention of competing with anyone.” AAFL Acting Commissioner Cedric Dempsey said, “What will make this league different is ...  the fact that its players will be recognizable to fans. We will only go where the interest in spring football is already very, very intense.” Klosterman noted colleges that have signed options to host games include Alabama, Purdue, North Carolina State and Tennessee. Dempsey estimated that starting the league will require “between [$30-50M]."   He is “hoping for either a six- or (preferably) eight-team league and anticipates that players will be paid salaries in the vicinity of [$75,000-100,000].” Every roster will include at least 15 players who played for either the host school or a “rival school from the region,” and all AAFL players must be college graduates. It is unknown who will own the teams, but Dempsey “mentioned using a ‘Green Bay model’ of community shareholders.” It also “appears there will be no income from television. ... All revenue will have to come directly from ticket buyers” (ESPN.com, 6/5).