The Arena Football League's latest restart began Saturday, but it wasn't without its hiccups.
The league, originally founded in the 1980s, hit some snags as its third season began with Saturday's game.
In March, the NFL announced a partnership to broadcast 30 AFL regular season games on NFL Network starting Saturday, April 27, with the Albany Firebirds and Orlando Predators facing off after the network's 2024 NFL Draft coverage.The game was finally broadcast VYRE Network.
The NFL did not respond to ProFootballTalk's request for comment. Current NFL Network listings have the next AFL broadcast scheduled for Thursday at 8pm ET between the Firebirds and Nashville Cats.
The AFL's Saturday schedule announcement did not include a matchup between the Philadelphia Soul and Louisiana Voodoo.
Christian Redd of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported on Soul's “48 hours of chaos and anxiety.” Head coach Patrick Pimmel reportedly “resigned the day before the team's first game, and many of Seoul's players received contract termination letters.” Players from the American Arena League II Dallas Falcons were then added to the Soul roster, but the team lost 53-18 in Lafayette, Louisiana.
The drama even reached a hotel in Seoul. Sports agent Tristen Barnett said Soul players were kicked out of the team's Super 8 motel in the Philadelphia area, their luggage was taken and they were locked in the motel room, Sports Business Journal reported. Reported.
Red pointed out that Seoul's turmoil stems from the ownership situation after the venture group “withdrew.”
“Last month, cracks began to appear in the Soul Foundation when information began leaking that the AFL was taking ownership of the Soul,” Red wrote.
