On Monday, as expected, a new indoor football league was unveiled.
Combining teams from the defunct Arena Football League, the spinoff junior circuit known as af2, and other indoor leagues, “Arena League 1" will make its debut.
Few details were provided during a Monday press conference regarding the manner in which the league will be operated. But the plan is to play in 2010.
The initial 16 teams in the league will be based in Arizona, Arkansas, Bossier-Shreveport, Central Valley, Chicago, Iowa, Jacksonville, Kentucky, Milwaukee, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Spokane, Tennessee Valley, Tri-Cities, Tulsa, and Utah. (Omitted for now are some of the more recognizable teams from the AFL -- Tampa Bay, Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, and Philadelphia.)
Though the new league will have no affiliation with the AFL or af2, the rules will be the same, and the season is expected to begin in late March, with 16 games per team.
Per the Tacoma News Tribune, eight more teams have submitted applications, and others could be applying as well.
We’re skeptical about whether this thing will work. But we’re encouraged by the effort.
