Mobile, AL - Daytona Beach's new professional football team finally has someone to play against.
Mobile, Alabama becomes the second city to join the American Patriot League, over a month after league officials announced its formation and that Daytona would become the first city with a franchise.
In announcing Mobile's team yesterday (November 19th), APL officials also confirmed plans for teams in six other cities by the time play begins next spring, two fewer than was the case when Daytona's team was announced on October 9th.
Marques Ogden, Managing Director of the World Professional Football Association - the group overseeing the APL - says the league will target players who have left college and weren't able to get on with a National Football League squad.
“It’s a chance for guys to play professionally and improve their skills, whether they want to continue on to the NFL or not,” Ogden added.
The league will be formed into two four-team divisions, one called Freedom and the other Liberty. It's not clear at this point which division Daytona or Mobile will end up in.
Like the Daytona franchise, Mobile's team will play in a city-owned facility. In their case, it will be Ladd-Peebles Stadium, home to the University of South Alabama's football team and two bowl games, including the annual Senior Bowl.
Daytona's team will play at Daytona Stadium, which is also home to Bethune-Cookman University football games and is currently undergoing a renovation worth over $20 million.
Mobile plans to announce its General Manager and Head Coach sometime next month. Daytona hasn't announced a timeline to fill those positions.
The APL plans to have a 14-game regular season running from March until June, which is also a pushback from its initial start month of next February. Five playoff games will take place after that, with the league championship slated for the 4th of July weekend at the home of the United States Naval Academy football team in Annapolis, Maryland.
The first round of player tryouts happened earlier this month in Houston. Another round of tryouts will also take place in Houston the first weekend in December. Teams are expected to make their roster selections in mid-January.
