AFL Growth - Too Much Too Soon?
Lee Zakow
Thursday October 19, 2000
It’s really good to be back. The off season has provided plenty of news, but besides free agency and the coming wave that is the XFL, the most significant things are: Mike Hohensee went to the new Chicago franchise (which shows Chicago is serious about putting a winner on the field), Toronto is getting a team, Dallas is getting a team (but maybe not in time for the 2001 season), and Albany may be going to Indianapolis.
This got me thinking. What a shame. The people in Albany have been so loyal and hardworking to give the team a solid fan base. And who can forget Albany’s contributions to the game? Of all the moments, possibly my fondest was the wild, Sunday afternoon madcap-scramble that ended the regular season with Orlando winning at the final buzzer.
And now, they’re gone. What about New England’s Sea Wolves, who never really had the chance to establish themselves because of the dim lights at the Garden? I hate to be so crude here, but I believe in telling it like it is. The Garden did nothing to promote the CityHawks or the Sea Wolves.
Here’s a hint. The team was obviously bought to fill dark days on the arena calendar. Great. Then why not fill the empty chairs? Why buy a painting only to have it sit in the basement? It makes little or no sense.
Now that there are 20 teams (including Dallas, Detroit and Chicago, and 23 with New Orleans, Philadelphia and Washington), I think there are one too many. Attendance problems have plagued Houston and Florida. Jim Foster is looking to move the Barnstormers while, at the same time, filling in the vacancy with an af2 team. Jacksonville and Cleveland have discussed bringing in teams.
Who is thriving and who isn’t?
Maybe it’s time to consider consolidation, combining say Houston, Florida, and Iowa and making that the Chicago team.
Maybe Houston’s assets could be transferred to Jerry Jones’ Dallas group.
Maybe combine New Jersey and Albany and strengthen the visibility of the Red Dogs in the Metro area.
Yea, I’m crazy, but MAYBE NFL Europe has it right. They are sticking with their six teams until they feel comfortable enough to branch out and expand, which may not be until Amsterdam, Berlin, and Scotland grow to what the NFL wants them to. Scotland just transferred from Edinburgh to Glasgow, a bigger metropolitan area, and they are sure to get more press coverage.
Looking at the map, I count maybe seven or eight cities that have not hosted Arena teams (note: these cities have pro teams [does not include AFL2 cities]) – Atlanta, Boston, San Diego, Seattle, Philadelphia, Baltimore (not including the Maryland team which played in Landover), Salt Lake City and Indianapolis). That’s a pretty short list for a league in business less than 15 years.
For those interested in having the AFL survive, let’s hope the league sees the payoff as having fewer, stronger, and more profitable teams in the league, and not spreading itself too thin.
Lee Zakow was a writer for ArenaFan Online from 2000 to 2001.
