It’s official—the District is adding more athletes to its roster. Ted Leonsis, owner of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, announced at a press conference this afternoon that D.C. will have its own Arena Football League team. The squad, which is yet to be named, will play at the Verizon Center beginning summer 2017.
Leonsis, who announced the acquisition last week, described the sport today as fast-paced, family-friendly, and communal. “We wanted to embrace it and bring it far and wide to our fan base and community,” said Leonsis, owner of the Washington Wizards, Mystics, and Capitals.
“Our goal is to get to the playoffs and win championships to bring the downtown area alive,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser, adding that Penn Quarter restaurants are packed after D.C.hockey games. “The spirt and the morale of the city goes up when you have winning teams,” she continued.
The AFL—which plays indoor American football—is going into its 29th season this year with eight teams. The District will add the fourth team on the East Coast. It will also be the city’s first indoor football team since the D.C. Armor played in the American Indoor Football Association in 2009.
Leonsis and Mayor Bowser recently paired up on another deal. Last month, Mayor Bowser broke ground one of the two buildings that will become the new home of the Washington Mystics and a practice facility for the Wizards in Congress Heights. Events D.C., estimated last year that the arena would cost $55 million to build. $23 million of that will be paid for by the District, while $27 million will be paid by Events D.C. (which is funded through taxpayer dollars), and the rest will be paid for by Monumental Sports & Entertainment.
In addition to choosing with a team name, the AFL team’s organizers must decide on a logo and uniforms as well as hire a coach and recruit players. Season tickets for the 2017 season will go on sale later this year, but future fans can make a $25 per seat deposit to get access to available seats before the general public, according to the team’s site.
