Wed, Nov 15th, 2023 - 6:39am
July 20, 2023 - 1:25pm | By Jace Denman
The Arena Football League unveiled it's list of 16 locations for their return to action in April of 2024. Minnesota is set to be one of those 16 locations in the third iteration of the 50-yard indoor war. While the exact location of the Minnesota franchise or the owners are unknown it has been reported that the team will call St. Paul its new home. Target Center was the home for a previous AFL franchise, the Minnesota Fighting Pike, which played one season in 1996 and finished the season at 4-10 overall.
The league will resume operations under the stewardship of investment group F1 Sports & Entertainment, which purchased the rights to the AFL in January 2022. The league’s board of directors include Chairman Chris Chetty, President Anthony Rossi and President of Operations Shan Singh and the executive leadership team will be led by Commissioner Lee A. Hutton III, Deputy Commissioner Travelle Gaines, President of Entertainment Tuo Clark and Executive Vice President Curt Feldtkeller.
The reported markets are:
- Austin, Texas
- Boise, Idaho
- Bakersfield, Calif.
- Chicago
- Denver
- St. Paul
- Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Cincinnati
- Orlando, Florida
- Salem, Oregon
- Philadelphia
- St. Louis
- Tallahassee, Florida
- Nashville
- Everett, Washington
- Odessa, Texas.
It has been reported that two of the teams included in that list, Odessa, TX, and Orlando, FL are leaving the National Arena League to join the latest version of the Arena Football League. Orlando has a history in the AFL and were members of the AFL until 2016. The AFL's 16 teams will each play a 10 game regular season.
The moment fans have been waiting for!
First 16 teams have been announced ( Watch until the very end )
Whose ready for the AFL's return?!? pic.twitter.com/N92Zz35KFU
— Arena Football League (@OfficialAFL) July 18, 2023
