A Look At Expansion
The AFL takes a look at 2004.

The Arena Football League's Board of Directors will begin the process to approve its expansion teams for the 2004 season at its December 11^th meeting. Before this happens, all team candidates must have their applications signed, sealed, and delivered to the League by November 20^th.

" Our NBC agreement, committed NFL owners and fan-friendly time-proven product has attracted more ownership groups than ever before," said Commissioner David Baker.

" By adding the best applicants to our league for the 2004 season, we are maximizing this opportunity while at the same time preserving the high quality of play our fans expect," concluded Baker.

New Orleans Voodoo owner, Tom Benson, and the Nashville Kats owner, Bud Adams, both of which own NFL teams, have already purchased their AFL teams and have been approved by the AFL's Board of Directors to begin play in 2004, subject to securing leases in their arenas.

Washington D.C.'s AFL team, owned by the Washington Redskins owners, Daniel Snyder and Fred Drasner, are finalizing their arena location which will determine whether they begin play in 2004 or 2005.

Unlikely that the AFL will approve more than one or two additional expansion teams for 2004, the Board of Directors may consider as many as four total expansion teams for the 2004 season considering the demand.

Others that have expressed interest in beginning play in 2004 include potential applicants for Boston, Columbus, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, and St. Louis.

NFL ownership groups who have been approved to begin play sometime in the future are Jacksonville and San Francisco, but they will not be considered for 2004.