The Story of Unprecedented Growth

Many have seen the 2026-2027 offseason and looked on in wonder at how one league can launch with four….. Then explode into 10+ teams in just a few months. It takes a set of skills rarely seen in the arena football landscape. But Kevin O’Hanlon seems as if he more than does. You would think a man who has accomplished a college career at Georgia Tech, a starting role with the RedDogs in the AFL, and a winning record in the various leagues(as a player, coach, and staff) such as the PIFL, paired with a winning record as Head Coach with the Trenton Freedom, may rest on his accomplishments.

Though that doesn't seem to be the case for O’Hanlon. Since the league rebooted in 2025 and began play this past April, his entire focus has been on how to build the league. Not only build the league, but how to do it in such a fashion that it lasts for years, not for a few months. His passion for the American Arena League is unfathomable to anyone outside of the league. Though he is working hard to build, you won't ever find him arrogantly promoting himself. Anytime you try to talk about Kevin, Kevin talks about the AAL, so why not follow suit?

Commish Accomplishments:

Start to Finish:
When you look at the 2026 Four Team season, any of us could pick out small flaws, but the AAL was the only true Arena Rules team not to lose a team in the season, and one of only two traditional arena/indoor rule leagues to start with and finish with the same teams. A lot can be said for any first-year league that starts with the same teams it finishes with. Not only did they make it to the end… He was in attendance for several games, and if you had the chance to be around him for any of those games, he was keyed into every play and every move, every flag and every fan event… thinking and drumming up ways to make the league that much better in 2027 before 2026 was even half over. All that thinking led to this:

Expansion

You can’t play; you can't build, and you won’t survive without expansion, and typically we won’t see it at the scale we have. If you haven’t been keeping up, we have gotten:
Texas Wildhogs
NTX Steam
Montgomery Catfish
Ohio Legends (Move up)
Tri-City Horsemen (moved from NAL)
Texas Desperados
Rome Redcats
Maybe More….

Every single one of these has a solid foundation and ownership… take, for example, Rome… the newest expansion team. With it come two very experienced owners and the best coach in all of the AAL2. Not a single team is “thrown together “leading us to our next point.

Vetting

This is the hardest part, and while we can’t tell you the entire process, know that the league takes each application and ensures everyone involved in each of these teams is vetted with precision. The AAL takes a non-typical approach: it's attraction to the league rather than promotion. Kevin and his staff have made a point to create a space that gives owners a say and the ability to build their brand in the AAL; it’s not about the three letters… It’s about well-funded, well-run organizations that come together to play top-of-the-line arena football in the spring.

Owner-Centric Policies

A huge part of what has made the growth possible is the owner-centric nature of the league. The American Arena League doesn’t revolve around a brand deal; there is no agreement to a certain uniform provider, and if you want to leave, you can. The entire system is built for longevity over profitability. Any small- to midsize market owner can come in, understand the cost, and adjust. The overall regionality of the league gives everyone the option to bus to games, and the league works just as hard to ensure that each team has what it needs as the teams do themselves.

Overall, Kevin and his staff have done an amazing job with the American Arena League, and the growth isn’t over. There is always a new plan in the works, but they will always under promise and pleasantly surprise. The AAL will be a blast with all of the new owners, players, coaches, and football we get! Stay tuned… it only gets better from here.