The football landscape includes more than the NFL. There are domestic leagues as well as teams that play internationally, and now, two leagues will broadcast their games on NFL Network.
NFL Network Set To Show AFL and OT7 Games
NFL Media announced that the league network will display Arena Football League and OT7 games in the Spring.
Over 30 AFL regular-season games will be shown during the season, beginning on Saturday, April 27.
The first game will be the Orlando Predators vs. the Albany Firebirds at 8 p.m. EST after the NFL Network covers the 2024 NFL Draft. In all, 16 teams are set to participate in the 2024 AFL season.
NFL Network’s live coverage of OT7 begins on Saturday, April 6, at 4 p.m. ET. There is set to be coverage of some select regular-season games through May 5. Championship weekend begins on June 6, culminating on June 9.
The league will spotlight a few of the top high school football players in the United States.
What Is the AFL?
The AFL first began play in 1987, founded by Jim Foster. Its unique style of play includes playing indoors at arenas that would typically host hockey or basketball matchups with eight players on offense and defense, respectively. The smaller field has allowed for a quick pace of play and offers high-scoring games.
As time has persisted, the league has seen its ups and downs. The AFL expanded and hit the peak of its popularity in the 1990s with 19 teams. However, financial issues came along and there were a few suspensions in operations. League operations were shut down in 2008, lasting one season.
A new iteration of the AFL took its place with Gene Simmons of Kiss creating the Los Angeles Kiss and Mötley Crüe frontman Vince Neil taking over the Las Vegas Outlaws. The league would contract, reorganize, and eventually shut down its operations in 2019.
Moreover, 2024 is the first year that the league will return under new operation.
What Is the OT7?
OT7, similar to the AFL, features fewer than the typical 22 players on the field that is featured in gridiron football, along with a higher-paced game. The biggest difference is the level of play, featuring some of the top high school skill-position players in the country in 7-on-7 play.
The first year of OT7 took in the top 188 7-on-7 teams in the country to play against one another over four days in Las Vegas.
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Teams in 2023 played against one another in group play, with the best teams advancing to a single-elimination, 16-team playoff format with highlights and content being at the forefront of the league’s promotion.
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