Arena Football League Suspends Play for 2009

The Arena Football League (AFL) announced today that it is suspending the entire 2009 season, but will reorganize and return in 2010, according to reports in the New York Times and Cleveland Plain Dealer. ESPN has a minority, non-controlling ownership stake in the AFL. "I think it's a historic day for the league," the owner and chief executive of the Cleveland Gladiators, James L. Ferraro, told The Times in a telephone interview Sunday night. "I think this league will be much, much stronger, and it will be here for a long time because of what happened." He added: ?This is the farthest thing from the league folding. This is, in my opinion, just showing us the league will not fold.? "Every owner in the AFL is strongly committed to the League, the game, and, most importantly, the fans," interim Commissioner Ed Policy said in the statement. "Owners, however, recognize that, especially in light of the current unprecedented economic climate, the ...