2019 AAF Season Thread

[Taro Tsujimoto]

Looks like there could be some trouble brewing:

 

[Very Stable Genius]

lol imagine being that filthy rich to buy a plaything for $250M and a couple of months later throwing it in the trash.

 

[DanielPlainview]

That doesn't really make sense. Why would they need NFL players to avoid shutting down?

 

[DanielPlainview]

lol imagine being that filthy rich to buy a plaything for $250M and a couple of months later throwing it in the trash.

You don't think he simply wrote them a $250m check, do you?

 

[Thedogo]

Looks like there could be some trouble brewing:

Ohh that's not good.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Just let them fail

NFL/NFLPA have no obligation to prop up league

 

[Mightygoose]

Yeah, I think they're just looking for somewhere to pass the buck before they pull the plug. This a week after moving the championship game to a 12K venue the Coyboys own with 1 1/2 month's notice seems like it's winding down.

Wouldn't making sure the NFLPA was on board with their young player be a make or break before the league launched never mind before Dundon's involvement? How would having the PA signing off improve attendance, sponsorship or a better media deal?

 

[cutchemist42]

That doesn't really make sense. Why would they need NFL players to avoid shutting down?

That's what I dont get, unless they mean they want the AAA model where the NFL pays the minor league salaries and insurance?

I say that because I dont see an attendance jump or greater interest as the player quality jump wouldnt be very noticeable.

 

[LadyStanley]

https://nypost.com/2019/03/27/aaf-threatening-to-fold-again-and-asking-nfl-for-help/

Seems doomed.

The first-year AAF is in danger of folding due to a lack of cooperation from the NFL Players’ Association to use NFL players, according to the league’s majority owner, Tom Dundon.

“If the players union is not going to give us young players, we can’t be a development league,” Dundon told USA Today on Wednesday. “We are looking at our options, one of which is discontinuing the league.”

Dundon may be out $250m

 

[keonsbitterness]

50 players per team each making $70,000 minimum for a ten-game schedule with a TV deal paying peanuts was a recipe for failure. No wonder the original investors ran for the hills so early in the season.

Unless Dundon or some other rich idiot is willing to absorb huge losses, this thing is dead.

 

[DanielPlainview]

As far as I know, the league's TV deal is unknown.

Investors did not run for the hills. There was a rumor that the league needed the $250m investment from Dundon to survive but that turned out to be a complete fabrication.

The league has funds in place for multiple seasons. Why Dundon is trying to play the NFLPA like this is anyone's guess. My hunch is that he's looking at expansion + XFL competition and wants a deal locked in with the NFL.

 

[Fenway]

Majority investor: Alliance of American Football in danger of being discontinued without NFLPA help

The odd thing is this is not the XFL - viewership has not bottomed out

 

[Mightygoose]

Perspective from the Orlando market- the one with the best record at 6-1

Sinking AAF sold Steve Spurrier and Orlando fans a bill of goods | Commentary

"What does it tell you when the Apollos essentially fired their radio broadcast team before last week’s game because the AAF hasn’t paid the bill at the local radio station that was broadcasting Apollos games?

Really?

Seriously?
That’s just sad.

Sad because we were told the Alliance would be different than all the rest. We we were told the Alliance had a plan. We were told the Alliance was better organized and more well-funded because it was co-founded and organized by Hall-of-Fame NFL executive Bill Polian and Charlie Ebersol — the brilliant, wunderkind son of Dick Ebersol, the legendary former chairman of NBC Sports."

If Dundon is serious about folding without a deal from the NFL/NFLPA and will make a decision in 2 days (from March 27) and this league shuts down in the middle of the night like a low cost Icelandic airline.....this league will go down lasting even less than the XFL

 

[cutchemist42]

The thing that surprises me is that the TV ratings arent that bad that I would have thought there was enough potential to cover minor league salaries. At the same time, I heard it said that there probably buying the airtime.

Attendance beyond SA was pretty bad tho, even belie levels the CFL gets ripped for, but I think that could have been prevented with better market selection

 

[StreetHawk]

The thing that surprises me is that the TV ratings arent that bad that I would have thought there was enough potential to cover minor league salaries. At the same time, I heard it said that there probably buying the airtime.

Attendance beyond SA was pretty bad tho, even belie levels the CFL gets ripped for, but I think that could have been prevented with better market selection

You can’t be in stadiums with capacity greater than 50k and have a good feel about it. They need to be in MLS size stadiums the equivalent of BMO field In Toronto it Audi field in Washington. Capacity of under 30k.

Surprised. They seemed to be better planned to cover the costs for the season.

 

[cutchemist42]

I also still have not seen a good answer on why this league needs the NFLPA when there wasnt one mention of needing this before? I mean my suspicion was always that they hoped to get bought by the NFL but it was never publicly declared they needed that support.

Now its life or death for a class of players that wont be a huge jump in quality and thus attention/interest?

 

[tony d]

Heard about this, really to bad that a pro football league besides the NFL can't make a go of it in the U.S., don't think this bodes well for the XFL.

 

[StreetHawk]

50 players per team each making $70,000 minimum for a ten-game schedule with a TV deal paying peanuts was a recipe for failure. No wonder the original investors ran for the hills so early in the season.

Unless Dundon or some other rich idiot is willing to absorb huge losses, this thing is dead.

I believe AAF contracts were $250k for 3 years with each year increasing. All 8 teams with 50 man rosters at $70k per player is $28 million just for players salaries.

Add in coaching staffs, trainers, equipment, travel, facilities, officials, etc.

Thought the league was setup to get through the year.

 

[DanielPlainview]

The league is funded for at least 3 full season, IIRC.

 

[TNT87]

Gee, I'm shocked.

 

[MMC]

Is this really OT? It is the football board

 

[Voight]

Dundons got more money than I ever will and is an investment guy --> what exactly did h see when he invested 250 big ones?

 

[Terry Yake]

people simply don't care enough about football aside from NFL and NCAA. the fact that the AAF is doomed is no shock at all. same will happen with the XFL

i'm shocked the AFL lasted for as long as it did (and i'm not talking about the current AFL with like 4 teams)

 

[eddygee]

Majority investor: Alliance of American Football in danger of being discontinued without NFLPA help

The odd thing is this is not the XFL - viewership has not bottomed out

I think what this shows is you have to be solid as a business entity first in sports. One to sustain losses, AAF is showing that simply having solid ratings isn't enough especially if investors don't believe in and have serious doubts about your long term viability. If AAF goes under XFL doesn't have a chance next year.

AAF failure and the repeated failures of these types of leagues be it UFL<AFL<XFL<AAF will only reinforce to potential future investors the dangers of losing their capital. When you look at the BIG 5 leagues in the US they're all billion to multi billion dollar leagues back by several billionaire owners. AAF never had a chance from the start.

 

[GKJ]

It sounds like more than anything Dundon is trying to make a power move here, and I don’t see it working. He wants the NFL to get involved so he can get in.