AAF Not Drawing Big Crowds, But Catching NFL Scouts' Attention

NFL teams are scouting AAF players just like they would the CFL or Arena Football LeagueGETTY IMAGES

The AAF "isn't attracting big crowds to its games," but NFL front offices are "definitely scouting the games closely," according to Ben Volin of the BOSTON GLOBE. Ravens coach John Harbaugh said, "Our scouts know all the players in the AAF, they'll know all the players in the new XFL, and we'll be all over that stuff, I promise you." Cardinals GM Steve Keim said that his team is "scouting the league similar to how it scouts" the CFL and Arena Football League (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/10). USA TODAY's Kevin Allen noted because the AAF's TV ratings have been "consistently solid," TNT has agreed to "add a March 23 game to its lineup." Allen wrote there are five reasons "football fans have taken a liking" to the fledgling league: the football is real, the coaches are stars, tweaks to rules have worked, there is real talent and it had "perfect timing" (USATODAY.com, 3/9). The chart below lists attendance for all four games in Week 5:

Download the AAF attendance

THE SPURRIER EFFECT: In Birmingham, Bean & Dudley noted the Iron for Saturday's home game against the Steve Spurrier-coached Orlando Apollos "doubled its attendance from last week." The announced attendance of 13,310 was "more than double" the 6,539 fans who attended Commanders-Iron on March 3 (AL.com, 3/9). Meanwhile, in San Diego, Tom Krasovic writes Fleet fans are "having fun, while also creating their own fun," and the games "feel like they're in San Diego." San Diego crowds "historically have a strong presence of fans for the visiting team," but with the Fleet, "all San Diegans who care about football can grow with the team" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 3/11).

FITTING THE BILL: AAF co-Founder & Head of Football Bill Polian is retiring from ESPN after seven years as a "front office insider" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 3/8).