MAJOR BLOGS - www.majorblogs.net - OPINION - When MLB shut down in 1994, that was a lockout. The NHL strike shut the doors of the league for a season. Niether were the death knell of their league.

When the AFL regroups and forces both its players association and its less stellar ownership groups to the table for a reality check, though, the mainstream media seems to think that it is time to start shoveling dirt into the Arena Football League's grave.

The move to weed out the league and adjust its salary structure is reminiscent of the National Lacrosse League's similar gambit a couple of years back. The season went on, a bit later than usual, but it still went on.

Sitting in the media room at the MLB Winter Meetings, the baseball writers were asking me about this. They said that ESPN had called the AFL dead, so dead it was. I said that we had not reported anything, until I had verification from one or more of my football writers and/or the league.

I thought that something seemed wrong with this, what with their minor league, the af2 not freaking out, and many AFL teams pressing ahead with announcements of open tryouts and tryouts for things like their cheerleader squads as early as the day before. Too much business as usual, particularly at the healthier teams.

Later that evening, the Arena Football League put out a release stating that what ESPN and others in the major league media had reported was premature and wrong.

Of course, those who jumped to conclusions had a little help. Casey Wasserman, owner of the L.A. Avengers, cited a 2010 return date to the L.A. Times rather than keeping his big yap shut.  They probably will come back in 2010, but who appointed Wasserman the Gabriel that should be blowing his horn about that? 

There are protocols to handling a league lock-out, which is what this is tantamount to, well.

With owners like Mr. Wasserman shooting off his mouth to the L.A. Times, you can understand why David Baker might want to hang it up after twelve years. The AFL ownership lacks cohesion, something which the current assessment of where to go to from here in the post-Baker era was supposed to address... QUIETLY.

The union is cited as the big problem, but the bigger problem is that there are still a lot of owners in the AFL, including some NFL franchises that dablled in AFL ball, who do not really care about their teams or their investments.

Take the case of the New Orleans VooDoo. They are closed now, and good riddance. New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson bought the AFL franchise, and could have cared less about it. The VooDoo have hosted Arena Bowl twice. One year the PR guy, who does double duty for both clubs, was unavailable for the Arena Bowl championship because he was over at the NFL camp seeing to their pre-season needs! This is ArenaBowl we're talking about here. The big game?

The league brought in NFL owners as a sign of growth and prosperity. Generally it has been more of an Albatross. A few, like Dallas, take the AFL seriously, but many others like Houston and New Orleans bought into these operations without much intent to do the kind of things that it takes to make their franchises successful, and as strong as others in the league. They have run their AFL clubs in a way that would never be tolerated in their NFL business operations.

If somoene from the Brewers was irresponsible enough to tell the press that MLB was going dark until 2010, without clearance from the league, they would find themselves gone. Ostracized. Unable to do much business with other ownership groups, and ultimately squeezed out.

There are big clubs in the AFL that do well both on the field and at the box office. The Colorado Crush, the Tampa Bay Storm, and the Philadelphia Soul all come to mind. Television has helped swell the audience for AFL football into the millions.  The NHL conducted a year-long affair to also break their union.  The AFL will do something similar.

These owners, who include Jerry Jones, Jon Bon Jovi, and John Elway are neither inconsequential, nor have they been particularly poor operators of a franchise. So when, oh when, will ESPN and the rest of you major league lemmings quit Rodney Dangerfielding the Arena Football League and show it some props?

The league is in a modified lock-out, but is alive and well. Do unto the AFL what you would do to MLB or the NHL. The AFL may have its problems, but after a dozen years, it has earned the right to be classified as a major league.

If I was a betting man, which I am not, I would think that somehow there is a constituency of those NFL guys over in Bristol, HQ of the Oracles of Sport, ESPN,  that would love nothing better than to tap dance on the grave of the AFL. To the NFL blowhards, I mean die-hards, then again... the AFL is not "real" football. They make fun of it. One year, an ESPN Radio host even went so far as to call it "pinball" in a live interview with AFL commissioner Baker. Even though the network has a deal with the AFL, that does not mean that all of the size 12 egos over at their networks, radio and television, love the league, or wish it well.

In my humble, the reporting from most of these outlets was poorly researched and irresponsible. To go with the story without the league's official response is not something that they would do to any other major league.

Now there are millions of people under the assumption that the league is dead. Will ESPN get around to fixing the mess that it amplified, or any of its competitors? I won't be holding my breath.

The AFL will get its act together. The question is, with friends like TV partner ESPN ringing the funeral bell loudly, who needs enemies?

My shiny two.

Update on Tuesday, March 17, 2009 at 09:28PM by Brian Ross

AFL and AFLPA Reach Accord to Amend Collective Bargaining Agreement as Part of a Restructuring

Monday March 16, 2009

New Agreement Subject to Ratification by AFL Owners and Players

The Arena Football League (“AFL”) and the AFL Players Association (“AFLPA”) have reached an agreement to significantly amend their Collective Bargaining Agreement (“CBA”) as part of a thorough league-wide restructuring plan designed to re-launch the 23-year-old League in 2010. While other elements of the plan need to be finalized and approved by the AFL Board of Directors before the AFL can resume play following the suspension of its 2009 season, this labor deal is a crucial step in the League’s restructuring efforts.

The AFL and the players union have signed a Term Sheet setting forth revisions to the CBA which will only become binding when both the AFL owners and players ratify the Term Sheet. If approved, the 4 year deal would be in effect from the 2010 season through the 2013 season.

“This is a critical step forward for our game, the men who play it, and the fans who love it,” explained AFL Acting Commissioner ED POLICY. “The AFL is working tirelessly to develop a comprehensive plan to ensure that the League not only survives but thrives as a business enterprise. This revised deal with the players provides a fundamental and vital foundation upon which we can rebuild the economic model of our League and its teams.”

AFLPA Acting Executive Director, RICHARD BERTHELSEN added, “AFL players have remained steadfast in their love for their sport and their appreciation of their fans. The players are doing everything reasonably possible to ensure that the AFL re-launches in 2010 and grows in the years to come. Players are making economic concessions now in return for a share of expected increases in the League’s value and revenue, because the players believe in the future of the AFL.”

AFLPA President, JAMES BARON, said, “AFL players have always addressed any challenge head-on. We’ve done the same thing here -- working with the owners in a spirit of partnership to get through a tough year, but also share in the future success of the AFL. We’re looking forward to getting back on the field, playing for the best fans in the world.”

AFL owners were represented in the negotiations by Policy and a Negotiating Committee consisting of 3 owners; JIM RENACCI of the Columbus Destroyers, SHY ANDERSON of the Dallas Desperados, and CASEY WASSERMAN of the Los Angeles Avengers. Renacci is also the Chairman of the AFL Executive Committee and has been asked by the AFL owners to represent them with Policy in spearheading the restructuring process.

“In light of today’s unprecedented economic conditions, we worked diligently with the Union to re-structure our agreement so that we have the best chance of saving the jobs of hundreds of highly talented young men and ensuring the survival of a game loved by millions of fans.” Renacci said. “The owners see the players as partners in this endeavor and truly appreciate their commitment to this game. Now we can move to finalize other elements of our plan which are necessary to return in 2010”

Anderson added, “We have always believed in Arena Football as a great game and a tremendous product, but we know that we need some significant economic adjustments if we are ever going to succeed as a business. This deal is a definite step in the right direction.”

“Complete partnership with the AFLPA is a very real necessity in this restructuring process, and I am pleased the two teams are making best efforts to this point,” said Wasserman. “Certainly this type of collaboration is the first step to success, particularly given the economic complexities facing both the League and the overall market.”

“We are making progress every day on our restructuring plan and we remain grateful to the greatest fans in the world for their avidity and their patience. It is with them in mind that the AFL, its owners and its players remain committed to resuming play as soon as we can,” concluded Policy.