af2 Moving Forward With '09 Season Despite AFL's Decision
arenafootball2 (af2) officials yesterday in a statement said that the league "operates on its own and is not directly affected" by the AFL's decision to cancel its '09 season, according to Reggie Benson of the HUNTSVILLE TIMES. The af2 is "supported by 25 team ownership groups that are personally and financially committed to operate" next season. Tennessee Valley Vipers GM Joe Stroud: "We are absolutely 100[%] full go" (HUNTSVILLE TIMES, 12/16). Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers Owner Cosmo DeNicola compared af2 to the AFL and said, "Our economic model is actually a lot better than theirs. The (af2) players are compensated and housed and fed. All of those accommodations are consistent throughout the league" (Wilkes-Barre TIMES-LEADER, 12/12). Meanwhile, af2 President Jerry Kurz said that the league office yesterday "received calls from as many as 40" AFL players, while local coaches "also reported calls from players looking for jobs." But Kurz said that they "may not be able to play in the af2." In Albany, Alan Wechsler notes it "may be prohibited" in the AFLPA contract, while the "goal of the af2 is to create better players and move them up to the AFL -- not bring them down from there" (Albany TIMES UNION, 12/16).
UNITED FRONT: CNBC.com's Darren Rovell reported despite the AFL's decision to suspend next season, the United Football League (UFL) is "still going ahead with plans to debut next year." UFL COO Frank Vuono, in a Q&A with Rovell, said of prospective ownership groups, "We have identified four groups, but we're not naming names until the checks clear. ... We think we need six in order to move forward in some fashion, even if that means the league would own some teams. The economy has hurt us in that we’ve had people that were right on the ledge about to take the step and then they lost tons of money and pulled back." Vuono said the league has finalized Hartford, N.Y., L.A., S.F., Las Vegas and Orlando as cities that will house teams. Vuono: "Once we get off the ground, we believe there are second year commitments in Monterrey and Salt Lake City." When asked about the deadline for deciding whether to go forward with the '09 season, Vuono said, "We're going to have something by the weekend of the Super Bowl" (CNBC.com, 12/15).
|
Related Stories By Company
|
Related Stories By Sport
|
New Arena Football League In The Works
September 25, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Ralph Wilson Jr. Inducted Into HOF
August 10, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
TV Revenue May Be Key To UFL's Success
August 6, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
AFL Formally Suspends Operations
August 5, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
AFL Poised For Indefinite Hiatus
August 4, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
|
Bills Owner Prepared To Make Big Changes
November 20, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Bears Deny Rift With NBC
November 20, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
MSFC Threatens Vikings With Penalties
November 20, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Gruden Committed To Improving On "MNF"
November 20, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Obama To Appear In PSA With Three NFLers
November 20, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
|
|
