Springfield Officially Granted Franchise for New Arena League in 2024

Springfield is getting an Arena League football franchise, starting in the summer of next year.

At a press conference Thursday afternoon, the league’s founders Tommy Benizio and Tim Brown, announced the city was selected to have a team.

Benizio began the festivities thanking the city of Springfield for its hospitality, and shared his excitement for the team and league.

Later during the presser, league commissioner Tim Brown, former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL Hall of Famer, made the announcement official.

Springfield, Missouri is the first city chosen for a franchise with The Arena League.

The league is unique in some of its rules, which includes a 6-on-6 style of play versus the traditional 8-on-8 that most arena leagues play.

Fans will also be able to judge officials following games, different than any other football league in the U.S.

For those excited about the new team, you can visit the leagues Springfield website, where you can vote on the team name, team colors, and look at pricing options for season tickets.

The season will begin in June of 2024, with home games being played at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds at the new Wilson-Logistics Arena.

TAL (The Arena League) signed a three-year lease with the fairgrounds.

The arena is under construction, but is expected to be completed by March of next year.

A gallery of photos taken from the press conference can be found below: