With Super Bowl LIII in the history books, a new competitive football league has emerged on the scene in hopes to keep the spirit of football alive. The eight-team Alliance of American Football (AAF) had its first debut on Feb. 9 in efforts to stand out among the public.
While the AAF was not trying to compete with the National Football League (NFL), it holds on to a competitive spirit that professional football brings to the table.
The organization has a clear vision to keep football going beyond the Super Bowl and give players a chance to showcase their skills.
Junior Camden Barrett said he was excited to get back to watching football just a week after the Super Bowl.
“I watched the first game and at first glance it was actually enjoyable to see two competitive teams play each other after the Super Bowl ended,” Barrett said. “It’s always depressing the Monday after the big game but this league kept football alive.”
With more than 500 years of combined experience teams are assembled with coaches and players who wish to showcase their skills that are not starters in the NFL.
Michael Vick, a former Pro-Bowl quarterback, has been named offensive coordinator to one of the teams in the Alliance. This type of prestige is what the Alliance hopes will attract viewers and shape what the league is all about.
The top executive of the Alliance, Bill Polian, has said this league will be built around fantasy and gambling. Polian made it clear that he wanted the fans to be heavily involved and their experience be the front-runner to what this league is all about.
Junior Austin Walton, a football fan and Harding student, has shown excitement about the new league.
“I can appreciate what the AAF is trying to do because they are bringing in big names to the league like Johnny Manziel, Vince Young and hopefully Tim Tebow,” Walton said. “I would love to see those guys play competitive football and try and make a comeback.”
With a new football league, a new style of play and rules are involved. There will be no kickoffs or onside kicks. Instead, if a team wishes to have the ball back they will get a fourth-and-10 opportunity to get the ball back.
Overall, the Alliance hopes to attract football fans post-Super Bowl and bring back the excitement of competitive football. With new rules and a unique style of play, the AAF is going beyond the Super Bowl.
