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AFL I Arena Football League (1987-2008)

Commissioner David Baker comments on the ArenaBowl

June 8, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release


Opening Comments

"We think that Las Vegas and the Arena Football League have a lot in common this week. There is going to be a lot of action...a nonstop party that we're all excited about.

"For the first time we have not only an NFL owner in the game, which would have been a first, but we have three NFL owners in the game. The Crush being owned by Pat Bowlen and Stan Kroenke who own the Broncos and Rams, respectively, and are headed up by their president and co-owner John Elway. And then Arthur Blank, who has done such a great job not only as founder and owner of Home Depot, and turning around the Atlanta Falcons, and is now doing what has been one of the great jobs in sports in turning around the Georgia Force.

"You are going to see some great football. Not only some very committed ownership and some outstanding coaches in Mike Dailey for the Crush and Doug Plank for the Force, but you're going to see some of the great players in the game -- players like Damien Harrell who is our Offensive Player of the Year and Troy Bergeron who is our Rookie of the Year. You're going to get to see the best that the Arena Football League has to offer in this game."

On Television

"It's been a great growth year in television for us. With Fox Sports Net coming on board, in addition to NBC Sports, we were fortunate to have 93 percent of our games on television. We think that there is an opportunity to have 100 percent of our games on television next year. That represents 60 million people who saw Arena Football this year."

On Expansion

"In terms of expansion, the Arena Football League has expanded faster than any other league in the world over the last several years. We announced our 18th team in Salt Lake City a while ago and they will be announcing their name and colors soon. We will be receiving another presentation from Kansas City and I think we're getting towards the end of that process and maybe a decision to potentially name a team in Kansas City before too long. I've been told today that we're receiving an application from Boston, which would represent a 20th team."

On a Neutral Site ArenaBowl

"This is our first neutral-site ArenaBowl. We felt it was an important move for us to grow our organization. Sales have been great this year. Overall sales in the Arena Football League are up 59 percent.

"What we really did in having this game at a neutral site was to provide a little bit of competitive balance. Although San Jose won last year in ArenaBowl XVIII at Arizona, we were getting into a position from previous years where there was a significant home field advantage. I think with the two very great teams we've got, and the two great coaches we've got and the two great organizations we've got, this provides for great competitive balance this year.

"It's been a new experience for us, it's been an exciting experience for us. I think it's going to be a successful experience for us"

On Keeping ArenaBowl in Las Vegas and Possible Future Sites

"We made three, one-year renewable commitments here at Las Vegas and our goal is to review that at the end of this year and to look at how we proceed. The reason we did this was that we felt we needed to build this event, and it wasn't going to be automatically successful. We looked at the example of the first Super Bowl. So we went into this year with the expectation that we need to build it. Down the road, we got a lot of great destinations in our League. But certainly New Orleans would be a great place to have this event. We think that Arena Football is a party and New Orleans is known for a great party. Orlando is a great place. We have also talked to folks were we had the event last year. Phoenix has said they would be very interested having their visitor and convention center possibly hosting it. So I think we have a lot of interest as we move forward. There is the great opportunity here..."

On What He Has Learned In This First Year of a Neutral-Site ArenaBowl

"One thing I learned recently is don't shoot the confetti too early.

"I think that bringing in the NFL owners has challenged other AFL non-NFL owners to step it up, and I think guys are doing that.

"One of the things I love is going to New Orleans and watching a guy like Tom Benson sitting in the front row with the fans. He is not up there in some suite separated from people, he's down there with the fans. They're patting him on the back. He's waving his fist and giving them high fives. You saw the same thing at Philips Arena with Arthur Blank. I think it's kind of energized some of those NFL owners to be a part of a game that is so grassroots and so exciting.

"You got to be prepared for the unexpected. In all business you step out and take certain risks and certain challenges, and this has been a risk for us. The fact is that this Friday at our partnership summit we will have 400 hundred sponsors, advertisers and partners with us. That won't be on NBC, that won't be recorded in any record books, but I think for us, it has made me not to be afraid to take a risk. We should celebrate it because I think that is a special moment for us from a business perspective."

On Using Instant Replay in the AFL

"We think that, especially with how its worked in the NFL for instant replay and now that so many college conferences are picking it up for the same thing, officials look at it as a tool to getting a difficult call right. It' s not so much something that overrules them. I think fans look at it, if you then turn to that tool and you correct the call you made, that you are getting the call right."



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from June 8, 2005


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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