Count the Arena Football League as the latest pro football league to make a comeback, following the USFL and XFL.
The AFL, which is under new ownership, announced plans Wednesday to return to play in 2024 with 16 teams playing a 10-game schedule.
The league has been out of business since 2019 when it filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
Formed in the 1980s, the indoor AFL had 19 teams at its peak and drew celebrity ownership, but it was down to six franchises when it ceased operations. Investment group F1 Sports & Entertainment bought the rights to the league in January 2022.
“We are elated to come out of hibernation and make this announcement official,” league president Anthony Rossi said in a news release. “Our objective when we acquired the AFL was to bring back a storied brand that deserved to be revived and showcased again, globally. … We want to incorporate the components of a modern-day business – streaming, betting, technology, virtual reality, and immense fan engagement mixed with good old-fashioned iron-man football.”
Rossi said the partnership has “assembled a world-class operational team.” Lee A. Hutton III, an attorney who has worked on cases involving both the NFL and NCAA football, will serve as commissioner.
The AFL said Hutton will be the first Black commissioner of a professional sports league in the U.S.
The reimagined summer league will feature some previous teams as well as new clubs among its 16 franchises. The regular season will be followed by playoffs, and the teams will be announced at a later date.
“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,” AFL chairman Chris Chetty said. “We aim to produce a family-friendly, yet equally electric atmosphere for our committed fans.”
–Field Level Media