Jul 17, 2019 - Sports

Arena Football League seeks major capital raise

Kendall Baker, author of Sports

Photo: Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Arena Football League is in the middle of a major capital raise, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: This comes on the heels of the AFL switching to a single-entity structure, which makes it a more attractive investment opportunity (investing in a league rather than a single team).

Details: The AFL, which has been around since 1987, is currently backed by a group of investors that includes Monumental Sports & Entertainment, the owners of the Washington Wizards and Capitals.

  • After years of contraction, the league expanded to two new markets this season: Atlantic City and Columbus (previously had a team from 1999–2008).

Current standings: The top four teams advance to the playoffs, which begin July 26. Each series will be played in a home-and-home format.

  1. Albany Empire (9-2)
  2. Philadelphia Soul (7-4)
  3. Washington Valor (6-5)
  4. Baltimore Brigade (6-5)
  5. Atlantic City Blackjacks (4-7)
  6. Columbus Destroyers (1-10)

What's next: Moving forward, the goal is to add two franchises per year for three years with an emphasis on markets with legal sports betting or pending legislation, sources tell Axios.

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Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Sudan's head of the Sovereign Council, meets with Bahraini aid officials in Khartoum, Sept. 15. Photo: Mazen Mahdi/AFP via Getty Images

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