AFL a Go for 2009...For Now

Yesterday I shared the news with you that the Arena Football League was considering suspending their 2009 season. The Associated Press is now reporting that fears of a canceled season can be silenced, as the 2009 season is on.

The board of directors met via conference call last night and announced that the league will play the 2009 season. In the meantime, they will continue to meet and work out a long-term plan for the structure and finances of the league. Here is their official statement [link]:

"

NEW YORK – Despite rumors and reports to the contrary, the Arena Football League Board of Directors has not suspended the 2009 season at this time. The Board met via conference call this evening.

The Board will continue to meet regularly to examine any and all long-term structural improvement options for the AFL.

"

As I mentioned yesterday there is something for fans of arena football to be concerned with. A commissioner needs to be put in place.

David Baker had been in the position for as long as the league has been around. He resigned abruptly before the championship game this year. That may have set off the smoke alarms.

Without a legitimate person appointed to the position, the league will have trouble seeing eye to eye between franchises. Somebody needs to be the top man in a league that has owners varying from people you have never heard of to guys like John Elway and Bon Jovi.

But the players in the league should be highly commended for their role in the announcement that the league will not fold for a season, such as the NHL did a few years ago.

The player's union for the league voted to agree to a cut in the salary cap, allowing the league's teams as a whole to operate functionally. Perhaps the loss of the New Orleans Voodoo, who entered the AFL the same time as the Soul, had something to do with the decision.

On the same day that the New York Yankees had come to terms with pitcher CC Sabathia for $161 million, the AFL player's agreed to lower the salary cap from $1.65 million to $1.4 million per team. Kudos to the players and I commend their love of the game.