ALLIANCE OF AMERICAN FOOTBALL (AAF) was a professional football league that began play on 19 February 2019 following the NFL's Super Bowl LIII. Teams were to play a 10-week season, followed by a 4-team playoff that would haved ended with the Championship Game. However, after 8 weeks, Thomas Dundon (owner of the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes) pulled the plug and all players immediately became free agents.
The AAF consisted of eight centrally owned and operated teams, based in metropolitan areas that have at least one major professional sports franchise and will all play in major FBS college football stadiums.
The AAF had a mini-draft for quarterbacks and not for every position but the biggest obstacle for any league is how to introduce fans to both the league and their favourite team as it is literally building a fan base from nothing and therefore players are assigned from affiliated colleges, CFL and NFL teams.
Firstly, players were assigned based on which college they played for, which helped teams to tap into the local college fan bases that helps for fans to not only attend games but also see their favourite college players in action at the pro level. Players were also chosen by the last professional team that they played for either in the CFL or NFL. However, if a player had never played professionally then they were free to be signed by any AAF team.
Eastern Conference
TEAMS |
STADIUM | |
|---|---|---|
  |
ATLANTA LEGENDS |
 GEORGIA STATE STADIUM (ATLANTA,GA) |
  |
BIRMINGHAM IRON |
 LEGION FIELD
(BIRMINGHAM,AL) |
  |
MEMPHIS EXPRESS |
 LIBERTY STADIUM (MEMPHIS,TN) |
  |
ORLANDO APOLLOS |
 CAMPING WORLD STADIUM (ORLANDO,FL) |
Western Conference
TEAMS |
STADIUM | |
|---|---|---|
   |
ARIZONA HOTSHOTS |
 SUN DEVIL STADIUM (TEMPE,AZ) |
  |
SALT LAKE STALLIONS |
 RICE-ECCLES STADIUM (SALT LAKE CITY,UT) |
   |
SAN ANTONIO COMMANDERS |
 ALAMODOME (SAN ANTONIO,TX) |
   |
SAN DIEGO FLEET |
 SDCCU STADIUM (SAN DIEGO,CA) |
2019 AAF Season
Standings
| Eastern Conference | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RK | TEAM | GP | REC | |
| 1 | |
Orlando Apollos | 8 | 7–1 |
| 2 | |
Birmingham Iron | 8 | 5–3 |
| 3 | |
Memphis Express | 8 | 2–6 |
| 4 | |
Atlanta Legends | 8 | 2–6 |
| Western Conference | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RK | TEAM | GP | REC | |
| 5 | |
San Antonio Commanders | 8 | 5–3 |
| 6 | |
Arizona Hotshots | 8 | 5–3 |
| 7 | |
San Diego Fleet | 8 | 3–5 |
| 8 | |
Salt Lake Stallions | 8 | 3–5 |
2019 SEASON Notes
The Orlando Apollos clinched a playoff berth on March 24, and top seed in the Eastern Conference on March 30. The Birmingham Iron clinched a playoff berth on March 31.
Following the 10-week regular season, the top two teams in each conference were due to face each other in conference championship games, hosted by the higher seeded team. These semifinals were scheduled for April 21. The winners would then meet in the league championship game on April 27 at a neutral site. Originally, the title game had been set for Sam Boyd Stadium near Las Vegas, Nevada announced October 23, 2018, but was changed to Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas on March 20, 2019, before the season was ended.