Arena Football League approves Salt Lake City for 2006
September 20, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release
NEW YORK â The Arena Football League Board of Directors approved an application from an ownership group in Salt Lake City, Utah to begin play in 2006 and set the divisional alignment for the 2005 season during a meeting today via conference call.
The Salt Lake City ownership group consists of a prominent local family with significant sports experience but chooses to remain anonymous until an arena-lease agreement is finalized.
"Salt Lake City is a world-class sports market and will be a great addition to the Arena Football League," said AFL Commissioner DAVID BAKER. "I feel confident that with the addition of Salt Lake City, coupled with serious interest from significant ownership groups in Boston, Kansas City, Miami and Washington, we will have 20 strong teams heading into our 20th season in 2006."
With the addition of the expansion Nashville Kats in 2005, the board set the divisions by placing the team in the Eastern Division with the Dallas Desperados, New York Dragons and Philadelphia Soul. The Columbus Destroyers move from the Eastern to the Central Division with Chicago Rush, Colorado Crush and Grand Rapids Rampage. The Carolina Cobras, Detroit Fury and Indiana Firebirds were terminated. Several local ownership groups are currently attempting to revive these teams and will be considered by the board if applications are submitted in the near future. The AFL schedule and dispersal draft details will be released at a later date.
Seventeen teams will compete for the ArenaBowl XIX championship. Following is the new divisional alignment for 2005:
2005 DIVISIONAL ALIGNMENT*
AMERICAN CONFERENCE
WESTERN
Arizona Rattlers
Las Vegas Gladiators
Los Angeles Avengers
San Jose SaberCats
CENTRAL
Chicago Rush
Colorado Crush
Columbus Destroyers
Grand Rapids Rampage
NATIONAL CONFERENCE
EASTERN
Dallas Desperados
Nashville Kats
New York Dragons
Philadelphia Soul
SOUTHERN
Austin Wranglers
Georgia Force
New Orleans VooDoo
Orlando Predators
Tampa Bay Storm
*Subject to final approval
The addition of Nashville brings the number of active teams owned by NFL owners to five: Colorado (PAT BOWLEN and STAN KROENKE) Dallas (JERRY JONES), Georgia (ARTHUR BLANK), Nashville (BUD ADAMS) and New Orleans (TOM BENSON). In addition, three other NFL owners own the rights to future AFL teams: DANIEL SNYDER and FRED DRASNER (Washington), WAYNE WEAVER (Jacksonville) and the YORK FAMILY (San Francisco).
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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from September 20, 2004
- Celebrity panel to judge final auditions on Brooklyn Bridge at New York New - York - Las Vegas Gladiators
- Desperados Drafted for U.S. Army Boot Camp - Dallas Desperados
- Arena Football League approves Salt Lake City for 2006 - AFL I
- Rampage head to Oklahoma City for open tryout - Grand Rapids Rampage
- Destroyers complete coaching staff for 2005 - Columbus Destroyers
- Rush moves football operations office - Chicago Rush
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