Q&A With John Elway
June 19, 2002 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release
DENVER (June 19, 2002) -- Former Denver Broncos quarterback and two-time Super Bowl champion JOHN ELWAY announced today that he is partnering with PAT BOWLEN (owner of the Denver Broncos) and STAN KROENKE (owner of the Colorado Avalanche, Denver Nuggets, and Pepsi Center) to run an Arena Football League team based in Denver.
Following is a Q & A with John on his thoughts on the Arena Football League:
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Q: HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH THE ARENA FOOTBALL LEAGUE?
Just after Stan Kroenke bought the Avalanche, Nuggets, and Pepsi Center, he stopped by my office to ask if I was interested in the Arena Football League. I was.
Not long after that, MICHAEL YOUNG called me on behalf of Pat Bowlen, the owner of the Denver Broncos, to ask if I was interested in Arena Football.
I recognized that this could be great three-way partnership. It was perfect synergy with both the owners of the local arena and pro football team.
Q: WHY NOW?
The Arena Football League is one of the most exciting sports leagues to be involved with right now from an ownership perspective.
It has quality ownership, will receive unprecedented exposure from NBC next season, has great leadership provided by Commissioner DAVID BAKER, and has infinite global implications. It is definitely a great time to be joining the AFL.
Q: IS ARENA FOOTBALL REAL FOOTBALL?
I believe that football consists of two parts. The first is the basics such as running, tackling, blocking, passing, and catching. Arena Football obviously has all that.
The second part is courage. You need courage to play football and Arena Football players have courage. Those boards add an extra element of courage.
Look at the courage of the quarterbacks. AFL quarterbacks have to throw the ball with a guy in their lap. They take some big hits. They're every bit as courageous as NFL quarterbacks.
Also, when you think about it, the "backyard" football that we played as kids in the park more closely resembles Arena Football than traditional stadium-played football does.
Q: WHAT IS THE APPEAL OF ARENA FOOTBALL?
It's the All Fan League. It's fast-paced non-stop excitement. The Arena League's slogan is Real Close. Real Fun. Real Football. And it's all true.
The proximity that the fans have to the game is unprecedented. The worst seat at an Arena game is about as close as the best seat at a stadium-played game.
Balls fly into the stands and fans get to keep them. Players get tackled into the boards just inches away from the fans. In fact, not only do players go into the stands, but fans actually come onto the field after the game to get autographs. It happens after EVERY game.
And I can't forget to say that it's pretty inexpensive, too. It's an extremely fan-friendly league. Come out and see for yourself.
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from June 19, 2002
- Foggie Returns to Toronto - Toronto Phantoms
- The Deuce Scoop - AFL I
- Rocket performs at Desperados game - Dallas Desperados
- Q&A With John Elway - AFL I
- Arena Football League Transactions - AFL I
- AFL Announces Denver Team - AFL I
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.
