AFL Makes Big Announcements Regarding the State of the League
Joe Kauffman
Thursday January 25, 2001
TAMPA, Fla. - It may be the biggest week of the year for the National Football League with Super Bowl XXXV right around the corner, but the Arena Football League didn`t want to be left out of the action. At a double-header press conference for both the AFL and the Chicago Rush held earlier today at the Tampa Convention Center, which for the week is serving as the Super Bowl Media Center, Commissioner C. David Baker made some huge announcements regarding the state of the AFL.
The biggest of these announcements was the addition of Ford Trucks as the official and exclusive truck sponsor of both the AFL and the af2 for the next two seasons. This is a natural fit since the Ford family is part owner of the Detroit Fury, an expansion team as of this season. As a result, fans should expect to see the Ford Trucks logo and `Built Ford Tough` slogan on signage and dasher boards in all 47 arenas that will be hosting teams for the upcoming season.
"We are excited about this relationship because we see a terrific long-term potential for Arena Football," said Al Giombetti, truck and SUV group marketing manager for the Ford Division of Ford Motor Company. "Ford Trucks have led the industry for many years, and we believe that the spirit of the AFL and af2 leagues is just as strong and determined in the world of football as ours is to trucks."
Giombetti went on to announce that Ford Trucks will be sponsoring a new award to be given out at season`s end: the Built Ford Tough Award. The award will be given out to "the toughest player in the league."
 Commissioner David Baker announces a new partnership between Ford Trucks and the AFL. Image courtesy of Joe Kauffman |
"Our partnership with Ford Trucks is good for the Arena Football League," added Commissioner Baker. "The signature of Ford Trucks is credibility, reliability, and durability. These are standards we want to live up to in the Arena Football League."
Da Rush
 Chigo Rush owner Alan Levin announces Mike Ditka will join the ownership group. Image courtesy of Joe Kauffman |
"I`ve watched Arena Football for years and I`ve enjoyed it," said Ditka at the press conference. "I didn`t realize how tough these players are. There`s opportunity to put a great product on the field in Chicago."
Ditka is no stranger to the high quality of players in Arena Football. "I had Barry Wagner with me a few years in Chicago [with the Bears]." He added that the only reason they let Wagner go was that the Bears felt they had an abundance of good players at the receiver position. "But he became one of the top players in Arena Football," he added.
Ditka went on to say that he expects to become involved in the day-to-day operations of the franchise. "This is an exciting and affordable product. I`m looking forward to being a part of [the Rush] and hopefully making it work. I`m not in it for the money."
 Mike Ditka will take an active role in the ownership of the Rush. Image courtesy of Joe Kauffman |
More Expansion
According to Commissioner Baker, seven teams are in preparation to begin playing over the next few seasons, bringing the total number of franchises to 26. While Baker did not give any details during the press conference, AFL Vice President of Communications David Cooper gave a little more information. In addition to Washington, New Orleans and Dallas, which had been announced during the previous year, Philadelphia, Jacksonville and San Francisco have been approved as host cities for new expansion teams in the next couple of seasons. Cooper then went on to say that they were not ready to announce the identity of the seventh new franchise. There was no mention as to when these four newly identified teams would begin play.
The Commissioner also said that there are now a total of ten NFL owners who have either been approved or are awaiting approval for ownership of Arena Football teams. Five of them are already publicly known. William Clay Ford, Jr.`s (Detroit Lions) Detroit Fury will begin play this season. The as-yet unnamed expansion teams of Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys) and Tom Benson (New Orleans Saints) will begin play in 2002 in Dallas and New Orleans respectively. Dan Snyder`s (Washington Redskins) Washington Warriors will begin play in 2003 and Wayne Weaver, owner of the NFL`s Jacksonville Jaguars has also been approved for an AFL team. The league is unsure when Jacksonville will begin play as that depends on the pending approval and construction of a new arena in Duval County. The remaining five NFL owners will be announced once their team applications have been reviewed thoroughly. Baker said to expect an announcement in the near future.
Labor Disputes Are Finally Settled
Baker has put the AFL labor issue to rest once and for all. For those of you that remember, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) had originally scheduled way back in September a federal hearing to be held in Tampa on January 22. The purpose of the hearing was to investigate the claims by a small group of players that the AFL Players Organizing Committee was formed illegally as the collective bargaining unit for the AFL players. Those players had filed an anti-trust lawsuit against the AFL, which had temporarily forced the league to cease operations 10 months ago.
The Arena Football League announced today that they have reached a settlement ending the antitrust lawsuit. "This agreement paves the way for labor peace for at least the next five years," stated Commissioner Baker. "It tells our fans, sponsors and investors that we have stability and a framework to allow us to continue to grow the great game of Arena Football." Baker said that more information would be issued in a press release later in the day.
Get Ready for the AFL`s Second All Star Game
The press conference revealed that in conjunction with Super Bowl XXXVI next year, the league would hold an all-star game in New Orleans in January 2002. The AFL hinted at trying to do something similar here in Tampa for this year`s Super Bowl, but due to lack of advance preparation time and ongoing labor woes, plans for an all-star game in 2001 did not come to fruition.
AFL: Stronger Than Ever
With so much positive news about the Arena Football League, expect the league to continue growing with stability. Besides 26 approved AFL teams and 30 approved af2 teams, there are more than 15 applications for additional teams being considered. The fact that the labor disputes have finally come to an end and the AFL survived only serves to strengthen the league in the eyes of fans and media. And with more NFL owners coming on board and the possibility of the NFL purchasing their 49.9% option of the league, expect more good news to be announced as the season approaches, as well as during the owner`s meetings that will be held in August during ArenaBowl XV.
And yes, that`s right. The league is about to begin their 15th season. And in 15 years, the league is stronger than most professional sports leagues at that age. Commissioner Baker puts it in to perspective best.
"In their 14th season, the NBA had over 14 teams," Baker pointed out. "In their 15th year, they were down to eight teams. But look at them now, only three of those original teams are still around today in the same cities."
Joe Kauffman is President and Editor in Chief of Arenafan Online, having joined the staff in 2000. He graduated from Florida State University in 1998 with a degree in communications andbuilds ecommerce sites for a day job. Joe has enjoyed Arena Football since 1991 and has been a member of the Arena Football Internet community since 1995. Prior to Joining Arenafan, he was a co-founder and Technical Editor of the Storm Shelter, which covered the Tampa Bay Storm from 1996-99. Joe and his wife Erika live in Hackettstown, New Jersey with their two daughters.
