History of the Arena Football League in Washington, D.C.

Last updated

Washington, D.C. originally had one of the 1987 AFL charter teams called the Washington Commandos. The team played its home games during its first season at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland in 1987. The Commandos did not play in 1988, but returned as the Maryland Commandos the following season. The team moved to Virginia in 1990, again as the Washington Commandos and played at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, Virginia. The team was folded after the 1990 season. Later, Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder tried to launch an expansion team called the Washington Warriors, but could not get the trademarks [1] and was eventually abandoned. [2]

Washington Commandos (1987–1989)

The Commandos had the honor of playing in the first AFL regular season game on June 19, 1987, losing to the Pittsburgh Gladiators 48–46 at the Civic Arena. [3] [4] The Commandos picked up their first win in franchise history the following week, when they defeated the Denver Dynamite, by a score of 36–20 in their home opener. [5] The Commandos finished the season with a 2–4 record, [6] a disappointment, but the team was in every game except one, losing three games by a total of six points.

After a one-year hiatus, the Commandos returned to play in 1989 and operated as the "Maryland Commandos", playing their sole home game that year at the same venue as in 1987, Landover's Capital Centre. [7] The team went 0–4 in the abbreviated 'travelin' season of 1989. The Commandos coaching staff consisted of Ray Willsey, Mike Hohensee, Mike Dailey, and Jerry Kurz. Hohensee, Dailey and Kurz would all go on to become members of the Arena Football Hall of Fame.

The team returned to the Washington name for their final season in 1990. They were coached by Hohensee, who had been promoted from his assistant position. [8] The Commandos started the season 0–3. [9]

In 1987 and 1989, the team played its home games at the Capital Centre (later known as USAir Arena) in Landover, Maryland. For the 1990 season, the team was based at the Patriot Center on the campus of George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. [10]

Washington Valor (2017–2019)

In 1999, Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder announced that he would bring an expansion team to DC to be called the Washington Warriors. [11] (At the time, there was speculation in the media that Snyder actually wanted to change the name of the Redskins to the Warriors, due to the controversy over the NFL's team monicker.) But after a ten-year wait and the AFL's canceling its season in 2009, that never materialized. [12]

On February 10, 2016, The Washington Post and radio station WTOP-FM first broke the story that Monumental Sports and Entertainment (Ted Leonsis, chairman), which also owns the NBA's Washington Wizards, WNBA's Washington Mystics, and NHL's Washington Capitals, were "close to a deal" in bringing a new Arena Football League expansion franchise to the Capital One Arena. [13] [14] On March 10, 2016, AFL commissioner Scott Butera announced that the deal was finalized and that the new Washington, D.C., team would begin play in 2017. [15] The official website, Facebook and Twitter pages launched on March 15, 2016. On July 14, 2016, the team's name was announced as the Washington Valor with the team's colors being red, white and blue. [16] Jerseys and helmets designs were released on December 10, 2016. Valor owners Monument Sports and Entertainment also acquired a franchise in Baltimore on November 14, 2016. [17] The team's name was later revealed as the Baltimore Brigade. The Valor's first game was on April 7, 2017, in the Verizon Center against the Brigade. The Valor were the first AFL franchise to play in the DC market since the Commandos. [18] On July 28, 2018 the Washington Valor upset the Baltimore Brigade 69–55 at Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore in Arena Bowl XXXI, despite having won only two regular-season games in 2018. Washington QB Arvell Nelson was named the game's Most Valuable Player.

In a January 2019 interview with Forbes , Leonsis noted that the Valor were not particularly successful in regard to finances, and that he mainly used the team and its Baltimore counterpart to experiment with ideas to later use with his more prominent sports properties such as the Wizards, Mystics, and Capitals. [19] Following the 2019 season, the AFL announced it had shut down the operations of local teams and was looking into becoming a traveling league. However, the league filed for bankruptcy and ceased operations entirely in November 2019.

See also

Related Research Articles

Arena Football League Professional American arena football league

The Arena Football League (AFL) was a professional arena football league in the United States. It was founded in 1986, but played its first official games in 1987 season making it the third longest-running professional football league in North America after the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the National Football League (NFL) until the AFL closed in 2019.

The Tampa Bay Storm were a professional arena football team based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. that played in the Arena Football League (AFL). Originally located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and operated as the Pittsburgh Gladiators, the franchise was one of the original four that launched the Arena Football League for its inaugural, 1987 season. The club was relocated to Tampa for the 1991 season, being the last of the original teams to either fold or leave its market. After 26 years in the Tampa market, the team ceased operations in December, 2017.

Capital One Arena Multi-purpose arena in Washington, D.C.

Capital One Arena is an indoor arena in Washington, D.C. Located in the Penn Quarter neighborhood, the arena sits atop the Gallery Place rapid transit station of the Washington Metro. It has been largely considered to be a commercial success and is regarded as one of the driving catalysts of the revitalization of Washington, D.C.'s Chinatown neighborhood. Like many storefront signs in Chinatown, the arena's large sign is written in Chinese characters below the English name of the sponsor.

Washington Commandos Arena football team

The Washington Commandos were an arena football team based in Fairfax, Virginia. The Commandos were founded in 1987 and were an inaugural member of the Arena Football League (AFL), and were based in Landover, Maryland. After not playing during the 1988 season, the team returned for the 1989 season as the Maryland Commandos. Following the 1989 season, the Commandos moved to Fairfax, Virginia, where they once again became known as the Washington Commandos. The team never achieved much success at either of its locations, winning four games in three seasons, including a winless 1989 season.

Mike Hohensee American gridiron football player and coach (born 1961)

Michael Louis Hohensee is a former professional football quarterback who played in the United States Football League, Canadian Football League, National Football League and Arena Football League. He most recently the head coach of the AFL's Portland Thunder. He played college football at the University of Minnesota, and was in the AFL for two seasons, from 1987 to 1988. Hohensee has been a head coach since 1990, beginning at the Washington Commandos. He has served as head coach of eight different arena football franchises, winning ArenaBowl XX with the Chicago Rush in 2006.

The 1987 Arena Football League season was the first season, also known as the "demonstration season", of the Arena Football League (AFL). The league champions were the Denver Dynamite, who defeated the Pittsburgh Gladiators in ArenaBowl I.

Sports in Washington, D.C.

Sports in the Washington, D.C. area include major league sports teams, popular college sports teams, and a variety of other team and individual sports. The Washington metropolitan area is also home to several major sports venues including Capital One Arena, RFK Stadium, FedExField, Audi Field, and Nationals Park.

Ted Leonsis American businessman

Theodore John Leonsis is an American businessman, investor, filmmaker, author, philanthropist, and former politician. He is a former senior executive with America Online (AOL), and the founder, chairman, and CEO of Monumental Sports & Entertainment. He is also founding member and investor in the Revolution Growth Fund, which includes investments in FedBid, Resonate Insights, Optoro and CustomInk. He founded and chaired of SnagFilms, which produced the documentary film Nanking. The film was honored with the 2009 News & Documentary Emmy Award. He is also an author, having published the book The Business of Happiness in 2010.

Pittsburgh Power Arena football team

The Pittsburgh Power were a professional arena football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The team belonged to the East Division of the American Conference (AC) in the Arena Football League (AFL). Founded in 2011, the Power was the youngest franchise in the AC. The team played its home games at the Consol Energy Center, which they shared with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League. The Power shared the same color scheme as Pittsburgh's other professional sports teams, the Penguins, the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League, and the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball.

CBS Arena Football is a TV program from CBS Sports that broadcast Arena Football League games from 2013 to 2018. As part of a two-year agreement, the CBS Sports Network aired nineteen regular season games and two playoff games. When CBS aired ArenaBowl XXVI, it marked the first time since 2008 that the league's finale aired on network television.

Lee Johnson is an arena football coach and former offensive lineman and defensive lineman. He played his college football at the University of Missouri, and was an AFL offensive lineman and defensive lineman from 1995 to 1996. He has been a football coach since 1997. After being the defensive coordinator for the Orlando Predators from 2010 to 2011, he became the San Antonio Talons head coach in 2011.

Phillip Barnett is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He previously played for the Washington Valor of the Arena Football League (AFL) and played college football at the University of Toledo.

Washington Valor Arena football team

The Washington Valor were a professional arena football team based in Washington, D.C. that played in the Arena Football League (AFL) from 2017 to 2019. The team's home arena was the Capital One Arena. The Valor were owned by Monumental Sports and Entertainment, which also owns the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA), Washington Mystics of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL), Capital City Go-Go of the NBA G League and fellow AFL team the Baltimore Brigade.

Baltimore Brigade Arena football team

The Baltimore Brigade was a professional arena football team based in Baltimore, Maryland, that played in the Arena Football League (AFL) from 2017 to 2019. The team's home arena was the Royal Farms Arena. The franchise was owned by Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which also owned the Washington Valor of the AFL, as well as the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA), Washington Mystics of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), and Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL).

2017 Arena Football League season Sports season

The 2017 Arena Football League season was the 30th season in the history of the Arena Football League (AFL). Prior to the start of the season, the league contracted to five teams. Due to this, for the first time since 1991, the league was not divided into conferences or divisions. The 14-game regular season began on April 7, 2017, when the two new teams, the Baltimore Brigade and the Washington Valor, faced off in the Verizon Center, and ended on August 5, 2017, when the Tampa Bay Storm lost against the Philadelphia Soul.

Albany Empire (AFL) Arena football team

The Albany Empire was a professional arena football team based in Albany, New York, that began play in the Arena Football League (AFL) in 2018. Home games were played at Times Union Center located in downtown Albany.

The 2018 Arena Football League season was the 31st season in the history of the Arena Football League (AFL). Prior to the start of the season, the league contracted from five to four teams with one team folding, one going on hiatus, and one added expansion team. The 12-game regular season began on April 13 and ended on July 7.

ArenaBowl XXXI was the championship game of the 2018 Arena Football League season. The game was broadcast on CBS Sports Network, AFLNow and Twitter. It featured the fourth-seeded Washington Valor and the second-seeded Baltimore Brigade at the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore. It was the first ArenaBowl championship for both teams as they were expansion teams in the previous season. Both teams were owned by Ted Leonsis, giving him his second league championship in six weeks following his Washington Capitals team's victory in the NHL's 2018 Stanley Cup Finals. The title sponsor for the game was Bud Light.

Outside of the NFL, the city was represented by the Pittsburgh Americans of the second American Football League in 1936 and 1937. It was also briefly represented by the Pittsburgh Maulers of the United States Football League, in 1984, and the Pittsburgh Gladiators, of the Arena Football League from 1987 until 1990. A second Arena Football League team, the Pittsburgh Power, played in the Consol Energy Center from 2011 until 2014.

References

  1. ↑ Dave McKenna (April 29, 1995). "Warriors, Come In to Play!". Washington City Paper.
  2. ↑ Scott Allen (February 11, 2016). "'Washington Maul' and 12 other name ideas for D.C.'s future Arena Football League team". The Washington Post.
  3. ↑ "Arena Football Debuts". The New York Times. June 21, 1987. Retrieved September 19, 2013.
  4. ↑ Gary Tuma (June 20, 1987). "Gladiators smashing in 48-46 win". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved September 19, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Commandos win home-opener". The Free Lance-Star. June 29, 1987. Retrieved September 19, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Commandos 52, Gladiators 31". www.apnewsarchive.com. Associated Press. July 24, 1987. Retrieved September 19, 2013.
  7. ↑ Kevin James Shay (September 3, 2013). "Arena Football League considering putting team at proposed Shady Grove venue". www.gazette.net. Post-Newsweek Media, Inc./Gazette.Net. Retrieved September 19, 2013.
  8. ↑ Tom Boggie (June 9, 1990). "Firebirds Host Commandos In Arena Football Opener". The Daily Gazette. Retrieved September 19, 2013.
  9. ↑ David Fink (June 23, 1990). "Barretta leads Glads over Commandos". Pittsburgh Post=Gazette. Retrieved September 19, 2013.
  10. ↑ "ArenaFan Online : Washington Commandos - Team History - 1990". www.arenafan.com. ArenaFan.
  11. ↑ Are You Ready for the Washington Warriors?, Bryan Curtis, Slate.com, May 6, 2002
  12. ↑ Cheap Seats Daily: Washington Warriors Won't Ever Play in the AFL?, Dave McKenna, Washington City Paper, August 5, 2009
  13. ↑ Ted Leonsis close to securing Arena Football League team to play at Verizon Center, Jonathan O'Connell and Dan Steinberg, Washington Post, February 10, 2016
  14. ↑ Ted Leonsis to announce D.C. is getting an Arena Football League team, Scott Allen, The Washington Post, March 10, 2016
  15. ↑ AFL Lands New Team in Nation's Capital, ArenaFootball.com, March 10, 2016
  16. ↑ Russell, Jake. "And the name of D.C.'s arena football team is … the Washington Valor". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2016-08-26.
  17. ↑ NEWSROOM MONUMENTAL SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT ACQUIRES AFL TEAM TO PLAY IN BALTIMORE, Monumental Sports and Entertainment website, November 14, 2016
  18. ↑ Scott Allen (March 10, 2016). "Ted Leonsis to announce D.C. is getting an Arena Football League team". The Washington Post.
  19. ↑ NBA London 2019: Wizards owner Ted Leonsis on why the NBA is the most valuable league. Forbes (January 17, 2019). Retrieved January 18, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.