After a four-year hiatus, the Arena Football League is back. On Wednesday, the AFL announced the relaunch of operations in anticipation of a return to the indoor field in 2024.
Under new ownership, F1 Sports & Entertainment, the AFL revealed that Lee Hutton III would serve as the league’s commissioner. It’s a historic first as Hutton becomes the first black commissioner to lead a professional sports league in the United States.
Per the AFL’s press release, Hutton has served as an attorney representing athletes, celebrities, and artists. He’s also worked cases “ranging from NFL concussion litigation to NCAA NIL legal cases.”
Channeling his inner Michael Jordan, Hutton announced the AFL’s return with a statement that read, “We’re back.” Hutton said the AFL aims to deliver a product that “uniquely engages the pig skin enthusiast” with a friendly, family-type atmosphere.
The AFL’s rebirth will feature 16 teams playing a 10-game regular season, plus playoffs.
Where those 16 franchises will ultimately reside has yet to be announced. However, AFL deputy commissioner Tavelle Gaines hinted that familiar favorites would likely be back, adding that they plan to honor the legacy and history of the league.
“We will bring teams to markets that previously boasted AFL franchises and engage with the rabid fanbases that supported our brand of football,” Gaines said.
The football market is getting crowded, so we’ll see if there’s still a place for indoor football. Though with NFL leading the way by a large margin, the AFL will be battling it out with USFL, set to begin its second season in April, and another re-imagined league, the XFL, debuting a week after the Super Bowl.
