The newly christened AAF debuted in February to much fanfare, but uncertainty about the future remains.
A new report from the SportingNews says that the American Football Alliance is suspending operations.
What does the future hold for the AAF & Atlanta Legends?
The Atlanta Legends, who play at Georgia State Stadium, continue to pull in a modest crowd but have struggled on the field.
The Legends have a 2-6 record and have been eliminated from postseason contention.
But it’s not just the Legends, the league is struggling for an identity.
Is the AAF a development league for the NFL or a competitor? It’s hard to tell. There is much speculation that the AAF may not even finish the season.
But that’s not the concern of everybody. Steve Spurrier, head coach of the Orlando Apollos, told the Orlando Sentinel that he is confident the league will finish strong.
“I think we’re definitely good to finish out this year,” Spurrier, whose Apollos are a league-leading 7-1, recently, told the Orlando Sentinel. “But after that, who knows? We’re not thinking about anything but trying to win a championship. That was our goal and we’re sticking to it.”
Majority investor Tom Dundon, who put $250 million into the league, reportedly is not bullish about the league’s survival.
“It’s pretty fluid. It’s day to day, I would say,” Dundon told SportsBusiness Daily days ago.
Spurrier said the league began with a clear focus, but things have definitely shifted a bit.
““The Alliance was started under the pretense of signing players who aren’t in the NFL and giving them a chance to play in our league,” Spurrier was quoted as saying. “And if they play well enough in our league, then maybe they’ll get the opportunity to play in the NFL. That was the original plan, but obviously the plan has changed.”
Then again, all of the talk about the AAF’s future could just be tough talk by Dondon to get a better deal from the NFL players union, which wants better protections for athletes on the field.
“If the players union is not going to give us young players, we can’t be a development league,” Dundon, who in February pledged to incrementally invest $250 million into the AAF, told USA Today. “We are looking at our options, one of which is discontinuing the league.”
Here are highlights from the Atlanta Legends vs. Birmingham Iron
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