Arena Football League calls timeout

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - The Arena Football League will suspend operations for the 2009 season, and will try to resume play as soon as is financially feasible.

Grand Rapids Rampage officials confirmed at a mid-afternoon press confernece earlier reports the league would suspend play.

In a statement, Rampage owner Dan DeVos said, “We had strong support from franchise owners as we set a plan in place to suspend the 2009 season and spend time to reconfigure the economic structure of the league. It is the best strategy to work toward long-term financial stability, and it also makes sense in the current economy."

Ramage GM Scott Woodruff will continue to manage the opearations of the franchise. The team plans to refund all 1,800 season tickets sold and refund their pre-paid corporate sponsors. The coaching contracts will remain intact.

Some Rampage employees will be laid off, while others will transition over to the Grand Rapids Griffins.

The players' fate and finances will be left to the league and players union to determine.

The Rampage began play in 1997, and won the Arena Bowl in 2001.