The network will have a regular Monday-night slot in which it will televise 14 games from March to June. The ArenaBowl title game in New Orleans on July 29 will be aired by sister network, ABC, which also will show two regional season openers.
In all, ESPN/ABC will broadcast 26 games — 17 regular-season and nine postseason games. ESPN will also have extensive multimedia rights in the five-year deal that includes everything from internet to radio to publishing to international distribution.
The NBC network had a small equity stake in the league through a contract that expired after the 2006 season, which the network chose not to renew for the AFL's 21st season.
