ARENA FOOTBALL

• San Jose confirms Arena League's demise

  
  

  San Jose, CA (Sports Network) - The San Jose SaberCats confirmed in a release that the Arena Football League has suspended football operations indefinitely.

  The league was originally suspended just for the 2009 season and intended on returning in 2010, but the AFL has now suspended operations indefinitely.

  "It is very unfortunate that the tremendously loyal and enthusiastic SaberCats fans will not be able to see their team on the field as a member of the AFL in 2010," said team vice president Hank Stern. "We deeply regret this turn of events and wish to thank our fans for their passionate support, and we apologize that they are being disappointed due to this decision by the league." The release says that "there remained an impasse in getting the required 75 percent of the franchises to commit to the 2010 season." The SaberCats won the ArenaBowl three times since joining the league in 1995 and were the runner-up in the final ArenaBowl in 2008, won by the Philadelphia Soul.

  Last December, the league suspended operations for the 2009 season, saying it was working on developing a long-term plan to improve its economic model.

  The league, which was founded in 1987, has faced trouble as longtime commissioner David Baker resigned in July 2008.

  08/05 14:30:21 ET