The Arena Football League plans to go forward with its 2017 season even if there are only the existing four teams, said Commissioner Scott Butera.
Five teams departed in recent weeks, including league stalwart the Arizona Rattlers, which left for the lower level Indoor Football League. The IFL has no union, and costs are about half of the AFL, which was one of the appealing factors in the move.
Ron Shurts, the Rattlers owner, said the move should allow him to stop losing money and avoid the possibility of the AFL going under. “I don’t know what the viability is of the AFL,” he said. “We lost four teams this year [not including his] and two or three last year.
“None of the franchises make money,” he added.
Butera said the AFL is staying in business, and maintains that the slimming down to four teams is all part of a plan to bring in stronger ownership. Three of the four teams are owned by successful major league owners — Cleveland Gladiators: Dan Gilbert; Washington Valor: Ted Leonsis, and Tampa Bay Storm: Jeff Vinik. More teams could come on by 2017 though, Butera insisted.
As for the IFL, Mike Allshouse, the commissioner of the largely Midwestern league, noted his 10-team league, which dates to 2003, has snared an AFL team once a year for three straight seasons.
“There is something of value the IFL provides them,” he said. “The economic model is a little more attractive for teams rather than the AFL.”
In addition to the Rattlers, the other AFL teams that left were the L.A. Kiss, Orlando Predators and Portland Steel, all of which ceased operations; and the Jacksonville Sharks, which may play in a yet-to-be announced new indoor league.
