In response to Sunday’s item regarding the AFL eulogy, Facebook style, that has been posted by former Tampa Bay Storm COO and president Jim Borghesi, a source with knowledge of the situation tells us that no final decisions have been made regarding the future of the troubled indoor football league.
Per the source, the chances of the AFL returning in 2010 remain in the general neighborhood of 50-50. An owners’ vote is coming, and a bankruptcy filing remains a distinct possibility.
But the goal of bankruptcy would be to deal with the league’s debts in order to continue operations, not cease them.
The source explained that Borghesi was released by the Storm at the conclusion of the league’s most recent season in 2008, and that Borghesi has no current standing with the Storm and generally isn’t in the loop -- even though Borghesi is the cousin of the team’s owner, Dr. Bob Nucci.
At best, then, Borghesi’s comments represent, in the view of the source, a “guess.” And his “guess” could indeed end up being accurate.
We’re also told that Dr. Nucci intends to continue to play football, which suggests that the Storm might try to find a spot in some other indoor league, or possibly start a new league.
Then again, that’s just a guess, too.
UPDATE: The same source who said that Borghesi might simply be guessing now tells us that Borghesi, if he was guessing, guessed right. It’s over for the AFL.