Another New Football Team is Coming to Iowa in 2024
This is the year of football making a comeback in Iowa. After a summer that saw Waterloo, IA get one of the four teams in the newly formed Arena League, another city in Iowa will be welcoming an arena team come 2024.
Following bankruptcy after the 2019 season, the Arena Football League (AFL) is looking to make a third comeback next year. One of the teams in this new incarnation is confirmed to be the Iowa Rampage, who will play their home games in the 30,000 square-feet arena Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, IA.
The announcement was made on the AFL's Twitter account via press release. The release confirmed that the owner of the Iowa Rampage is Trevor Burdett, and the head coach is Brandon Henderson. Henderson's coaching journey includes stints as defensive backs coach for several high schools, including Ruskin High School and Bishop Ward:
His coaching philosophy revolves around discipline, teamwork, and unwavering commitment to excellence - per the AFL's press release
The Rampage's home arena, Mid-America Center, will mark the first time in over a decade that an area football team will play inside the massive center. The last team to do so was the Council Bluffs Express (formerly known as the Iowa Blackhawks), per The Daily Nonpareil.
AFL Commissioner Lee Hutton expressed enthusiasm for the inauguration of the Iowa Rampage:
I love the excitement around arena football coming back to the Council Bluffs area. I can’t wait to see the new team and watch them begin their journey - per The Daily Nonpareil
The AFL has already confirmed teams in Albany, New York; Orlando, Florida; Odessa, Texas; and Dodge City, Kansas, just to name a few.
To be clear, the Iowa Rampage has nothing to do with the Iowa Woo (formerly the Waterloo Woo) of The Arena League. The Arena League is a brand new football league that is also looking to begin play in 2024, with the Iowa Woo said to play at the Hippodrome.
The Iowa Rampage will be holding player tryouts this Sunday, October 15th from 12-3pm CST in Council Bluffs. You can pre-register for tryouts in advance via the Iowa Rampage's website or at the door on the day of the event.
Read more about the Iowa Rampage coming to Council Bluffs, IA on their website and on The Daily Nonpareil.