Honestly, even if this league works out, I’m pretty skeptical that an AAF team could survive in a market with three D-1 college football teams. There’s only so much demand for football in any market.
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It would be a good second tenant to a soccer stadium. But I wouldn’t count on longe term league survival.
They do play in the spring so doesn’t directly compete with college football.
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David, I know we’re thinking about this differently - and that’s a great thing! But, as myself and others have mentioned there was no guarantee that this was going to be developed, especially as a high density, mixed use complex that would engage the community on several fronts.
My other point would be that I consider sports to be a part of culture. Is it the ballet or fine art? No. But it is definitely something that becomes ingrained in a community and has value to its citizens.
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Very , Very Well Said ! Thanks !
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That’s true, but 90% of their schedule is competing directly with college basketball. Very few sports fans only watch a single sport. The Triangle is easily the best metro for men’s college BB in the last two decades (Duke and Carolina have 1/3 of all the titles since 2001). But, their football teams have trouble selling tickets.
And, even when they’re not so great, NC State is one of the top selling basketball teams in the country.
(I realize you already acknowledged they’re unlikely to stay around. I’m not trying to beat a dead horse.)
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This is literally the most predictable thing in the world. (Context for those who haven’t been following: The principal investor in this league is also the owner of the Carolina Hurricanes.)
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I’m not sure what they did different than the XFL? I mean it is a different time, but…
Should have invested that $250M in the downtown stadium that he wanted! 
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I heard it was actually $70 million (still a ton of money) and that this may have been a technology play because of some the underlying gambling technology. The actual league was just a piece of what he was after.
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AAF has folded. Hurricanes owner should have plowed that money into PNc renevationnor new downtown area. Vs wasting however much for the AAF.
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I don’t think the AAF was his actual target. The league had some sort of new fan technology interface that he was interested in.
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He basically paid $250 million for a sports gambling app. With the way sports gambling is going to increase nation wide it might be a genius investment.
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Pledged 250. Actually paid something like 70.
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Maybe he should have paid the full amount and the league would still be in business.
Or maybe he wanted it to fold so he could get the rights to the app or whatever it is.
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70 million for an app? I hope it was worth it.
70 million for a gambling app sounds cheap to me
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For the first time in 10 years, the Hurricanes are in the NHL Playoffs! 
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Last night was the first game I’ve been to all season. Got to sit close to the ice. Great experience.
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I’ll be there, No doubt!
And for those not able to attend the games, apparently Bill King is working on playoff viewing parties somewhere.
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