If what I experienced is the norm, then we’ll look back on the AAL as an opportunity lost.
Edwin Rolfe once said that “Never judge a book by its cover.” It’s true, even in pro football.
A few weeks ago I wrote a piece on TSC about the American Arena League (AAL). It was a very positive piece, too, about how I thought the AAL could offer serious competition to the NFL. Why? I thought the league put franchises in just the right cities (in mid-major locations) and that the timing was just right (before the launch of two other leagues, the XFL and AAF).
But I wrote that article before I had a first-hand fan experience with the AAL. Because of that experience I’ve changed my mind about the AAL.
I know this is the AAL’s inaugural season, but I didn’t expect to find the stadium (of nearly 10,000 seats) nearly empty. I could have counted the number of fans in attendance because only 4% of the seats were taken. It felt like I was in Miami watching the Marlins play.
One reason for “nobody showing” is that the home team didn’t do a lot of promoting. I found out about the game from a pamphlet I picked up at a parade. I didn’t find any other game promotion.
But low attendance was just the tip of the iceberg. The jumbotron didn’t turn on during the game. I mean it never turned on. I couldn’t find a program, either. I didn’t know who was playing. And the chain crew was made up of high school students.
I did find plenty of advertisements. I’ve never seen so many ads before–scattered around a stadium, on the sidelines … everywhere!
That’s the situation that scares me most.
If AAL executives focus primarily on in-game advertising–and don’t do much to enhance the fan experience–then I predict nothing but problems for this league.
Bottom line: if what I experienced is the norm, then we’ll look back on the AAL as an opportunity lost.
