A new indoor football league has begun to make the rounds on the media circuit discussing their plans and putting the faces of their teams out into the world in an effort to capture the attention of potential fans. With that in mind we attempt to answer the question: What is the Entertainment Football Association?
Table of Contents
Basic Facts About the ENTFLA
The Entertainment Football Association or ENTFLA is a start up indoor football league with four teams set in the northeast. They have a very clear cut model that should promote stability, and sustainable growth over the long term. Focusing on smaller cities, they have launched the New York Dragons, the New Jersey Ciphers, the Danbury Diesel, and the Fitchburg Heros.
The league will feature a unique brand of football that features a 7v7 style of play, and an elimination of kicking which allows teams to be creative in the venues they operate out of unlike leagues such as the AF1, NAL, or IFL. Much like The Arena League launched in 2024. A league that can be considered a sister-league to the start up ENTFLA.
With a big name commissioner in place who is known well in New York, thanks to his Hall of Fame NFL career with the Buffalo Bills, Andre Reed. The league should draw attention for the things they are not doing, as much as what they are doing. One of those being the fact that they are not attempting to reinvent the wheel, overspend, or leapfrog more established leagues. They are paving their own path, and doing so by creating a business model, and ruleset that allows teams to keep costs low, and pass those savings to fans in the cost of their tickets.
Tommy Benizio of Benizio Sports is at the heart of it’s formation and working to provide a sustainable business plan. Tommy has built a career out of launching or building up alternative sports options over the years with a hand in the ECHL, AFL, WPHL, SPHL, IFL, CIF, TAL, NAL, and now ENTFLA.
Where Are the ENTFLA Teams Located?
Based in Long Island, New York, Morristown, New Jersey, Danbury, Connecticut, and Fitchburg Massachusetts, the ENTFLA has focused heavily on smaller cities. The largest of this list is of course Long Island. With a population of 8,063,000 in 2023 according to WorldPopulationReview.com they dwarf the other cities in this league by a long shot. Morristown has an estimated population of 20,573 according to Census.gov. Danbury Connecticut is estimated to be 86,124 according to Census.Gov. Finally, Fitchburg is estimated at 41,579 according to Census.gov.
Playing in smaller cities keeps costs low in multiple ways, but most of all the venue rental. While Nassau Coliseum is likely to be the most expensive and largest venue, it is the exception to the rule, not the norm for these ENTFLA teams. With a full capacity of 16,000 fans, the league is banking on the large population, and the popularity of the New York Dragons name to draw fans.
The Ciphers will play at Mennen Sports Arena which has a full capacity of 2,500 fans which should make sell-outs an attainable goal for the New Jersey based franchise. Mennen arena has served as the home for football in the past. Housing the New Jersey Xtreme of the National Indoor Football League, and the New Jersey Revolution of the American Indoor Football Association. However, neither team is still in existence meaning there will be no competing football teams using the building.
The Diesel will play at the Danbury Ice Arena, a 3,000 seat venue that typically houses hockey, and has played host to nine franchises in eight different hockey leagues since it’s inception. It also is the home of Spice City FC a minor league soccer club.
Fitchburg will play at Wallace Arena, a sports complex built in 1970 by a resident looking to create a home for hockey teams in the area. It currently hosts many high school hockey teams, a Division III hockey team from Fitchburg State, as well as a junior hockey team, and a roller derby team. It houses 1,000 fans for hockey, or a maximum capacity of 3,200 for concerts.
ENTFLA Features Unique Rules
As mentioned above, this league is built on smaller rosters, another by-design decision to keep costs low, and teams sustainable. Using a 7v7 style according to an ENTFLA press release earlier this year, rosters will consist of 18 players, some of which may play in all three phases of the game. Kicking is a thing of the past for this league, as possession changes will feature a throw off. The elimination of kicking not only removes the need for a kicker, goalposts, or higher roof arenas that would have all increased costs.
One other facet of this league is they intend to make it an entertainment experience. Not only will you see a football game, but you will also be witnessing live music, and even a little league football game at times. All of this adds up to a unique experience for fans.
Ticket Prices
With affordable team ownership, comes affordable ticket prices for fans. All four teams offer introductory ticket prices of less than $20 per seat with all four teams already accepting deposits on season tickets to help increase sales and support of the team. Knowing the approach of Benizio Sports they will likely be focusing on group ticket sales in an effort to artificially inflate attendance in year one.
When a family of four can attend a game for less than $100, the league is sure to draw fans, especially those involved with the little league teams allowed to play on the same field as the ENTFLA teams.
Each team has a small but effective front office with a General Manager, Director of Partnerships, Director of Operations, and some also employ consultants that are supposed to assist in partnership sales with the team. This model should promote growth, while keeping costs as low as teams get off the ground in 2025.
Speculation
I have a hunch that the launch of the TAL, and ENTFLA are tied together in more than just business model, and long term we could watch these two leagues grow hand in hand as they eventually create a larger entity together. This is strictly a hunch, but the ruleset, business model, and launch have all been eerily similar. The idea of launching small stand alone divisions one by one to create a more sustainable larger league has it’s merits for indoor football a sport that traditionally has faced it’s fair share of challenges with financial sustainability.
In the meantime, creating what could eventually serve as divisions or conferences of a larger league, keeps costs down for these franchises as travel is hyper focused on smaller portions of the country. With over 30 years of experience in minor league sports, Benizio Sports certainly would have a good idea how to create a league with a sustainable business model due to their own successes and failures over the years.
One thing is for sure, Shady Sports Network will continue our coverage of the TAL, and ENTFLA and their teams over the foreseeable future. With that in mind, head over to the YouTube Channel and subscribe to catch all of the latest coverage of these leagues and so many others. Broaden your horizons to the wide world of “minor league” football in America and beyond.
Sponsor BreaksGPT.com
Say hello to our newest sponsor BreaksGPT.com. BreaksGPT.com is providing you with your favorite sports memorabilia at reasonable prices, while also doing daily breaks at 5 pm CT LIVE on Tik Tok. Follow BreaksGPT on all your favorite social media platforms to stay informed on their latest items up for sale, and anytime you make a purchase use our code Shady Breaks to save 20% on any purchase above $20.
YouTube
Please also help us continue growing on our YouTube Channel by subscribing if you haven’t already. Also like and comment on any videos you enjoy! Thank you for your support and we hope you continue to tune in!
Join the Conversation on Discord, Facebook, or Reddit
Are you on discord or Facebook? Join our server/groups to jump in the conversation, stay up to
date on your favorite leagues and give us your hot takes. You can also promote your content!
Fantasy Reports Facebook Group
Discover more from Shady Sports Network
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Cool cool. So what.. does the L stand for?
Part of Football