Before the Arena Football League’s (AFL) closure in 2019, it was the third-longest-running professional football league in North America, behind the National Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL). Currently, the league is expecting to start up again in 2024.
According to Insider, the Arena Football League (AFL) will announce its relaunch on Wednesday. The league will be led by new people, and play will begin again in 2024.
The F1 Sports & Entertainment investment company, which acquired the AFL’s rights in January 2022, will oversee the league’s resumption of activities. In 2019, after declaring Chapter 7 bankruptcy, the AFL terminated operations.
According to Insider, the league’s new board of directors will be composed of chairman Chris Chetty, president Anthony Rossi, and president of operations Shan Singh. The team’s executive leadership will comprise the commissioner, Lee A. Hutton III, the deputy commissioner, Travelle Gaines, the president of entertainment, Tuo Clark, and the executive vice president, Curt Feldtkeller.
Hutton said in a statement that “the Arena Football League brand has always sat at the pinnacle of indoor football by offering gridiron entertainment, fast action, and iron tough athletes in conjunction with delivering a family fun fan experience that uniquely engages the pigskin enthusiast,” and further added “Ultimately, the professional sports brand speaks for itself and is proud to announce, ‘We are back!'”
Teams to be launched in the AFL season
There will be 16 clubs in the AFL at the start, and the regular season will consist of 10 games before the postseason.
Chetty said, “Our commitment is to deliver a professional sports event every week indoors, on the shoulder of the summer season when the world craves entertainment and competition.”
“We aim to produce a family-friendly, yet equally electric atmosphere for our committed fans.” “As Chairman, my objective will be to change the culture of professional sports ownership, and it is with great confidence that I state that, from the owners to the players, we will be the most racially-diverse professional sports league in the world.”
Gaines said, “The AFL has an iconic legacy of 30-plus years, and we plan to honor that history.” He added, “We will bring teams to markets that previously boasted AFL franchises and engage with the rabid fan bases that supported our brand of football.” The AFL also plans to provide year-round sports performance training, rehabilitation resources, and nutritional programs to ensure the modern athlete is better prepared for “ironman football.”