The AFL2, which is a peg below the Arena Football League (AFL), has been playing out its 2009 season while the AFL scrapped its season due to financial issues. Just last week, the AFL2 had a big announcement that its championship game will be held at the Las Vegas Orleans Arena. The AFL2 is busy publishing press releases about securing deals, and the AFL is having its name dragged in the mud. Things are not looking so good for the league that is supposed to be one step up (in talent and payment) from the AFL2.
At the end of May, the AFL seemed to be situated nicely. Reports that Lynn Swann was behind a Pittsburgh expansion team and that the league expected growth over the next five years (to 24 total teams) seemed very promising for the AFL. When I read this sentence in ProFootballTalk.com, I no longer felt all that confident:
[Chicago] Rush owner Alan Levin says time has already run out for the league to return next season because there are no players allocated. Most coaching staffs, although not all, have disbanded.
The AFL already scrapped the 2009 season. If it does not return for 2010, then I find it hard to believe that it will ever come back in its 2008 form. This may aid the UFL’s growth, but will continue to leave many football players who wish to play professional ball, out of a job in 2010 and beyond.
