Interesting article... I'm not so keen on the "outdoor game" idea. International expansion? Let's take care of Boston, Miami, and Seattle first!

I wish the AFL would spend more time and energy promoting the game as it is, rather than trying to monkey with the game we all love.
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Arena Football League looking to expand
Richard Obert
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 8, 2008 11:55 PM

David Baker figured he'd be the Arena Football League's commissioner for a year. Twelve years later, Baker is still looking at ways to expand a league that is starting its 22nd year.

During his tenure, Baker has seen franchises go from being worth about $400,000 to $20 million (Citibank valued the Philadelphia Soul at $32.5 million 18 months ago); the league go from Ironman (all two-way players but the quarterback and an offensive and defensive specialist) to free substitution; seven NFL owners, three NHL owners and a rock icon (Jon Bon Jovi) bring in teams.

Now Baker is talking about possibly putting teams in London, Berlin, and Mexico City or Monterrey.

"I think we're built for it," Baker said. "It makes travel easier.

"Unlike 100-yard football, where it takes a 747 for each team, we travel with 26 to 27. Clear out a couple of rows of coach and we're ready to go. I think there's an opportunity."

Baker also likes the way ESPN is promoting the game. The league is in the second year of a five-year agreement to broadcast games on ESPN. Some of the telecasts are on ABC.

"I think running a sports league is a hard business," Baker said. "It's simple, but it's a lot of hard work and you have to have a lot of credibility.

"At 22 years, we've been around. I still think of us as new and emerging. We've been around three times as any other (pro football league in America) other than the NFL. That's significant. I think it's been a combination of dedicated players, guys like George LaFrance and Hunkie Cooper who have passed on the bill of rights, signing autographs (after games). It's a great product. The competition committee is making it better. I think through the years it's gotten better. I think af2 has been a valuable tool for players and coaches."

Baker, whose office is in New York, will be at US Airways Center on Monday, greeting fans, as he usually does, with ESPN2 televising the Rattlers' home opener against the Los Angeles Avengers at 8 p.m.

Last year, 26 games were broadcast on ESPN International.

"We'd hear from New Zealand and South America," Baker said. "A guy in Australia and one from Italy were emailing."

The league is also considering playing an outdoor game next season.

Baker has always tried to find cutting-edge ways to give the league more exposure.

Even though Austin and Nashville folded after last season and the Gladiators moved from Las Vegas to Cleveland, Baker said he believes there are "17 fairly strong teams," in the league now.

Last week, the league set an opening week attendance record for eight games with an average crowd of 13,979.

They should worry about getting games on tv first.

ditto. I hate only being able to see half the games a year. But I guess this way they get people to buyt thier AFL net.

From what I understand they're only doing one AFL Net game a week and its free, but I haven't looked into it any more than that.

Seems to me that they're trying to run before they walk...I think it's strange that they'd look to expand globally when there are still major markets here without a team to represent them. The product that is placed on the field is fast paced, hard hitting, and unbelievably exciting. It's very spectator friendly, with enough sights and sounds to satisfy just about anyone...IMO, they're doing a disservice to the franchises that are currently in existance, by NOT focusing more attention on creating more teams and tapping or re-tapping domestic markets...and trying to improve the competitivity and fan awareness of their product... 8DRTV75

AFL fans have been asking for the outdoor game for a long time just for the novelty of it, but even though the ratings for the New Year's Day game in Buffalo were huge, it did NOTHING for TV ratings for the NHL thereafter.

As a hockey fan it's bitterly painful how bad TV ratings for hockey have gotten. (Bettman... #@%&)

Anyway, as for the talk about overseas expansion, they've been talking about it for years, and in my opinion it's all fluff to try and raise the value/prestige of AFL franchises. If they actually DID try to have a team overseas it might well wind up killing a franchise or two here, just based on the travel costs. Don't forget this league lost 24 million last year as it is. Not to mention the team in Europe would probably have to schedule eight home games, then eight road games, spending half the season stateside. It's completely impractical and Baker knows it, but it sounds really good... if a little tired.

By the way, I, like perhaps some of you, have come to have the opportunity tog et to know Giancarlo, the fan mentioned over in Italy, and he has been an AFL fan for a long time, but it doesn't have anything to do with NBC, ESPN, or David Baker.

Yeah I don't like the fact that we don't get to see all the games either. But I saw in the TV listings that Force @ Predators (Week 4) will be shown live on CSS, assuming you have comcast.