It turns out that one of the founders of the All American Football League is a Georgia fan.
As the article acknowledges, the whole venture has a kind of loose, seat of your pants feel to it – maybe Bernie Machen should apply to be the first commissioner – but at least these guys do seem to have a basic grasp of their target market.
“Now, will people come out to see a game between Birmingham and Detroit? Maybe not,” Katz said.
“But if they come out to see a team with a bunch of ex-Alabama graduates that didn’t play in the NFL playing a team dressed in blue and orange from Gainesville that wants to beat the (heck) out of ’em just because it’s a team from Alabama, then maybe we have a shot.”
And you have to like this goal:
Katz said the University of Georgia was one of about 30 schools that told the AAFL it loves the concept but wants to see if the first year succeeds.
It might be the ultimate letdown for this Georgia fan. Katz wants the AAFL’s inaugural game next April to match Georgia vs. Florida at the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla.
I wonder what they’d name it…