We suppose it’s fitting that, in the 50th year of the original “AFL,” the league to more recently adopt that acronym has pulled the plug.
Indeed, as widely reported and even more widely expected, the 22-year-old Arena Football League is calling it quits.
The Georgia Force, owned by Falcons owner Arthur Blank, has issued a statement confirming the cessation of AFL operations.
“We are disappointed at this outcome for AFL fans, but there was no other viable choice,” Force president Dick Sullivan said. “Despite significant efforts on the part of many AFL and team representatives, the League was unable to create a new business model that we and others could support. Those of us who worked at the Georgia Force will miss the fun action of this unique football game.”
That faint sound you hear in the distance is UFL Commissioner Michael Huyghue removing the cork from the finest bottle of Mumm’s that the Oyster Bay Drug and Sundry has to offer.
who cares.
Philadelphia will always be a world champion!!!!!
….eh
and so it goes for the championship winning detroit drive…
What a bummer. The AFL was fun, fast, and played for the love of the game. The league had many players who were very talented, whether they were NFL-caliber or not. I hope that these guys land on their feet and find jobs playing professional football in some other venue, be it the UFL, NFL, CFL, AAFL (is that one still twitching?) AFL2, or whatever. Lord knows I would play football for money on ANY level if I had the size, speed, skill and/or talent.
I would (and did) choose the AFL over college football any day of the week.
Philadelphia Soul – last AFL champs!
Perhaps your enlarged staff can now do as many CFL regular season stories as off season AFL stories!
Ok, laugh at me if you want, but I LIKED arena football. It’s not NFL quality, of course, but it was fast paced and high scoring and the players played for the love of the game….not for the money. Also, the spectators are so close to the action you feel almost a part of it.
But the MAIN reason I hate to see it go is because for a football nut like me, it is a VERY long time between the Super Bowl and training camps and at least I had Arena Football to watch. Basketball and baseball just do NOT do it for me. I’d just as soon watch paint dry!
So, I enjoyed the AFL….so shoot me.
“Perhaps your enlarged staff can now do as many CFL regular season stories as off season AFL stories!”
Hehehe… enlarged staff…
I liked the Arena League also. Watched San Jose play every time they were on television, and I went to all of the Sacramento Attack games in the early 90s. It was a fun game to watch.
I didnt’ really watch the AFL but I know many people did enjoy watching it. I wasn’t into it one bit but that still sucks its gone.
I guess McDonalds will be over flowing with applicants now that these teams don’t exist anymore.
maybe florio will be calling it quits too. but i guess the world isn’t lucky enough to lose two disgraces to professional football back to back.
The AFL had some decent talent, alot of those guys were serious burners, but were just small.
I allway thought some of them could have been kick returners in the NFL.
Sad to see it go………for those of you that think it was not NFL caliber, you are truly mistaken. At least 50% of the players could play in the NFL.
Many players benefitted from it…….Kurt Warner being one of the obvious choices. He has in fact stated that playing in the AFL as a QB was MORE difficult than the NFL, mainly because in the AFL, things were much faster and the accuracy and timing needed was much greater.