Odds Say Alliance of American Football Will Be Back for a 2nd Season
- The AAF began play earlier in February
- Carolina Hurricanes Owner Tom Dundon paid $250 million to the league and became Chairman
- Rumors swirled the payment was to help league make payroll
Just 10 days into its first season, the AAF needed a $250 million investment from Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon.
Multiple reports alleged the league was about to fail to meet payroll, but those have been denied. However and why ever this went down, it’s still not a great sign that the upstart league needed cash infusions right off the hop.
Despite this, the odds from Bookmaker heavily favor the league is here to stay (for at least one more season).
Odds The AAF Makes It To Year 2
| Will The AAF Start Their 2nd Season? | Odds at Bookmaker |
|---|---|
| Yes | -250 |
| No | +180 |
*Odds 2/21
Where does the value sit in this futures bet? To me, it’s quite clear.
Without further ado – here are the debut AAF power rankings as we head into Week 3 of the season!https://t.co/eti6T4pRzi pic.twitter.com/fdskwWkUMg
— PFF_AAF (@PFF_AAF) February 20, 2019
AAF In Serious Jeopardy
Language is a funny thing. Sometimes it means nothing, sometimes it means everything.
When it comes to odds-makers in particular, lean towards the latter.
Check the wording of this prop bet, “Will the AAF Start Their 2nd Season?” The fact the designation needs to be made that the bet only requires them to start the season and not finish it, implies the organization is on thin ice doesn’t it?
Congrats to Garrett Gilbert for being named @TheAAF Week 2 Offensive Player of the Week! ?#TakeAim | ?: https://t.co/mZHxg3l9PX pic.twitter.com/eJMH0eFzAB
— Orlando Apollos (@aafAPOLLOS) February 19, 2019
It’s a shame too, because the football itself is actually pretty good.
If the league were to succeed, it would offer another avenue to the NCAA and CFL for players to make their way to the NFL. The positives are there, but it seems like the money may not be.
Remember the XFL started well, too, and quickly found itself defunct. The league can pretend a $250 million payment is simply an investment, but where there’s smoke there’s fire.
Any other company that started and had a cash payment that big and the naming of a new chairman would raise serious red flags, and this shouldn’t be seen any differently.
The Smart Bet Is The Value Bet
The good news here is betting with your brain also nets out the better pay day of the two props. Betting against the AAF to make it to the beginning of Year 2 pays at +180, which is a nice price that won’t require as big of an investment.
The rude awakening coming for the league might be similar to, oh let’s say, an iconic bone shattering sack.
This will always be an iconic hit in @TheAAF history!! pic.twitter.com/DLUEWUZ3zG
— AAF Update (@TheAAFUpdate) February 18, 2019
Fade the league and enjoy the pay day. As much fun as it would be to have more football available, it seems this league started before it was ready and will ultimately pay the price of closing its doors.
PICK: AAF WILL NOT START THEIR 2ND SEASON (+180)
Ryan has been working at TSN for over eleven years, and is now a lead writer and content producer at That's Hockey. Over the years, he's launched and hosted TSN's first NCAAF podcast, The College Football Show, and been featured on the likes of TSN 1050, Sportscentre, and That's Hockey 2Nite.
