Posted by pdparker14 on March 6, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Is anyone even remotely surprised by this? This was destined to be a flop from the beginning. Better they fold now before they wasted peoples money...that is if people would have watched. I know TN is a football area, especially here in Knoxville, and I myself and a huge football fan, but over the years, these things have come and gone and they never live up to the hype and they never deliver anything but boring blah nothing.

So long AAFL!

Posted by bshone on March 6, 2008 at 10:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree pdparker, but it's likely too late for wasting time and money! How many players have quit their jobs for this?

It seemed a bit fishy from the start that the players would make so much money. I wouldn't expect fan attendance to fully fund the league. They must have had signifcant funding from sponsors, but that's still not enough apparently.

Posted by agentorange on March 6, 2008 at 10:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I heard John Adams wants Andy Kelly fired.

Posted by bolton on March 6, 2008 at 10:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)

No TV deal - no league.

Posted by superk on March 6, 2008 at 10:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Tee Martin looks like a genius now. He is a budding coach/trainer that WILL make it big time in the coaching circles. Mark it down.

Posted by alfrizzle097 on March 6, 2008 at 10:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Not surprised. Just disappointed. The idea had potential.... they need more than six teams before they have a shot at getting a TV deal.

Posted by alfrizzle097 on March 6, 2008 at 10:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Not surprised. Just disappointed. The idea had potential.... they need more than six teams before they have a shot at getting a TV deal.

Posted by alfrizzle097 on March 6, 2008 at 10:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Not surprised. Just disappointed. The idea had potential.... they need more than six teams before they have a shot at getting a TV deal.

Posted by tngeoff on March 6, 2008 at 11:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Too bad. Although I'm glad I didn't buy Season Tickets. Good luck to all the guys who were involved and excited about the possiblities and gave up other things to give this a go. It's a costly learning experience. Litigation will now go on for years and years and attorneys,as in so many things, will be the only ones who made big bucks off the AAFL.

Posted by marc_ash on March 6, 2008 at 11:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I got my season ticket info in the mail for this league. Prices for seats were just WAY too high for a first year un-established league.

Would have been nice to see this league...and I actually think it may have had a following. But, least it's folded before anyone dumped any money into it.

Posted by bshone on March 6, 2008 at 11:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Out of curiousity, does anyone know how much players were expected to be paid?

Through word of mouth I heard $40,000. That can't be right, can it? That's a ton of money considering each roster has about 60 players.

Without doing the math, it's evident that they would need a significant amount of funds from sponsorship, because ticket/consession sales alone aren't gonna cut it. With no tv deal, it's even worse.

Posted by bordenride on March 6, 2008 at 11:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)

agentorange:

Lol, Ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,

This could only degrade former players... weather they were trying gto coach or play or whaterver...
Let it go old men... it;s OVER go start a family,
take up a sport or hobby that would offer a set of challenges;
Aging is a part of life you have to let go of yesterday...

Yea that means you to sports writers...move on to other articles besides constant program and coach bashing articles that you know nothing about; cept what you see from your sedentary easy chair.....

Think about it.....

Posted by bordenride on March 6, 2008 at 11:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Yea I know my spelling and typing and word uasage could use some work. But I am always in a hurry. I have to work for a living,I might add.

Later, and thanks..... Go Vols!

Posted by GreerVol22 on March 6, 2008 at 11:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)

well, the XFL was a good idea too until they combined it with RAW.

My guess is the cheap plastic horns on the Alabama helmets had safety issues, thus the delay.

Posted by BillVol on March 6, 2008 at 11:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Why do people try to compete with the NFL? It's never going to work. Never. They may as well shut it down now so they don't have to do it after the season. What a joke.

Posted by DadwasaVol on March 6, 2008 at 12:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I hope they play.

Posted by pdhuff on March 6, 2008 at 1:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)

As the old trapper said when he found a skull in the spring thaw, "Sorry, lad, I never had a chance to know ye".

Posted by tennecwingrider on March 6, 2008 at 1:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Name any Spring Football League that has had any success or longevity. The old WFL and USFL were the closest.

Posted by raleighncvolfan on March 6, 2008 at 2:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Who cares...Zzzz...Zzzz

USFL? XFL?

Posted by bowerst on March 6, 2008 at 2:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

If this venture had been able to attract a cable network (maybe the sports channel that shows reruns of last week's games games and a basketball talk show featuring senile, retired basketball coaches) it might have made it. Otherwise, the ticket prices had to be way too high.

Some people are just as interested in watching former UT players who were not quite good enough for the NFL as they are trying to pull for pro teams that kick great players to the curb when they get a half step slower, like a certain outfit in Nashburg.

Posted by GoVol on March 6, 2008 at 2:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Good. Hope it never gets off the ground because I don't like the fact UT contracted with them to play in Neyland stadium. Neyland should be used for only UT football IMO and should be looked at as a privilege to play there and only as a student athlete.

Posted by gravegr on March 6, 2008 at 2:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

This football league will never get off the ground especially in TENNESSEE.

Posted by gravegr on March 6, 2008 at 2:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

This football league will never get off the ground especially in TENNESSEE.

Posted by drum56 on March 6, 2008 at 2:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)

i hate for all the players that were planning on playing & for Coach Kelly.

Posted by huntined on March 6, 2008 at 2:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Once they leave college I am thru with them, even in pros I am a college fan only.
that is all I can afford these days

Posted by brokebackvol on March 6, 2008 at 3:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)

It's sad really - watching the players who were pretty good but just couldn't make the NFL resurrect dreams only to have them dashed again.

I'm not against Neyland Stadium being used for other sporting events, but there are two hard facts:

1. Football leagues trying to copy either college or the NFL are doomed to failure. There really isn't a market for it - no matter how slick the sales job Dickey pulls.

2. Medium markets can only support so many sports teams, and UT is going to get that sports dollar first, followed by already established sports teams.

Posted by VolnDothan on March 6, 2008 at 3:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Why is this story even on THIS website? I agree with practically every comment above.

I lived in Birmingham after the USFL debacle, then lived through the CFL team and then the XFL team. No one supported these teams or gave them the time of day. They averaged around 5-10K per game if they were lucky. The SEC rules below the Mason-Dixon line...NFL is second.

What a STUPID idea! These junior leagues never work...least of all in the south.

Posted by Colliervol on March 6, 2008 at 5:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Nafslov, your comment about Larry Seivers is about as relevant as the one about Ray Mears. If you don't know Vol history and some of the greats of the past, you are just making yourself look silly. You can head back to the sandbox and play now. This is the sound of people laughing at you.

Posted by Colliervol on March 6, 2008 at 6:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Last I checked Tee played 10 years ago. How is that current or relevant? The players that graduated last year are history much less somebody that played 10 years ago. But whether they played a year ago or 50 years ago doesn't make them any less great.

Last comment, if you are too young to remember Vol greats like Seivers and Ray Mears, I have no need to converse with you. My mom told me to never get in a battle of wits with an unarmed man. It just proves too frustrating. Enjoy your myopic opinion of who is a UT great and who isn't. Nobody else agrees with you. Why should that stop you?

Posted by et_vol_fan on March 6, 2008 at 8:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)

AAFL is nothing better than the Flint Tropics. I don't see the point in guys that are 30 years-old that haven't been on a NFL roster let alone a practice squad in 4 or 5 years. We've had some good memories of some of those guys and why come back and tarnish that in any way shape or fashion?

How many people would come to see that in Neyland? 40,000 maybe? I think that I'm being generous.

Posted by weisgarber2003 on March 6, 2008 at 9:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Posted by GoVol on March 6, 2008 at 2:12 p.m.

"Good. Hope it never gets off the ground because I don't like the fact UT contracted with them to play in Neyland stadium. Neyland should be used for only UT football."

This same Dickey who wants to use Neyland vetoed the use of Neyland a number of years ago for a proposed arena type football operation, if I remember correctly.

Posted by BillVol on March 6, 2008 at 10:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I don't mind NFL exhibitions or important HS games being played in Neyland. But we were lowering ourselves by letting this league play in hallowed Neyland Stadium.

Hopefully, they will not be able to get any sucker investors to back this joke.

Posted by Grim1 on March 6, 2008 at 10:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)

the USFL would have been a success IF they didn't get greedy and try to go head to head with the NFL.
The USFL did GREAT as long as they were a spring league. when they went to play in the fall...they fell.

Posted by jasvol on March 6, 2008 at 10:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I can't believe this 'league' got this far...

Posted by jasvol on March 6, 2008 at 11 p.m. (Suggest removal)

marc_ash: not to call you out but why the heck did you even request Season tix info? not only that but what idiot would even think about buying 'season' tickets.. What, you didn't think you could just walk up and buy a 50 yard line ticket? Please! I know you. Must have been a 'beer stupor minute'.

Posted by mun4life on March 6, 2008 at 11:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

JASVOL, maybe marc ash is a big time sports fan.

Posted by jasvol on March 6, 2008 at 11:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

mun4life: Well,Big Time sports fan! you and marc_ash can sit together at the 'game' and throw pleasantries back and forth about how easy it was to 'park and walk' and buy cracker jacks at the concessions.

Posted by qwerty6969 on March 7, 2008 at 5:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)

What does the student loan industry have to do with minor league football? Can ANYONE answer that?

Posted by slovog on March 7, 2008 at 7:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)

A spring football league that isn't going to make it? THAT'S got to be a first.

Posted by tennvol on March 7, 2008 at 9:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)

jasvol: Season ticket info was sent to all UT football season ticket holders. I was amazed at what they were wanting for tickets. Way too expensive.

nafslov: Larry Seivers will always be a bigger Vol legend than Tee Martin. Tee Martin = Trent Dilfer of UT football.

Posted by pdhuff on March 7, 2008 at 10:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Greevol 11:41 - Liked the "plastic horns on Alabama's helmets" quote.

Kinda like when they outlawed the sewing of straps onto tops of pants. Seem like the early teams (1890-1900) would throw their lightest players over the goal from 4-6 yds out.

Needless to say he was tough.

R.I.P.

Posted by volman5 on March 7, 2008 at 11:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)

qwerty6969,

The CEO Marcus Kats made all of his money (that he was funding this league with) in the student loan business. So the problems with that industry hurt the amount he was able to invest in this.

Also, someone earlier asked about how much they were going to make....the roster was going to be trimmed from 60 to 45 and 5 of those would make 100,000 and everyone else make 50,000.

It is sad for all the players that quit their jobs and moved for this. And the concept was great, just too bad that execution was poor.

GO VOLS!

Posted by givehim6 on March 7, 2008 at 1:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I would have liked watching a spring league. But no TV time, never mind.

Posted by twicevolalum on March 7, 2008 at 4:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Damn, I thought it was a good idea. I bought the super duper cheap season tickets. Hmm, I should find out about my check. However, given that I have student loans, I would never supported this if I'd realized that that the securities from guaranteed student loans was backing this league. That is what sounds weird to me.

Posted by weeman51201 on March 8, 2008 at 1:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I can't believe all the comments I've been reading!!!! I think this is a good idea. The only things needed are sponsors and a TV deal. You can't expect to have a lot of teams to start. This league has the potential to become a spring board for future players to the NFL. We need to be encouraging people to go to these games. While the first season may not have a lot of young talent, in the coming seasons, it could. Who knows, some players that don't make it to the league right out of college could hone their skills here and make that jump. You may not like the idea but as for this football fan, I'm all for it.

Posted by weeman51201 on March 8, 2008 at 1:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)

RESPONSE TO nafslov:
Your last post was totally off base. I know Larry Seivers and he is not a scam artist nor a crook. It's people like you that upset the real Vol fans like me. I think this will give good publicity to the university not to mention a little bit of revenue. I would be willing to wager that you are one of those people that don't like the Titans because you are a vols fan. You are probably one of those that think there is only room for one team in Tennessee even though the Titans and Vols aren't in competition with each other. Same as this AAFL. They won't be in competition with the Vols and could actually help some Vols that didn't make the cut.