Arena Football League Continues League Growth with Introduction of the Nashville Franchise
November 11, 2023 - Arena Football One (AF1)
Nashville Kats News Release
NASHVILLE - The Arena Football League has announced the highly anticipated return of the AFL to the Tennessee marketplace with the Nashville Kats, a franchise owned by Nashville Arena Sports, LLC.
The franchise recently acquired the trademark for the team to be called the Nashville Kats, a nod to its groundbreaking run with the original AFL. The Kats will play home games at historic Municipal Auditorium in downtown Nashville with the season opener slated for Saturday, April 27, 2024.
The team's ownership group is led by sports and entertainment attorneys Tamara Dadd Alan, CEO, and Nancy D. Eckert, COO/General Counsel; and former Penn State Nittany Lions and Brentwood Academy player Gregg Johnson, who also serves as the team's general manager.
"I'm extremely honored to be an integral part of building an Arena Football team this city will be proud of with the goal of bringing AFL Championships to my hometown of Nashville," Johnson said. "Our ownership group is aware of the past successes of the AFL in Nashville, and we are eager to expand on that brand and become yet another viable offering in the Music City entertainment and sports landscape."
"We are thrilled to be bringing back the AFL to Nashville," AFL Commissioner Lee Hutton said. "Nashville fans are incredibly passionate about football so we're excited for fans in that market to have the opportunity to engage with their team in a special way."
The management team has tapped Jeff Fisher, former Titans and Rams head coach, as Chief Advisor to guide the franchise relaunch. Fisher and staff will be assisted by Nashville sports communications veteran and Tennessee Sports Writers Association Hall of Famer Greg Pogue, who will also serve as Team Advisor.
"I am excited to be part of the organization bringing the Arena Football League back to Nashville," Fisher said. "I have always been a big fan of Arena Football, especially the Nashville Kats when they played here.
It is so entertaining with so many talented players and coaches. And in that setting, the fans become so much a part of not only the game, but the overall experience."
The ownership group felt the importance of having the Nashville Kats brand is key to the franchise's success as they take ownership of the amazing legacy already established and the opportunity to build upon it.
"The Nashville Kats were and will be again such a viable part of the Nashville and middle Tennessee sports and entertainment landscape," Dadd Alan said. "We have a wonderful opportunity to build on that. Most of all, we just want to have some fun."
Season tickets and individual game tickets are expected to go on sale before the holidays.
The announcement comes after the league previously introduced a multitude of franchises, such as the Oregon Blackbears. Iowa Rampage, Wichita Regulators, Salina Liberty, The Southwest Kansas Storm, Rapid City Marshals, Albany Firebirds, Washington Wolfpack, Orlando Predators, Billings Outlaws and West Texas Desert Hawks.
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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
