Royal Farms Arena to host games beginning this spring
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) today announced the acquisition of an Arena Football League (AFL) team, which will play at Baltimore’s Royal Farms Arena starting in the spring of 2017. The soon-to-be-named AFL team joins the Washington Valor as the newest teams in the AFL.
The team is currently conducting a search for a head coach, who will oversee Baltimore’s football operations and assemble a staff and roster.
“We are looking forward to bringing an AFL team to the Baltimore community,” said Monumental Sports & Entertainment founder and majority owner Ted Leonsis. “Baltimore is known for its passionate sports fans, and we look forward to their spirited support of their AFL team. The AFL is a fast, fun experience for families and fans of all ages. We are excited about growing the league and using an array of technologies to bring fans closer to the game and the players. Baltimore is a natural location, and I envision some great rivalries between Washington, Baltimore and Philadelphia.”
Monumental Sports & Entertainment also owns the NBA’s Washington Wizards, NHL’s Washington Capitals, WNBA’s Washington Mystics and the AFL’s Washington Valor as well as acquiring an ownership stake in aXiomatic, which owns esports franchise Team Liquid.
“Baltimore is an ideal location for the Arena Football League and we look forward to rivalries with other AFL cities including Washington and Philadelphia,” said commissioner Scott C. Butera. “This expansion also demonstrates the dedication of our strong ownership group and its commitment to expanding the Arena Football League as a premier source of sports entertainment.”
The Arena Football League was founded in 1987 and concluded its 29th season in 2016 with 20 million fans across the United States.
“We are excited to bring another team to the Arena Football League,” said Roger Mody, a member of the Monumental Sports & Entertainment ownership group and managing partner for the Washington Valor and the new Baltimore team. “The thrill of arena football games coupled with the passion of Baltimore fans will make this new acquisition an exciting one.”
Fans can secure their season tickets for the Baltimore arena football team with a $50 deposit per seat by calling 667-930-0200 or by visiting Ticketmaster.
Royal Farms Arena, Baltimore’s largest indoor sports and entertainment facility, has long been considered an anchor, which contributed to the growth and prosperity of Baltimore. Royal Farms Arena is City-owned and privately managed by SMG, the world leader in management of public assembly facilities.
The Arena is host to more than 800,000 guests annually, and home to the MISL Champion Baltimore Blast Indoor Soccer team.
Monumental Sports Network will broadcast Washington Valor and the Baltimore team’s games. Original programming and existing content featured on Monumental Sports Network includes Emmy Award-winning shows Caps Red Line (CRL) and Wizards Magazine as well as Mystics Magazine. Featured shows syndicated on the network include: Caps Report, Caps Snapshots, Coach’s Corner, Courtside Report, DC Tonight, Fashion Friday, Fast Break, Inside Fantasy Football, Junior Reporters, Monumental International, Mystics Minute, Off the Bench, Rinkside Update, Two-Man Advantage and Out of Bounds. Capitals and Wizards pregame and postgame coverage is also provided on the sports network.
About AFL
The Arena Football League will enter its 30th Season in 2017. Since its inception in 1987, the Arena Football League has showcased a fast-paced and exciting game to millions of fans in a myriad of markets across the country. Teams slated for 2017 include: Baltimore, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay and Washington D.C. CBS Sports Network nationally broadcast AFL games each week, culminating with the ArenaBowl.
Source: Royal Farms Arena press release
