Why doesnt anyone like the AFL?

It's growing in popularity. It's 20 years behind the NFL and has to live in it's shadow

Arena Football has no defense. Last I checked, you could not blitz. When the rules change and defense becomes a true part of the game, then people may begin to care.

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People dont like the AFL because it is too close a product to the NFL, but still not the NFL. Meaning, I watch it and its like I am watching football, but its not the same thing, and I dont see what I want to see, and thus become frustrated by it all and turn the channel

Arena football is definitely not the football that I know. It's 50 yards and the football can be played off the fricking wall. What are we playing, football in the bedroom?? I like Mike and Mike, but not even they can sell this game to me. I really tried hard to watch the games the 1st week of the season, but I just could not get into it at all.

Just a note, the AFL is 54 years behind the NFL (1933 for the NFL and 1987 for the AFL).

The AFL isn't for everyone. Just like any one sport isn't for everyone. (Hockey's the dumbest thing I've ever seen people get paid to play.) The league consistently draws 1 million+ to the games and most teams draw 90-100k to their home games. There's a market for it.

The notion that "there's no defense" is absurd. The lack of blitzing/d-line stunting is not an indication of "no defense". Defense is played differently in the AFL and has just as much impact on game outcome as it does in the "outdoor" game. Defensive stops are critical to winning AFL games. Also, the rules are set up to completely avoid the 9-6 fieldgoal-fest stinkers the NFL produces almost once a week.

The netting adds an element of excitement also not found in the outdoor game. They're actually quite necessary for there to be any kick return game at all. The narrowness of the goal posts and netting/frame make excellent kickers key members of the team, as well as having kickers who can tackle well.

Up until this year, player conditioning was critical, as 6 players played both ways and it wasn't unusual for players to participate in 110 plays (offense, defense, and special teams) a game. Every single NFL player I've seen interviewed was intimidated by that facet alone. Free substitution has diluted that some, but it's still critical for every player on the active roster to be ready to play 40-70 downs in any given game.

And like defense in the AFL, the running game plays an integral part of the indoor game, especially for clock management. The AFL has eliminated another nasty play the outdoor game utilizes: the end-of-game kneel down. I don't pay money to watch players on the field do the same thing I can do: fall down on cue. Why bother with the last 1-2 minutes if that's all we're going to get? With very, very few exceptions, the kneel down kills what otherwise should be the most exciting time in the game.

This isn't really NFL-bashing, I've been an NFL fan since 1971. It's more a anti-AFL-bashing post, pointing out some interesting differences between the two similar but quite unique sports leagues.

I like to watch the AFL. It is nice to see some football in April. Go Avengers!