The Gladiators are capitalizing on the increased demand by locking up a local television partnership with WUAB. Six of their nine home games will be broadcast by Channel 43, and all 18 regular-season contests again will air on WKRK-FM, 92.3. On July 18, 38 Special will perform a 75-minute postgame concert, and the team will bring back its $1 soda and $2 draft beer specials for every contest.

“This could allow us to capture the fringe casual fan looking to come out and have a good time,” Ostrowski said of the 38 Special concert, which trumps any postgame event in the franchise's history. “It's something like this that takes the game experience to a different level.” It's exactly the type of feature Butera believes is essential as the Arena league attempts to get its business in line with what the commissioner thinks is an excellent on-field product. “You need facilities that are clean, safe and fun, with great in-game entertainment, a lot of interaction with players and other elements of the game so people feel like they're part of the action,” Butera said. “Whether it's a resort, a casino or sports, we're all competing for people's entertainment dime.” As for the slimmed-down nature of the league, Butera said he'd rather have 12 good owners “than have 15 with three or four that aren't in great shape.” He hopes to add four teams next season, then get the AFL to 20 clubs in the coming years. But he'll be very selective when someone wants to be part of the league, which launched in 1987. “We want to grow, but each owner we take on has to have a substantial net worth with an understanding of running a sports organization and ties to the city,” Butera said. “Dan Gilbert is the model of what we're looking for. Who the owner is and their skill base is much more important (than just adding teams).” Another of the commissioner's initiatives is a “full-court” publicity blitz — one that is pushing the game's exciting action, reasonable prices and up-close access to players and coaches. This season, 15 AFL games will be broadcast on ESPN and 16 will be televised by CBS Sports Network. Every non-CBS Sports broadcast is available on mobile devices via ESPN3. “The increased ESPN exposure is very critical to our league,” the Gladiators' Ostrowski said. “Sports networks want live content, and if it's the most popular sport in the country, that's even better. That's exciting for us.”