A look around the leagues

by Walter L. Johnson II
February 22, 2003 - Southeastern League (SEL)



The Arena Football League season is not even a month old yet, but so far it's been a hit with TV viewers who have become overdosed with college basketball, the NBA, and golf on late winter Sunday afternoons. In fact, the regional telecasts on NBC for the Valentine's Day Weekend (02/16/2003) delivered a 1.7 rating and a three share, which is amazing considering that its main competition that weekend was the Daytona 500 on Fox, Tiger Woods' exploits on CBS, and the return of the NBA as a Sunday afternoon fixture on ABC.

One of the most interesting things about the AFL, aside from its fast-paced scoring, is the fact the telecasts start around 3 p.m. ET on Sundays. Which means church is over by kickoff, at least in the Eastern time zone. Now the interesting question for NBC officials is what will happen when the NCAA men's basketball tournament rolls around in March, followed by the NBA and NHL playoffs later in the spring? Will the ratings continue to rise, or will the novelty wear off? Only time will tell. But for now, the executives at 30 Rock have to be jumping with joy.

In case you haven't heard by now, the WNBA has undergone numerous changes for 2003 and beyond. On the court, for instance, the Utah Starzz moved to San Antonio and became the Silver Stars, while the Orlando Miracle moved to the Mohegan Sun resort area in Connecticut, and became the Connecticut Sun. The Miami Sol and Portland Fire shut down their operations all together. On top of that, there's the upcoming labor negotiations between the players and owners that could either allow the WNBA to grow, or have its growth stunted by greed and indifference. It will be interesting to see how the "brave new world" of the now seven-year old league will take shape, with at least one franchise now finding itself in a non-NBA market.

Finally, in Macon, Ga., professional baseball is back. At a recent press conference in this central Georgia city of less than 100,000 residents, officials of the Southeastern League have decided to place a team at Luther Williams Field for 2003, the same place that the now Rome (Ga.) Braves called home for 12 years.

After the Braves departure from central Georgia, Macon Mayor C. Jack Ellis approached several affiliated teams about their franchises moving to Macon, with no success. The condition of the ballpark was cited as the main reason behind that rejection. Enter the Southeastern League. The SEL started with six teams, only to have its franchises in Ozark, Ala. and Americus, Ga. close up shop at mid-season. The league has since added Houma, La. to the mix. Now the addition of Macon has brought the circuit back to its original six-team lineup.

And the Southeastern League might not be done with the shakeups just yet, as the Class AA Orlando Rays of the Southern League have announced their intention to move to Montgomery, Ala. after this season. That means that the SEL's Montgomery Wings would either have to move to another city, or disappear altogether. Plus, the South Georgia Waves will move to Evansville, Ind. for 2004, despite public opposition from local residents to the new ballpark that will be built in time for the Albany, Ga.-based franchise's arrival. Still, don't be surprised if Albany, along with another Georgia city, Columbus, are mentioned as franchises for future SEL expansion. But first, the SEL itself must make sure that all six of its current franchises stick around for this season.

Southeastern League Stories from February 22, 2003

• A look around the leagues - OSC Original by Walter L. Johnson II

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