Cities Announced for Return of Arena Football League

The last game of the Arena Football League (AFL) was played in August 2019 but the league plans to return in 2024.  The league has an ambitious plan for 16 cities to participate in the league’s revival.  The league announced this week that it plans to play in Austin (TX), Boise (ID), Bakersfield (CA), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), St. Paul (MN), Lake Charles (LA), Cincinnati (OH), Orlando (FL), Salem (OR), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO), Tallahassee (FL), Nashville (TN), Everett (WA) and Odessa (TX). 

Philadelphia played in the league’s last season and many of the other cities also had past franchises in the league but some such as Boise, Lake Charles, Salem and Odessa are a bit puzzling.  It might have been a better plan to launch in bigger cities with fewer teams.  

The league introduced the indoor version of American football in 1987 and had some reasonable success growing to 19 teams in the 2000s before battling financial issues off and on until they finally surrendered to bankruptcy following the 2019 season.  The new AFL may face a different challenge in their return when they compete against two other football leagues - the XFL and United States Football League - for fans next winter/spring relaunch.  

You can read more about this story here:  https://www.tmz.com/2023/07/18/arena-football-league-afl-team-locations-revealed-philadelphia-chicago/


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