The American Arena League is set to welcome a new franchise next year, the Montgomery Catfish, as part of its 2027 season, marking the latest chapter in the league’s turbulent history.
Originally founded in 2018, the league folded during the COVID‑19 pandemic before being revived in late 2025, now fielding four clubs before the addition of the Catfish and the Texas Wild Hogs.
Venue Hunt in Montgomery
The Catfish have not yet secured a permanent home court, but the organization is weighing two local options: the historic Garrett Coliseum, a 12,500‑seat arena built in the 1950s, and the newer Dunn‑Oliver Acadome on the campus of Alabama State University, which accommodates roughly 7,400 fans.
Montgomery’s indoor football legacy includes earlier outfits such as the Montgomery Maulers of the National Indoor Football League, the short‑lived Birmingham Steeldogs of AF2, and the Alabama Vipers of the original Arena Football League.
Adding a personal touch to the local narrative, former Troy Trojan Raymond Cutts is slated to suit up for the Wheeling Miners, bringing a familiar collegiate pedigree to the league.
Indoor football’s roots trace back to the 1980s and 1990s, when the original Arena Football League popularized the fast‑paced, boarded‑in version of the sport. Since then, a succession of leagues has risen and fallen, leaving a patchwork of teams across the country.
The upcoming 2027 season promises to revive interest in the sport across the Southeast, with the Catfish aiming to carve out a niche in a city that has previously hosted several indoor football experiments.