Arena Bowl XXXIII... played at a SHOPPING MALL?!?

[@brodiebrazil]

Some other videos you might like: Oakland A's were "best years of my life" says Khris Davis 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/aZuxXoOrrcqrfqs MLB Starting Pitchers becoming... extinct? 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/l6bJZ6Ntl5tjZ9U Jose Canseco makes final visit to Oakland Coliseum, A's game 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/g3a7YZmFp7ymra8 How the San Jose Sharks logo was created (Terry Smith Interview) 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/n6e0fZx5oM2arpI Inside the Oakland A's Video Room (Behind the Scenes, 2005) 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/rJvZYWqZfbKKmc0 How Mason Miller overcame T1D, became an elite MLB closer 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZpnaaIiuaZppipI Every Major Pro League has FAILED cities 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/p4K5l42Cq8inm9U Power Slap isn't a sport (isn't great either) 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/oZ_dnGasncxsfKM Oakland Coliseum: Baseball to Football conversion (2005) 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6exZoxtbNOrncU How does Mason Miller throw 103 MPH fastballs? 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y4HaqqiKod93nrM New THEME for this channel? 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/jp7Io6mcj7agZ9k Macklin Celebrini didn't say that. 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmSlcmRvp8yZqc0

[@beardupbeerdown7355]

Just goes to show that the Coyotes still had plenty of options

[@SunnyCue-ew5ow]

And in Arizona many people want to beat the heat

[@UrbanPorcupine]

That's actually kind of a good point.

[@patrickstrahm05]

🔥

[@JohnYomtovJr]

Murelo would deny the food court pizza though for the players

[@timc7037]

I went to an AZ Rattlers game once, way back in the day. The crowd energy rivaled that of the run-and-gun Suns.

[@kami_in_the_skye]

This is actually pretty dope. Reminds me of the first WCW Monday Nitro way back in the day from The Mall of America.

[@hasanjabbar]

@@kami_in_the_skye AEW & TNA gotta do this lol

[@freddieP711]

Monday nitro was a wrestling event this is a semi pro football game that was held which makes it more hilarious lmao

[@TheWrestlingGameNetwork]

​@@freddieP711 Arena Football doesn't have much drawing power anyway so I give them credit for thinking outside the box on a venue.

[@marcushoustonsr]

This reminds me of wcw when they had the first ever monday night nitro at the mall of america and had their last episode at a bar in florida

[@TheWrestlingGameNetwork]

This was my first thought

[@philmycrackin1034]

WCW had Nitro at that 'bar' annually for spring break, even during their successful years. It was more of a beach-side outdoor nightclub. Coincidental timing alone is why the last Nitro was in that location.

[@seansley]

Maybe the A's could save money and play at a fancy Las Vegas mall..

[@MrCHAIRMANOFTHEBORED]

They could play on Fremont Street 💯👍

[@stinkincooldesigns8469]

The A's just need to play in a sand lot

[@bobheyotue9850]

You’re thinking about that HR derby mini game on the Bigs 2 😂😂. Though I’m totally down for it.

[@grantorino2325]

_rimshot_

[@BD-1-And-Only]

Fashion Square Mall maybe?

[@David_Peltier]

Actually fun fact there Brodie - the Harlem Globetrotters will be having their first ever sports residency on that same spot in American Dream in just a couple weeks and will even be televising one of the games nationwide from the mall.

[@hasanjabbar]

@David_Peltier hope ESPN carry that show!

[@bkroeckel]

Funny thing is, the food court does overlook the playing surface but from the third floor. There’s still some work being done in that area on the second floor which is probably why there weren’t that many people in the shot. I’ve been there plenty of times and skated on that ice. Owned by the same property group as Mall of America which ironically enough is located right outside of Minneapolis, so maybe connecting the dots there lol

[@samelmudir]

turn all dying malls into arena football stadiums lol

[@henrymanzano2201]

A mall not too far from me has a space that could be converted. It was a Lord & Taylor store that shut down 4 years ago

[@PCSPounder]

When you consider that a small town Iowa JC Penney’s has been converted into a hockey arena, it becomes crucial to recognize that this is a cheaper option than renting out NHL arenas.

[@danbratten3103]

​​@@PCSPoundertoo bad it fell apart in Des Moines for the Buccaneers at Meryl Hay Mall.

[@danielharrington1891]

Hilltop Richmond A’s Chargers

[@danielharrington1891]

Hilltop

[@operarhodo]

Baltimore had an AFL team called the Brigade 2017-2019. I only got to 4 games in their last season before the league bankruptcy. I was honored to have sung the National Anthem for a Brigade game in 2019. I have to say the AFL was awesome, and I wish I knew we had a team when they started 2017. The games were an incredible amount of fun and more family friendly then an NFL game. My wife and son loved going to those games. The rules were a little odd, but easy to pick up on. I hope the league can continue to grow, and I hope Baltimore gets a team again.

[@SunnyCue-ew5ow]

Ha that's cool

[@BoringAngler]

Hey congratulations on directly participating in the "Leonsis owns half the league" era of the Arena Football League! As a mild supporter of the 2018 "champions" just down I-95, the 2-12 Washington Valor, I will scour KZbin for your performance.

[@rockvilleraven]

@@BoringAngler I remember Ron Jaworski owned almost the other half of the league, the Philly Soul and the Atlantic City Blackjacks, AC is where the Philadelphia people go to the Beach.

[@sirkazom5760]

All players were treated to a Cinnabon after the game.

[@brodiebrazil]

i heard some had auntie anne's & sbarro too?

[@kami_in_the_skye]

In lieu of pay.

[@JStorm13]

​@@brodiebrazilSbarro? How much pain do you want to inflict on the league?

[@aaronblaylock2092]

No Orange Julius??! Cheep skates.....

[@MrRicklynch57]

I was just watching a documentary and TNT's first wrestling show was in the Mall of America. The producer said having it at the mall made it look like the were a lot of people there instead of having it in an arena where they have to turn the lights off the crowd to hide the empty seats. I'm guessing the commissioner of the AFL saw the same documentary as me.

[@andysorensen1737]

What if I told you that commissioner is Jeff Fisher? As in 7-9 Jeff Fisher?

[@BaseballPlayer0]

the commish probably saw that nitro when it first aired in 95

[@TheWrestlingGameNetwork]

​@@andysorensen1737 that just means Jeff Fisher has more unique ideas as a commissioner than a coach lol

[@ericholloway5352]

For the AFL, especially considering its current financial situation, I think this is genius. If this league survives, it will become a legendary story, if it doesn’t, it becomes another funny story for the mall to use as a selling point that you already made. Rent our space out for your next event, birthday party, donkey basketball game, or football championship.

[@evanlong2726]

I happened to be there that day and caught much of the 3rd. I was just as surprised since I didn’t think the AFL was even back. Fun time! Btw that is the second largest mall in the country and has a freaking ski hill and two amusement parks, so not really a small place, but not the usual venue.

[@hasanjabbar]

I would've love to see a nba G-league showcase at the mall there. A lot of nba fans would see up & coming rookies and two way players play their games in front of shoppers! Or I could see a NHL all star event there too if New Jersey gets the all star weekend.

[@BaseballPlayer0]

all hoopsters r 2way players

[@1sportsfan]

the first episode of WCW Nitro was in The Mall of America back in 1995. Better to have the game in a mall than not at all. Hard times if you will.

[@oliverlhouse]

Not sure if you’ve seen it, but the Drake Relays track meet in Des Moines, Iowa hosts a pole vault competition inside one of the local malls. It’s done as a promo for the relays, and the actual athletes who compete at the relays, will do it. In recent years they’ve moved it to another indoor common space venue downtown. But it’s really cool to be that close to the athletes. Worth checking out.

[@maxlenn4071]

I was at the game and was at field level, about $80 a ticket. It was definitely an interesting experience, but fun.

[@JL-sm6cg]

Nice to know they were charging admission.

[@melvinsims5379]

​@@JL-sm6cgPlaying in a Mall is better than swirling in a Toilet on the verge of being flushed like those 2 so-called NY teams that are ashamed to represent the great state of New Jersey where they really play. 🏈👎

[@neighslayer768]

I see this and think doing anything but shopping at a mall is weird. But then I remember World Championship Wrestling hosted their first live TNT broadcast of Monday Nitro from The Mall of America.

[@seand1011]

I remember when Arena Football was a huge deal back in the day. Before San Jose had a team for all those years, Sacramento had one in NorCal first for one season (1992).

[@henryca03]

If this was a pre-season or even an early regular season game, that's one thing. But this shouldn't have been the championship game site.

[@danielharrington1891]

Fire marshal. Only so many people can be on upper level.

[@davelb87]

Bigger issue is that the game was played with zero promotion on CBS Sports Net, a cable channel with lousy distribution.

[@Marylandbrony]

Mad about the CFL going from ESPN to CBS sports net. Even if it means doesn't dissappear from TV's when the NFL preseason starts.

[@jquatt21]

American Dream mall is at the Meadowlands Sports Complex so this isn’t just a random mall. The owners of the mall also own the mall of America In Minneapolis so that may be a connection.

[@andrewterrell2358]

Considering the roller coaster of a season this AFL revival has gone through, it's good that it made it to the finish. Games in malls like this wouldn't be a bad idea for a couple of the teams' markets. Caught a Nashville Kats game a few months back and they usually drew pretty well. Not sure if other teams could say the same

[@mikemoore5263]

They have played College Basketball games on an air craft carrier, think they should try that next year

[@hasanjabbar]

@mikemoore5263 wnba needs to have the commissioner cup championship game like that or the nba could bring the semifinals and championship games of the IST there

[@rockvilleraven]

I remember the Baltimore Blast were going to play an indoor soccer game outdoors at Johnny Unitas Field at Towson University, where they play their home games inside at SECU Arena at the same campus, however torrential downpours cancelled it.

[@michaelwalker7400]

If you saw how bad some of the setups were at some of the teams that shut down during the year, those nets are a massive improvement from where they were at the start of the year. The Minnesota owner was the wife of the now former league commissioner. I'd expect both to be in jail soon.

[@FenriRock]

Since we are doing arena stuff now, you should do some coverage of the Bay Area Panthers in the IFL. Defending champions about to start the playoffs in SAP

[@BrianH16]

You should interview Justin Arth. He was a quarterback for the Georgia Force who folded at the beginning of the season and has a lot of interesting thoughts on the AFL

[@MichaelHeilman]

Brodie, the AFL this year was like a circus. They had people running the league who had no business running the AFL. 16 teams were slated to start the season but only eight finished. If you look at pictures from Week 1 between Louisiana and Philadelphia, the field was not up to AFL standards. Ex-Titans coach and Nashville Kats owner Jeff Fisher took over as an Interm Commissioner. I don't know if the AFL will be around next year, but if they do continue. They need a new business model if they want to be around for years to come.

[@donkeysaurusrex7881]

Two men enter! One man leaves!

[@tiredroy52]

Next year, Arena Bowl 34, on the USS Intrepid, NYC!

[@maxscameraguy]

Reminds me of watching ice hockey in Kuwait and Dubai.

[@scottNNJ]

The Metropolitan Riveters of the NWHL/PHF women’s locker league played their last season here before the league shut down. Pro sports is not unprecedented here. Locker rooms are downstairs. There’s a staircase leading to the player benches so that fans/shoppers can surround the rink on all sides.

[@jimt9245]

When malls have been dying for the last couple decades, I was surprised that this behemoth of a mall was even built. From the look of your coverage, it appears that a lot of the retail units have not been rented out. It would be genius if this attention increases interest for either the mall or the league. But this is probably a story of of either one or both of these ventures trying to avoid bankruptcy.

[@lewatoaofair2522]

The owners of the mall, Mills Corporation, own some of the largest malls in North America. The two others are West Edmonton Mall in, well, Edmonton (largest in North America), and Mall of America near Minneapolis (largest in just the States). Such malls go beyond the “shopping” aspect that they’re known for, adding a plethora of amusement attractions. They each have indoor theme parks, some have a water park, an aquarium, an indoor ski park, or all of the above. Heck, WEM has an skating rink which the Oilers sometimes use for practice.

[@JohnYomtovJr]

WCW held their debut episode of Monday Nitro at the Mall of America back in 1995 - that mall was packed. However there was heavy marketing and financial backing for that debut - until @brodiebrazil talked about AB33...i had NO idea it even happened let alone in a mall.

[@SirPhilosopher]

This is what the world needs, more sports in shopping malls!

[@gmann2101]

Got Debut WCW Nitro energy

[@mlbjmaur]

Love the SFX Brodie😂😂😂

[@NinnaFrank]

Great idea to use the malls. That or bowling alleys!!

[@thekerouaccat]

Even sadder when you realize Albany to East Rutherford isn't that long of a roadtrip -does that team really not have 100 or so fans dedicated enough to make a short road trip to a championship game?

[@CodeDonut]

the biggest thing i see is that Babies R Us is reopening.. lol

[@JL-sm6cg]

They reopened a Toys R Us at MoA as well.

[@diegomeredith-marquez929]

If this had been a one-off preseason game to promote the league and build hype for the upcoming season, that would've been pretty novel and cool. Having it be the championship game, though, does feel kinda sad, though, honestly.

[@amazing50000]

A shopping mail?Iin the New York City Area where I live? The AFL is done.

[@caliobzvr]

They used the fitting rooms at JC Penny to put on their uniforms

[@elijahperez6506]

Personally I still love the mall. So it’s a win for me

[@lancetheb.m.c]

At least the Mall got free advertising and probably had some great camera angles!

[@charlescummings2205]

Great reuse of the building. That's interesting

[@fixpacifica]

San Francisco's mayor wants to turn a half-empty downtown shopping mall into a soccer stadium.

[@bobbywysing47]

It’s pretty cool but very cheezy at the same time!

[@doneisenbarth]

This could be the tagline for the AFL for a while, to be honest.

[@Bruhgaming246]

My hometown Outlaws won that game and I thoght it was just INSANE

[@johnwise8433]

Thats so cool. Imagine just walking around in the mall a come up on this

[@kingmo8789]

It was great to see an arena bowl in a mall.

[@edwardburek1717]

It's amazing - in a bone-headed sort of way. It's like transferring the FA Cup Final at short notice to Merry Hill Shopping Centre, in the English Midlands. And what about the kids who wanted to play youth hockey that day?

[@TheWrestlingGameNetwork]

I thought Arena Football went under. I'll give them this, that's a unique venue.

[@donkeysaurusrex7881]

There’s a hockey league in Dubai that plays all their games in a mall.

[@stephenconnors7380]

As you said, if it weren't for this gimmick, nobody would even know the AFL was still a thing. Free pub is the best pub.

[@cohengamertv6548]

Cant wait for the brand new AFL West Edmonton Mall team

[@UrbanPorcupine]

Name two things that are dying: Arena football and shopping malls. But seriously, this is kind of brilliant.

[@Dantheman19961-e]

No it's not it's pathetic asf

[@JElNative]

Should have used Prudential Center

[@donkeysaurusrex7881]

I thought the league folded months ago

[@moose7454]

It definitely wasn’t free. They barely played the game because American Dream wasn’t getting paid. There’s an article in Albany newspaper about that.

[@klax2919]

makes MLB attendance issues in the state of florida not seem so bad

[@RavenStorm332]

giving what the AFL when through with Lee Hutton III being commissioner and then ousting him and appointing someone else this is the best option because at least they got to play their championship game

[@WrongedSports]

The rink is right next to a large candle shop and the water park is right next to it too. But that mall is trash and huge waste of money for NJ 😊

[@higgy04]

I guess the Mayfield Toyota Ice Palace at West Edmonton Mall wasn't available either.

[@kirkdooley8190]

Being from Billings, I would rather the game had been played at the First Interstate Arena at Metrapark (the Outlaws, after all, had the best record in what was left of the league) instead of the FORMER site of the Izod Center (home of the New Jersey Nets and Devils for many years). The Minnesota Myth was owned (on paper, at least) by the wife of the league's commissioner (who turned out to be a con man in the manner of the former owner of the New Jersey Generals of the original USFL) She left the Myth (and Minnesota) in a Huff (a green-and-white Huff, with wire wheels), and hubby was thrown out on his kiester (replaced as Commish by Jeff Fisher former coach of the Tennessee Titans and -- allegedly -- the LA Rams). Hopefully, things have been stabilized, and this Rumble in the Mall won't be the last Arena Bowl.

[@thekerouaccat]

Suddenly I'm reminded of Donald Trump's press conference at Four Seasons Landscaping -could it be possible the AFL just thought the Izod Center was still there, but forgot to actually check until it was too late but didn't want to admit they'd messed up?

[@Bruhgaming246]

Me personally I agree, even though the arena doesn't get as full as it used to during the 2000s.But atleast the game against Nashville still had atmosphere.

[@kevinkthedj]

Honestly if they got more people talking about the game as a smaller league AND they saved money doing this, this is the best case scenario

[@jeffreyc1971]

Did Tiffany play a concert at halftime? That would have been a nice touch!

[@josephfromtheatl9113]

Could you do a video on Why Major League Football can't seem to get off the ground?

[@joelsimeone5112]

Somehow they made it to the end of the season, and played the title game...in a New Jersey mall

[@skidawg22]

My understanding is that the Minnesota owner was doubling as Arena Football League commissioner and was forced to step down. As a result, Jeff Fisher (yes, he of "7-9 bullshit") became commissioner. How they came to play the championship game in a mall is beyond me, although I did look it up and it's right across from MetLife Stadium.

[@BoringAngler]

With kickoff at 5:30PM on Friday and I think like night #2 of a stand of 3 Luke Bryan shows at MetLife Stadium. Considering for a while one or two times were dropping out of the league each week, I consider this comedy a mild save for the season.

[@kirkdooley8190]

Eventually, all pro football games will be played in a TV studio. ;)

[@brodiebrazil]

if they could sell enough tickets, maybe

[@FerdinandCesarano]

Mock if you like, but the game looked and sounded great on television. That league did plenty wrong this season, but this is one thing that it got absolutely right.

[@jasonkeil6056]

Where were the sidelines, equipment, etc.?

[@brodiebrazil]

i imagine there was lots of open space in the near vicinity

[@TheRoadTripChannel]

Did the announcers say "Welcome to New York" during the game???

[@edwardkelly3280]

I grew up watching Arena Football League when it was on NBC in the early 2000s. Back when they had Bon Jovi and John Elway owned football teams.Arena Football League has distributing rights problems the entire season.We was promised to get NFL Network games which never happened. Not to mention numerous teams folded during the season. One team played in a damn barn. The previous commissioner was so bad that the league voted to kick him out and put Jeff Fisher as commissioner. They are breaking off of the Arena Football League and creating their own football league called Arena Football One in March 2025.

[@salesoperatives7179]

The poor guy at the Orange Julius that took an out of bounds football of his head...

[@KristianWontroba]

Next year, they’ll have it in a Dollar General parking lot. 😂

[@denith969]

man I miss Arena Football, the IFL just doesn't feel the same. Used to goto games all the time in the early 2000s. It's always been more fun to watch Arena Football than NFL. Sad to see all the drama and stuff with the AFL. :(

[@mattkominsky7308]

I was at this game it was pretty cool

[@SP-ie5by]

They should have played at the old ECW Elk Lodge in Queens LMAO

[@jimd2791]

In the Meadowlands, across the parking lot from MetLife Stadium. I didn’t know Arena Football was still a thing. Where did they play the season? Why couldn’t they play the game at one of the arenas where they play the season? Why couldn’t they play it at Oakland Alameda County Stadium? Maybe it would’ve drawn more than an A’s game? 😂 Did the league go under after 19 because of Covid?

[@jimmothy9634]

We got mall football before gta6

[@fakedeath13]

Literally live 5 mins away from there, honestly not even the craziest thing that's happened there, Mr Beast opened a restaurant there and like 20,000 people showed up to the opening

[@SunnyCue-ew5ow]

Smart move

[@bobheyotue9850]

I see what you mean when it look kinda bad but there’s nothing wrong with it since in the past the old AFL higher ups wanted to play a championship game on an aircraft carrier ship.

[@_PrimetimePranks]

This 2024 bastardized version of the Arena Football League was garbage to begin with. The man running it is a scammer and it taints the fun and history of this league.

[@Geno2733]

TIL the AFL was resurrected. Just keep AB as a persona-non-grata and i think they have a chance.

[@torstenscholz6243]

This shows how far the AFL has come: From a well-managed, successful league that drew in tens of thousands of spectators in their first, pre-2009 incarnation to a poorly managed mess that's so desperate for attention that they now play the Bowl in a mall. I wonder what they will do to further embarrass themselves, can it get any worse?

[@geekynerd7346]

It worked

[@colinklang]

The season was a disaster, and it's really fitting that the championship ended there. The league wasn't fulfilling its financial obligations to the teams, probably because their tv deal fell through. Teams then couldn't pay players ( the league said they would cover 75% of the salaries). Teams folded, and the season stumbled on into a shopping mall championship.

[@RedPaganNetwork]

The Arena Football League used to actually be fun to watch as a fun niche thing in the spring during the long NFL off-season. Now its just a joke...

[@lastpme]

This seem so dangerous 😳🫢

[@-SkyCat-]

i would have watched as i think it was odd but intresting but i didn't even know anything like this was going on. AFL has been a mess and i've never really been into AFL. so much drama going on with it over the last 4 years its bad... i thought they closed yet again...

[@SeddySaysGo]

did they at least get a free orange julius?

[@JStorm13]

The target center lost out to this?

[@Dantheman19961-e]

That was the most pathetic thing I've ever seen. That's how pathetic the AFL is

[@katlinfergusson8169]

Should of held it at the Metra in Billings.

[@VoidDWG]

Wow. Arena football is still a thing.

[@doneisenbarth]

Off and on. It can be a good product but it can’t get a good footing since Elway killed the original version.

[@Lucky2000Zx]

The IFL (Indoor Football League) is going strong and a delight to watch

[@jakesmith6233]

It was fitting for how much of a mess this version of the Arena Football League was.

[@chrisw443]

All I know about the AFL is they ripped off portland big time a few times lol.