Arena Football: A New Vision
Jeff Sims
Friday February 27, 2015
ArenaFan’s Exclusive Interview with New AFL Commissioner Scott Butera
Since the Arena Football League returned from a one year hiatus in 2010 in order to restructure, it has been saddled with many hurdles and obstacles to overcome.
Teams have come and gone, ownership issues have caused the league to have to take control of multiple teams in order to finish seasons, the quality of play has been questioned, and more often than not, the leadership of the league itself was called into question.
What was originally believed to be a three year plan to return the league to prominence is now entering season six.
With twelve teams ready to go for 2015, I think it is safe to say that this is not exactly where the league and its owners expected to be at this point in time.
Now enters Scott Butera.
The former CEO of Foxwoods Casino, who was credited with restructuring Foxwoods and reducing their debt by half a billion dollars, is now the new Commissioner of the Arena Football League after taking the reins back in September. He is challenged with the daunting task of rebuilding the AFL brand, once again bringing it closer to the forefront of American sports, and more importantly, making it a viable business.
I had the opportunity to speak with the new Commissioner in an exclusive interview for ArenaFan. You can listen to the interview in its entirety by clicking on the link below.
Some of the topics discussed include:
- His background
- His thoughts on the current state of the league and league ownership
- Building the brand of the Arena Football League
- PR and sustainability
- The off-season situation with the Pittsburgh Power
- Potential league expansion
With a new vision for the AFL, his ability to build a successful business, and his love of football, let’s all hope (as fans of this wonderful game) that Commissioner Butera can make the original three year plan a reality.
Jeff has been writing for ArenaFan.com since 2004. Originally from New York, Jeff has been living in the Chicago area for the past ten years and is an avid football fanatic. He holds a BA in communications from Hofstra University in New York and a sports management certificate from Loyola University in Chicago.
