I want to share some attendance numbers with you for the Arena Football League:
Average Game Attendance - League
2006 ... 12,378
2007 ... 12,392
2008 ... 12,957 (last year of old AFL)
2010 ... 8,135
2011 ... 8,241
2012 ... 7,841
Average Game Attendance - Kansas City
2006 ... 15,234 (Kemper Arena)
2007 ... 11,894 (Kemper Arena)
2008 ... 12,828 (Sprint Center)
2011 ... 4,353 (Sprint Center as Command)
2012 ... 4,303 (Sprint Center as Command)
Now, I have done a little digging around, and it appears that the following teams are not coming back for 2013. The Kansas City Command have folded, along with the Georgia Force. The Milwaukee Mustangs have announced that they will be sitting out the 2013 season with the intention of returning in 2014, and the New Orleans VooDoo may find themselves without an Arena for 2013 do to renovations. But according to ArenaFan stats, 11 of the 17 teams suffered losses in average attendance in 2012, and with the issue of Player Pay becoming a Labor issue for the league, it may get worse.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Kansas City Command - Game Over
The Kansas City Brigade captured the attention of Kansas City football fans in the first three years of being a part of the Kansas City Sports Scene. Their first season was not great, but they came back and made a couple of strong bids during the next two years. Arena Football in Kansas City was a great experience for those who could not afford the outrageous prices demanded by the Kansas City Chiefs. It was Blue Collar football. It was Kid-Friendly football. It was fan-friendly football. Then the team moved to the Sprint Center and it all came apart.
The move to the Sprint Center brought a lot of complaints. Many of the season ticket holders did not like the new venue and many were talking about not renewing their Season Tickets. Those who did decide to renew their Season Tickets were met with the collapse of the League and instead of being notified about the situation and how to get their refund, left a lot of season ticket holders to find the information for themselves.
With the creation of the new Arena Football League, things changed. Kansas City wasn't a part of the first season under the new owners, who managed to set Arena Football back about twenty years when they broke the Player's Union before Season two. The Kansas City Brigade came back with the same ownership, and the same losing head coach, but they didn't come back as the Brigade, they basically gave all the old Brigade fans the finger by renaming the team the Command ... but keeping all the team logos.
It was the same Sprint Center experience. Over Priced Parking, discouraging tailgating, and with the significantly lower player wages, they failed to field a team that could play football well enough to even give the fans something to hope for. It was NOT the Arena Football Experience that captured the attention of Kansas City Football fans as the Brigade, and the attendance over the past two years was solid proof that the Team, and the League, was failing to provide what the fans were wanting.
The Kansas City Command were dead when their feet hit the floor. They kissed the wrong asses. They held up the wrong people to promote Arena Football in Kansas City. They made it clear to far too many people that the days of Fan-Friendly Arena Football were long gone and it was now all about raking in the money. I wish I knew how many people told the owners of the Command that what they needed to do was take the team back to Kemper Arena. That they needed to get back to the basics of providing a good product at a reasonable price. They didn't listen to any of us, and now we get to say goodbye to the Arena Football League (AFL) in Kansas City.
The question that remains ... however .... is ...
Has the Kansas City Command tainted the sport for others to try? Will the football fans of Kansas City give the newly formed Kansas City Renegades a chance to pick up the gauntlet and run? Different owners, different league, and the return to a popular venue. We will have to see.
The move to the Sprint Center brought a lot of complaints. Many of the season ticket holders did not like the new venue and many were talking about not renewing their Season Tickets. Those who did decide to renew their Season Tickets were met with the collapse of the League and instead of being notified about the situation and how to get their refund, left a lot of season ticket holders to find the information for themselves.
With the creation of the new Arena Football League, things changed. Kansas City wasn't a part of the first season under the new owners, who managed to set Arena Football back about twenty years when they broke the Player's Union before Season two. The Kansas City Brigade came back with the same ownership, and the same losing head coach, but they didn't come back as the Brigade, they basically gave all the old Brigade fans the finger by renaming the team the Command ... but keeping all the team logos.
It was the same Sprint Center experience. Over Priced Parking, discouraging tailgating, and with the significantly lower player wages, they failed to field a team that could play football well enough to even give the fans something to hope for. It was NOT the Arena Football Experience that captured the attention of Kansas City Football fans as the Brigade, and the attendance over the past two years was solid proof that the Team, and the League, was failing to provide what the fans were wanting.
The Kansas City Command were dead when their feet hit the floor. They kissed the wrong asses. They held up the wrong people to promote Arena Football in Kansas City. They made it clear to far too many people that the days of Fan-Friendly Arena Football were long gone and it was now all about raking in the money. I wish I knew how many people told the owners of the Command that what they needed to do was take the team back to Kemper Arena. That they needed to get back to the basics of providing a good product at a reasonable price. They didn't listen to any of us, and now we get to say goodbye to the Arena Football League (AFL) in Kansas City.
The question that remains ... however .... is ...
Has the Kansas City Command tainted the sport for others to try? Will the football fans of Kansas City give the newly formed Kansas City Renegades a chance to pick up the gauntlet and run? Different owners, different league, and the return to a popular venue. We will have to see.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
New Team in Town!
The word is getting out and it’s getting out fast. Kansas City is about to be the home of a new
Indoor Football Team. It is going to be
one of the founding cities of the newly formed Champions Professional Indoor
Football League, and they are making promises that you will enjoy the game or
they will give you your money back.
Sound intriguing?
But can Kansas City support a second Indoor Football
Team? Look at the facts … the Kansas
City Command did not draw the crowds that many were hoping for in 2010 or
2011. But what was everyone
expecting? When they were the Kansas
City Brigade, before the original AFL collapsed, people were complaining about
how they HATED being at the Sprint Center … and were citing a number of
reasons. Then there was the players
strike, which ended up being a player lockout and the owners of the AFL teams
broke the player’s union, and the result?
The money for a player in the AFL went from an averaged five thousand
plus dollars a game to around 6,800 dollars a year. Needless to say, the quality of players in
the league went to hell and it went to hell in a hurry. People everywhere were complaining about the
level of talent in the league, and they were showing their disgust by not attending
games.
The “to be named” team for Kansas City will be doing
something that many arena fans have been asking for. It is taking the games back to Kemper
Arena. No, Kemper doesn’t have the sound
system or video systems that Sprint Center has, but I don’t go to a football
game to listen to music and watch the screen.
I want to get close to the game without taking out a second or third
mortgage on the house. I also want to be
able to tailgate before the game, and that was basically impossible at Sprint
Center to have a good tailgate without spending a lot, A LOT of money. We are going back home to where Arena
Football started in Kansas City, to the house where Arena Football was
successful in Kansas City. All we can
hope for is that this new league is attractive to the better players available
out there.
So, up on all the hype?
Like the sideline seats in the first three rows are only going to be $35
per game? The promise by the team owner
that if you don’t enjoy the game they will give you your money back. There will be the chance to meet the players
after the game, and let’s face it football fans, there really is no bad seat in
the house. Even in the upper deck you’re
closer to the field than the upper deck at Sprint.
So, the watch is on around here. My wife and I are already talking about checking
the new team out. All we’re waiting on
is the league schedule for 2013, and the word is the teams will play from March
to June, six home games and six away games.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
The Arena Football Season is now over, well, with the exceptions of the Play-offs. Unfortunately for the teams I have been watching, none of them made it into the post season, so ... well ... there's really no reason for me to keep talking.
Its simple, I have said what I have to say about the league ... no one cares. My teams didn't work out ... no one cares ... so it's time to take a break (like anyone cares).
So, see you next season ... maybe.
Its simple, I have said what I have to say about the league ... no one cares. My teams didn't work out ... no one cares ... so it's time to take a break (like anyone cares).
So, see you next season ... maybe.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
AFL Fan Support Way Down Under New Ownership
Sitting here watching the Chicago Rush beat the Georgia Force on Ustream, I can't help but think how empty the seats look. I remember going to Chicago in 2007 to watch the Chicago Rush take on the Kansas City Brigade, and it was a packed house. Going back and looking at the attendance records for the Chicago Rush in 2007 and 2008, the average attendance for a Chicago Rush game was over 10,000 fans per game. Today, the Chicago Rush are averaging only 6,800 fans per game, and they are not alone.
In 2008, the league average for attendance was almost 13,000 fans per game across the league. In 2010, the first year that the new AFL was in operation, the average attendance dropped to 8,100, and in 2011 the average had a slight gain, rising to 8,200. Fourteen weeks into the 2012 Season, the average is down, currently running at 7,600.
What is going on? The game is going dull. We are not seeing the level of play that we say back in the original AFL ownership. The players that kept the league exciting have moved on to other endeavors simply because they cannot afford to leave their jobs to play football during the AFL Season. I have discussed this before, but the league wage for a normal player is only around $400 per game. Now, how many people can afford to leave their regular job to attend regular practices and meetings for a mere $400 per week. The new AFL has basically become a hobby league where key players, mainly quarterbacks, are the only people paid enough money to dedicate themselves to their teams each year. The rest are simply going to be a part of the high turnover that the AFL experiences each year.
The drop in average attendance is a classic example of how the league is becoming dull, that fans are not satisfied with the product that the league is offering. In week 14 of 2008, the league's average attendance was 12,351. For week 14 of 2012, the league average was 6,495. That is 52.5% of the 2008 attendance, and some teams are suffering even worse than that.
In Kansas City, the Brigade were averaging over 12,000 fans per game. In 2011, when the team returned as the Kansas City Command, their average attendance was 4,353, and so far in 2012, their attendance average is hovering at 4,800. Yes, the average attendance is up for 2012, but there have been a lot of promos running to draw people into the games, and by looking at the seats during the broadcasts of the games, the number of Season Ticket holders is way down.
The AFL is not going to survive under the program that is currently running. People have stated that the new ownership have set back the AFL ten to twenty years. Take Kansas City. Why should I pay $15 for the cheap seats at Sprint Center and then pay premium prices for parking, food and drink because the game is located in the KCP&L Entertainment District. The fans were happier at Kemper Arena, and they were happier when the League was paying for players that were just out of the NFL performance level. Today, we're seeing players that probably couldn't make the cut for a practice team under the old AFL ownership.
How bad is it? When was the last time one of the celebrity owners like Mike Ditka, Neil Smith, or Bon Jovi showed up for a game to meet the fans? Could they be embarrassed to be associated with this new format of the AFL?
In 2008, the league average for attendance was almost 13,000 fans per game across the league. In 2010, the first year that the new AFL was in operation, the average attendance dropped to 8,100, and in 2011 the average had a slight gain, rising to 8,200. Fourteen weeks into the 2012 Season, the average is down, currently running at 7,600.
What is going on? The game is going dull. We are not seeing the level of play that we say back in the original AFL ownership. The players that kept the league exciting have moved on to other endeavors simply because they cannot afford to leave their jobs to play football during the AFL Season. I have discussed this before, but the league wage for a normal player is only around $400 per game. Now, how many people can afford to leave their regular job to attend regular practices and meetings for a mere $400 per week. The new AFL has basically become a hobby league where key players, mainly quarterbacks, are the only people paid enough money to dedicate themselves to their teams each year. The rest are simply going to be a part of the high turnover that the AFL experiences each year.
The drop in average attendance is a classic example of how the league is becoming dull, that fans are not satisfied with the product that the league is offering. In week 14 of 2008, the league's average attendance was 12,351. For week 14 of 2012, the league average was 6,495. That is 52.5% of the 2008 attendance, and some teams are suffering even worse than that.
In Kansas City, the Brigade were averaging over 12,000 fans per game. In 2011, when the team returned as the Kansas City Command, their average attendance was 4,353, and so far in 2012, their attendance average is hovering at 4,800. Yes, the average attendance is up for 2012, but there have been a lot of promos running to draw people into the games, and by looking at the seats during the broadcasts of the games, the number of Season Ticket holders is way down.
The AFL is not going to survive under the program that is currently running. People have stated that the new ownership have set back the AFL ten to twenty years. Take Kansas City. Why should I pay $15 for the cheap seats at Sprint Center and then pay premium prices for parking, food and drink because the game is located in the KCP&L Entertainment District. The fans were happier at Kemper Arena, and they were happier when the League was paying for players that were just out of the NFL performance level. Today, we're seeing players that probably couldn't make the cut for a practice team under the old AFL ownership.
How bad is it? When was the last time one of the celebrity owners like Mike Ditka, Neil Smith, or Bon Jovi showed up for a game to meet the fans? Could they be embarrassed to be associated with this new format of the AFL?
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Kansas City Tribe - Women's Tackle Football
I will admit that I have taken great fun at picking on the idea that Kansas City was going to get a Ladies Arena Football Team ... the Kansas City Passion. I am going to admit that I didn't venture outside the realm of Arena Football in my exploration of Women's Football until after the posting of my last article about the KC Passion and how we might was well close the book on them. Let's face facts. Women playing football in basically panties and bras is NOT real football. You don't see the AFL or other indoor leagues dressing their men up in next to nothing. Women's Arena Football is playing to those who are only interested in watching for those occasional uniform malfunctions and looking at women in next to nothing. End of story, let's move on.
The Kansas City Tribe
Women's Tackle Football
I had stumbled across this team during the writing of my last article about the KC Passion. I was pleased to see that there was someone out there who was allowing the ladies to play real football, not just make them parade themselves around like pole dancers. I was surprised to find that this team, of which I have heard absolutely nothing about before now, had won a league championship on 2009, and as of the posting of this article, are heading into the post season with a record of 6-1 (and on a 6 game winning streak).
Unfortunately, I found out about the Tribe late in their season. I couldn't make it to their last game, which was against another Kansas City Women's Tackle Football Team, the KC Spartans. Their next game (post season) is in St Louis, and unless they somehow get a post game season back here in KC, I will have to wait until 2013 to check out this team. The nice thing is, they have a history, there is no reason to doubt that there will be a 2013 Season.
So Ladies ... Good luck in Post Season and I will try to catch you guys next season.
KC, Iowa, Chicago all Lose
What can I say? I tuned into the Chicago Rush game on Ustream just before half-time, and as soon as I looked at the score, I knew it was going to be a bad evening for Chicago. And it was. Utah obliterated Chicago. Kansas City was an easier game to watch, it was actually broadcast on local television. And, when I tuned in, the Command was up 28 to 21 in the second quarter. Unfortunately for KC, Spokane tied it up just before the half, and KC never saw the lead again. And then there was Iowa, who took on the Arizona Rattlers in Arizona. Of the three games, I figured that this one would have the greatest spread in points. Instead, it was the closest game of the evening.
So, of the three games I kept track of ... I got two out of three. I just wish that Chicago could have pulled off a win as I would really like to see Chicago make a run at the Arenabowl this year. Kansas City is clearly out of the hunt ... unless the league falls apart, and Iowa's chances are very slim.
So, next week. (week 15)
9-4 San Jose, come to Kansas City to take on the 2-10 Command. Again, this is going to be a double loser for the Command. I can't see them pulling out a miracle win against San Jose, and I would be willing to bet that attendance will be in the four thousand seats range again ... unless they give away a lot of free tickets and people actually use them.
5-8 Iowa takes on Division leader 9-3 San Antonio in Texas. Iowa has a better chance of pulling off an upset than Kansas City does, but I'm not going to venture out to say that they will be able to do it against the Talons. Iowa put on a good showing against Arizona, but I can't put my money on them doing any better against San Antonio.
7-6 Georgia will take on the Rush in Chicago. Chicago is undefeated at home (6-0), and with Georgia 3-3 on the road, I am going to put my money on Chicago. Chicago is going to be trying to make up for the whipping they took at the hands of the Blaze, so this should be a good game.
San Jose over Kansas City, San Antonio over Iowa, Chicago over Georgia
So, of the three games I kept track of ... I got two out of three. I just wish that Chicago could have pulled off a win as I would really like to see Chicago make a run at the Arenabowl this year. Kansas City is clearly out of the hunt ... unless the league falls apart, and Iowa's chances are very slim.
So, next week. (week 15)
5-8 Iowa takes on Division leader 9-3 San Antonio in Texas. Iowa has a better chance of pulling off an upset than Kansas City does, but I'm not going to venture out to say that they will be able to do it against the Talons. Iowa put on a good showing against Arizona, but I can't put my money on them doing any better against San Antonio.
7-6 Georgia will take on the Rush in Chicago. Chicago is undefeated at home (6-0), and with Georgia 3-3 on the road, I am going to put my money on Chicago. Chicago is going to be trying to make up for the whipping they took at the hands of the Blaze, so this should be a good game.
San Jose over Kansas City, San Antonio over Iowa, Chicago over Georgia
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