Arena Football League Could Shut Down for 2009, but AFL2 Is Fine. Oh, the Irony

Reports are surfacing all over the place -- because people suddenly care a ton about the Arena Football League -- that the AFL will suspend play for the 2009 season, due to financial concerns.

Pete Likens, the director of communications for the Kansas City Brigade, told The Star on Wednesday that the players union agreed to the decision to suspend the season, and owners will hold a final vote on the matter, probably later Wednesday.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Likens said the owners will likely approve the one-year hiatus.

"It's pretty much a done deal to suspend the 2009 season and work toward a single entity-league," Likens said. "We plan to start up again in 2010, if the owners vote this way. We're prepared to play this year, and/or next."

The Arena Football League offices have, as of yet, not confirmed these rumors. Instead, a statement released on the AFL website says no official decisions have been made.

Despite rumors and reports to the contrary, all AFL teams are continuing to work towards ArenaBowl XXIII. As it has previously stated, the AFL continues to work on long-term structural improvement options.

Some of the options may impact the 2009 season.

Among those options, one would assume, is to eliminate a team or nine. Currently, there are 17 teams operating in the AFL -- though the number actually turning a profit probably falls well low of that. But if the AFL has not actually decided to cancel, why all the floating reports to the contrary?

Well, the next Arena Football League season is supposed to start on March 1st ... but there's no schedule yet. Not only that, but free agency has yet to start, and all the players from the recently-folded New Orleans franchise are still without homes.

So there are clearly several issues to work through.

Oddly enough, Arena Football League 2, the minor league version of the minor league AFL, appears to be set for its next season. AF2 actually has four more teams than AFL Original, including such gems as the Boise Burn, Amarillo Dusters and Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz.

Former AFL Stars

Kurt Warner: Iowa Barnstormers, 1995-97
Warner is the ultimate AFL-to-NFL success story. After toiling in near-obscurity for three seasons, Warner jumped to the Rams in 1998, won the Super Bowl XXXIV MVP and now is a regular-season MVP candidate with the Cardinals. Click through to see other NFL players with AFL backgrounds.

Eric Drotter, AP

Mark Duper: Miami Hooters, 1994
Duper falls into the category of players who stuck it out just a little too long. The three-time Pro Bowler with the Miami Dolphins hung up his NFL cleats in 1992, but then took on a quick two-game stint with the Miami Hooters.

Rick Stewart, Getty Images

David Patten: Atlanta Firebirds, 1996
Now a wide receiver in New Orleans' high-powered attack, Patten's professional career began in 1996 when, undrafted out of Western Carolina, he signed with the AFL's Albany Firebirds. After one season there, Patten upgraded to the New York Giants.

Jack Dempsey, AP

Rob Bironas: Carolina Cobras, 2004; New York Dragons, 2005
Now a four-year veteran with the Tennessee Titans, Bironas earned training camp invites from three NFL teams and played on two AFL teams (as well as the Charleston Swamp Foxes of AFL2) before finally landing a spot in the show.

Michael Conroy, AP

Mike Furrey: Las Vegas Outlaws, 2001; New York Dragons, 2002-03
The sure-handed Furrey finally achieved some NFL success in Detroit - after a three-year stop in St. Louis - as he thrived in Mike Martz' offense. Before reaching the big leagues, though, Furrey played three seasons in the AFL.

Kathy Willens, AP

Lincoln Kennedy: Tampa Bay Storm, 2007
The ninth overall pick in the 1993 draft by Atlanta, Kennedy played for the Falcons for three years, then the Raiders from 1996-2003. He closed out his career with a short stint on the Tampa Bay Storm in 2007.

Robert Galbraith, AP

Shaun King: Las Vegas Gladiators, 2007
Another guy that tried to sustain his playing career in the AFL, King signed with the Gladiators after seven NFL seasons. He then moved up from Las Vegas to the CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Chris O'Meara, AP

Tommy Maddox: New Jersey Red Dogs, 2000
Probably most well-known for his 2001-05 turn with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Maddox preceded that stretch by quarterback the AFL's New Jersey Red Dogs in 2000 and the XFL's Los Angeles Xtreme in 2001.

Keith Srakocic, AP

Browning Nagle: Orlando Predators, 1999; Buffalo Destroyers, 2000
Nagle spent six seasons in the NFL, playing for the Jets, Colts and Falcons. After a few years off, the QB then latched on with the AFL's Orlando franchise and later Buffalo, before retiring for good.

Bill Kostroun, AP

Troy Edwards: Grand Rapids Rampage, 2007
Edwards, a wide receiver out of Louisiana Tech, was a first-round pick of the Steelers in 1999 and played three seasons in Pittsburgh. After that, he endured stints with St. Louis, Jacksonville, Tennesse and Detroit before latching on with the AFL's Grand Rapids team - from which he was released.

Keith Srakocic, AP