Arena Football on NBC

[Andy_B]

http://www.mediaweek.com/mediaweek/headlines/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1797969

This is going to be interesting to watch to see if the regional approach will work for them on Sundays...

Andy

[JCUnited]

Interesting to me, in USA Today a few weeks back there was an NBC exec who said that the network was expecting (and would be happy with) a 2.0 average rating for the year.

I think that MLS could get that (or close) with the proper promotion behind it from the network.

Anybody know how much NBC is paying for this?

[kenntomasch]

Originally posted by JCUnited
I think that MLS could get that (or close) with the proper promotion behind it from the network.

I don't agree.


Anybody know how much NBC is paying for this?


"Rights fees are not involved, and NBC receives a $20 million equity stake in the league, according to industry sources who spoke on condition of anonymity."

That's from http://www.usatoday.com/sports/_stories/2002-03-05-nbc-arena.htm

I think it will be interesting to see what effect playing most of their games on Sunday afternoons has on their attendance. They've done fairly well, but kind of flat lately, with the mostly-Saturday-night approach. Just wondering if the fall Sunday afternoon concept extends to Arenaball or if they'll suffer at the gate because of the time change. Don't know.

[Andy_B]

I think that MLS could get that (or close) with the proper promotion behind it from the network.

Depends on the level of promotion you are talking about.

Promotion is NOT cheap. Spending a ton of money on promotion to have MLS average 1.2 on ABC simply is not worth it when they can spend nothing and average .8.

Interesting to me, in USA Today a few weeks back there was an NBC exec who said that the network was expecting (and would be happy with) a 2.0 average rating for the year.

I had not seen this, thanks for the info!

I am not sure there is any level of promotion (with out direct help from the media) that could ever get MLS to average 2.0 on ABC.

Andy

[UnitedNut]

Originally posted by JCUnited
Anybody know how much NBC is paying for this?

They took an equity in the league as part of the deal. This is a much better arrangement for them than the XFL mess last year. The Arena league has been around 17 years now and has a solid fan base. I think expecting the 2.0 is pretty agressive. TNN carried the AFL for a couple of years and didn't have very big numbers. May have been the lack of promotion by TNN. NBC has been pushing the AFL pretty agressively.

[USRufnex]

Originally posted by Andy_B
Depends on the level of promotion you are talking about.

Promotion is NOT cheap. Spending a ton of money on promotion to have MLS average 1.2 on ABC simply is not worth it when they can spend nothing and average .8.


And don't forget all the FREE promotion arenaball will get on sportsradio across the country. I remember the nightly reviews of the XFL on "the score" in Chicago... talking about football (even the Poulan Weedeater Bowl) is acceptable ANYTIME on sportsradio... soccer is not.


I am not sure there is any level of promotion (with out direct help from the media) that could ever get MLS to average 2.0 on ABC.

Andy

Interesting that NBC will be doing regional games (4 games each week) for a 16 team league that averages less that 10K while playing a schudule half the size of MLS... half the games per week will be on tv... bet that wouldn't have happened if NBC wasn't given a stake in the league...

Daydreaming about MLS 10 years from now in "year 17"...

16 teams... cities that don't draw are moved and expansion cities added every couple of years until interest grows exponentially due to 2010 WC success from the nats... A-league becomes MLS2 kinda like AFL2... Fox buys a stake in the league and gives us 4 regional broadcasts each Sat. night...

then we might be able to talk about 2.0 ratings-- until then...

dream on...

[Beez]

I don't think sports radio has ever taken Arena Football seriously. I've never heard Arena league scores on WEEI (Boston), WFAN (NY), ESPN radio, One-on-One Sports or anywhere else. I don't imagine NBC's increased involvement in the league is going to lead to more publicity on the radio front.

The XFL publicity explosion was a rare phenomenon, one that we may not see again. The newspaper I work for north of Boston did a full page previewing the season, and we didn't have a team anywhere near us. McMahon and Dick Ebersol did a great job drawing the public's (and the media's) curiosity, but the bubble quickly burst -- and the media turned on them like pit bulls.

[ChuckA]

Something interesting to note here in Atlanta. The Georgia Force have moved out of Phillips Arena (Thrashers/Hawks) and into a brand new facility in the suburbs. All the major sports teams play downtown. The Silverbacks play in a rundown HS stadium (I played HS football there back in the day). But, the 'backs don't do any promoting of their games.

I am interested in how attendance compares after the move.

[ChuckA]

From today's Atlanta Journal Constitution. The local AFL team will broadcast games in Spanish.

http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/metro/gwinnett/0103/22radiomex.html

[Paul Schmidt]

How many AFL teams have been around in any capacity for 5 years?

How many teams are in their original markets?

How many markets are hosting their second teams right now?

I'll go to explore the answers to these questions unless someone has them offhand. Thing is, this is a league with 4 decent franchises, a couple markets middling around, and a bunch in trouble. Worst of all, they've decided to step out of the time slots (April-summer) they've traditionally occupied in order to go up against the NBA and NHL. TV-wise, that may not be the worst strategy, but that cuts them off from sponsorships they may otherwise maintain. Will the ticket buying crowds pick up on the schedule change in time, or is NBC the last gasp for the AFL?

[eric515]

Originally posted by ChuckA
Something interesting to note here in Atlanta. The Georgia Force have moved out of Phillips Arena (Thrashers/Hawks) and into a brand new facility in the suburbs. All the major sports teams play downtown. The Silverbacks play in a rundown HS stadium (I played HS football there back in the day). But, the 'backs don't do any promoting of their games.

I am interested in how attendance compares after the move.

I have to say I think the Force will do okay...even though the Arena's capacity is only 12,000, so they can't draw tons...However...if Atlanta had an MLS team that was marketed the same as the Force (or Beat for that matter) and placed in a location in the northern 'burbs...I think it would do better than Arena ball. Helmetball purists just don't get too turned on by indoor, minor-league ball.

I think the 'Backs are A) Not marketed and B) considered minor-league as well. Sadly, they will draw about 1/4 of what the Force or the Beat draws...

Attendance for the Force wasn't that great last year IIRC.

[SnakeEyes]

Originally posted by Paul Schmidt
How many AFL teams have been around in any capacity for 5 years?

How many teams are in their original markets?

How many markets are hosting their second teams right now?

I'll go to explore the answers to these questions unless someone has them offhand. Thing is, this is a league with 4 decent franchises, a couple markets middling around, and a bunch in trouble. Worst of all, they've decided to step out of the time slots (April-summer) they've traditionally occupied in order to go up against the NBA and NHL. TV-wise, that may not be the worst strategy, but that cuts them off from sponsorships they may otherwise maintain. Will the ticket buying crowds pick up on the schedule change in time, or is NBC the last gasp for the AFL?

Those four teams.. the same teams that were back when the Barnstormers were around. (front row, 20 yard line season tickets every season, saw Kurt Warner play!) San Jose, Tampa Bay, Arizona, Orlando.

[monster]

Flipped through a friend's copy of Sports Business Journal yesterday and they had a short article saying that the move to an earlier season and the head-to-head with the NBA has caused difficulties with attracting sponsorships.

[ChuckA]

I am not sure about the financial side of things. But, I am sure the players and coaches like it better. It makes it easier for guys to make it to NFL training camps, should they be picked up by a team.

And, if a team makes the playoffs and one of their stars is picked up by an NFL team, they would not have that players services in the postseason.

The Force work out in the gym where I do. I will see if I can find out how they feel about it the next time I see some of them.

[Paul Schmidt]

Originally posted by SnakeEyes
Those four teams.. the same teams that were back when the Barnstormers were around. (front row, 20 yard line season tickets every season, saw Kurt Warner play!) San Jose, Tampa Bay, Arizona, Orlando.

Orlando is having problems- the owners are looking to sell everything.

Dallas had such a bang-up reintroduction last year that they are the temporary replacement for Orlando. Or you could put LA in there.

[SnakeEyes]

Originally posted by Paul Schmidt
Orlando is having problems- the owners are looking to sell everything.

Dallas had such a bang-up reintroduction last year that they are the temporary replacement for Orlando. Or you could put LA in there.

Orlando is in trouble? WOW! What has happened? I havent followed the AFL since we lost the Barnstormers. Longest running team in the league, were always tough. By the way, is the Indiana Firebirds a relocated Albany? If so, that's too bad for Albany, they too were good teams. BTW.. the old, more subtle Predators logo is better. Cool to see Arizona hasnt changed theirs.

[Kraze]

I live in Orlando, and haven't heard anything about the ownership group having problems. Orlando is one of the best markets for the league since day one. The same ownership group I believe owns a stake in the league, several AFL2 teams, and an ECHL team.

[Paul Schmidt]

The Preds are trying to unload the ECHL team, they couldn't get one AF2 team established in the same arena with the hockey team, and in the fallout, it's come to light that there are serious problems with the Predators. They're apparently trying to sell all the teams.

AF2 has lost a net of seven franchises from lasy year, BTW.