Ted Leonsis Brings Big Money to Alliance with Expansion Partnership
Leonsis Brings Football to Washington
December 10, 2015
Washington, D.C. - Ted Leonsis and Monumental Sports and Entertainment LLC announced that they were bringing an Alliance expansion team to Washington D.C. for the 2017 season. Leonsis is the majority owner of the Washington Wizards(NBA), Washington Capitals(NHL), Washington Mystics(WNBA), the Capital City Go-Go of the NBA Developmental League and now the Washington Valor of the Alliance of American Football.
“This city is hungry for sports, and I believe this rapidly growing league is the best place for a DC football team. I can't wait for 2017.”
Leonsis was rumored to be close to a deal with bringing an expansion Washington DC football team to the Arena Football League and this change of plans on Leonsis' part puts a huge dent into the minor league. The Arena League has had the New Orleans VooDoo, Las Vegas Outlaws, and defending league champion, San Jose SaberCats cease operations in 2015 due to ownership financial reasons while the league took over ownership and operational control of the Portland Thunder. The Spokane Shock also moved operations from the Arena Football League to the Indoor Football League. These moves left the AFL with only eight teams for the 2016 season.
Leonsis also revealed the team's logo at the press conference while announcing the team would be playing their home games at Audi Field in Washington, D.C.