Albany set to join National Arena League football in 2021
ALBANY, N.Y. » In an effort to boost Albany County’s economy hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic, County Executive Dan McCoy announced that a new National Arena League (NAL) football team is coming to Albany.
McCoy made the announcement along with Times Union Center General Manager Bob Belber, Thursday morning. The reveal comes nearly a year after the now defunct Albany Empire won the Arena Football League (AFL) championship.
“It’s a great day for Albany. It’s like the sun coming out of the clouds. Some good news with a new team coming into Albany, playing a sport that our fans have been so in love with for so many years,” Belber remarked on the three-year agreement between the league and TU Center.
While the AFL filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Nov. 2019, one couldn’t fault the Albany market, given its success not only on the field but at the box office, as Belber detailed.
“Just this past year in 2019 the average attendance at regular season games and playoff games was over 10,000 people per game,” Belber added on the strong fan
support which dates all the way back to the days of the old Albany Firebirds.
McCoy echoed the sentiments in his excitement of Albany becoming the tenth city to join the NAL.
“It’s been a long and difficult five months since Albany County was first hit by the pandemic, and our residents, along with the residents of the Capital Region, deserve some good news. We have some of the best fans in the country right here that cheered on their teams to win both Arena Bowl XIII and Arena Bowl XXXII, and I couldn’t be more excited to bring arena football back to our Times Union Center,” McCoy
stated.
“Not only is this a win for our residents and the NAL, which is getting a tenth team, but it will also be critical to the local bars, restaurants, hotels and the entire economy, that will likely still be struggling to bounce back next year. Hopefully we can get our players on the field by March of 2021,” McCoy added on the anticipated season start time.
The excitement was mutual in Orlando, Fla., from owners Ron Tridico and Nate Starling and NAL Commissioner Chris Siegfried, who also joined in via Zoom on the video board inside the arena.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to bring such a wonderful sport back to my home state and fans,” Statling shared.
“We are excited to expand to this historic market and get started. We can’t wait for the 2021 season,” Tridico exclaimed.
“The addition of this market is tremendous for the NAL,” Siegfried stated.
“Adding Albany, the recent AFL champions, into our league is going to make for a ton of excitement in 2021. I’m really looking forward to all of the great matchups next season,” Siegfried added.
A team name has not been selected but ownership says it is looking into potentially acquiring the naming rights to either the Empire or Firebirds.
“We hope to have our team back, hopefully as many players as possible, [it would be] great if the coach [Rob Keefe] was here too but I know you gotta negotiate,” Belber commented on hopefully bringing back many of the same players and coaches from the now defunct Arena Bowl champs.
Established in 2016, the NAL began play in 2017, and is comprised of nine other clubs, including the Jersey Flight, Carolina Cobras, Baltimore Lightning, Columbus Lions, West Virginia Rough Riders, Louisville Xtreme, Orlando Predators, Jacksonville Sharks, and Tampa Bay Tornadoes.
The announcement provides some optimism for the TU Center which has been closed since March 23, with the pandemic forcing the cancellation of concerts and sporting events such as the NCAA Men’s Basketball first and second rounds and the NCAA Men’s Hockey Regional.