Wikipedia

2024 The Arena League season

The 2024 Arena League season was the inaugural season of The Arena League (TAL). The regular season began on June 1, 2024 and ended on July 27, 2024.[1][2][3][4]

2024 The Arena League season
LeagueThe Arena League
SportArena football
DurationJune 1 - August 10, 2024 [1]
Number of games16
Number of teams4
TV partner(s)YouTube
Regular Season ChampionsKansas City Goats
ChampionsDuluth Harbor Monsters
  Runners-upIowa Woo
Season MVPBoo Smith
TAL seasons

Background

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The Arena League was announced as a six-on-six indoor American football league with the intentions to launch in 2024 with four teams and with Pro Football Hall of Famer Tim Brown as the Commissioner. The league kicked off the regular season on June 1, 2024.

The TAL aim is to highlight the player's athleticism and increase the pace of play.

Teams

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The first city announced was Springfield[5] with Duluth being the second city.[6] Waterloo was announced as the third team on May 4, 2023.[7] Kansas City was the fourth and final team announced for the inaugural 2024 season.

On October 19, 2023 the Waterloo Woo announced their owners and changed their team name to the Iowa Woo.[8]

Team City Stadium Capacity Joined Head coach
Duluth Harbor Monsters Duluth, Minnesota DECC Arena 5,333 2024 Tony O'Neil
Iowa Woo Waterloo, Iowa The Hippodrome 5,155 2024 Mook Zimmerman
Kansas City Goats Kansas City, Missouri Municipal Arena 9,987 2024 Dorsey Golston III
Ozarks Lunkers Springfield, Missouri Wilson Logistics Arena 4,500 2024 Cam Bruffett

League finances

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Former IFL Commissioner, Tommy Benizio, an advisor for the league and his corporation will operate and run the teams,[9] while J.R. Bond leads a small group financing the league; Bond is a political advisor in Kansas City and has served as owner of several professional sports teams including the Sioux City Bandits, Topeka Tropics, and Topeka Golden Giants.[10] The league would later announce owners for all four locations.[11][12][13][8]

Players

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Teams have a 15-player roster with the game being played with six offensive players against six defensive players. The league will follow a one-platoon system with offensive and defensive players playing both sides of the ball. There are no restrictions on defense.

On December 5, 2023, the Lunkers signed Matt Rush, the first player to sign with a TAL team.[14]

Season format

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The inaugural season of The Arena League will have a nine-week regular season schedule with each team receiving one bye week with playoffs to follow. The season will run from June to August 2024.[1] In September The AL released the 2024 schedule.[15]

Rules

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Reference[16]

  • The field will be traditional arena football size, measuring 50 yards long and 85 feet wide enclosed by padded walls.
  • Teams will have 15-player rosters with the game being played with six offensive players against six defensive players. The league will follow a one-platoon system with offensive and defensive players playing both sides of the ball. There are no restrictions on defense.
  • Play clock is reduced to 20 seconds from the spotting of the ball, as in the Canadian Football League.
  • No offensive huddles are allowed unless a timeout is called.
  • All offensive players are eligible receivers with three players initially lined up in an offensive line position. The quarterback cannot run the ball past the line of scrimmage.
  • All players and coaches will communicate with helmet communication systems that fans will be able to listen to in real time.
  • Kickoffs will be replaced with a quarterback throwoff, with an onside conversion option.
  • All forms of kicking the ball are prohibited, including punts and field goals.
  • There will only be one on-field official to mark and set the ball and make penalty announcements. There will be sky judges watching live video feeds to decide penalties in real time. Coaches and fans will have access to the referee interactions.[17] After each game, fans can give feedback on the referees performance.

Final standings

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Team W L PCT GB PF PA STK
(1)Kansas City Goats 7 1 .875 – 581 405 W3
(2)Duluth Harbor Monsters 5 3 .625 2 390 354 W3
(3)Ozarks Lunkers 3 5 .375 4 379 446 L3
(4)Iowa Woo 1 7 .125 6 343 488 L3
Legend
(1) – Clinched 1 Seed
(2) – Clinched 2 Seed
(3) – Clinched 3 Seed
(4) – Clinched 4 Seed

Season schedule

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The regular season schedule was released on September 6, 2023.[1]

Regular season

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Week 1

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Date Time Away team Result Home team Stadium Notes Ref
June 1 7:05 p.m. CT Duluth Harbor Monsters 52 77 Kansas City Goats Municipal Arena
June 1 7:05 p.m. CT Iowa Woo 40 69 Ozarks Lunkers Wilson Logistics Arena

Week 2

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Date Time Away team Result Home team Stadium Notes Ref
June 8 2:05 p.m. CT Kansas City Goats 91 56 Iowa Woo The Hippodrome

Week 3

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Date Time Away team Result Home team Stadium Notes Ref
June 15 7:05 p.m. CT Duluth Harbor Monsters 44 38 Ozarks Lunkers Wilson Logistics Arena
June 15 7:05 p.m. CT Iowa Woo 38 58 Kansas City Goats Municipal Arena

Week 4

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Date Time Away team Result Home team Stadium Notes Ref
June 22 7:05 p.m. CT Ozarks Lunkers 52 46 Iowa Woo The Hippodrome 2OT
June 23 5:05 p.m. CT Kansas City Goats 58 57 Duluth Harbor Monsters Kramer Service Group Field at DECC Arena

Week 5

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Date Time Away team Result Home team Stadium Notes Ref
June 29 7:05 p.m. CT Ozarks Lunkers 69 59 Kansas City Goats Wilson Logistics Arena Game originally scheduled to be held at Municipal Arena[18]
June 29 7:05 p.m. CT Iowa Woo 41 22 Duluth Harbor Monsters Kramer Service Group Field at DECC Arena

Week 6

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Date Time Away team Result Home team Stadium Notes Ref
July 6 7:05 p.m. CT Duluth Harbor Monsters 67 60 Ozarks Lunkers Wilson Logistics Arena

Week 7

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Date Time Away team Result Home team Stadium Notes Ref
July 13 7:05 p.m. CT Kansas City Goats 78 45 Ozarks Lunkers Wilson Logistics Arena
July 13 7:05 p.m. CT Iowa Woo 41 52 Duluth Harbor Monsters Kramer Service Group Field at DECC Arena

Week 8

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Date Time Away team Result Home team Stadium Notes Ref
July 20 7:05 p.m. CT Ozarks Lunkers 18 51 Duluth Harbor Monsters Kramer Service Group Field at DECC Arena
July 20 7:05 p.m. CT Kansas City Goats 99 60 Iowa Woo The Hippodrome

Week 9

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Date Time Away team Result Home team Stadium Notes Ref
July 27 7:05 p.m. CT Duluth Harbor Monsters 45 21 Iowa Woo The Hippodrome
July 27 7:05 p.m. CT Ozarks Lunkers 28 61 Kansas City Goats St. Pius X Football Stadium Inside Out Game

[19]

Postseason

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Semi-finalArenaMania
 
      
 
August 3 – St. Pius X Football Stadium
 
 
1
Kansas City Goats		58
 
August 10 – Kramer Service Group Field at DECC Arena
 
4
Iowa Woo		59
 
4
Iowa Woo		44
 
August 3 – Kramer Service Group Field at DECC Arena
 
2
Duluth Harbor Monsters		46
 
2
Duluth Harbor Monsters		50
 
 
3
Ozarks Lunkers		18
 

Semi-finals

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Date Time Away team Result Home team Stadium Notes Ref
August 3 7:05 p.m. CT Iowa Woo 59 58 Kansas City Goats St. Pius X Football Stadium
August 3 7:05 p.m. CT Ozarks Lunkers 18 50 Duluth Harbor Monsters Kramer Service Group Field at DECC Arena

ArenaMania

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ArenaMania I–Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Iowa Woo 6 12 02644
Duluth Harbor Monsters 7 8 121946

at Kramer Service Group Field at DECC Arena, Duluth, Minnesota

  • Date: August 10, 2024
  • Game time: 7:05 p.m. CDT
  • TV: YouTube


Media

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TAL team media deals
Team TV Station(s) Radio Station(s) Notes
Duluth Harbor Monsters Northland Fan 106.5 FM and 560AM[20]
Iowa Woo KCRG-TV[21] [a]
Kansas City Goats
Ozarks Lunkers KYTV[22]
  1. ^ The team is partnered with KWWL as the exclusive news source.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d McClure, Jeffrey F. (6 September 2023). "The Arena League releases schedule for 2024 season". Northern News Now. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  2. ^ Vierzba, Neil (6 September 2023). "The Arena League Reveals 2024 Schedule, Duluth Harbor Monsters to Open Year on Road". FOX21. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  3. ^ Tipcke, Alicia (6 September 2023). "The Arena League reveals Duluth Harbor Monsters schedule". WDIO. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  4. ^ "Schedule". The Arena League. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  5. ^ Wheeler, Wyatt D. (9 March 2023). "'The Arena League' football is coming to Springfield in 2024. Here's what to know". Springfield News-Leader. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  6. ^ Malcomb, Jamey (6 April 2023). "NFL Hall of Famer Tim Brown announces Duluth to receive Arena League team". Duluth News Tribune. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  7. ^ Brown, Chelsie (4 May 2023). "The Arena League bringing a professional football team to Waterloo in inaugural season". KCRG. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  8. ^ a b "New owners and name announced for Waterloo's arena football league". KWWL. 19 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  9. ^ Wheeler, Wyatt D. (9 March 2023). "'The Arena League' football is coming to Springfield in 2024. Here's what to know". Springfield News-Leader. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  10. ^ Cullinan, Mike (17 March 2023). "Arena football league selects Springfield for first team". Springfield Business Journal. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  11. ^ "Duluth arena football team names owner". Duluth News Tribune. 28 July 2023.
  12. ^ Young, Mason (July 18, 2023). "The Arena League brings Kansas City Goats, unique indoor football experience to town". The Kansas City Star.
  13. ^ "Owner reveals name for Springfield's new Arena League football team". KY3. June 14, 2023.
  14. ^ Pinson, Chris (5 December 2023). "Lunkers reel in Springfield native Rush". Ozarks First. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  15. ^ "Our 2024 Regular Season Schedule is here!". Facebook.
  16. ^ "Rules". The Arena League. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  17. ^ "The Arena League Referees". youtube.com.
  18. ^ "Schedule Change: Ozarks Lunkers playing at home Saturday against the Kansas City Goats". KY3. 25 June 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  19. ^ "Schedule - The Arena League". thearenaleague.football.
  20. ^ Cooper, Nick (24 January 2024). "Duluth Harbor Monsters arena football team partners with The FAN 106.5 as exclusive radio home". Northland FAN. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  21. ^ "KCRG to air Arena League Football". KCRG. 21 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  22. ^ "KY3 broadcasting Ozarks Lunkers Arena League Football games".
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