More Details Revealed About Baltimore's Future Arena Football Team

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- If you just can't get enough football, you now have a new option. Arena football is coming to Baltimore.

Fast, close quarters and under cover, the arena football league has been around since the 1980s. A new Baltimore franchise will start playing at the Royal Farms Arena in April, WJZ's Alex DeMetrick reports.

"We did this because of our belief in the city," said Ted Leonosis, CEO of Monumental Sports Entertainment.

"Our belief in the fan base, and I think equally important, our belief in the AFL."

Leonsis, the owner of the Washington Capitals and Wizards, is also starting a D.C. franchise. Both Beltway teams will join a league that saw five of its teams fold or join other leagues, leaving just three in the AFL.

The head coach of the Baltimore franchise will be Omarr Smith, whose L.A. team was among those that folded. That also happened in 2010 to the Baltimore Mariners, after two seasons playing in a different indoor league.

But with Beltway battles between the cities, backers are hoping to turn around Arena Football's fortunes here.

"Any time we can fill this arena up it's a good thing for us," says Frank Remesch, GM of the arena. "So we're very, very excited."

Filling seats with a startup franchise will be a challenge. To help make it happen, tickets will be just $8 per game.

"When you think you can bring a family of four for less than $50, really?" Remesch says. "That's incredible. Absolutely incredible."

There's already advertising for ticket sales, even though there isn't technically a team yet. The franchise plans to reveal the team's name in January, though.

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