I scored
tickets to an Arena Football League game recently so my wife and I hopped the
Metro into the center of Phoenix to see the game. I had been to a few Rattlers
games before and since you’re essentially in a hockey rink the feel of being
closer to the action is an added bonus. We could tell the game was on TV due to
all the timeouts, though that time was always filled with rock and roll blaring
over the PA, crazy contests involving
the jumbo-tron or the cheerleaders throwing t-shirts into the stands. I noticed
it wasn’t a full house like the previous Rattlers games I’ve been to, which I
suspect had more to do with economics then the Rattlers popularity. The ticket
prices have surely gone up, then again what hasn’t gone up in price? No doubt
continuing national TV contracts have helped with visibility and furthering the
league’s popularity.
I became an
arena ball fan when I moved here the summer of ’94. The games were on one of
the local stations so I had an opportunity to get my football fix during those
blazing hot summer days with no football. The local team, the Arizona Rattlers
won the championship my first year in Phoenix and I was hooked on the AFL.
I remember
when tape delayed Arena League games started appearing on ESPN back in the late
80’s when they still needed to fill their 24 hour schedule and would televise
almost anything that even resembled a sport. Here we are over 25 years later and there is a
14 team league playing an 18 game schedule and there are games on TV almost every
weekend. Prior to the league reorganizing in 2009, the player’s offseason was
akin to the old days of the NFL before the huge salaries brought on by free
agency. After the season finished they
would go back to whatever their 9 to 5 offseason job was until training camp
rolled around again. Now many of the Arena League players don’t have to do that
because teams have a year round payroll.
Outside of
tickets prices generally costing less than the four major pro leagues I think another
aspect to the appeal comes from being so close to the action. Probably the
biggest draw has to do with the game itself. It is very fast paced and scoring
can get really high with all the passing going on; the AFL record for touchdown
passes in a season is 142 for example. You’ll see familiar names from NFL
rosters playing in the AFL; several players have made the jump to the NFL with
Kurt Warner the most recognizable.
I never
would have expected this odd idea of playing 8 man football indoors would catch
on like it did or have the resiliency to remain relevant in the sports world for
the last 25 years. This definitely is a game that is best experienced
firsthand. Take a chance and go see a game if your area has a team, you won’t
be disappointed.
Update: Our
local team, the Arizona Rattlers won their 3rd Arena Bowl in a row
on Saturday 72-32. Three championships in a row in any team sport is not easy to
do.
