Will Birmingham have an inaugural franchise in Major League Football?

Will Birmingham play in Major League Football?
May 6, 2015
A proposed spring football league, Major League Football, announces they are targeting Birmingham as a site for one of their inaugural franchises for their first season in 2016.

MLFB’s management has identified Legion Field as a venue around which MLFB intends to staff its Birmingham franchise with local employees to manage the team. As part of Major League Football’s strategy, the company’s approach in Birmingham also includes a series of community-centric outreach programs to help build a fan base, support local businesses, and develop football talent in the surrounding area.

"We could not be more pleased to announce today our hopes to bring Major League Football to the great sports fans of Birmingham and the surrounding communities," stated league president Wes Chandler. "Our brand of spring football will provide the region’s sports fans another family sports and entertainment option. As we engage in discussions with Legion Field officials and the local business community, we hope to create a mutually beneficial relationship and bring an exciting MLFB franchise to the Birmingham area that continues a rich tradition of football in this wonderful community.”

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MLFB has begun contacting potential host venues across the country to establish cities that will become the inaugural season team sites. MLFB will review the venues in those cities, evaluate fan and local business support and other criteria to determine the cities that are the best fit for a MLFB team.

Birmingham joins Eugene (OR), Little Rock, Norfolk, and Orlando as the first five target cities. The MLFB hopes to announce another five venues over the next several months.

MLFB is one of the first publicly owned professional sports leagues in the United States enabling fans to purchase and sell shares for their desired ownership in the league.

???, 2015

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	Head coach Ted Cottrell

League coaches appear to be Dave Campo, Charlie Collins, Ted Cottrell, Robert Ford, Wayne ‘Buddy’ Geis, Galen Hall, Larry Kirksey, and Chris Miller.

No announcement was made but Ted Cottrell appears to be Birmingham's head coach.

Most recently, Cottrell was the head coach of the United Football League's New York Sentinels in 2009.

Prior to the UFL job, which was his first head coaching position, Cottrell has been a defensive coach for numerous National Football League teams. His NFL stops include the Kansas City Chiefs (1981-1982), Buffalo Bills (1986-1989, 1995-2000), Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals (1990-1994), New York Jets (2001-2003), Minnesota Vikings (2004-2005), and the San Diego Chargers (2007-2008).

Cottrell coached in the United States Football League in 1984-1985 as a defensive line coach for the New Jersey Generals.

He has also been a defensive coach at the college level, working for Rutgers University (1973-1980, 1983).

???, 2015
Based on filed trademarks, there will be 10 teams.

However, the league's website only mentions eight; Alabama Airborne (Birmingham), Arkansas Attack (Little Rock), Florida Fusion (Orlando), Ohio Union (Akron), Oklahoma Nation (Oklahoma City), Oregon Crash (Eugene), Texas Independence, Virginia Armada (Norfolk).

The two other teams with trademarks are Northwest Empire and Utah Stand.

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Alabama Airborne		Arkansas Attack		Florida Fusion		Ohio Union		Oklahoma Nation


Oregon Crash		Texas Independence		Virginia Armada

June 23, 2016
Schroeder-Manatee Ranch has filed suit to evict the financially troubled Major League Football from its offices at Lakewood Ranch. The suit filed Wednesday states that MLFB was served with a three-day notice to pay rent and other charges on June 16. As a result of the failure to pay, SMR asserts it is entitled to immediate possession of the premises. According to court papers, Major League Football failed to make its rent payment in March, April, May, and June. The rent payment for the 9,696 square feet of office space is $11,918 per month.

September 9, 2017
The league announces that Jerry Craig has committed to become majority shareholder and president/CEO of Major League Football.

Craig is president and CEO of Compass Creek Capital in Huntington Beach. His wife, Kris Craig, a Compass Creek co-owner and MLFB partner, will serve as chief marketing officer.

Originally set to open play last spring, the league postponed its debut when a major investor backed out.

The league will still have eight franchises, with Birmingham and Montgomery being considered along with Little Rock, Round Rock, Canton, Memphis, Salt Lake City, Portland, Denton (TX), Shreveport, Albuquerque, and a city in Florida.

October 29, 2019
Major League Football announces they have made a "significant step" toward a 2020 launch, but at the expense of another spring league.

Frank Murtha, President and CEO of MLFB, claims to have completed the purchase of equipment formally owned by the now bankrupt Alliance of American Football. The AAF was a spring football league that began in February 2019 and lasted just eight weeks out of the planned ten game regular season. The Birmingham Iron were members of the AAF.

Virtually all of the football equipment, video equipment, and medical supplies necessary for eight teams was included in the purchase.

Murtha claims the deal will save the league nearly two million dollars and solidifies the plan for the league to play football in 2020. “We are committed to long-term financial sustainability. This purchase is a great example of that responsible mindset."

As of now, the MLFB is scheduled to debut in six cities in the spring of 2020 and is the first publicly traded sports league in history.

“The AAF provided proof of concept for a spring league with attendance, viewership, and the successful transition by some players to the National Football League,” Murtha said.

Epilogue
Major League Football has never played a single game, despite an updated website that still claims they are "coming soon".

Alabama Airborne secondary logo

Contact Gene Crowley
Last update: November 01, 2019