AFL Team Owner Could See League Growing To 20-Plus Clubs

Nolan believes the AFL can sustain attendance numbers that will result in profitable effortsalbany business review

AFL Albany Empire co-Owner Dan Nolan believes the league "could easily grow from its current six teams to 20 or 25 across the country in the coming years," according to Mike DeSocio of the ALBANY BUSINESS REVIEW. The Empire in '18 "easily surpassed expectations" in their first year, attracting an average of 9,714 fans per game to the Times Union Center, which led attendance in the AFL. Even so, the Empire were "not profitable, which Nolan said is expected for the first few years of any team." Nolan: "What you really hope for in a league like this is after a couple years you can break even. And if you have the kind of attendance that we have, I think eventually you can probably be profitable." The AFL added teams in Columbus and Atlantic City for this season, which begins in April. Nolan said that the league will "likely add four teams" in '20 (BIZJOURNALS.com, 2/19).