Arena Football, It Is Now That You Kneel

After their television contract with NBC ran out this past season, we had been wondering what would happen to the Arena Football League; it's more than 20 years old, after all, and more successful than ever. (It's football pinball, and they play it in Utah!) Where would they land and still hang onto their soul?

Oh. Of course.

"We are committed to the Arena Football League and its exciting brand of football," John Skipper, executive vice president for content at ESPN, said in a statement. "We will help grow the league across all of our multimedia platforms. As the league grows, so will our business, and we see a bright future for us both."

We're sure this is great short-term news for the AFL, and we're happy for them. But that phrase keeps sticking in our brains: "We will help grow the league across all of our multimedia platforms." Uh-oh. We're full expecting Jon Bon Jovi to become a color commentator, Ron Jaworski to coach a team and Stephen A. Smith to host the Arena Bowl XXI halftime show. Careful what you wish for, Arena League.

ESPN Acquires Minority Stake In Arena Football [ESPN]