Oregon_Blackbears

Oregon Blackbears

Oregon Blackbears

American indoor football team

The Oregon Blackbears are a professional indoor football team based in Salem, Oregon. They were announced as one of the inaugural teams for the revived Arena Football League (AFL), beginning play in 2024. They play at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavilion in Salem, with its long-term future uncertain after it was left out of the league's midseason reorganization, but returned to action after negotiations were successful.

Quick Facts League/conference affiliations, Team colors ...

History

The Blackbears are the third official Oregon-based team to play in the Arena Football League, but are the first to play outside of the Portland, Oregon, area. They are also the first "major" sports team based in Salem.

Oregon AFL History

Initial Logo (2023)

The first team representing the state of Oregon in the AFL were the Portland Forest Dragons, who played from 1997 to 1999 before relocating to Oklahoma City and being rebranded as the Oklahoma Wranglers. Oregon would not see the AFL again until 2013 when the Portland Thunder were established by Clackamas billionaire Terry Emmert and would take the field a few months later. The Thunder were rebranded as the Portland Steel in 2016 after the league took control of the franchise from Emmert, then abruptly folded at season's end with no explanation. The second incarnation of the league would fold three years later. Both teams played their home games at the Moda Center.[1]

Birth of the Blackbears

Four years after the AFL folded for the second time, it was announced on February 1, 2023 that the league intended on relaunching in 2024.[2] On July 18, the 16 intended market cities were announced, including Salem.[3] Like some other locations, Salem city officials were surprised about the announcement, but stated that they "look forward to learning more".[4]

On October 25, 2023, a press release announced that the team would be called the Oregon Blackbears. The ownership group is led by former Oregon Ducks standout and current New York Giants linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux and that their head coach is former player Chuck Jones.[5][6][7][8] Before the start of the 2024 season, Patrick Johnson was named the team president.[9] Their main rivals in the new AFL are the Washington Wolfpack.

On April 27, 2024, the Blackbears won the debut at home over the Wolfpack 47-40.

League turmoil & resolution

With the ouster of commissioner Lee Hutton on May 14, 2024, the Blackbears were left out of the reorganized ten-team league. League officials expressed openness to continuing to schedule games against the Blackbears.[10] In a statement, Johnson expressed surprise that his organization had not been involved in the decision and that he would accept the ruling and disband the team, beginning negotiations with other leagues to ensure Blackbears players could finish the season elsewhere.[11] In a statement to the Statesman-Journal, he indicated plans to discuss the team's exclusion with the other ten remaining owners before taking any further action.[12] As of May 16, the Blackbears are still scheduled to play the Washington Wolfpack on May 18.[13] filling a schedule hole left when the Rapid City Marshals, one of the ten surviving teams, cancelled an upcoming game amid in-team turmoil that had forced the sudden forfeiture of that team's previous game.[14] The Blackbears announced an agreement to finish the 2024 season on May 17.[15]

References

  1. [1]
    AFL Staff (January 13, 2024). "AFL West Division Preview". AFL. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  2. [2]
    Thompson, Jaylon (February 1, 2023). "Arena Football League announces it's returning for 2024 season with 16 teams". USA Today. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  3. [3]
    Arnold, Geoffery C. (July 18, 2023). "Salem, Oregon to get an Arena Football League team in 2024: Report". The Oregonian. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  4. [4]
    Streng, Nik (July 21, 2023). "New Oregon Arena Football League team based in Salem seems to be a surprise to all: 'We look forward to learning more'". The Oregonian. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  5. [5]
    Arnold, Geoffrey C. (October 25, 2023). "Former Oregon Ducks star Kayvon Thibodeaux leads ownership team of Arena Football League's Oregon Blackbears franchise". The Oregonian. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  6. [6]
    Arnold, Geoffrey C. (October 25, 2023). "Oregon Blackbears' launch is 'a full go' for Arena Football League franchise in Salem". The Oregonian. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  7. [7]
    White, Austin (October 25, 2023). "Oregon Blackbears announced as new team in Arena Football League". Portland Tribune. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  8. [8]
    KGW Staff (October 25, 2023). "Salem gets an Arena Football League team: Meet the Blackbears". KGW. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  9. [9]
    McKenna, Dave (May 5, 2024). "Is The Newest Arena Football League Already Collapsing?". Defector. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  10. [10]
    FISHER IN AS AFL COMMISSIONER. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  11. [11]
    OREGON BLACKBEARS LEFT OUT OF REALIGNMENT, FORCED TO CEASE PLAY FOR REMAINDER OF 2024 SEASON. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  12. [12]
    Poehler, Bill. "Salem-based Arena Football League team Oregon Blackbears cancels remainder of season". Statesman Journal. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
  13. [13]
    https://vyre.tv/livetv/?zype_type=video_single&zype_video_id=66461aa23e5f7300015e92a0&playlist_id=613c0682a85a7d000180ca76
  14. [14]
    https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/marshals-cancel-saturdays-game/n-6094932
  15. [15]
    In a dramatic turn of events, the Oregon Blackbears executive team has agreed in principle with (the Arena Football League) on a new licensing agreement that allows for the completion of the 2024 season and the addition back onto the remaining 2024 AFL schedule.
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