2024 Arena Football League season: Difference between revisions
JalenBarks (talk | contribs) m →Standings: Fix GB |
StanleyKey (talk | contribs) Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit |
||
| Line 672: | Line 672: | ||
After cancelling a May 9 home game, the [[Minnesota Myth]] folded on May 13, with owner Diana Hutton accusing the league of attempting to sabotage the team in order to force her husband to resign, which he refused to do.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Skluzacek |first=Josh |date=2024-05-13 |title=Minnesota Myth shutting down 2 weeks into season |url=https://kstp.com/minnesota-sports/minnesota-myth-shutting-down-2-weeks-into-season/ |access-date=2024-05-13 |website=[[KSTP-TV]] |language=en-US}}</ref> Because league central operations were run through the Myth business entity,<ref>{{Cite web |last=McLendon |first=Natalie |date=2024-05-20 |title=UL-Lafayette owed more than $30,000 after Arena Football League team folds |url=https://lailluminator.com/2024/05/20/lafayette-arena-football/ |access-date=2024-05-21 |website=Louisiana Illuminator |language=en-US}}</ref> this caused a crisis with the remainder of the league; in a reported emergency meeting of the remaining teams on May 14, the league's owners, in cooperation with the holding company that holds the AFL's intellectual properties, voted to appoint Nashville Kats president [[Jeff Fisher]] as interim commissioner to salvage the remainder of the season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://titanswire.usatoday.com/2024/05/14/afl-jeff-fisher-commissioner-report|website=TitansWire at USA Today Sports|title=AFL appointing Jeff Fisher as interim commissioner, per report|author=Mike Moraitis|date=May 14, 2024|access-date=May 14, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Organ |first=Mike |title=Former Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher named Arena Football League interim commissioner |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/nhl/2024/05/14/jeff-fisher-arena-football-league-commisioner-nashville-kats-tennessee-titans-coach/73687328007/ |access-date=2024-05-14 |website=The Tennessean |language=en-US}}</ref> This is despite a league bylaw that was believed to have granted Hutton total immunity from ouster by league owners;<ref name=johnson-on-kota>{{Cite web |last=Lind |first=Andrew |date=2024-05-09 |title=NEW: 'Owners can't vote him out,' Q&A with Marshals Co-Owner Wes Johnson |url=https://www.kotatv.com/2024/05/09/new-owners-cant-vote-him-out-qa-with-marshals-co-owner-wes-johnson/ |access-date=2024-05-10 |website=[[KOTA-TV]] |language=en}}</ref> the ouster was made with the full cooperation of G6 Sports Group (owners of the trademarks and connected to the original F1 group that had founded the revival), who had suggested Fisher for the position.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Organ |first=Mike |title=Former Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher named Arena Football League interim commissioner |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/nhl/2024/05/14/jeff-fisher-arena-football-league-commisioner-nashville-kats-tennessee-titans-coach/73687328007/ |access-date=2024-05-14 |website=The Tennessean |language=en-US}}</ref> |
After cancelling a May 9 home game, the [[Minnesota Myth]] folded on May 13, with owner Diana Hutton accusing the league of attempting to sabotage the team in order to force her husband to resign, which he refused to do.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Skluzacek |first=Josh |date=2024-05-13 |title=Minnesota Myth shutting down 2 weeks into season |url=https://kstp.com/minnesota-sports/minnesota-myth-shutting-down-2-weeks-into-season/ |access-date=2024-05-13 |website=[[KSTP-TV]] |language=en-US}}</ref> Because league central operations were run through the Myth business entity,<ref>{{Cite web |last=McLendon |first=Natalie |date=2024-05-20 |title=UL-Lafayette owed more than $30,000 after Arena Football League team folds |url=https://lailluminator.com/2024/05/20/lafayette-arena-football/ |access-date=2024-05-21 |website=Louisiana Illuminator |language=en-US}}</ref> this caused a crisis with the remainder of the league; in a reported emergency meeting of the remaining teams on May 14, the league's owners, in cooperation with the holding company that holds the AFL's intellectual properties, voted to appoint Nashville Kats president [[Jeff Fisher]] as interim commissioner to salvage the remainder of the season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://titanswire.usatoday.com/2024/05/14/afl-jeff-fisher-commissioner-report|website=TitansWire at USA Today Sports|title=AFL appointing Jeff Fisher as interim commissioner, per report|author=Mike Moraitis|date=May 14, 2024|access-date=May 14, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Organ |first=Mike |title=Former Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher named Arena Football League interim commissioner |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/nhl/2024/05/14/jeff-fisher-arena-football-league-commisioner-nashville-kats-tennessee-titans-coach/73687328007/ |access-date=2024-05-14 |website=The Tennessean |language=en-US}}</ref> This is despite a league bylaw that was believed to have granted Hutton total immunity from ouster by league owners;<ref name=johnson-on-kota>{{Cite web |last=Lind |first=Andrew |date=2024-05-09 |title=NEW: 'Owners can't vote him out,' Q&A with Marshals Co-Owner Wes Johnson |url=https://www.kotatv.com/2024/05/09/new-owners-cant-vote-him-out-qa-with-marshals-co-owner-wes-johnson/ |access-date=2024-05-10 |website=[[KOTA-TV]] |language=en}}</ref> the ouster was made with the full cooperation of G6 Sports Group (owners of the trademarks and connected to the original F1 group that had founded the revival), who had suggested Fisher for the position.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Organ |first=Mike |title=Former Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher named Arena Football League interim commissioner |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/nhl/2024/05/14/jeff-fisher-arena-football-league-commisioner-nashville-kats-tennessee-titans-coach/73687328007/ |access-date=2024-05-14 |website=The Tennessean |language=en-US}}</ref> |
||
== Signees to |
== Signees to outdoor professional leagues == |
||
The following players signed with [[NFL]], [[United Football League (2024)|UFL]] or [[CFL]] teams following their involvement with Arena Football League in 2024: |
The following players signed with [[NFL]], [[United Football League (2024)|UFL]] or [[CFL]] teams following their involvement with Arena Football League in 2024: |
||
Revision as of 01:08, 23 May 2024
| 2024 AFL season | |
|---|---|
| League | Arena Football League (2024) |
| Sport | Arena football |
| Duration | April 27 – June 29, 2024 |
| Number of teams | 11 (after reorganization) |
| TV partner(s) | Gray Television, VYRE, Arenafootball.live |
| ArenaBowl XXXIII | |
The 2024 Arena Football League season is the first season in the new version of the Arena Football League (AFL).
The 2024 season was overshadowed by numerous problems and controversies, including the discontinuation of the Iowa Rampage franchise, numerous cancellations of Louisiana VooDoo games, and the abrupt departure of the Philadelphia Soul players and staff, resulting in questions about the future of the league, multiple teams that were owned by the league along with the Iowa Rampage folded or deactivated with plans to play in the 2025 season with league-owned teams often being reported to have not received payments for their games. The original commissioner of the league Lee Hutton was also removed following week 3 and was replaced with Nashville Kats owner Jeff Fisher as interim commissioner in a unanimous vote among team owners.
Background
A year after its second shutdown, the Arena Football League trademarks and logo were bought out by Darren Arbet in 2020. Arbet is a former San Jose SaberCats head coach and was the head coach of the Indoor Football League's Bay Area Panthers. The trademark remained inactive until 2022, when a new website was set up.[1] The website was first noticed on December 12, 2022.[2] Two days later, a tweet from the league account was posted under a post from Tim Capper about the death of John Gregory (head coach of the Iowa Barnstormers), reading "Our thoughts and prayers have gone out to John's family." This tweet was later deleted, along with all the other tweets the Arena Football League Twitter account had up to that point. The new management assumed control of the Instagram account on around December 27 and deleted all posts on around January 6, and then took control of the Facebook account on January 16. On January 16, 2023, after a month of the first tweet, the Twitter account posted a picture of the league’s 2003-18 logo, with the caption #NewProfilePic.[3]
On February 1, 2023, the Arena Football League confirmed the rumors and announced its plans to return in 2024, over a year after the rights to the league were purchased by an investment group called F1 Sports & Entertainment.[4] The relaunched league, led by chairman Chris Chetty, president Anthony Rossi, president of operations Shan Singh, and commissioner Lee A. Hutton III, will feature 16 teams playing a 10-game season over the course of the summer months, followed by a postseason format that has yet to be determined. The league returned its logo to the one used from 2003 to 2018. The new iteration of the league will feature "streaming, betting, technology, (and) virtual reality" elements, per Rossi.
In a February 2023 interview with ArenaFan.com, the commissioner revealed that there had been discussions with potential ownership groups in New Orleans to relaunch the New Orleans VooDoo.[5] In an April interview, he revealed that they were looking to put teams in Philadelphia, St. Louis, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, and Jacksonville, while they also received offers to put a team in Mexico City.[6]
Teams
Pre-launch
On July 18, 2023, TMZ Sports initially reported that the AFL had selected the following cities that would be receiving new teams: Austin, Texas; Boise, Idaho; Bakersfield, California; Chicago, Illinois; Denver, Colorado; St. Paul, Minnesota; Lake Charles, Louisiana; Cincinnati, Ohio; Orlando, Florida; Salem, Oregon; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; St. Louis, Missouri; Tallahassee, Florida; Nashville, Tennessee; Everett, Washington; and Odessa, Texas. [7] The league made the statement official on their Twitter page. Managers of Cincinnati's main indoor arena, the Heritage Bank Center, refuted the report, stating they had rejected the AFL's advances,[8] while the two college/university-owned arenas in the city both said they had not been approached and also would not be open to hosting the league.[9] Representatives with Lake Charles stated that their conversations with the league were still in preliminary phases (having advanced only to the point of informing the league what days their arena was available), and that although they were open to hosting the league, "it’s closer to not being true than being true at this time."[10] The city of Salem was also unaware of the AFL having discussions for placing a team in the city, but were open to hearing more about their plans.[11] In Everett, the manager of the city's only major arena, Angel of the Winds Arena, stated that he was only contacted by a potential ownership group several days after the announcement of teams. When reached for comment, Hutton stated he would only reveal information "on our time."[12] The league eventually secured an agreement with Angel of the Winds Arena in late September; the owners of the Everett franchise, led by the owner of the local semi-pro Everett Royals, noted that he had acquired the franchise after contacting the league after the announcement of cities in hopes of getting Royals players onto the squad, only to find that the league had not yet lined up an owner for the city's team at the time.[13]
On the same day as the TMZ report, the Orlando Predators and West Texas Warbirds (Odessa), who were both playing in the National Arena League, stated they were joining the new AFL, although the Warbirds later removed their Facebook post within the first week.[14][15] (The Warbirds later announced that they would be instead branding as the "Desert Hawks" for the 2024 season.[16]) In a statement to Philadelphia media, Hutton stated that the Philadelphia Soul was also expected to be revived, with Soul co-owner Ron Jaworski returning, if not as an owner then as a consultant.[17] Jaworski denied Hutton's claims.[18]
Among cities considered but ultimately not included, Atlantic City's financial terms were considered unrealistic,[17] Bossier City, Louisiana had too many schedule conflicts for 2024 but expressed interest in 2025,[19] while the Albany Empire—returning champions from the last AFL season in 2019—expressed interest in returning, but was initially unable to accept because of the excessive cost of worker's compensation in the state.[20] (The worker's compensation issue was later resolved, and the league announced an Albany Firebirds franchise would join in 2024.) Neither Buffalo, nor Rochester, New York were considered, despite some interest from Bob Bartosiewicz, who previously owned the Rochester Raiders.[21]
In late 2023, three supposed expansion teams were announced as the "California Grizzlies", "Minnesota Myth", and "St. Louis Rampage". The teams were announced on their respective Instagram and X accounts.[22][23] However, league commissioner Hutton released a statement regarding the addition of these new team names. He stated on his X account, "Any information that concerns the Arena Football League must be endorsed by me or our CEO otherwise it is not reliable. AFL team name announcements will be coming soon for all locations. It is an exciting time as we make our mark to be bigger and better."[24] The Rampage later admitted to being a hoax supported by fans of the St. Louis Battlehawks.[25] Defector Media traced the California Grizzlies to Tim Carbajal, who operates a semi-pro spring football team in the area. Carbajal confirmed the Grizzlies' existence—and confirmed that he, under an alias, had contacted Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield inquiring about using the facility—but otherwise stated he was not at liberty to discuss further details due to Hutton's gag order.[26] The Myth were later revealed as Hutton's own franchise, nominally owned by his wife Diana,[27] who is partner in the Hutton law firm with him.[28] Observers in Boise noticed that the owner of Idaho Central Arena had renewed the domain name for the Boise Burn, a former af2 franchise, weeks before the announcement, and that the AFL was not bringing on the Idaho Horsemen, who play in nearby Nampa.[29] The proposed Tallahassee team was to be the Capital City Cyclones, as announced by a business associate of Cyclones owner Alton Walker,[30] but the Cyclones instead reverted to its previous name as the Tampa Tornadoes and joined the International Football Alliance.[31]
On August 29, 2023, the league officially announced that the Billings Outlaws, formerly of Champions Indoor Football, would be the inaugural members of the new version of the league.[32] On August 31, the West Texas Desert Hawks (formerly the Warbirds) were the second team confirmed.[33] The Orlando Predators were the third team announced on September 25; with the announcement of the Predators, the league announced its intent to instead have 20 teams in its 2024 season, as it planned on absorbing three additional teams from Champions Indoor Football.[34] On October 5, 2023, Hutton appeared with the owners of three remaining CIF teams—the ICT Regulators of the Wichita metropolitan area, Salina Liberty and Southwest Kansas Storm in Dodge City— and CIF commissioner Mike McCoy as they announced the remainder of that league was merging into the AFL, with McCoy being named AFL deputy commissioner three weeks later.[35]
On October 2, 2023, it was announced that the Albany Firebirds name will be brought back and to play in the AFL for 2024. On October 6, 2023, it was officially announced that the Orlando Predators, Billings Outlaws, Southwest Kansas Storm, Salina Liberty, Wichita Regulators, and an Everett AFL team were announced. On October 25, 2023, the Oregon Blackbears were officially announced as the league's newest team. The league announced revivals of the Nashville Kats, Philadelphia Soul and Chicago Rush on November 1.
On November 16, 2023, in the AFL relaunch event, Hutton revealed the 16 teams who will play in the 2024 season, while he mentioned the league might expand in the future to 24 teams. He also referred to the original list of cities and revealed that other "leagues and individuals" (none specified) were trying to cancel teams contracts with the arenas and participated in "anti-competitive practices" to try to disturb the league's progress, which caused a move to a different location.[36]
Mid-season Changes
On May 2, 2024, the Iowa Rampage announced it had folded after one game, citing multiple broken promises from league management to cover increased expenses.[37] The Georgia Force abruptly folded a few days later[38] and on May 9, the Soul suspended operations for the remainder of the 2024 season with hopes of returning in 2025.[39]
On May 13, 2024, in an email from owner Diana Hutton, the Minnesota Myth became the fourth team to suspend operations, blaming it on an inability to raise necessary sponsorships because of "negative publicity" and accusing the owners of "sabotage" in order to force her husband Lee Hutton to resign as commissioner; Hutton confirmed the team's closure publicly a day later.[40][41]
In a press release, the Outlaws indicated that the league would contract to 10 teams for the remainder of the season: Washington, Billings, Rapid City, Southwest Kansas, Salina, West Texas, Wichita, Albany, Nashville, and Orlando, with the league remaining open to continue scheduling games with Oregon and "other teams not mentioned."[42] The league subsequently scheduled a game for Oregon[43] when Rapid City pulled out of its week 4 contest.[44] The Blackbears announced an agreement to continue in the league for the rest of the 2024 season on May 17.[45]
Teams
*-Team folded or deactivated during season
Teams at the start of the season
Teams after restructuring
Players
Players reported to training camp April 4, 2024. Each team carried 35-men rosters into training camp, while final roster cuts will take place on April 20, 2024, with regular season rosters set at 25 players.[48] Originally, the league used ironman rules, where most players must play both offense and defense, as originally used by the Arena Football League from 1987 to 2007, but cancelled the rule after week 4 and allowed free substitution.[49]
Partnerships
American 7s Football League (A7FL)
On January 16, 2024, the AFL announced a partnership with American 7s Football League (A7FL) for player development, as players can transfer between leagues, with the A7FL functioning as its de facto minor league. As part of the partnership, both leagues will collectively align on marketing efforts that "will elevate the visibility of leagues athletes".[50]
USA Football
In November 2023, the league announced a multi-year partnership with USA Football naming the AFL as an "official national team development & scouting partner", with the AFL helping USA Football recruiting players who want to represent the United States in international competition.[51]
Standings
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB | PF | PA | DIFF | STK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billings Outlaws | 4 | 0 | 1.000 | – | 169 | 73 | +96 | W4 |
| Albany Firebirds | 4 | 0 | 1.000 | – | 179 | 115 | +64 | W4 |
| Oregon Blackbears | 3 | 0 | 1.000 | 0.5 | 137 | 89 | +48 | W3 |
| West Texas Desert Hawks | 3 | 1 | .750 | 1 | 81 | 42 | +39 | L1 |
| Salina Liberty | 2 | 1 | .667 | 1.5 | 78 | 94 | -16 | L1 |
| Nashville Kats | 2 | 2 | .500 | 2 | 132 | 87 | +45 | L2 |
| Orlando Predators | 1 | 2 | .333 | 2.5 | 73 | 92 | -19 | W1 |
| Wichita Regulators | 1 | 2 | .333 | 2.5 | 52 | 124 | -72 | L1 |
| Southwest Kansas Storm | 1 | 3 | .250 | 3 | 89 | 127 | -38 | L2 |
| Rapid City Marshals | 0 | 2 | .000 | 3 | 28 | 58 | -30 | L2 |
| Washington Wolfpack | 0 | 4 | .000 | 4 | 77 | 123 | -46 | L4 |
| Folded | |||||||||
| Team | W | L | PCT | PF | PA | DIFF | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana VooDoo† | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 53 | 18 | +35 | |||
| Iowa Rampage† | 1 | 1 | .500 | 76 | 62 | +14 | |||
| Minnesota Myth† | 1 | 2 | .333 | 59 | 59 | 0 | |||
| Georgia Force† | 0 | 2 | .000 | 52 | 114 | -62 | |||
| Philadelphia Soul† | 0 | 2 | .000 | 30 | 100 | -70 | |||
†- Team folded, deactivated, or were removed from the league during season
Season schedule
Regular season
 | This section needs to be updated. The reason given is: Numerous schedule changes throughout the season. (May 2024) |
Week 1
| Date | Time | Away team | Result | Home team | Arena | Attendance | Broadcast | Recap | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 27 | 8:00PM ET | Orlando Predators | 59 | 62 OT | Albany Firebirds | MVP Arena | 4,784 | Vyre.tv (NFL Network dropped game) | Recap |
| 8:00PM ET | Minnesota Myth | 12 | 47 | Nashville Kats | Nashville Municipal Auditorium | 5,704 | Gray Television [52] | Recap | |
| 8:00PM ET | Philadelphia Soul1 | 18 | 53 | Louisiana VooDoo | Blackham Coliseum | 2,400 | Gray Television [52] | Recap | |
| 8:00PM ET | Iowa Rampage | 58 | 28 | Rapid City Marshals | Summit Arena at the Monument | N/A | Arenafootball.live Gray Television [52] | Recap | |
| 8:15PM ET | Wichita Regulators | 26 | 66 | Billings Outlaws | MetraPark First Interstate Arena | 2,119 | Arenafootball.live Gray Television [52] | Recap | |
| 9:30PM ET | Washington Wolfpack | 40 | 47 | Oregon Blackbears | Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavilion | N/A | Arenafootball.live | Recap | |
| April 28 | 1:00PM ET | Georgia Force | 28 | 51 | West Texas Desert Hawks | Ector County Coliseum | N/A | Vyre.tv | Recap |
| 6:00PM ET | Southwest Kansas Storm | 40 | 43 | Salina Liberty | Tony's Pizza Events Center | 3,600 | Vyre.tv | Recap | |
1 Though billed as the Soul, the team that played the VooDoo on April 27 was in fact the Dallas Falcons of the American Arena League (AAL2), as Soul head coach Patrick Pimmel and almost the entire Soul roster abruptly resigned prior to leaving for Louisiana.[53]
Week 2
| Date | Time | Away team | Result | Home team | Arena | Attendance | Broadcast | Recap | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2 | 8:00PM ET | Nashville Kats | 41 | 51 | Albany Firebirds | MVP Arena | 2,412 | Vyre.tv | Recap |
| May 4 | TBD | Georgia Force | 24 | 63 | Oregon Blackbears | Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavilion | TBA | KYKN | Recap |
| 6:00PM ET | Iowa Rampage* | 18 | 34 | Southwest Kansas Storm | United Wireless Arena | N/A | Vyre.tv | Recap | |
| May 5 | 6:00 PM ET | Billings Outlaws | 49 | 12 | Washington Wolfpack | Angel of the Winds Arena | 1,400 | AFL LIVE | Recap |
| 1:00PM ET | West Texas Desert Hawks | 30 | 14 | Orlando Predators | Kia Center | N/A | Vyre.tv | Recap | |
| 6:00PM ET | Philadelphia Soul | 12 | 47 | Minnesota Myth | Target Center | N/A | Vyre.tv | Recap | |
| May 6 | Salina Liberty | PPD | Wichita Regulators | Hartman Arena | N/A | Gray Television [52] | |||
Because of multiple problems before this week, some schedule changes took place, including the awards of bye weeks to the Louisiana VooDoo and the Rapid City Marshals.[54] The match this week between the Salina Liberty and the Wichita Regulators was postponed without an announced replacement date due to severe weather in the area.
Week 3
| Date | Time | Away team | Result | Home team | Arena | Attendance | Broadcast | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 11 | 8:05PM ET | Billings Outlaws | 2 | 0 | Rapid City Marshals | Summit Arena at the Monument | - | |
| May 12 | 1:00PM ET | Salina Liberty | 50 | 30 | Nashville Kats | Nashville Municipal Auditorium | N/A | WPRT-FM |
| 3:30PM ET | West Texas Desert Hawks | 34 | 21 | Washington Wolfpack | Angel of the Winds Arena | N/A | ||
| Southwest Kansas Storm | 42 | 44 | Wichita Regulators | Hartman Arena | N/A | Gray Television [52] | ||
| CAN | May 9/13 | Albany Firebirds | Cancelled Awarded |
Minnesota Myth | See note | - | YouTube[55] | |
The Firebirds-Myth contest was originally scheduled for May 9 at Target Center but was moved to May 13 at MVP Arena due to a Minnesota Timberwolves playoff contest and was ultimately cancelled when the Myth could "not make the trip."
The Oregon Blackbears had canceled their Week 3 matchup against Salina when it appeared they would have been a short-notice replacement for the West Texas Desert Hawks due to a court injunction against the latter, but the injunction was lifted and the Desert Hawks were allowed to play. Salina instead filled the place of the Philadelphia Soul in their scheduled game against Nashville.
The Marshals abruptly called a flash strike against the league office immediately prior to the start of their home game against the Outlaws, refusing to play and forcing their arena to issue reruns to ticket holders who had already arrived to see the contest.[56][57]
Week 4
| Date | Time | Away team | Result | Home team | Arena | Attendance | Broadcast | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 16 | 8:00PM ET | Orlando Predators | 50 | 39 | West Texas Desert Hawks | Ector County Coliseum | TBD | Vyre, Gray Television |
| May 18 | 3:30PM ET | Wichita Regulators | 26 | 58 | Nashville Kats | F&M Bank Arena | 4,649 | |
| 6:00PM ET | Oregon Blackbears | 27 | 25 | Washington Wolfpack | Angel of the Winds Arena | TBD | Vyre | |
| 7:00PM ET | Salina Liberty | 35 | 54 | Billings Outlaws | MetraPark First Interstate Arena | 1,700 | Vyre | |
| May 19 | 1:00PM ET | Southwest Kansas Storm | 15 | 66 | Albany Firebirds | MVP Arena | 2,756 | YouTube |
Week 5
| Date | Time | Away team | Result | Home team | Arena | Attendance | Broadcast | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 23 | 9:00PM ET | Rapid City Marshals | — | — | Washington Wolfpack | Angel of the Winds Arena | TBD | TBD |
| May 24 | 7:00PM ET | West Texas Desert Hawks | — | — | Albany Firebirds | MVP Arena | TBD | Gray Television[52] |
| May 25 | 6:30PM ET | Wichita Regulators | — | — | Salina Liberty | Tony's Pizza Events Center | TBD | Gray Television [52] |
| 7:00PM ET | Billings Outlaws | — | — | Southwest Kansas Storm | United Wireless Arena | TBD | TBD | |
| 7:00PM ET | Nashville Kats | — | — | Orlando Predators | Kia Center | TBD | TBD | |
Week 6
| Date | Time | Away team | Result | Home team | Arena | Attendance | Broadcast | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 1 | 4:30PM ET | Billings Outlaws | — | — | West Texas Desert Hawks | Ector County Coliseum | TBD | Gray Television [52] |
| June 2 | 3:00PM ET | Salina Liberty | — | — | Southwest Kansas Storm | United Wireless Arena | TBD | TBD |
| 3:30PM ET | Albany Firebirds | — | — | Nashville Kats | Nashville Municipal Auditorium | TBD | NFL Network | |
Week 7
| Date | Time | Away team | Result | Home team | Arena | Attendance | Broadcast | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 8 | 4:30PM ET | Albany Firebirds | — | — | West Texas Desert Hawks | Ector County Coliseum | TBD | Gray Television [52] |
| 8:00PM ET | Rapid City Marshals | — | — | Billings Outlaws | MetraPark First Interstate Arena | TBD | Gray Television [52] | |
| June 9 | 6:00PM ET | Washington Wolfpack | — | — | Southwest Kansas Storm | United Wireless Arena | TBD | NFL Network |
Week 8
| Date | Time | Away team | Result | Home team | Arena | Attendance | Broadcast | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 15 | 7:00PM ET | Washington Wolfpack | — | — | Billings Outlaws | MetraPark First Interstate Arena | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | Rapid City Marshals | — | — | Wichita Regulators | Hartman Arena | TBD | TBD | |
Week 9
| Date | Time | Away team | Result | Home team | Arena | Attendance | Broadcast | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 20 | 8:00PM ET | Albany Firebirds | — | — | Billings Outlaws | MetraPark First Interstate Arena | TBD | NFL Network |
| June 22 | 7:00PM ET | Wichita Regulators | — | — | Southwest Kansas Storm | United Wireless Arena | TBD | Gray Television [52] |
| 8:05PM ET | Washington Wolfpack | — | — | Rapid City Marshals | Summit Arena at the Monument | TBD | Gray Television [52] | |
Week 10
| Date | Time | Away team | Result | Home team | Arena | Attendance | Broadcast | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 29 | 7:00PM ET | Southwest Kansas Storm | — | — | Nashville Kats | Nashville Municipal Auditorium | TBD | TBD |
| 7:30PM ET | Wichita Regulators | — | — | Salina Liberty | Tony's Pizza Events Center | TBD | TBD | |
| TBD | Rapid City Marshals | — | — | Washington Wolfpack | Angel of the Winds Arena | TBD | TBD | |
Postseason
![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (November 2023) |
Records, milestones, and notable statistics
On May 12, 2024, kicker Melissa Strother made an extra point while playing for the Washington Wolfpack, making her the first female player to score a point in the Arena Football League.[58]
Attendance
Announced attendance figures for each home game. In the weekly columns, dashes (—) indicate away games, while bold font indicates the highest attendance of each team. N/A in italics means a game's attendance is not publicly known, while PPD means a game was postponed, while CAN means that a game scheduled to play was canceled.
| Team / Week | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Total (games with known attendances) | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany Firebirds | 4,784 | 2,412 | CAN | TBA | TBA | — | — | TBA | — | — | 7,196 | 3,598 |
| Billings Outlaws | 2,119 | — | — | TBA | — | — | TBA | TBA | TBA | — | 2,119 | 2,119 |
| Georgia Force | Traveling team | Folded | None | None | ||||||||
| Iowa Rampage | — | — | Folded | None | None | |||||||
| Louisiana VooDoo | 2,400 | BYE | Folded | 2,400 | 2,400 | |||||||
| Minnesota Myth | — | N/A | — | Folded | N/A | N/A | ||||||
| Nashville Kats | 5,704 | — | N/A | — | — | TBA | — | TBA | — | TBA | 5,704 | 5,704 |
| Oregon Blackbears | N/A | N/A | BYE | — | — | — | TBA | — | TBA | TBA | 0 | 0 |
| Orlando Predators | — | N/A | BYE | — | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | — | TBA | 0 | 0 |
| Philadelphia Soul | — | — | Deactivated | None | None | |||||||
| Rapid City Marshals | N/A | BYE | CAN | TBA | — | TBA | — | — | TBA | — | 0 | 0 |
| Salina Liberty | 3,600 | — | — | — | TBA | — | TBA | TBA | — | TBA | 3,600 | 3,600 |
| Southwest Kansas Storm | — | N/A | — | — | TBA | TBA | TBA | — | TBA | — | 0 | 0 |
| Washington Wolfpack | — | 1,400 | N/A | TBA | TBA | — | — | — | — | TBA | 1,400 | 1,400 |
| West Texas Desert Hawks | N/A | — | — | TBA | — | TBA | TBA | TBA | — | TBA | 0 | 0 |
| Wichita Regulators | — | PPD | TBA | — | — | TBA | TBA | TBA | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Total (games with known attendances) | 18,607 | 3,812 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22,419 | |
| Average | 3,721 | 1,906 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3,202 | |
Source: Arenafan[59]
Awards
| This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (November 2023) |
League finances
In a February 2023 interview with ArenaFan.com, Hutton mentioned that the league would have a salary cap of $700,000, but the league will allow additional salary spending for "franchise players".[6] According to Force quarterback Justin Arth, players were promised a $1,000 per-game salary.[60] While most teams were responsible to pay the full amount, teams that were brought in through the Champions Indoor Football merger were promised a 75% subsidy from the league to cover the increased salaries ($750 per player, per week), a subsidy that was never delivered.[61]
In week 3, Washington and Rapid City both renegotiated their player contracts to a "competitive indoor football salary".[62][63][64]
Business partnerships
On July 18, 2023 the AFL announced a partnership with HUMBL, as the "Official Technology Platform of the AFL", through the 2028 season.[65] On February 28, 2024 the league signed "Official Partnership" deal with BSN Sports for official uniform and equipment.[66]
Media
On the AFL relaunch event Hutton declared that the league’s games "will be broadcast, streamed and will also be available in VR".[36] In March the NFL announced that NFL Network will carry 30 games of the 2024 AFL season (games will also be streamed on NFL+).[67] No games have yet aired on the network, which thus far has removed all future schedulings of AFL contests as of week 2.[68] with a spokesman for the Albany Firebirds stating that the network had been "scared off by some of the smaller teams."[69] Oregon Blackbears president Patrick Johnson, who had opposed the television deal and expressed relief that it had been cancelled, described the agreement as predatory, in that NFL Network would keep a $430,000 annual brokered programming fee and would not allow the league to sell any advertising during the games, instead collecting all the advertising revenue for themselves on top of the fee. NFL Network stated that the production company that would have produced the games never received any payment for them, and thus the network would not be carrying any games for the 2024 season.[70]
The league announced on March 29 that much of the league's schedule will be carried on Gray Television owned-and-operated stations in each team's home market and in regional syndication.[71] After NFL Network cancelled the agreement with the league, most of the planned games that were schedule to be broadcast on the network were moved to VYRE streaming services, while other games were streamed via Arenafootball.live and the Albany Firebirds resorted to using their own team YouTube channel to stream its games. The Nashville Kats and Oregon Blackbears did not have any home games televised due to infrastructure issues at their home arenas, with their games carried solely on radio via WPRT-FM and KYKN, respectively.
In January, 2024 the league launched an official podcast for the 2024 season available on YouTube,[72] Spotify,[73] and other platforms.
Controversy
The return of the AFL was marked with multiple controversies throughout the first few weeks, with unpaid bills, players getting kicked out of hotels, replacement teams and players refusing to come out of the home locker room until they were paid.[74][75] Those issues, steaming from misconduct by the league commissioner Lee Hutton III, caused five teams to suspend operations and cancelling the broadcast agreement with the NFL Network.[76][77][78][79]
After cancelling a May 9 home game, the Minnesota Myth folded on May 13, with owner Diana Hutton accusing the league of attempting to sabotage the team in order to force her husband to resign, which he refused to do.[80] Because league central operations were run through the Myth business entity,[81] this caused a crisis with the remainder of the league; in a reported emergency meeting of the remaining teams on May 14, the league's owners, in cooperation with the holding company that holds the AFL's intellectual properties, voted to appoint Nashville Kats president Jeff Fisher as interim commissioner to salvage the remainder of the season.[82][83] This is despite a league bylaw that was believed to have granted Hutton total immunity from ouster by league owners;[63] the ouster was made with the full cooperation of G6 Sports Group (owners of the trademarks and connected to the original F1 group that had founded the revival), who had suggested Fisher for the position.[84]
Signees to outdoor professional leagues
The following players signed with NFL, UFL or CFL teams following their involvement with Arena Football League in 2024:
NFL
| Player | Position | AFL team | NFL team | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cory Curtis | QB | Desert Hawks | Seattle Seahawks | [85] |
| Desmond Bland | C | Storm | New Orleans Saints | [86] |
| Cade Brewer | TE | Kats | San Francisco 49ers | [87] |
UFL
| Player | Position | AFL team | UFL team | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeremy Cox | RB | Storm | Arlington Renegades | [88] |
See also
- 2024 American Indoor Football season
- 2024 Indoor Football League season
- 2024 National Arena League season
- 2024 The Arena League season
References
- ^ "The Official Website of the AFL". Retrieved January 17, 2023.
- ^ @zachkeilman (December 13, 2022). "So some good folks on the @InWallsPod Discord just brought this to my attention: That website is new BTW" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ @officialafl (January 16, 2023). "#NewProfilePic" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "News: Arena Football League Relaunch The Arena Football League (AFL) - The AFL Returns in 2024!". demosite475.footballshift.com (Press release). February 2023. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
- ^ AFL Rewind Exclusive: AFL Commissioner Lee Hutton. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
- ^ a b AFL Rewind Exclusive: AFL Commissioner Lee Hutton - April Update. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
- ^ "16 ORG. LOCATIONS REVEALED Chicago, Philly Get Teams". Retrieved July 18, 2023.
- ^ Springer, Scott (July 19, 2023). "Cincinnati arena football team won't be at Heritage Bank Center". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
- ^ Watkins, Steve (July 19, 2023). "Heritage Bank Center GM Ropp says Cincinnati's Arena Football League team won't play there". Cincinnati Business Courier. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
- ^ Manning, Johnathan (July 19, 2023). "Lake Charles officials address rumors of Arena Football League team". KPLC-TV. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
- ^ Streng, Nik (July 19, 2023). "New Oregon Arena Football League team based in Salem seems to be a surprise to all: 'We look forward to learning more'". The Oregonian.
- ^ Goldstein-Street, Jake (August 8, 2023). "After announcement, Everett's arena football team still seeking arena". HeraldNet.com. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
- ^ Goldstein-Street, Jake (September 26, 2023). "Everett's new arena football team announces owners, coach". HeraldNet.com. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
- ^ "Arena Football League makes return to Orlando with Predators name". Orland Business Journal. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
- ^ "WTX Warbird Football". Facebook. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
- ^ "Teaser video announcing the team name change". Facebook. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
- ^ a b Bansil, Sapna (July 20, 2023). "Philadelphia Soul expected to return as the Arena Football League plans a 2024 relaunch". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
- ^ George, John (November 14, 2023). "Ron Jaworski says he will not be part of resurrected Philadelphia Soul". Philadelphia Business Journal. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
- ^ Lowe, Megan (July 25, 2023). "Bossier City on Arena Football League radar". Shreveport-Bossier Journal. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
- ^ Singelais, Mark (July 20, 2023). "Arena GM: Workers' comp stands in way of arena football return". Times Union. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
- ^ Petro, Mike (February 23, 2023). "Would an Arena Football League team ever work again in Buffalo?". The Buffalo News. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
- ^ "California Grizzlies". Retrieved July 30, 2023.
- ^ "Minnesota Myth". Retrieved July 30, 2023.
- ^ Hutton, Lee (July 31, 2023). "OFFICIAL AFL STATEMENT". Arena Football League. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
- ^ St. Louis Rampage [@STLRampageAFL] (July 31, 2023). "Well, uhh... we got em'. Congratulations AFL, you finally noticed. This is what happens when you just announce locations and not ownership, arenas, team mascots, etc. This is not how you run a football league. Get everything prepared before you do something" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ McKenna, Dave (August 1, 2023). "Arena Football League Relaunch Comes As Surprise To Cities That Will Allegedly Have Teams". Defector. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
- ^ David Griswold (November 14, 2023). "AFL announces nickname, owner, head coach of Minnesota team". KARE. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
- ^ Professionals. Hutton Law Firm. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
- ^ Day, Don (July 18, 2023). "An upstart football league says it will field a pro team in Boise, but there are few specifics". BoiseDev. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
- ^ https://twitter.com/HuddleTouch_CEO/status/1695358726205583677
- ^ International Football Alliance (section: Our Teams). "Tampa Tornadoes: Located in Tampa Bay, led by Alton Walker and investment group. Multiple years of professional guidance in the arena and outdoors." Retrieved May 17, 2024.
- ^ "OUTLAWS JOIN AFL FOR 2024 SEASON". BillingsOutlaws.com. August 29, 2023.
- ^ "Arena Football League announces that the West Texas Desert Hawks will be the newest franchise". NewsWest9. August 31, 2023.
- ^ "Orlando Predators prepare Arena Football League return with concerts and more". Orlando Business Journal. September 27, 2023. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
- ^ Press conference posted by the ICT Regulators
- ^ a b "AFL Launch Event New York". Arena Football League.
- ^ Parsons, McKenzy (May 2, 2024). "Iowa's AFL team discontinues operations at start of their first season". KETV. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
- ^ Arth, Justin [@JustinArthQB] (May 9, 2024). "The Georgia Force has officially folded and @OfficialAFL has yet to pay me or my teammates salaries for the first two games we played in. I personally have spent money to make sure my teammates can eat. And have run out of money that affects me going to another team out of state" (Tweet). Retrieved May 10, 2024 – via Twitter.
- ^ As announced by GM Kelly Logan, the Philadelphia Soul will be “taking a pause” for the 2024 season, with goals to return to play in 2025. We look forward to bringing Soul football back for all of #SoulNation next year.
- ^ Anthony Carter (May 13, 2024). "Minnesota Myth cancels 2024 season, players informed to return home immediately". Arena Insider. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
- ^ Day, Jeff. "Arena Football League's Minnesota Myth, once coached by Rickey Foggie, shut down after two games". Star Tribune. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
- ^ FISHER IN AS AFL COMMISSIONER. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
- ^ "Washington Wolfpack vs Oregon Blackbears Live". Vyre. May 18, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
- ^ "Marshals Cancel Saturday's Game". OurSports Central. May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
- ^ Oregon Blackbears [@OregonAFL] (May 17, 2024). "In a dramatic turn of events, the Oregon Blackbears executive team has agreed in principle with (the Arena Football League) on a new licensing agreement that allows for the completion of the 2024 season and the addition back onto the remaining 2024 AFL schedule" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Rapid City Marshals". The Monument. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
- ^ "Change of Leadership going into the '24 Season". Southwest Kansas Storm. July 26, 2023.
- ^ Glennon, John (April 5, 2024). "Nashville Kats ready to open training camp at Lipscomb". Nashville Post.
- ^ https://x.com/ArenaFan/status/1792716066013286506
- ^ "Arena Football League and American 7s Football League Announce Strategic Partnership". OurSports Central.
- ^ "USA Football and AFL Announce Partnership". OurSports Central.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Subject to Change - Gray/AFL Schedule". KWCH-DT. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
- ^ Florio, Mike (April 29, 2024). "Arena Football League returns with a thud". Pro Football Talk. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
- ^ "AFL Week 2 Schedule: Game And Streaming Updates". arenafootballusa.com. May 2, 2024. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
- ^ AFL Football Week 3 - Minnesota Myth vs Albany Firebirds
- ^ Statement from Summit Arena at the Monument, May 11, 2024
- ^ Statement from Billings Outlaws owner Steven Titus, May 11, 2024
- ^ Patterson, Nick (May 13, 2024). "Wolfpack make history, but fall 34-21 to West Texas". HeraldNet.com.
- ^ "AFL Attendance | ArenaFan.com". www.arenafan.com. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
- ^ Silverman, Robert (May 20, 2024). "Inside the Collapse of the Arena Football League's Georgia Force". Front Office Sports. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
- ^ Letasky, John (May 11, 2024). "While on the field warming up, Billings Outlaws find out game at Rapid City is canceled". 406 MT SPORTS. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
- ^ "Relaunched AFL contracts after just 3 games; Washington Wolfpack still in". The Seattle Times. May 18, 2024. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
- ^ a b Lind, Andrew (May 9, 2024). "NEW: 'Owners can't vote him out,' Q&A with Marshals Co-Owner Wes Johnson". KOTA-TV. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
- ^ "Wolfpack Tackle Challenges Presented by AFL Struggles, Changes". OurSports Central.
- ^ "HUMBL Selected as the Official Technology Platform of the Arena Football League Through 2028 Season". GlobeNewswire.
- ^ "BSN SPORTS Announces Exclusive Partnership With Arena Football League". Arena Football League.
- ^ "NFL Network to televise Arena Football League (AFL), Overtime's football league (OT7) games this spring". NFL.
- ^ "Arena Football League is off the NFL Network schedule, through next Thursday". NBC Sports. May 2, 2024. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
- ^ Kelly, Michael. "Arena Football League team drops out, back in for Week 2". Times Union. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
- ^ "Arena Football League pulled from NFL Network amidst chaos, unpaid bills, and replacement players". AwfulAnnouncing.com.
- ^ "Gray Television Partners to Bring the Arena Football League Viewers Free Over-The-Air Starting April 27". KWCH. March 28, 2024. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
- ^ "Arena Football League - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ "Arena Football League Podcast". Spotify. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ "DEVELOPING: Marshals players 'refuse' to come out of locker room". KOTA.
- ^ "NEW: 'Owners can't vote him out,' Q&A with Marshals Co-Owner Wes Johnson". KOTA.
- ^ "Folding Franchises, Cattle Fencing, a Nixed TV Deal: Can the AFL Survive?". Front Office Sports.
- ^ McKenna, Dave (May 5, 2024). "Is The Newest Arena Football League Already Collapsing?". Defector. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
- ^ "Arena Football League Return Marred by a Multitude of Failed Promises". UFL News Hub.
- ^ "Arena Football League team drops out, back in for Week 2". Times Union.
- ^ Skluzacek, Josh (May 13, 2024). "Minnesota Myth shutting down 2 weeks into season". KSTP-TV. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
- ^ McLendon, Natalie (May 20, 2024). "UL-Lafayette owed more than $30,000 after Arena Football League team folds". Louisiana Illuminator. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
- ^ Mike Moraitis (May 14, 2024). "AFL appointing Jeff Fisher as interim commissioner, per report". TitansWire at USA Today Sports. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
- ^ Organ, Mike. "Former Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher named Arena Football League interim commissioner". The Tennessean. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
- ^ Organ, Mike. "Former Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher named Arena Football League interim commissioner". The Tennessean. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
- ^ https://x.com/AndrewCPettit/status/1785322583476338986
- ^ "Arena Football Player was signed by the New Orleans Saints two hours before kickoff". NFL Draft Diamonds.
- ^ https://twitter.com/NashvilleKatsFB/status/1785316952048574762
- ^ https://x.com/SWKStormFB/status/1793050107329315083