Writer: Matt Rappa
Soul’s Dolezel Optimistic on Future of Arena Football League
Published20 Jan 2019
By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor 
The Arena Football League, whose newly released logo last month marked "the path moving forward as a next-generation sports league," is preparing for expansion ahead of the 2019 season.
With rumors of imminent announcements to bring a team to Atlantic City and to a yet-to-be-reported city, Philadelphia Soul head coach Clint Dolezel is "hearing nothing but great things" about where the AFL is headed.
"That's all I can ask for. Coming from last year where we didn't know if we were going to play the week before we started training camp, I was a little scared," Dolezel said before the Soul's last open player tryouts Saturday at Total Turf Experience in Pitman, New Jersey.
Last March, the AFL and the AFL Players Union reached a new four-year collective bargaining agreement, which nearly doubled player compensation "on average," expanded healthcare coverage for players, and positioned the league for "growth and expansion opportunities," according to the AFL press release. Had it not been for the agreement, the season could have been significantly delayed and/or canceled.
Fast-forward nearly 10 months later, the league appears to be headed "on the right track," notes Dolezel.
"We have a good relationship with the union for the players; we have a four-year deal in place. We're expanding," Dolezel said. "It looks like we're going to add two teams this year, and I heard yesterday from an article we're going to even possibly add four more next year to get to 10-to-12 … somewhere in there. That's where we're looking to get."
Not only does the AFL want quantity of teams, but quality of teams and their owners as well. "It's not about just getting numbers of teams, it's getting the right teams," Dolezel said. "That's what we haven't done in the AFL in the past; is getting the right group of ownerships in there to make it go."
"I think we're on the right track there."
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In November, AFL Chairman of Executive Committee and Soul Majority Owner Ron Jaworski hinted that through expansion and the league's new headquarters in Philadelphia, the league wants to first grow in the northeast.
"The goal is trying to keep everything somewhat East Coast, and start West. That's a good process; I like the things I'm hearing from the league," Dolezel said.
"I haven't heard this much optimism in a long time, so I'm excited about it, too."
