Tampa Bay Storm head coach and general manager Tim Marcum said Wednesday night that the Arena Football League will play in 2009, and that the Tampa Bay Storm will be among the teams competing this season.

Marcum said the league’s board of directors voted Wednesday night to move ahead with the season. Marcum said he wasn’t sure how many teams will play this year, but that the Tampa Bay Storm would be one of them and that the arena league will continue.

Marcum said he certainly felt a sense of relief with the news the league would continue, but lashed out at the various media reports that had circulated in recent days that stated the AFL, which is said to be in serious financial trouble, was likely to cancel the 2009 season and possibly cease operations altogether.

“One thing I’m very disappointed in is this predetermination, the false information that was out there, that said the Arena Football League was doomed,” Marcum said. I don’t know why people [media] are doing this. Nothing can happen without a vote of the board of directors, and they voted tonight going forward.”

Marcum said the 16-team owners are tentatively scheduled to meet Dec. 19 to hammer out the details for the 2009 season, specifically which teams will be playing this season.

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