Well, this is a twist: first we had the NBA start its own network, then the NFL did the same. But now, in the latest twist of broadcaster-product synergy, ESPN has bought a minority stake in the Arena Football League.As part of the deal, ESPN2 will also broadcast 26 games per year, including 17 regular-season prime-time games. Disney sibling ABC will air two games, including the season opener Arena Bowl championship game. National broadcast rights had been held by NBC, whose broadcasts of weekend games generated miniscule ratings. There are other national and regional packages that the AFL needs to negotiate, but this is the bigger deal.
What I find remarkable about the AFL is that its going into its 21st season. It's never been a huge moneymaker, but it's done just enough to survive for a lot longer than any other alternative football league. It's even attracted celebrity team owners like John Elway, Jon Bon Jovi, and Mike Ditka. So, the fact that ESPN decided to buy a piece of the league in exchange for broadcast rights is a shrewd move on both parties' parts.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-19-2006 @ 6:22PM
Doug D. said...
This is a tremendous move for Arena Football. It puts the league back onto ESPN2, and hopefully, AFL will receive a lot more promotion than NBC seemed willing to offer.
And, no, AFL has never been a huge television ratings winner or money maker, but considering it has been consistently out-drawing the NHL and the WNBA for the past several years, I would call it a very consistent performer. Add to that, a league of relative stability in terms of franchises and major-market foothold, plus a minor league system that's better than the NBA's D-League.
In Kansas City, it was a big deal to get all the Brigade games on TV, thanks to a partnership with two local stations, but that did not seem to stem the desire of people to see the game live.
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12-19-2006 @ 10:15PM
Sam said...
Well, I guess this means I can bury any hope of seeing the NHL back on ESPN. Sigh.
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