Arena Football League returns to Colorado in 2024

For the first time since 2008, the Arena Football League is coming back to Colorado.

The league, which is relaunching next year after shutting down in 2019, unveiled on Tuesday a list of 16 locations for teams via Twitter. More teams are set to be announced, the league later tweeted.

Denver is reported to be home to the new Colorado team, according to a report from the Washington Post.

This will be the first time the league will have a presence in the Centennial State since the Colorado Crush played at the then-Pepsi Center from 2003-08. Owned by Pat Bowlen, John Elway and Stan Kroenke, the team won ArenaBowl XIX in 2005, beating the Georgia Force, 51-48, for the league title.

Colorado was also home to the Denver Dynamite, which played in 1987 and 1989-91. Denver won the first ArenaBowl, handily beating the Pittsburgh Gladiators, 45-16, in 1987.

The AFL declared bankruptcy in 2019. Investment group F1 Sports & Entertainment bought the league in 2022 and announced in February plans for a relaunch. So far two teams have officially been announced: the Orlando Predators and West Texas Warbirds.

Other cities announced include Austin, Texas; Boise, Idaho; Tallahassee, Fla.; St. Louis, Mo.; and Philadelphia. States announced include California, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee and Washington.

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