PHOENIX, Ariz. — "We're Back"
With just two words, the Arena Football League announced on Wednesday that it would make its return for 2024 after a three-year absence.
The leagues' announcement mimicked the same two-worded press release that Michael Jordan gave when the NBA legend announced his return to the hardwood in 1995.
The AFL is hoping for the same results as Jordan, but time will tell.
The league closed shop following the 2019 season after filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, citing a lack of capital and unresolved liabilities
But the league is back with a new ownership group and plans to make a return in 2024. The AFL announced the reboot season will feature 16 teams — with teams from former and newer markets — and play a 10-game regular season with playoffs.
While teams have not yet been announced, the league plans to roll out the locations of the franchises in the near future.
The game of indoor football began as an idea drawn up on the back of an envelope by Jim Foster while watching an indoor soccer game in 1981. Foster's idea finally came to fruition when the league played its first season in 1987.
The AFL ran uninterrupted until canceling the 2009 season due to economic reasons. After the one-year hiatus and undergoing several changes, the league continued play until closing its doors in November 2019.
The AFL reached its highest popularity during the early 2000's, sporting 19 franchises and a national television deal with NBC.
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