I guess that douche Jon Bon Jovi didn't make enough on tour this year to pay for his team to play in 2009...


For now, the 2009 AFL season is on. By Sunday afternoon, who knows if that still will be the case.

Storm coach Tim Marcum said today that the league's board of directors, which voted Wednesday to not suspend the season, will re-convene Sunday and vote on the matter once again. And that, quite frankly, worries him.

"The guys that lost the first vote ... they're trying to postpone the season," Marcum said. "They've called another meeting for Sunday and they're trying to finagle things as much as they can until they get their way."

Marcum said a handful of franchise owners (those from Columbus, Dallas and Philadelphia) are trying to gain enough votes to postpone the season. But he said the Storm, Arizona, New York, Orlando and San Jose are committed to playing in 2009, and are doing all they can to make that happen.

"The USFL took a year off, too," Marcum said. "And look what happened."

Storm owner Dr. Bob Nucci "cares about the fans," Marcum said. "He cares about our players. He cares about the game. We don't want this thing to go away."

When the board, which consists of all franchise owners and a representative from Gridiron Enterprises, which holds the patent for the AFL, met via conference call Wednesday, the vote was 10-7 against playing in '09. A three-fourths vote was needed to shut things down.

Marcum said that since that first vote, the Chicago franchise has switched sides and is now against playing. If the other votes hold, that would make it 11 against playing and six for, inching the number closer toward what is needed to cancel the season.

"It looks like they're going to try to vote until they get their way," Marcum said. "The league is in debt. There's a lot of work that has to be done. We're willing to do it. We have a plan; they just won't listen. The 11 people (against playing) will not take any calls. They've got their minds made up."

In light of what is transpiring, Marcum remains hopeful of having a 2009 season. He did, however, concede that the AFL of '09 might not resemble that of '08.

"The odds are, there will be a season," Marcum said. "But this is ridiculous. It's Dec. 13. We've got guys out there, guys with kids and families. We're dealing with 500 families and lives here involved in Arena Football. To pull the plug out now is just not right."

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Well according to Arena Fan we are done for 2009. The Borad of Directors of theAFL voted last night not to play in 2009.

It is a sad sad day becauce I dont think they will regroup by next year and play. It is TAPS for the AFL.

15 years of being a season tix holder and now it's all gone. This SUCKS. They say the league will reform in 2010. It's possible but unlikely. Does anyone really believe that? I am hope the Rattlers issue a statement soon to season tix holders on what we need to do to get reimbursed for the 2009 tickets already paid for.

I've been told to check the web site on friday and the rattlers will be announcing how seaseon ticket refunds will be handled. If they do actually plan on having a 2010 season, they won't screw the season ticket holders out of pre-paid ticket money. On the other hand if they've come to the realization that the league will most likely fold, then I think we are all screwed and just out our money.

Mine were paid for with my American Express card, they are very good as far as getting refunds for undelivered goods or services. I just don't know how far they will go back.

I have every confidence that the Arizona Rattlers will give full refunds and I hope they will follow the lead of other franchises in allowing season ticket holders the first option on their same seats when play resumes.

I don't know what the Rattlers did to make you so sceptical, but they have always treated me fair and square and I see no reason for them to stop doing so now.

I was told by another season ticket holder that the Rattlers advised him there will be a refund policy posted on the website by Friday and I am just going to wait until that happens and follow the rules to get my money back. I am not going to even try to contact the front office until the refund policy is posted because I am sure those folks are just as devestated as we all are by the rotten turn of events. The Rattlers wanted to play on in 2009 and they got the rug pulled out from under them just like we did!

They have always treated me fairly and I don't have any past actions to not assume that full refunds will be offered to all season ticket holders. The point was if they do offer full no strings refunds then I am more confident that the league will be back in 2010, and fans will come back with it. if getting ticket money back is a difficult process or one that doesn't happen then I for one would be reluctant to spend money with them again in the future.

Arizona480 American express has a 60 day policy, but if you tell them that the announcement of the suspention of the season came on the 15th of Dec three days ago and send them a copy of the announcement they will take you dispute under advisement. I would do that as soon as you feel comfortable doing it.

That 20% interest deal sounds good though assuming there is a 2010 season.

Listen, they could offer 5%, 20%, or even 50%, and none of that matters if they go belly up. It's sad, but not even our ownership group knows if this league will survive. Look how they rewared us so called premium seat holders this past year. They took away our endzone access to the food and drinks that were apart of our inflated ticket prices. The seat prices didn't go down, but they took away those perks anyway. And all year long we had to move over for the dozens of owners and their families who walked from their premium seats at mid-field front row and walked in front of us for 100% of the games to go down and enjoy those perks that we once enjoyed.

Brett, I have a longer memory than you do, and I don't forget those offers made to intice the season ticket holders, and have them ripped away by your ownership group, and watch you give our perks to your friends who you sold on becoming non-voting team owners. You took their investment money, made them pay for those premium mid-field seats, and gave them the endzone access for the so called free food and drinks, that used to belong to all premium seat holders.

I do happen to enjoy the current ownership group, but not at the cost of past perks offered to those willing to pay inflated ticket prices. If you convince the other owners to keep the league going, then you just might need some of us back in 2010 to put our BUTT'S in YOUR seats.

Be cautious in how you decide to treat us in 2009. Some teams have even cancelled their team websites, as I am sure those owners don't givea damn about their fans. Let's see what happens to our Rattlers site.

big john

Big John,

I'd like to respond to your post:

*I don't know why you didn't receive end zone access like in years past. All you have to do is snag a football from an Austin Wranglers receiver at the 5-yard line (thanks for that great throw, Lang Campbell) and security will take the ball away from you and escort you out of the building through the former food-and-drink area.

*For the first time ever, I miss Gino's hot dogs.

*Is Fat Albert one of our owners? He sure walked by us an awful lot last season.

*The pollution levels in Phoenix in 2009 should be much lower without Rattlerman.

*Our Web site is great. I love looking at J.T. Thompson's ugly mug shot every day.

-Peanut