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Arena football is back on Long Island. For the first time since 2008, after the Arena Football League folded, Long Island will be home to a new arena football team in a brand-new league.
At a press conference at Nassau Coliseum, the former home of the New York Dragons of the Arena Football League, representatives from the Entertainment Football Association announced the arrival of their New York-based team.
The league announced Long Island as their fourth and final destination for their inaugural 2025 season.
Morristown, N.J., Danbury Conn., and Fitchburg, Mass. represent the other cities for the inaugural season set to get underway in June.
The Long Island team does yet have a name, but the league is having a name-the-team contest where fans can submit their ideas for the team name, colors, and branding to goentfla.com.
“This is Long Island’s team, we want the people of this community to name it,” said the Entertainment Football Association commissioner and NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver from the Buffalo Bills, Andre Reed. “We love this community, its arena, and the people who run them, so we look forward to making this team and these events something Long Island is proud of.”
The league’s founder, Douglas Freeman, also spoke about his vision.
The league wants their product to be more than just football games. They plan to host pre-game tailgate parties, big halftime acts for each game, and postgame autograph sessions — giving fans an opportunity to meet the players and coaching staff.
The league is in the process of finding general managers and head coaches for each of their programs, and expects to include former Division I, II, and III college players.
Some of them may have also earned NFL or other pro-playing experience.
Unlike the NFL, the Entertainment Football Association will follow arena football rules, which include a 7-on-7 format, the elimination of kicks, and no huddles. This allows for constant scoring on the 50-yard field (reduced from the 100 that we’re used to in the NFL).
Super interested?
The league is already taking deposits on season tickets and suites, and expects to introduce the Long Island franchise’s name, general manager, and coaching staff next month. By May, the turf will be unveiled and the roster will be announced just in time for the season, which will run through August.
After the New York Islanders’ departure from Nassau Coliseum in 2021, the New York Riptide lacrosse team disbanded in 2024, and only the Long Island Nets called the Nassau Coliseum home, until today the Nets are joined by the arena league.
Top: League advisor Tommy Benizio speaks at the Nassau Coliseum while announcing plans for Long Island’s arena league team. (Credit: Matt O’Leary)
