Washington Arena Football League team
| Washington AFL team | |
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Established 2016 Play in Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. WashingtonAFL.com | |
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| League/conference affiliations | |
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Arena Football League (2017–present) | |
| Personnel | |
| Owner(s) | Monument Sports and Entertainment |
| Chairman | Ted Leonsis |
| President | Roger Mody |
| Head coach | Dean Cokinos |
| Team history | |
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| Championships | |
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League championships (0) | |
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Conference championships (0) | |
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Division championships (0) | |
| Home arena(s) | |
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The Washington Arena Football League team is a future professional arena football team to be based in Washington, D.C.. The team will be a member of the Arena Football League (AFL) and play its home games at the Verizon Center starting in the 2017 season. The team is owned by Monument Sports and Entertainment (Ted Leonsis, chairman), which also owns the NBA's Washington Wizards, WNBA's Washington Mystics, and NHL's Washington Capitals. The initial announcement was made on February 10, 2016 of being close to a deal.[1] The official announcement was made on March 10, 2016.[2] This will be the first AFL franchise to play in the DC area since the Washington Commandos folded in 1990.[3]
History of AFL in Washington
Washington Commandos
In 1987, one of the charter teams to play in the new league was the Washington Commandos. The Commandos first ever AFL game was played against the Pittsburgh Gladiators at Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, losing to the Glads 48-46. The team would play its home games during its first season at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland in 1987. The Commandos would not play in 1988, but would return as the Maryland Commandos the following season. The team returned to D.C. in 1990, again as the Washington Commandos and played at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, Virginia, home of the George Mason University basketball teams. The team was folded after the 1990 season.
"Washington Warriors"
In 1999, Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder announced his purchase of an expansion franchise to play in 2003. Snyder even gave them a name, the "Washington Warriors". He attempted to trademark the name as well as the name "Warriors", but after legal battles, the trademarks were nullified.[4] After years of promising to put a franchise on the field, the Warriors expansion franchise never materialized and was abandoned.[5]
Third attempt: return to Washington
On February 10, 2016, The Washington Post and radio station WTOP-FM first broke the story that Monument Sports and Entertainment (Ted Leonsis, chairman), which also owns the NBA's Washington Wizards, WNBA's Washington Mystics, and NHL's Washington Capitals were "close to a deal" in bring a new Arena Football League expansion franchise to the Verizon Center. [6][7] On March 10, 2016, AFL commissioner Scott Butera announced that the deal was finalized and that the new Washington, D.C., team would begin play in 2017. [8] The official website, Facebook and Twitter pages launched on March 15, 2016.
See also
References
- ↑ Jonathan O'Connell and Dan Steinberg (February 10, 2016). "Ted Leonsis close to securing Arena Football League team to play at Verizon Center". Washington Post.
- ↑ "AFL Lands New Team in Nation's Capital". AFL. March 10, 2016.
- ↑ Scott Allen (March 10, 2016). "Ted Leonsis to announce D.C. is getting an Arena Football League team". The Washington Post.
- ↑ Dave McKenna (April 29, 1995). "Warriors, Come In to Play!". Washington City Paper.
- ↑ Scott Allen (February 11, 2016). "‘Washington Maul’ and 12 other name ideas for D.C.’s future Arena Football League team". The Washington Post.
- ↑ Ted Leonsis close to securing Arena Football League team to play at Verizon Center, Jonathan O'Connell and Dan Steinberg, Washington Post, February 10, 2016
- ↑ Ted Leonsis to announce D.C. is getting an Arena Football League team, Scott Allen, The Washington Post, March 10, 2016
- ↑ AFL Lands New Team in Nation's Capital, ArenaFootball.com, March 10, 2016
External links
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