A new collective bargaining agreement between Arena Football League owners and the players union, scheduled to be announced today, could bring the suspended circuit back in 2010.
A new collective bargaining agreement between Arena Football League owners and the players union, scheduled to be announced today, could bring the suspended circuit back in 2010.
The details of the deal have not been released, but it’s widely assumed players are being asked to take a hit on salaries and health insuance. That should bring down operating costs for the financially challenged league, which suspended play for the 2009 season.
The new deal is merely step one in a long process. Next up: restructuring the league so there’s a single body owning and operating all the franchises. That’s a much more challenging step than you’d imagine. First, there’s been no instance in any sport, major or minor, where centralized ownership of teams has worked. In theory, centralized ownership should mean lower operating costs. But the reality is that all sports are local, and centralized ownership takes the local out of the equation.
Finally, the league must come to some sort of financial agreement with broadcast partner and minority investor ESPN.
