2024 The Arena League season
Sports season
2024 The Arena League season |
---|
League | The Arena League |
---|
Sport | Arena football |
---|
Duration | June 1 - August 10, 2024 [1] |
---|
Number of games | 16 |
---|
Number of teams | 4 |
---|
TV partner(s) | YouTube |
---|
TAL seasons |
---|
|
The 2024 TAL season is the inaugural season of The Arena League (TAL). The regular season began on June 1, 2024, with the regular season scheduled to end on July 27, 2024.[1][2][3][4]
Background
The Arena League was announced as a six-on-six indoor American football league with the intentions to launch in 2024 with four teams and with Pro Football Hall of Famer Tim Brown as the Commissioner. The league kicked off the regular season on June 1, 2024.
The TAL aim is to highlight the player's athleticism and increase the pace of play.
Teams
The first city announced was Springfield[5] with Duluth being the second city.[6] Waterloo was announced on May 4 as the third team.[7] Kansas City was the fourth and final team announced for the inaugural 2024 season.
On October 19, 2023 the Waterloo Woo announced their owners and changed their team name to the Iowa Woo.[8]
class=notpageimage|
Locations of teams in The Arena League for 2024 season.
Players
Teams have a 15-player roster with the game being played with six offensive players against six defensive players. The league will follow a one-platoon system with offensive and defensive players playing both sides of the ball. There are no restrictions on defense.
On December 5, 2023, the Lunkers signed Matt Rush, the first player to sign with a TAL team.[9]
Season format
The inaugural season of The Arena League will have a nine-week regular season schedule with each team receiving one bye week with playoffs to follow. The season will run from June to August 2024.[1] In September The AL released the 2024 schedule.[10]
Rules
Reference[11]
- The field will be traditional arena football size, measuring 50 yards long and 85 feet wide enclosed by padded walls.
- Teams will have 15-player rosters with the game being played with six offensive players against six defensive players. The league will follow a one-platoon system with offensive and defensive players playing both sides of the ball. There are no restrictions on defense.
- Play clock is reduced to 20 seconds from the spotting of the ball, as in the Canadian Football League.
- No offensive huddles are allowed unless a timeout is called.
- All offensive players are eligible receivers with three players initially lined up in an offensive line position. The quarterback cannot run the ball past the line of scrimmage.
- All players and coaches will communicate with helmet communication systems that fans will be able to listen to in real time.
- Kickoffs will be replaced with a quarterback throwoff, with an onside conversion option.
- All forms of kicking the ball are prohibited, including punts and field goals.
- There will only be one on-field official to mark and set the ball and make penalty announcements. There will be sky judges watching live video feeds to decide penalties in real time. Coaches and fans will have access to the referee interactions.[12] After each game, fans can give feedback on the referees performance.
Standings
Legend |
(1) – Clinched 1 Seed |
(2) – Clinched 2 Seed |
(3) – Clinched 3 Seed |
(4) – Clinched 4 Seed |
Season schedule
The regular season schedule was released on September 6, 2023.[1]
Regular season
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
[13]
Postseason
| Semi-final | | | ArenaMania | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| 1 | TBD | | | |
|
| 4 | TBD | | |
| | | | |
| | |
| | | | | |
| 2 | TBD | | |
| |
| 3 | TBD | | |
Semi-finals
Date | Time | Away team | Result | Home team | Stadium | Attendance | Notes | Ref |
August 3 | TBA | TBD | | | TBD | TBD | | | |
August 3 | TBA | TBD | | | TBD | TBD | | | |
ArenaMania
Date | Time | Away team | Result | Home team | Stadium | Attendance | Notes | Ref |
August 10 | TBA | TBD | | | TBD | Higher seed | | | |
Awards
Players of the Week
The following were named the top performers during the 2024 season:
Week | Offensive Player of the Week | Defensive Player of the Week | Returner of the Week | Fans of the Week | 1 | Boo Smith (Kansas City) | Brock Carter (Ozarks) | Terrance Wenzel (Duluth) | Ozarks Lunkers | 2 | | | | | 3 | | | | | 4 | | | | | 5 | | | | | 6 | | | | | 7 | | | | | 8 | | | | | 9 | | | | | |
Media
- ^ The team is partnered with KWWL as the exclusive news source.
League finances
Former IFL Commissioner, Tommy Benizio, an advisor for the league and his corporation will operate and run the teams,[17] while J.R. Bond leads a small group financing the league; Bond is a political advisor in Kansas City and has served as owner of several professional sports teams including the Sioux City Bandits, Topeka Tropics, and Topeka Golden Giants.[18] The league would later announce owners for all four locations.[19][20][21][8]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d McClure, Jeffrey F. (6 September 2023). "The Arena League releases schedule for 2024 season". Northern News Now. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
- ^ Vierzba, Neil (6 September 2023). "The Arena League Reveals 2024 Schedule, Duluth Harbor Monsters to Open Year on Road". FOX21. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
- ^ Tipcke, Alicia (6 September 2023). "The Arena League reveals Duluth Harbor Monsters schedule". WDIO. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
- ^ "Schedule". The Arena League. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
- ^ Wheeler, Wyatt D. (9 March 2023). "'The Arena League' football is coming to Springfield in 2024. Here's what to know". Springfield News-Leader. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
- ^ Malcomb, Jamey (6 April 2023). "NFL Hall of Famer Tim Brown announces Duluth to receive Arena League team". Duluth News Tribune. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
- ^ Brown, Chelsie (4 May 2023). "The Arena League bringing a professional football team to Waterloo in inaugural season". KCRG. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
- ^ a b "New owners and name announced for Waterloo's arena football league". KWWL. 19 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
- ^ Pinson, Chris (5 December 2023). "Lunkers reel in Springfield native Rush". Ozarks First. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
- ^ "Our 2024 Regular Season Schedule is here!". Facebook.
- ^ "Rules". The Arena League. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
- ^ "The Arena League Referees". youtube.com.
- ^ "Schedule - The Arena League". thearenaleague.football.
- ^ Cooper, Nick (24 January 2024). "Duluth Harbor Monsters arena football team partners with The FAN 106.5 as exclusive radio home". Northland FAN. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
- ^ "KCRG to air Arena League Football". KCRG. 21 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
- ^ "KY3 broadcasting Ozarks Lunkers Arena League Football games".
- ^ Wheeler, Wyatt D. (9 March 2023). "'The Arena League' football is coming to Springfield in 2024. Here's what to know". Springfield News-Leader. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
- ^ Cullinan, Mike (17 March 2023). "Arena football league selects Springfield for first team". Springfield Business Journal. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
- ^ "Duluth arena football team names owner". Duluth News Tribune. 28 July 2023.
- ^ "The Arena League brings Kansas City Goats, unique indoor football experience to town". The Kansas City Star.
- ^ "Owner reveals name for Springfield's new Arena League football team". KY3. June 14, 2023.