Founded in 2014 with play commencing the following year, the A7FL plays an eight-game schedule running from March to June. It primarily attracts semi-professional football players seeking opportunities to stay in shape during spring. In 2016, the league participated in a safety study led by the New Jersey Institute of Technology. In 2016 the league reported it had four teams in New York City, four teams in Florida, four teams in the deep South, and four teams in the northeast, and said it sought to expand to 32 teams by 2017. In 2018 the league had 18 teams and in 2020 expanded to 21. There are also considerations towards expanding outside of the United States.
Differences from other leagues
A7FL players play without pads or helmets as part of what the league describes as an effort to reduce the potential of head injuries resulting from helmet-to-helmet contact. League games also do not include kickoffs, field goals, or punts, and, instead of the kickoff, implement a unique version of special teams called a 3-on-1 throw off. Games are played on narrow fields of 37 yards' width to accommodate fewer players on the field on each team. A7FL games are played between two seven-man teams; teams are, additionally, required to cap their rosters at 35 active players.
Media coverage
acquired the exclusive United States and international rights to broadcast the A7FL 2017 Championship on July 9, 2017, played at Palisades Credit Union Park. Through ELEVEN Sports Network's distribution with DirecTV, Verizon FiOS, and AT&T uVerse the A7FL 2017 Championship was to be accessible by over 70 million homes worldwide. In 2018, Eleven Sports Network acquired the exclusive United States and international rights to broadcast a 21-game package including the playoffs and championship, and in 2019, the non-exclusive U.S. and international rights to the playoffs and championship. In 2019, Twitch acquired the exclusive United States and international rights to a 21-game package of the season including the playoffs and championship.
Organization
The CEO of the A7FL is Sener Korkusuz and its president is Ryan DePaul. In 2019, UFC co-founder David Isaacs joined the A7FL to serve as chairman of the advisory board. Isaacs said, "Removing equipment to make any sport safer seems counterintuitive and we faced similar issues when we launched the UFC and created the sport of mixed martial arts. With the A7FL, football can be safer but still thrilling full-contact competition. I can't wait to get started." Athletes playing in the A7FL are required to sign a player injury waiver and be 18 years of age or older. Once expanded to 32 teams the league will be structured around eight groups divided into two divisions. The teams play each other twice in the group stages with the top two teams going forward to a divisional championship. The winners of the divisional championships will play each other to decide the winner of the championship.
