By: Aaron Castete

After the LA Kiss and San Jose Sabercats closed up shop years ago, the amount of western based indoor/arena football in the United States has dwindled down to a small amount. For all the arena/indoor football fans in the West, we have good news for you! A reportedly new professional indoor football league called the "American West Football Conference" has formed for the upcoming 2019 season. The AWFC was founded by Platinum Events & Security LLC. the same owner of the Idaho Horsemen Football Organization. After months of evaluation and conversations with the IFL and CIF, the Idaho Horsemen ownership group felt they'd be better off forming their own league. The AWFC will kickoff its inaugural season March of 2019 with 4 teams in Nampa, ID, Reno, NV, Wenatchee, WA, & Kennewick, WA. The league wants to start out small to develop stability and then they will expand to new markets.

Current Listed Members:

• Wenatchee Valley Skyhawks (Town Toyota Center/4,300 seats)
• Reno Express (Reno Event Center/7,000 seats)
• Tri-Cities Fire (Toyota Center-Kennewick/6,000 seats)
• Idaho Horsemen. (Ford Idaho Center/12,369 seats)

Markets In the Works:

• Everett, Washington
• Kent, Washington
• Portland, Oregon
• Spokane, Washington
• Billings, Montana
• Salt Lake City, Utah
• Yakima, Washington
• Las, Vegas, Nevada 

The AWFC website can be visited at www.americanwestfootballconference.com. Also fans can find the AWFC on facebook by visiting www.facebook.com/AmericanWestFootball/.

The first ever AWFC league meeting will take place November 3rd in Tacoma, Washington. Arena Football Talk will continue to provide updates regarding the AWFC, as news arises.

The Carolina Havoc announced former player Anson Yarborough will be the next head coach of the team, and third in franchise history.

Yarborough played with the Havoc as a lineman and was a 2018 all star in the AAL. He previously played with the Baltimore Ravens, the Cape Fear Heroes and the Fayetteville Force. But for local fans, they'll recognize him as a member of the last team to play in Florence, the AIFA's Florence Phantoms.

The announcement was made this morning, October 20, in a press conference on Facebook Live. 

The Carolina Havoc have had a busy offseason with a coaching search, a relocation and a decision to be made about league affiliation. Providing the inside view, General Manager Steve Smith joins AFT Buzz to discuss all the team's biggest news and how the franchise is putting down roots in South Carolina.

Host Brice Burge also talks about some shakeups in the front offices of the Salina Liberty and Omaha Beef in the CIF. He also looks at the expansion of leagues out west with the Idaho Horsemen creating their own league and whether or not that is one league too many. RJ Ciancio also joins us to wrap up his talk on potential markets.

AFT Buzz airs Fridays at 7 p.m. Eastern on the internet radio station 920 WON: The Apple. Fans can listen around the world live at www.live365.com/station/a09178 or through the Live365 app. Shows are available after release at https://www.mixcloud.com/AFTBuzz/ 

Few teams have had such a busy offseason as the Cedar Rapids River Kings. With new owners, new name, new coach and front office all bringing a lot of attention to the franchise, fans can miss out on all the work put in. To help explain everything, Cedar Rapids River Kings General Manager Ryan Eucker joins the show for an interview. 

A lot of head coaches received new roles or contract extensions in every major league. AFT President Derek Harper discusses which moves are best for each franchise. Host Brice Burge points out that Bismarck Bucks' jump from one league to another can be beneficial for all parties involved. AFT beat writer Chris Mabry also joins the show, discussing one IFL quarterback's jump to the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL.

AFT Buzz airs Fridays at 7 p.m. Eastern on the internet radio station 920 WON: The Apple. Fans can listen around the world live at www.live365.com/station/a09178 or through the Live365 app. Shows are available after release at https://www.mixcloud.com/AFTBuzz/ 

The Bismarck Bucks announced on their Facebook page today, October 5, that they will be joining the Indoor Football League for the 2019 season.  This is the first time in franchise history that the team will be changing leagues.