Is It Time To Bring Back An Arena Football Team To Grand Rapids?
In 2008, the Grand Rapids Rampage played their final game of Arena Football in Van Andel Arena. The following year, the Arena Football League (AFL) declared bankruptcy and was disbanded.
The league was reconfigured in 2010, after missing the 2009 season, but the Rampage did not return to Grand Rapids. The COO of the Rampage, Scott Gorsline, released this statement when the Rampage franchise folded:
"Grand Rapids was a great starting point for the early stages of the AFL product... Our opinion is that the arena football products that are out there right now or that are being considered, are not the right fit for our organization, Van Andel Arena or the Grand Rapids market," - via MLive
The Grand Rapids Rampage played 11 seasons in Van Andel Arena and had an average attendance of about 8,000 fans. That's pretty good when you look at the seating capacity of Van Andel (10,834).
So, now that the Arena Football League is back playing games and has had a full 7 seasons, is it time to bring back an AFL to Grand Rapids?
Let us know in the poll if you think that Grand Rapids should bring back the Rampage!