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Arena Football One & the Reboot of Indoor Football
After a turbulent season, eight teams and a new league are learning from past mistakes and forging a new path for arena football
Billings Outlaws quarterback Isaac Harker walks up to the line of scrimmage to call the last play of his team’s season, knowing that he is one play away from reaching his team’s goal: winning a championship. He hands the ball to running back Hunter Swodoba who gains a modest two yards. An unremarkable play but it is the one that sealed the victory for Billings, who became champions of the newly relaunched Arena Football League.
That moment capped off a season that was filled with mismanagement, teams folding, and a change in leadership for a league trying to find its footing. The Arena Bowl drew the attention of many since circumstances forced the game to be played in a shopping mall. For eight of the teams that were left standing, the future was a bit unclear. That future is coming into focus now as the eight teams that remain from the AFL have pivoted to form a new league: Arena Football One (AF1). This new league will be kicking off in 2025, bringing in familiar faces from last year, while being better prepared to ensure that this league will be a success.
