Football Leagues Unite to Improve Professional Arena Football
April 14, 2017 - Arena Pro Football (APF) News Release
For the last six months Arena Pro Football and the Can-Am Indoor Football League have been working together for the betterment of the arena/indoor football industry. We are proud to announce that at the conclusion of the 2017 season the leagues will merge to form the American Arena League.
CAN-AM IFL President Tim Viens expressed his excitement to have two great groups come together for the better of the sport. "The new league will provide many opportunities for new teams to come in and be successful".
The AAL will span from the states of Maine to Florida and as far west as Missouri.
The American Arena League will begin play in the spring of 2018 and will consist of a management team of Jack Bowman, Tim Viens and Tony Zefiretto. The AAL will initially be split into two divisions. The Northern Division will consist of teams north of the Virginia/ Maryland border and Canada. The Southern Division will consist of teams south of the Virginia/ Maryland border and west. League ownership will appoint a management team for each division. League operations will be run by the management teams currently in place at Arena Pro Football and the Can-Am Indoor Football Leagues.
Arena Pro Football League CEO Tony Zefiretto shared how the Arena Pro Football League and the Can-Am League have been working together and exchanging concepts since the inception of both leagues. "We have the same vision and goals. It is our expectation that by joining together it will provide our teams with additional resources to be financially successful while operating in a professional manner. Most importantly, we want to provide our fans with affordable family entertainment."
Teams currently playing in the APF and Can-AM leagues will continue the 2017 season in their respective leagues. In July, newly accepted teams will convert over to the American Arena League structure.
Both leagues share the same vision and have been working closely together. League goals include; help to reduce operating and travel costs, formulate common playing rules, and provide in depth training for new team owners. The American Arena League will be operate as a full time business and provide real services to its member teams. High team standards and requirements will be in place and not all teams currently playing in the APF or Can-Am IFL are guaranteed admission into the American Arena League. Teams will be evaluated on their own merits.
The AAL is happy to officially announce the addition of the its newest team in Eastern Virginia. The AAL is also in discussions with existing and expansion teams in Central and Western North Carolina and teams located in three South Carolina cities.
"This is an exciting time in indoor football, the synergy that is being created by these two organizations as they forge ahead to form the American Arena League is tremendous. It will allow us to expand our national footprint of fans and increase our television exposure for our teams, players and coaches" said APF President Jack Bowman.
The Can- Am IFL and the APF will each showcase one of their teams in the first crossover game between the two leagues. The Myrtle Beach Sharks (APF) of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina will travel to Burlington Vermont to take on the undefeated Vermont Bucks (CAN-AM IFL) on April 22 at 7:00 p.m. This game will give fans the opportunity to see the high talent level of both leagues as they prepare for future play in the American Arena League.
The AAL is committed to providing an exciting brand of arena football with a majority of its players coming from Division 1 Universities like Penn State, Alabama, Oklahoma, Temple, Florida, Tennessee, Clemson and others.
To follow your favorite APF or CanAmIFL team please visit www.arenaprofootball.com and www.CanAMIFL.com. In the very near future the American Arena League will be launching its website at www.americanarenaleague.com .
• Discuss this story on the Arena Pro Football message board...
Arena Pro Football Stories from April 14, 2017
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.
