2019 AAF Season Thread

[Howie Hodge]

dude I watched some of the San Antonio Commanders games and they had a pretty packed Alamodome. I will say that Birmingham had some empty crowds but to be fair there was literally a tornado going on around the area during their game

Pal, I said some were poorly attended, but some were fairly well attended. What part of that do you disagree with?

 

[Blackmon]

This should send a message to Hurricanes fans that they really do need to show up. Dundon isn't afraid to make drastic moves if a business isn't working out.

 

[MMC]

 

[Voight]

Dundon has a crapload of money but how did he ever see this as a good investment? Should have waited at least 1 season. Everyone got excited over 2 games.

 

[John Price]

Bloomberg - Are you a robot?

Arizona Hotshots quarterback Jack Heneghan joins Scott Soshnick, Michael Barr and Eben Novy-Williams to discuss a host of issues related to the business of sports, including the death of the Alliance of American Football, which ceased operations after only eight weeks of play. A Dartmouth college graduate with a degree in economics, Heneghan discusses the factors that played into the league’s failing so quickly. He also touches on how the players reacted to the news and why, in his opinion, Vince McMahon’s XFL has a better shot at success than the AAF, whose principle backer was Tom Dundon, also owner of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes.

 

[GKJ]

Dundon has a crapload of money but how did he ever see this as a good investment? Should have waited at least 1 season. Everyone got excited over 2 games.

I don't know about the economics of it, but I think he saw value in some of the technology they were doing. If he owns the rights to that and does something with it, it'll be worth the money he lost here.

 

[Voight]

I don't know about the economics of it, but I think he saw value in some of the technology they were doing. If he owns the rights to that and does something with it, it'll be worth the money he lost here.

Fair point, we will see if it was worth the $200 million+ he sunk in

 

[Unholy Diver]

I don't know about the economics of it, but I think he saw value in some of the technology they were doing. If he owns the rights to that and does something with it, it'll be worth the money he lost here.

Supposedly he does not own the tech

Report: Tom Dundon won't be walking away with AAF gambling tech

 

[Unholy Diver]

Fair point, we will see if it was worth the $200 million+ he sunk in

That was not an immediate 200+ mil investment, it was supposed to be spread over a few years, the tech article above said he is out 70 mil

 

[GKJ]

So, some tidbits this morning on the wrestling side of this. Supposedly there's a Sports Business Journal story on this today somewhere. This I'm getting from Wrestling Observer Radio citing some of this through there with someone who was working in the AAF having this information.

-Keep in mind: this off the heels of Charlie Ebersol wanting to buy all the intellectual properties from the XFL for $50M. Also, this is when Vince decided to re-launch the XFL on his own. All of this we knew.

-Now it's mentioned that original 30 for 30 documentary was meant to be the spring board for all of this.

-AAF wanted to merge with the XFL in - December! Like, this past December. So now Ebersol has tried going to Vince twice with this.

-AAF opened the season with enough money to operate for 1 week. They didn't want to postpone because they wanted the head start on Vince. They only had $25M for that week and they only got that in December as well.

-AAF lost about $10M a week, spending a lot less money per week than Vince is preparing to do.

Talk about the Aristocrats.

 

[Mightygoose]

AAF files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy officially ceasing operations.

https://www.tsn.ca/aaf-out-of-business-files-for-bankruptcy-1.1292162

 

[Pestilence]

Tom Dundon wants his $70 million back from the AAF

Guess he needs some $ to pay for Aho's new deal

 

[DanielPlainview]

I hope no one ever goes into business with him again

 

[John Price]

Dundon comes across as a slimeball after this. He literally took his ball and went home. Collapsed an entire league all for his ego.

 

[GKJ]

No, when he figured out he would lose more money if he didn't shut it down.

He did get used though, but that was his fault. They did not have enough money to start a season and knew it.

 

[Blitzkrug]

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/26957796/inside-short-unhappy-life-alliance-american-football

Honestly after reading that Ebersol is the one that comes off as a slimeball.

 

[Pestilence]

Tom Dundon wants his $70 million back from the AAF

Guess he needs some $ to pay for Aho's new deal

Whoops, this post just got surprisingly more current yesterday

 

[John Price]

They did not have enough money to start a season and knew it.

I only agree with this. Basically Dundon left because of a dispute re: players in the AAF going to the NFL. Once he realized he would not get his way he took his ball and went home.

All along the league had poor financial stability because it was rushed. Vince's on the other hand is biding its time and I doubt it'll have a financial issue.

Noticed on reddit that XFL implemented some rule changes but too early to read them right now.