The Arena League
Upcoming season or competition:
Current sports event 2024 The Arena League season
SportSix-man arena football
Founded2023
Inaugural season2024
CommissionerTim Brown
No. of teams4
CountryUnited States
Official websitethearenaleague.football

The Arena League (The AL or TAL) is a future six-on-six indoor American football league in the United States. The league intends to launch in 2024 with four teams.

History

The league was first announced in February 2023, with Pro Football Hall of Famer Tim Brown as TAL Commissioner.[1] The league then released a list of ten semi-finalist markets, which people could vote for the city to be a part of the inaugural season: Waterloo, Iowa; Kansas City, Missouri; Springfield, Missouri; Rochester, Minnesota; Little Rock, Arkansas; Rockford, Illinois; Dubuque, Iowa; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Duluth, Minnesota and Wichita Falls, Texas with fans casting their votes at TAL official website.[2]

The first city announced was Springfield[3] with Duluth being the second city.[4] Waterloo was announced on May 4 as the third team.[5] Kansas City was the fourth and final team announced for the inaugural 2024 season.[6] The league anticipates expanding in the forthcoming years, including adding two teams for the 2025 season,[7] with hope to expand to 12 teams by 2026.[8] In September The AL released the 2024 schedule.[9]

On October 19, 2023 the Waterloo Woo announced their owners and changed their team name to the Iowa Woo.[10] On December 4, 2023 former Dallas Desperados executive Ronnie Davis was appointed as Deputy Commissioner.[11]

Rules

The Arena League's rules aim to highlight the player's athleticism and increase the pace of play. The field will be traditional arena football size, measuring 50 yards long and 85 feet wide enclosed by padded walls. Teams will have 15-player rosters with the game being played with six offensive players against six defensive players. The league will follow a one-platoon system with offensive and defensive players playing both sides of the ball. There are no restrictions on defense. The play clock is reduced to 20 seconds (the teaser video did not mention whether this will be measured from the spotting of the ball, as in the Canadian Football League, or the end of the previous play). No offensive huddles are allowed unless a timeout is called.

As is the case with traditional six-man football as played at the high school level, all offensive players are eligible receivers with three players initially lined up in an offensive line position. The quarterback cannot run the ball past the line of scrimmage.

All players and coaches will communicate with helmet communication systems that fans will be able to listen to in real time. Kickoffs will be replaced with a quarterback throwoff, with an onside conversion option (akin to that seen in Fan Controlled Football and Alliance of American Football) available. All forms of kicking the ball are prohibited, including punts and field goals.[12]

There will only be one on-field official to mark and set the ball and make penalty announcements. There will be sky judges watching live video feeds to decide penalties in real time.[13] Coaches and fans will have access to the referee interactions. After each game, fans can give feedback on the referees performance.

Teams

Team City Stadium Capacity Joined Head coach
Duluth Harbor Monsters Duluth, Minnesota DECC Arena 5,333 2024 Tony O'Neil
Iowa Woo Waterloo, Iowa The Hippodrome 5,155 2024 TBD
Kansas City Goats Kansas City, Missouri Municipal Arena 9,987 2024 TBD
Ozarks Lunkers Springfield, Missouri Wilson Logistics Arena 4,500 2024 Cam Bruffett

Season Format

The inaugural season of The Arena League will have a nine-week regular season schedule with each team receiving one bye week with playoffs to follow. The season will run from June to August 2024.[14]

Business

Former IFL Commissioner, Tommy Benizio, an advisor for the league and his corporation will operate and run the teams until, he hopes, business leaders in the community decide they want to be a part of it and own and operate a team.[15] The league would later announce owners for all four locations.[16][17][18][10]

J.R. Bond leads a small group financing the league; Bond is a political advisor in Kansas City and has served as owner of several professional sports teams including the Sioux City Bandits, Topeka Tropics, and Topeka Golden Giants. [19]

Personnel

  • Tim Brown - Commissioner and League Chairman
  • Ronnie Davis - Deputy Commissioner
  • Tommy Benizio - League advisor
  • Dr. Michael Kuban - Director of Officials
  • J.R. Bond - Financial Group Leader

References

  1. ↑ "The Arena League is here!". Facebook.
  2. ↑ "NFL Hall of Famer Tim Brown looks to bring arena football back to Springfield". The Heartlander.
  3. ↑ Wheeler, Wyatt D. (9 March 2023). "'The Arena League' football is coming to Springfield in 2024. Here's what to know". Springfield News-Leader. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  4. ↑ Malcomb, Jamey (6 April 2023). "NFL Hall of Famer Tim Brown announces Duluth to receive Arena League team". Duluth News Tribune. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  5. ↑ Brown, Chelsie (4 May 2023). "The Arena League bringing a professional football team to Waterloo in inaugural season". KCRG. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  6. ↑ "Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report; June 19, 2023". oursportscentral.com.
  7. ↑ "Duluth Media Packet" (PDF). The Arena League. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  8. ↑ "Waterloo Arena League football team name unveiled". KWWL.
  9. ↑ "Our 2024 Regular Season Schedule is here!". Facebook.
  10. 1 2 "New owners and name announced for Waterloo's arena football league". KWWL. 19 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  11. ↑ "The Arena League is appointing Professional Sports executive Ronnie Davis as Deputy Commissioner, under Commissioner Tim Brown, to serve the league and its teams through the inaugural 2024 season". Facebook.
  12. ↑ "Rules". The Arena League. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  13. ↑ "The Arena League Referees". youtube.com.
  14. ↑ McClure, Jeffrey F. (6 September 2023). "The Arena League releases schedule for 2024 season". Northern News Now. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  15. ↑ Wheeler, Wyatt D. (9 March 2023). "'The Arena League' football is coming to Springfield in 2024. Here's what to know". Springfield News-Leader. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  16. ↑ "Duluth arena football team names owner". Duluth News Tribune.
  17. ↑ "The Arena League brings Kansas City Goats, unique indoor football experience to town". The Kansas City Star.
  18. ↑ "Owner reveals name for Springfield's new Arena League football team". KY3.
  19. ↑ Cullinan, Mike (17 March 2023). "Arena football league selects Springfield for first team". Springfield Business Journal. Retrieved 30 July 2023.


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