OT : Revival of Original Arena Football League Having Issues

[GDAWG]

So the scuttlebutt is that Albany, Orlando and Nashville would all jump to the Indoor Football League if the AFL crashes dramatically.  

[MGB01]

So as predicted the three games this week that were set for NFL Network are off, and apparently next week too

Of course Mikey (the Pro in Pro Football Talk must be short for Projection) somehow deciphers that this is bad for the NFL, with NFLN's supposed situation. No mention of the spare parts that the Arena League is being patched together with--or maybe this being a pay to play as well and somebody missed the rent

[XFL4ever]

Iowa Rampage are ceasing operations.

Rumors aplenty that two more teams are right behind them.

What a disaster....

[johnnyangryfuzzball]

Iowa Rampage are ceasing operations.

Rumors aplenty that two more teams are right behind them.

What a disaster....

And they basically pointed the finger right at Hutton for not paying them what they were promised. And the arena Louisiana was supposed to play in apparently said the same thing.

The teams in Billings and Rapid City say they're still in, but Billings has hinted there might be a change in commissioner by the end of the season (if it gets that far). Billings, Iowa, Rapid City, and the three Kansas teams came from CIF. They had their own commissioner, currently a deputy in the AFL hierarchy.

[MGB01]

And this is the way Eli Gold's going out, sigh.

How long before he goes Keith Jackson at the last OG USFL championship game (seven weeks til Bama/UGA I ain't got time for this ish)?

[johnnyangryfuzzball]

At least the Albany vs. Nashville game has been exciting.

[Vamanos_Brahmas]

And now the floodgates open. 

It's been reported that the current league were licensing the AFL name and logo from it's owners (a Canadian company) and didn't make the payment so they're fraudulently using the name.

It really seems that no money is flowing from the "AFL" coffers anywhere... players, coaches, trainers not paid... venues nor hotels not paid... not even the rights to the name were paid.  Where did the 200,000 entry fee money go?  Teams are responsible for the broadcasting of the games... NFL Network backed out (probably wasn't paid either) and all we have is league management stating, "This is fine."

I didn't expect it to be THIS much of a train wreck, but here we are.

[MGB01]

Hmmmmm

Oh yeah, it was GREAT

Although seems I kind of overrated them by hinting at a CW deal. To be fair, they had just LIV Golf--which most of their affiliates didn't even air in 2023--and were months from having ACC football and basketball (even if just third tier sublicensing packages), WWE (NXT), and NASCAR (Xfinity Series) so they would have been perfect....................................

Had this outfit been, you know, good for it--a stretch as we now know, but couldn't completely unforesee

[XFL4ever]

Owner of the Billings Outlaws:

"At today’s meeting I will be calling for the immediate resignation of our league commissioner (Lee A. Hutton, III) and CEO (Travelle Gaines).”

[johnnyangryfuzzball]

And the clusterbuck continues...

• Two more teams gone: the Philadelphia Soul throw in the towel with hopes to return in 2025. Georgia Force just up and dipped, leaving players holding the bag and facing eviction this weekend. Starting QB says he has an offer in another state but used up his money paying for his teammates' meals.
• Minnesota—the team owned by the commissioner's wife—just saw its head coach and special teams coach resign.
• Rapid City had to renegotiate its contracts to roll back its salaries to CIF levels (a 75% cut) because the commissioner predictably didn't cover the promised salary subsidy. Six players were granted a release when they refused. The owner notes that the league structure basically prevents the owners from ousting the commish, so unless he resigns, they can't fire him—and that they knew the guy was a conman but were hoping he'd at least follow through on half his promises.
• NFL Network says they won't be carrying any games this year after the production company wasn't paid. Albany has apparently resorted to streaming their next game via YouTube (which is how the other indoor leagues do it and isn't a terrible way to handle it). Albany also appears to be the only team that is still in "all is well" mode.