Arizona Rattlers

[jwalters]

I was reading in some of the Arizona papers that the Rattlers were in serious trouble. One paper said that the team had never made money. One of the players said that it would take a miracle to save the team. One of the papers also said that the team store was marking everything down to half price. It is never a good sign when that happens. Does anyone remember Detroit last year? One other thing to ponder is what about the other teams that also have low attendandce like Grand Rapids, Las Vegas, New York, and Austin. I also heard that Tampa Bay papers their arena with comps. Personally, I believe that the league will save Vegas but I just don't know about the other cities. Oh well, I guess that since Arena Football considers itself a major league now everything will be fine.

[Pounder]

I've seen one blowhard poster predicting doom and gloom for Arizona... last year. However, it doesn't look good at the moment, no?

Question: link to a published source of rumor or report?

I know the Grand Rapids folks have checked themselves each of the last two years, as if they weren't sure if their pants were on. With the trend the way it is, and AFL believing it can probably go gangbusters in a larger market, I don't see them lasting.

The AFL will prop up Vegas. Bank on it. Putting a neutral site championship game there (which IIRC is a 2-3 year contract), it would be kind of embarrassing to suddenly lose Vegas.

Mind you, the AFL isn't in a bad position right now, even if they don't make any real money from NBC. If NBC goes away (and plugging back into the NFL should raise a little alarm), then things could get dicey.

[jwalters]

I don't have the exact websites right now but you can find them on www.arenafan.com just look at the Rattlers page. I never spread rumors that I hear from people if you will check it out you will see that everything I said comes from those reports. Frankly, I don't want to see any team fail but it is getting to be pretty sad when one of the league's oldest teams is on the vergeof collapse. One of those reports says that part of the problem might be the fact that the season starts sooner now and the Suns are in the middle of the playoffs. I don't know what the problem is but if it isn't fixed soon more teams will drop off the map.

[MrBIGGS32]

I guess you love rumors, here is one for you. Now that it will be the last year for NFLE. The NFL will be backing the AFL. More owners will be involved and use the AFL as the developmental league for the NFL. I read this some where on arenafan.com. The AFL will be just fine. You watch and see.

[jwalters]

I don't really consider this a rumor. I read it on the websites of some of the Arizona papers. I believe one was the Arizona Republic and the other was the East Valley Tribune. I also think people are a little confused about arenafan.com. It is not a Jim Terry rumor site it is website that has been around since the early 90's and provides links to news stories. If anybody still has not read the story please go to the Rattlers page on arenafan.com and look for the link. I'm also willing to bet you can find the link on the Rattlers page on this very site. I never spread rumors I was giving a short rundown of a news story look for yourselves and you will find out.

[jwalters]

Here is a link to one of the stories:
www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/sports/articles/0515rattlers0515.html
Randy Gatewood said hopefully someone will come in buy the team and keep them around. Read the story BIGGS.

[MrBIGGS32]

But what I would like to say and some arena fans sould agree. If The Rattlers do not play next year it will ruin the AFL season. The Rattlers are big part of ,great franchises in the AFL. They should of let Danny White buy the team a long time ago. The AFL will lose a lot of fans.
J Walters I am sorry if you thought I said you started rumors. I was just starting a little rumor about the AFL and the NFL.

[jwalters]

I could not agree more BIGGS. It would be terrible. The Rattlers have brought so many great people into the league. I hope that the team survives. Maybe one of the Bidwells will purchase the team. But, having them on board might be more of a curse than a blessing.

[hawk185md]

As I understand it, Robert Sarver wanted nothing more to do with the Rattlers and wanted to focus on his precious Phoenix Suns.

If this is the case, Sarver should be ashamed of himself and let's hope someone comes along and saves the Rattlers - say Wayne Gretzky?

[minnfan]

But what I would like to say and some arena fans sould agree. If The Rattlers do not play next year it will ruin the AFL season. The Rattlers are big part of ,great franchises in the AFL. They should of let Danny White buy the team a long time ago. The AFL will lose a lot of fans.
J Walters I am sorry if you thought I said you started rumors. I was just starting a little rumor about the AFL and the NFL.


I'm not sure that the AFL will lose a lot of fans, other than in Phoenix that is, and as for ruining the AFL season........if that didn't happen when any or all the other teams went belly-up then it won't when the Rattlers go away.

If there's no Arizona next season it will be very disappointing to all of us, but for those fans the league is trying to get the attention of, if they didn't know about them to begin with they won't miss them.

What does worry me is the ambivalant attitude of the league twords their own stated goal of moving from smaller cities to bigger. Losing Phoenix while adding Salt Lake City isn't in line with that. Neither was losing Indianapolis while adding Austin. Yet they do add Philadelphia and talk about Boston. The message is very mixed.

The AFL still gives the impression of being willing to talk to anybody with an interest and cash to pay the franchise fee.

Funny, if the Rattlers are going under, why aren't they shifting them to another city instead of shoveling dirt on the body? Is the franchise fee that important to them?