What is the Alliance of American Football?
- Aug 19, 2018
- 4 min read
So, as most of you will know, the NFL finishes after the Superbowl. Superbowl 53 will take place on February 3rd, 2019 and will mark the end of the NFL season. What does that mean for football fans? I’ll tell you. It means that we have no more football to watch.
However, in 2019 that won’t be the case any longer. The Alliance of American Football will be live on our TV’s on February 9th, a week after the Superbowl. But, I bet not many of you have heard of the AAF or are unsure of it given the last failure of a league to test the NFL, the XFL. So, here are the facts, the why’s and the how’s.
What is the AAF?
The AAF is the brain child of Charlie Ebersol and Bill Polian. Ebersol is best known as a television and film producer, whose farther Dick, was the chairman of NBC Sports. Bill Polian most notably was the general manager of the Buffalo Bills from 1986-1992 in which the Bills appeared in four straight Superbowls. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
Charlie Ebersol had an idea for a new league, to capitalise on the gap between the end of the NFL season, and the beginning of the new NFL season. He researched it well, and discovered that once the NFL season ends, there over 80 million fans who do not view another sport. He likened it to Uber and said this “if I told you, that you know Uber could only operate for six months a year in the other six months a year there was just nothing and I said hey, I’m gonna launch a new Uber in that exact window you would invest, everybody would want to get on board”.
The Alliance is priding itself on the fact that it will be a game for the players and fans. For example, the Alliance will provide players a comprehensive bonus system, post-football career planning as well as counselling and scholarship support for postsecondary education. This stems from the fact that numbers show that the average football career is around 4 years, so if most players enter the league at 21, by 25 they are having to plan what direction they wish to take their lives, and the AAF want to ensure the support is there.
How will it work?
The AAF will feature 8 teams who will player a 12-week season. The season will kick-off on February 9th, 2019 and end with the championship game, taking place the weekend of April 26th - 28th, 2019.
All 8 teams have been announced, along with their head coaches. They are:
Alliance Atlanta – Head Coach is Brad Childress and Offensive Coordinator is Michael Vick.
Alliance Birmingham – Head Coach is Tim Lewis
Alliance Memphis – Head Coach is Mike Singletary
Alliance Orlando – Head Coach is Steve Spurrier
Alliance Phoenix – Head Coach is Rick Neutteisel
Alliance Salt Lake – Head Coach is Dennis Erickson
Alliance San Antonio – Head Coach is Mike Riley
Alliance San Diego – Head Coach is Mike Martz
The Rules
Teams will have 50 players on each roster, with some selected by a territorial draft.
Telecasts will feature no television timeouts and 60% fewer commercials, with the league aiming for an approximate real-time game length of 150 minutes, down from just over 180 in the NFL.
All teams must attempt two-point conversions after every touchdown, there will be no extra-point kicks.
There will be no kick offs, all possessions will begin on each team 25 yard-line, the same as touch-backs in the NFL and NCAA. In lieu of an onside kick, a team can keep position of the ball by attempting a scrimmage play from their own 35 yard-line and gaining at least 10 yards.
The play clock will run only 30 seconds, 10 seconds shorter than the NFL
Two coaches’ challenges per team are the only replays. No challenges in the last two minutes of each half, nor any overtime period as they are automatic.
Conclusion
I think it will be a great success and I believe that because of the individuals who are a part of this new league. There is a gap, and how many times as fans have we sat there watching repeats of NFL games during the off-season wishing we had football to watch on a weekend. This league offers us fans that. It will feature players of a high caliber and players who are trying to prove themselves to everyone watching, which means we will see some spectacular football.
We are a fan of football, so let’s show that by supporting the AAF and ensuring its longevity so we can all continue to annoy our loved ones, even during the NFL off-season.
If after reading this, you have any questions, check out the video below, and feel free to drop me an email at beardedtwits@gmail.com.
Charlie Ebersol talking to Rich Eisen on the Rich Eisen Show on May 8th, 2018.
AAF Channels
Website: www.aaf.com
Twitter: @TheAAF
Instagram: @theaaf
Facebook: @AAFLeague
Email: press@aaf.com
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