AFL gets new TV contract!

This past month saw some great things. I have been around the AFL for many years and I've never seen so much activity in the off-season before. This could quite possibly be the most significant month in AFL history since the "manilla envelope".

First and foremost is the new TV contract. For the first time in it's history, the AFL will receive money for the right to broadcast it's games. The Nashville Network (TNN) will televise the majority of the regular season games, including a "Game of the Week" each week on national television. ESPN and ESPN2 will do 6 playoff games and ABC will televise Arenabowl XIV live on Sunday, August 20, 2000. This will be the 3rd time ABC has televised the Championship game.

"The rise of the Arena Football League continues!"

Another development of major importance is the announcement that as of now five NFL owners have applied for or been approved for AFL franchises. In 1997 the NFL ruled for the first time in it's history, that it's owners can purchase franchises in another football league, but only the AFL. The five owners are: Al Lerner of the Cleveland Browns, Wayne Weaver of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tom Benson of the New Orleans Saints, William Clay Ford of the Detroit Lions, and Dan Snyder of the Washington Redskins. The Detroit team is likely to start this season. Expect to see more NFL owners getting involved in the near future.

This, the 14th season of Arena Football will field teams in Albany, NY, Buffalo, NY, Des Moines, Iowa, Detroit, MI, East Rutherford, NJ, Grand Rapids, MI, Hartford, CT, Houston, TX, Los Angeles, CA, Milwaukee, WI, Nashville, TN, Oklahoma City, OK, Orlando, FL, Phoenix, AZ, Plantation, FL, Raleigh, NC, San Jose, CA, Tampa, FL, with expansion teams in New Orleans, LA, and Chicago, IL, in 2001.

Get your Ray-Bans out, the future looks bright!

-PredFan

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