Originally the Arena Developmental League (ADL), the National Arena League was founded in June 2016 by Columbus Lions owner Skip Seda and father Keke Seda in the wake of several small indoor leagues folding and teams jumping to other leagues. On November 18, 2016, before a snap of football had been played, the league announced it would change their name to the National Arena League. The league kicked-off their inaugural season in March 2017.
As part of the change in name, the league management was also restructured so that it was no longer solely managed by Lions' owner Skip Seda, but instead managed by all member teams equally. Later that same day, the league added former AFL team, the Jacksonville Sharks. With years of experience in the Arena Football industry, the owners will be able to help maintain the league and all of the teams in it for the long run. The Columbus Lions, Jacksonville Sharks, and Lehigh Valley Steelhawks are the most experienced teams in the league, having been in existence prior to the league’s inception.
The league currently consists of eight teams spanning along the east coast from Orlando, Florida to Portland, Maine. After dwindling from eight to six teams between the 2017 and 2018 seasons, whether it be from teams folding or transferring leagues, the league has grown, expecting to play with seven teams in the 2019 season with the addition of the New York Streets and Orlando Predators. The Maine Mammoths and Lehigh Valley Steelhawks are on hiatus while they each search for a new owner during the 2019 season.
As part of the change in name, the league management was also restructured so that it was no longer solely managed by Lions' owner Skip Seda, but instead managed by all member teams equally. Later that same day, the league added former AFL team, the Jacksonville Sharks. With years of experience in the Arena Football industry, the owners will be able to help maintain the league and all of the teams in it for the long run. The Columbus Lions, Jacksonville Sharks, and Lehigh Valley Steelhawks are the most experienced teams in the league, having been in existence prior to the league’s inception.
The league currently consists of eight teams spanning along the east coast from Orlando, Florida to Portland, Maine. After dwindling from eight to six teams between the 2017 and 2018 seasons, whether it be from teams folding or transferring leagues, the league has grown, expecting to play with seven teams in the 2019 season with the addition of the New York Streets and Orlando Predators. The Maine Mammoths and Lehigh Valley Steelhawks are on hiatus while they each search for a new owner during the 2019 season.
