The National Arena League could potentially become the most favored indoor football league in the country if an annual post season all-star game was incorporated into the league’s schedule.
No other indoor football league hosts an event of this nature, so if the NAL was to start an annual all-star game, this would give the NAL an edge on competitor leagues such as the Indoor Football League and Championship Indoor Football league.
An NAL All-Star Game Would Shake Up Indoor Football
An all-star game is guaranteed to boost the NAL’s popularity across the country. Diehard indoor football fans are chomping at the bit to see the best talent the NAL has to offer go head-to-head on the gridiron.
If the NAL starts an all-star game, fans from all over the country would watch, exposing the league to potential markets that it otherwise wouldn’t been able to reach. Fans are always looking for opportunities to interact with their favorite athletes.
An all-star game would give the NAL fan base the opportunity to select the rosters of the two teams in the event, similar to the format of the NFL’s Pro Bowl. This business move would even draw the attention of indoor football fans in IFL and CIF territory, as neither have an all-star game to compete with.
This game would also draw the attention of potential sponsors who would pay top dollar to have their brand represent this all-star game. Potential sponsors would pour revenue into the NAL, which would benefit players, owners, and fans alike.
The 2017 Pro Bowl was sponsored by Aquafina. While the financial terms weren’t disclosed publicly, Aquafina was able to replace the United Services Automobile Association as the Pro Bowls official sponsor.
This means that the two either got into a bidding war, or Aquafina simply sent the NFL an offer that the USAA couldn’t compete with. If sponsors were competing to represent an all-star game hosted by the NAL, this league would become the top indoor football league in the nation.
An all-star game could also be the site for professional scouts to come in and get a look at the best of the NAL. While players from the NAL, IFL, and CIF have been signed by NFL and CFL teams, the NAL would steal the attention of scouts with an all-star game.
With the NFL and CFL always looking for talent to recruit, a game that advertises some of the more gifted athletes in the NAL could be seen as a way for athletes to showcase their various skill sets. This may even attract talent from competitor leagues, giving the NAL an even deeper talent pool and an exciting future for fans to look forward to.
An all-star game would leave fans eager for the Arena Bowl. While the league may have to start spending money to reserve a venue for the all-star and championship game (depending on how the league schedules and plans for the events), this game would act as an appetizer, with the main dish being the NAL Championship.
Fans would not only be given the opportunity to watch two of the best teams in the NAL compete, but also the best athletes in the NAL. Imagine if the NAL had an all-star game for its 2017 season.
Given that the game would’ve took place at the Veterans Memorial Arena, home of the Jacksonville Sharks (hosts of the NAL Championship in 2017), local fans would’ve packed the stands just as they did in the championship game, filling the arena with noise as the competition unfolded on the field.
While there hasn’t been any talk about an all-star game from the NAL, the thought of such game should get any arena football fan excited.
League officials should look into the idea of hosting a game of this caliber because of the potential revenue and popularity it would bring to the NAL.
Only time will tell if an indoor football all-star game will ever become a reality, but for now, the thought of such event should get fans of NAL football pumped for the future of this league.
An all-star game is essential to the success of any league, no matter the sport, so for the NAL to get an edge on rival leagues, an all-star game should be number one on the agenda of league officials.
