Bye Bye Miss American Pie

I know that when Don McLean wrote that song, it wasn't about the world of indoor football, but today it just seems so fitting.

While it isn't official yet, the Arena Football League will suspend the 2009 season.

In this article on the LA Times, Casey Wasserman, owner of the Los Angeles Avengers, said the decision to forgo the season essentially has already been made but will become official with a vote of owners sometime this week.

Now what does this mean?

I believe this means that the NFL now has no "minor" league system at all. NFL Europa went belly up, and now the AFL is donefore.

I understand that the owners are voting on just a ONE year leave. But I don't ever see the AFL coming back. In this nation, it is so hard for an indoor league to survive.

Now what does the collapse of the AFL mean for the other leagues around the US?

I believe that means their downfall too.

The fact is simple, these teams just cannot thrive in places where other sports are an option. Take the Spokane Shock for example. There is really no other sporting events to attend during the springtime on gamedays. Pretty much just the Indians. So the city embraced the team.

Now look at the FORMER Everett Hawks. Located just North of Seattle (no, not Just South of North) Come spring, the Mariner's are playing, the AquaSox are playing, the Rainiers are playing, the University of Washington is playing baseball and softball. The team folded.

Cities like Billings, Spokane, Boise, Sioux Falls, Anchorage. (Yes, Anchorage has a team in the Indoor Football League) thrive because of non competing sports teams.

Cities like LA, Denver, Kansas City, Albany have competition. I see all the 12 little little indoor football leagues folding now too.

Bye, bye Arena Football.
Drove my Chevy to the levy...wait. Chevy?

Uh oh. Doesn't look good for that song now either.