NAL Expansion Heads North to Maine

After announcing the league's latest expansion franchise in North Carolina, the Carolina Cobras, NAL Expansion team heads north to Portland, Maine. The team will play at the Cross Insurance Arena and be called the Maine Mammoths. Returning franchises include the defending Champion Jacksonville Sharks, Columbus Lions, and the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks with the previously announced expansion franchises Jersey Flight, Massachusetts Pirates and Carolina Cobras. With higher expectations and new requirements set in league bylaws, league officials set out to expand in new markets, with ownership groups and operators that reflected the league’s ideals.

The National Arena League is proud to announce that Portland, ME will join Carolina, Massachusetts, and New Jersey as expansion franchises for 2018. Portland joins Lehigh Valley, New Jersey and Massachusetts as the league’s fourth franchise in the Northeast United States and second in the New England area. A rivalry has already sparked between the newly announced Massachusetts Pirates franchise and the Portland franchise.

“To be announcing three expansions franchises in less than 60 days is quite an honor but has also been a monumental accomplishment, stated NAL Expansion Chairman Jeff Bouchy. Portland, completes our plans for expansion for the 2018 season and allows us to move forward with the release of our NAL schedule. Maine has an untapped potential for a professional football atmosphere and it is no doubt that Portland is the perfect location to bring the state’s first professional arena football team.”

“We are excited to partner with the National Arena League to bring something new to the city of Portland. We are looking forward to continue working well with the league as we prepare for the upcoming season this Spring. The Spectra team and the Board of Trustees for the Cross Insurance Arena continue to push for year round events and becoming the home for the Maine Mammoths does just that” says Matt Herpich, Spectra General Manager at the Cross Insurance Arena.

“In only our second year, the NAL is poised for a breakout season” stated NAL Commissioner Chris Siegfried.

Our returning teams, coupled with these additional new markets will continue to build upon the firm foundation of the sports premier arena league. April can’t come soon enough to showcase what we have accomplished this offseason.”

Upon completion of expansion announcements, the league will unveil the 2018 National Arena League Schedule.

ABOUT NATIONAL ARENA LEAGUE: The National Arena League was founded in 2016 and hosted its inaugural season in 2017 as the premiere league in arena football. The National Arena League will kick off its second season in April of 2018. For more information regarding expansion opportunities or partnerships, contact Commissioner Chris Siegfried at chris@nationalarenaleague.com or Expansion Chairman Jeff Bouchy at jeff@nationalarenaleague.com. For more information about the NAL visit www.nationalarenaleague.com, facebook.com/nationalarenaleauge,twitter.com/NALfootball, Instagram.com/natiionalarenaleague.