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Why did the original Arena Football League fail?
Posted on 10/15/25 at 11:48 am
Posted on 10/15/25 at 11:48 am
This was one of the few non NFL football successes. At its peak, there were 17 teams. Average attendance was solid in that era…over 9000 I believe. They even had AF2 going for a while.
If it was corruption and finances, why did it never successfully return in the form of other leagues?
If it was corruption and finances, why did it never successfully return in the form of other leagues?
13
Posted on 10/15/25 at 11:52 am to TexasTiger08
quote:
why did it never successfully return in the form of other leagues?
Indoor Football League (IFL) is the new arena league
LINK
Posted on 10/15/25 at 1:06 pm to TexasTiger08
It expanded too rapidly and became too greedy, something a lot of these minor leagues do. The AFL was huge, with a full farm league at one point.
I like indoor football, and think it can work if the league is managed correctly.
I like indoor football, and think it can work if the league is managed correctly.
Posted on 10/15/25 at 1:17 pm to TexasTiger08
I went to the 2007? Arena Bowl in New Orleans. It was a pretty dull atmosphere with no rooting interest.
Enjoyed the Voodoo games I went to.
Enjoyed the Voodoo games I went to.
Posted on 10/15/25 at 2:30 pm to Tarpon08
quote:
I went to the 2007? Arena Bowl in New Orleans. It was a pretty dull atmosphere with no rooting interest.
Enjoyed the Voodoo games I went to.
went to 1 Voodoo Game.
I was chosen to attempt a FG between quarters. if I made it, I got VIP Tickets for the Arena Bowl that year.
I didn't make the kick.
Posted on 10/15/25 at 2:37 pm to TexasTiger08
the Arena League was so much better than the spring football we have now, which is the exact same style of football we have in the fall with much worse players. Arena league was a totally different and much more fun product.
Posted on 10/15/25 at 2:39 pm to Draconian Sanctions
quote:
the Arena League was so much better than the spring football we have now, which is the exact same style of football we have in the fall with much worse players. Arena league was a totally different and much more fun product.
“bUt iT wAsnT rEaL fOOtBalL”
Posted on 10/15/25 at 2:53 pm to Packer
quote:
Indoor Football League (IFL) is the new arena league
Former 1st round pick of the Ravens, Matt Elam plays for San Antonio
Posted on 10/15/25 at 3:17 pm to TexasTiger08
I worked with an AFL team for several years. When the league started, players were paid baseline salaries with some incentives. They were able to get a CBA per say and teams were unable to pay the salaries the players were demanding. That is at least part of the reason the league was not sustainable.
Posted on 10/15/25 at 3:32 pm to TexasTiger08
I remember vividly back in 04’ when the Voodoo were playing in the Arena. The games were packed.
They were fun as hell and the league appeared to me at the time to be thriving.
They would have Sunday games in the Spring time on prime time NBC.
They were fun as hell and the league appeared to me at the time to be thriving.
They would have Sunday games in the Spring time on prime time NBC.
Posted on 10/15/25 at 3:38 pm to Nutriaitch
Went to a Bossier City Battlewings game one time and the arena was so empty you could hear the QB pre snap clear as day.
At one point he was saying "Down.. set.." and I shouted out as loud as possible "HUT!" and the offensive lineman jumped offsides
. The 20 other people in the arena got a good laugh out of it.
At one point he was saying "Down.. set.." and I shouted out as loud as possible "HUT!" and the offensive lineman jumped offsides
. The 20 other people in the arena got a good laugh out of it. 
Posted on 10/15/25 at 3:45 pm to JS87
I went to one Texas Terror game at the Houston Summit. It was kind of a fun novelty, but I don't remember anybody really talking about them or keeping up with it unless someone from their college was playing.
Posted on 10/15/25 at 5:35 pm to Draconian Sanctions
quote:
Arena league was a totally different and much more fun product.
I’d much rather watch some name guys play Arena ball than the UFL. I’ve tried with the UFL, even attended some XFL games pre-merger. If I want to watch standard American Football, I’ll go to a college game.
Posted on 10/15/25 at 5:43 pm to TexasTiger08
The explosion in the early 2000s kinda killed the league. It grew in visibility but not so much in money. It was 100% better than recent attempts at spring football.
Posted on 10/15/25 at 5:46 pm to TexasTiger08
I actually had a conversation at an airport bar a few years ago with one of the bigger personality owners.
The league actually cracked the first time because of expenses with Liability/Health Insurance for the Players and the finances behind them.
The old structure had to completely fail for them to be able to change the economics of how they could cover all those insurance costs going forward.
The league actually cracked the first time because of expenses with Liability/Health Insurance for the Players and the finances behind them.
The old structure had to completely fail for them to be able to change the economics of how they could cover all those insurance costs going forward.
Posted on 10/15/25 at 9:36 pm to TexasTiger08
I worked with a guy at Best Buy that played for the San Jose Sabercats. His name was Rashied Davis. He was an absolute monster for the Sabercats, and actually wound up playing a few years for the Bears
Oh shite, he actually played 7 seasons in the NFL. Not bad.
LINK
Oh shite, he actually played 7 seasons in the NFL. Not bad.
LINK
Posted on 10/15/25 at 10:13 pm to WaltTeevens
That’s a helluva career. I think most positions can showcase their skills in the arena game to get them seen. How many UFL/USFL/XFL guys made an NFL roster? I doubt that changes much if you ditch that league and go all in with an arena format.
Plus, owners would have smaller rosters, and would be paying less to lease out an arena than they would a stadium.
Plus, owners would have smaller rosters, and would be paying less to lease out an arena than they would a stadium.
Posted on 10/16/25 at 11:58 am to TexasTiger08
Loved it when we had indoor footbal in Houma. Biggest problem was competing with fishing rodeos every weekend.
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