Tampa Bay Storm head coach Tim Marcum has confirmed the AFL board of directors has voted to suspend operations for the 2009 season.

Marcum said the board voted 12-5 Sunday evening in favor to suspend operations, with hopes of returning to the field in 2010 with a better business model in place. Marcum added Tampa Bay, San Jose, Arizona and New York were the teams that voted to continue playing, as well as the representative for Gridiron Enterprises.

The board is comprised of a representative from each of the league’s 16 teams and one representative from Gridiron Enterprises, which holds the patent for the league.

The board voted on Wednesday to not suspend the 2009 season. That vote was 10-7 in favor of suspending operations. Marcum said Chicago, which previously was pushing to play, switched sides during the week, which brought the board back for another vote. Marcum said the decisive vote Sunday was made by Orlando, which gave the board the two-thirds majority it needed to move forward with suspending operations.

The Arena Football League Players Association still needs to give its approval for the league to move forward with suspending operations for 2009. It is unclear how the league would proceed if the AFLPA does not give its approval.

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