AFL adds three teams for 2011.
TULSA, OK-- The Arena Football League will welcome back three teams for the 2011 season.
The AFL announced that the Kansas City Brigade, San Jose Sabercats and the 2008 AFL Champions Philadelphia Soul will return to the league beginning next season. All three teams were members of the original AFL, the oldest of the three teams being San Jose, who began play in 1995.
The announcement of the additions were made on June 18th.
San Jose is the most successful of the three teams, as they won three AFL ArenaBowls in 2002, 2004 and 2007. Philadelphia won the ArenaBowl in 2008 and at one time had an ownership groups that included rock stars Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, and former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski. The Kansas City Brigade is owned in part by former Kansas City Chief and Denver Bronco Neil Smith.
The league will expand from 15 to 18 teams should the current lineup stay intact in the off season.