af1 games on the NFL Network now official

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Fran
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af1 games on the NFL Network now official

Post by Fran » Mon Feb 08, 2010 3:02 pm

The upstart AF1 has signed a television deal with the NFL Network, giving the nascent indoor football league an instant dose of credibility.

The deal is a one-year agreement, with another one-year option. Terms call for AF1 to sell the advertising inventory, with the indoor league and the NFL Network evenly splitting all revenue.

The NFL Network will provide the on-air talent. The league’s games will be aired live on Friday nights from 8 to 11 p.m. ET beginning April 2 through the league’s championship game in late August. The AF1 game on April 23 will be pre-empted by the network’s draft coverage.

Charles Coplin, vice president of programming for the NFL, said the deal made sense for the NFL Network, which has expanded beyond NFL programming by covering college football games.

“We embrace football at all levels,” Coplin said. “This spring schedule gives us a weekly live game featuring some players who may eventually play in the NFL.”

The NFL Network also was attracted by the AF1’s spring schedule, which comes at a relatively down time for the NFL, with no live games. “They are playing at a time where it made perfect sense for our schedule,” Coplin said.

The NFL Network has not made any decisions on the talent it will use or on any shoulder programming it may produce.

“Right now, the focus is just on the games,” Coplin said. “We’ll get back from South Florida and look at whether there’s anything to do around it.”

Coplin said the deal does not hint at a larger working relationship between the two football leagues.

“This is a programming deal between the NFL Network and [AF1] to cover their games,” he said. “The programming made sense to us. The economics made sense to us. It’s not indicative of a larger or broader relationship. This deal is very consistent with how we’ve programmed the network from the beginning.”

The deal is expected to be officially announced in mid-February. The 15-team league, which was created this year after the assets of the former AFL were sold out of bankruptcy, also is expected to be rebranded as the AFL before the start of the season.

AF1 Commissioner Jerry Kurz would not comment specifically on the television deal.

“We are pleased with where we are and we are about to announce a national game of the week arrangement,” Kurz said.

NatePreds05
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Post by NatePreds05 » Mon Feb 08, 2010 4:01 pm

Friday night broadcasts are perfect, no lame Sunday afternoon or Monday night games. I am also excited about the rebranding of AF1 as AFL. It's about time.

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Post by Caballo Diablo » Mon Feb 08, 2010 4:24 pm

I disagree, in my opinion rebranding themselves as the AFL helps them to instantly lose credibility. It's meaningless to ticket sales among avid fans of the sport. For the most part they know what's gone on over the past few years and would still watch no matter what they call the league.

The casual fans that they need to attract desperately will say Huh! Isn't that the league of overspending and created with smoke and mirrors? Didn't they skip a year before going bankrupt and screwing their creditors? Now they've dropped to a lower level and are still trying to sell us same old BS?

The casual fan doesn't know they're two different entities. Why would a company want to take the name of a failed plan and business and promote them as the same? I hope the casual fans don't just shrug them off and go to the movies instead. And is Friday good for the casual fans? It would seem you could catch their attention better by not broadcasting during the night they usually go out and aren't watching tv?
Last edited by Caballo Diablo on Mon Feb 08, 2010 4:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by NatePreds05 » Mon Feb 08, 2010 5:29 pm

[quote=""Caballo Diablo""]I disagree, in my opinion rebranding themselves as the AFL helps them to instantly lose credibility. It's meaningless to ticket sales among avid fans of the sport. For the most part they know what's gone on over the past few years and would still watch no matter what they call the league.

The casual fans that they need to attract desperately will say Huh! Isn't that the league of overspending and created with smoke and mirrors? Didn't they skip a year before going bankrupt and screwing their creditors? Now they've dropped to a lower level and are still trying to sell us same old BS?

The casual fan doesn't know they're two different entities. Why would a company want to take the name of a failed plan and business and promote them as the same? I hope the casual fans don't just shrug them off and go to the movies instead. And is Friday good for the casual fans? It would seem you could catch their attention better by not broadcasting during the night they usually go out and aren't watching tv?[/quote]

Hockey and Basketball seem to have no problems with Friday night games. And speaking from experience game atmosphere of Sunday day games and Monday night games was horrible compared to Friday nights. TV viewers will see arenas that are packed and loud.

The casual fan doesn't even know about the league going bankrupt and creditor problems. Plus the AFL is the league (and has a much better logo and branding IMO) with over 20 years of history. You don't throw that away.

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Post by daytonadan » Mon Feb 08, 2010 5:53 pm

Ah Cabby, it's fun to watch you sometimes.

AF1 just blew every else's doors off.

This isn't Comcast Channel 666 or some obscure syndication package, it's the frakkin' NFL Network. No one may be watching outside of the 15 markets, but that's a lot of street cred.
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Post by indoor fan » Mon Feb 08, 2010 6:04 pm

[quote=""Caballo Diablo""]I disagree, in my opinion rebranding themselves as the AFL helps them to instantly lose credibility. It's meaningless to ticket sales among avid fans of the sport. For the most part they know what's gone on over the past few years and would still watch no matter what they call the league.

The casual fans that they need to attract desperately will say Huh! Isn't that the league of overspending and created with smoke and mirrors? Didn't they skip a year before going bankrupt and screwing their creditors? Now they've dropped to a lower level and are still trying to sell us same old BS?

The casual fan doesn't know they're two different entities. Why would a company want to take the name of a failed plan and business and promote them as the same? I hope the casual fans don't just shrug them off and go to the movies instead. And is Friday good for the casual fans? It would seem you could catch their attention better by not broadcasting during the night they usually go out and aren't watching tv?[/quote]

Of course a negative comment from Caballo (this is a defeat for him, cRUSHer and Raidermac)

This is huge. This had to have been in the works for a while. Thus the Friday night schedules. The NFLN is the fast growing network in the nation. This is bigger than the UFL and Versus.

The casual football fans will be happy just to watch some football in the Spring. Go AF1.

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Post by Caballo Diablo » Mon Feb 08, 2010 6:32 pm

[quote=""indoor fan""]Of course a negative comment from Caballo (this is a defeat for him, cRUSHer and Raidermac)[/quote]
Wrong again.

Why are concerns a negative? Why is it if people don't agree everything is pefect, they're negative and haters? You need to look outside the box of a homer as a business manager. We've seen promises thrown out with smoke and mirrors don't work. I know many Arena Fans taking a wait and see attitude, that doesn't mean they don't like the sport or wish it ill.

I hope it works out well, any 50 yard leagues perceived failure hurts the entire sport.
[quote=""indoor fan""]
This is huge. This had to have been in the works for a while. Thus the Friday night schedules. The NFLN is the fast growing network in the nation. This is bigger than the UFL and Versus. [/quote]
Maybe, maybe not. Many thought the NBC deal would break the sport out of their niche, both times. ESPN is larger and has more overall sports cred than the NFLN, and that failed.

I want as many games as possible on TV, the question is will it change the pespective of the masses? NFLN isn't carried in many markets, I know lots of NFL fans that have no use for the network. It's not about what the avid fans think, we can't fill the seats. Is it really that hard to be bigger than the UFL & Versus?



[quote=""indoor fan""]
The casual football fans will be happy just to watch some football in the Spring. Go AF1.[/quote]
Then how come thay weren't interested in a better quality league of the real AFL?

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Post by peculiarmetal » Mon Feb 08, 2010 6:37 pm

This will appear completely transparent to the casual fan. They'll say, "Cool, the AFL is back." And that'll be the extent of the analysis. This is a GREAT thing for the indoor game...period. I don't understand this naysaying and mean spirited competition. I hope all these leagues can thrive and continue to provide us with a great sport. I wish the IFL, the SIFL, and whatever alphabet league out there the best.

I'm pulling for the AFL because that's who has teams in the cities I care about. That's all. I'm from Lousiana and live in Dallas. So, I'll be going to a couple of Battlewings games in Shreveport and a few Vigilantes games in Dallas. Doesn't mean I have to HATE the IFL because of it. Jesus.

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Post by peculiarmetal » Mon Feb 08, 2010 6:44 pm

I will agree Caballo that this NFL TV deal guarantees success. To believe so would be foolish. However, what would be the impact of NO tv deal?

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Post by Caballo Diablo » Mon Feb 08, 2010 6:50 pm

[quote=""daytonadan""]

AF1 just blew every else's doors off.[/quote]
In who's mind? The avid fan will want to see as many games as possible and will watch no matter what you name the league. You need good ratings on a large network to draw advertisers. Being as the NFLN is new and has very little real time content it's a good move. Trying to attract NFL fans is a good thing. But you have to take into account it's been tried before without success.

Sorry to be pessimistic but NBC and ESPN couldn't give cred to the sport besides for the already exisitng fans and there's not enough of them.
[quote=""daytonadan""]

This isn't Comcast Channel 666 or some obscure syndication package, it's the frakkin' NFL Network. No one may be watching outside of the 15 markets, but that's a lot of street cred.[/quote] If no one will be watching outside of the 15 markets wouldn't a local broadcast available to more of the market be better? The local broadcast seemed to do well in the past while the national deals with NBC and ESPN failed.

There are many markets very few receive the NFLN. I don't get it or versus and have no desire to pay more to have them added. Avid fans will find ways to watch games, we can see them for free on Nifty. Some whine about the poor quality of the internet streaming of games, sure they'll love to watch a real broadcast, but will enough watch to attract sponsors?

How come people in the sport can't look at reality and quetion how to improve instead of thinking a TV deal is an automatic ticket to success? It's a good start but there's not enough homers to pay the bills.

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