I loves me some Football. This is my favorite time of year for one reason and one reason alone. I get to watch football for 44 straight weeks. What's that you ask? Aren't there only 17 weeks in the regular NFL season, and then only 4 weeks of postseason. That leaves us about 23 weeks short. For me, NFL is only a warm up in my Football watching routine. My real passion starts right after the Superbowl, when Arena Football starts. Arena Football for me encompasses the purest form of the sport. There are no Multimillion dollar contracts, there are relatively few million dollar endorsement deals for AFL players. They play for money surely, but the money is much more modest in The Arena Game. The average salaries for AFL players is $40-$50k per year, with some star players making $80k, and a few franchise players making 100k. The minimum salary for an AFL player is $31k per year which when compared to the $107k minimum NFL salary, tells me that these guys are playing more for the love of the game than for the giant payday. This takes me back to the old school football days that my dad used to tell me about where players had day jobs in the off season.
Other than the pay there are several key differences in the game that make it, in my opinion more fun to watch.
1. There is "almost" no such thing as out of bounds.
- Generally Arena Football is played in Hockey or Basketball arenas and there is a set of Hockey style boards set up around the field. What this means is that the clock cant be stopped by stepping out of bounds. The only time a player is considered out of bounds is if he goes over the barrier, or is tackled into the barrier. This leads to a faster paced game.
2. There is no such thing as Punting.
- You have to go for it on 4th down. You either have to make your yardage, or kick a field goal. There is no other option in Arena Football.
3. Balls that rebound off the Goal Posts are LIVE!
- Lets say your kick sails just a bid wide and hits a pole. In NFL Football, its no good and you move on. In Arena Football, the ball is still in play, and can be ran in for a touch down by the first team to grab it. This leads to higher scoring games.
4. The field is only 50 yards long.
- Meaning that most compotent kickers, and QB's can score from almost anywhere on the field.
5. The game is usually played in Basketball or Hockey Arenas which means that almost any city can have a team. There is no need for a giant Mega Stadium
These are just a few of the differences that I love about the game. It feels closer to Rugby to me, which I've stated before is my favorite sport. I know that there are people out there who are reluctant to give Arena Football a try. They like the game the way it is, they say. However, with so many rule changes being put into the game, the NFL is being turned into a watered down version of itself. I implore all of you reading this today, to go onto YouTube, and check out some AFL highlights, and then come February, check out Arena Football for yourself.
