NFL Network to televise the Nashville Kats and AFL
Today, the National Football League announced partnerships with the Arena Football League (AFL) and Overtime's football league (OT7) to broadcast live games on NFL Network this spring.
Beginning in April, NFL Network will televise over 30 AFL regular season games and select matchups from Overtime's OT7's regular season and championship weekend.
"We are excited to partner with the AFL and OT7 to bring more live football to NFL Network," said David Jurenka, senior vice president at NFL Media. "The energy surrounding live football games is unmatched, and we're thrilled to provide our fans such great action from these two leagues throughout the spring."
"The Arena Football League and Overtime's OT7 provide yet another opportunity for coaches, players and officials to develop their skills and showcase their talent to the growing football fanbase," said Troy Vincent, Sr., NFL executive vice president of football operations. "This expanded coverage further underscores the many avenues available in the sport of football."
"Football in its eclectic form for gridiron enthusiasts has gained popularity, and the NFL's support and desire to bring fans exciting content as it evolves is encouraging to maintain the appeal for the sport in general," said Lee A. Hutton, III, AFL commissioner. "We are thrilled to have NFL Network as a partner and extend thanks to them for their ongoing commitment to spring football. We truly live in exciting times."
"Having the NFL come on as our media rights distributor for our football league is a testament to not only the growth of our partnership, but the value in what the NFL sees in what we're doing," said Marc Kohn, chief content officer of OT7. "With our games now available on NFL Network, we are excited to have new fans discover the elite talent and competition of OT7."
Fans can also stream NFL Network's broadcast of AFL and OT7 games with NFL+, the League's direct-to-consumer offering which is available through NFL digital properties (NFL.com and the NFL app), and on an authenticated basis through NFL Network distributors' apps and sites, as well as NFL platforms.
NFL Network's schedule of live AFL games begins on Saturday, April 27 following the network's live coverage of the 2024 NFL Draft with the Albany Firebirds hosting the Orlando Predators at 8 p.m. ET, and features more than 30 regular season games. The 2024 AFL season will feature 16 teams playing a total of 80 regular season games.
Live coverage of OT7's regular season on NFL Network begins Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7 at 4 p.m. ET each day, and continues through May 5. OT7 is a content-first, fast-paced football league that spotlights some of the best high school football players in the country. This year's schedule features a five-week schedule with 30 teams playing over 200 games, culminating with championship weekend Thursday, June 6 through Sunday, June 9 in Tampa.
The partnerships with the AFL and OT7 are part of NFL Network's continued focus to broadcast live football, adding to the network's existing coverage of regular season college football games, collegiate all-star games such as the Reese's Senior Bowl, East-West Shrine Bowl and HBCU Legacy Bowl, and high school all-star games such as the Polynesian Bowl.
Provided below are the broadcast schedules for AFL and OT7 on NFL Network:
2024 Arena Football League NFL Network Broadcast Schedule:
- Saturday, April 27 – Orlando Predators at Albany Firebirds, 8 p.m. ET
- Sunday, April 28 – Georgia Force at West Texas Desert Hawks, 1 p.m. ET
- Sunday, April 28 – Southwest Kansas Storm at Salina Liberty, 6 p.m. ET
- Thursday, May 2 – Nashville Kats at Albany Firebirds, 8 p.m. (ET); 7 p.m. (CT)
- Sunday, May 5 – West Texas Desert Hawks at Orlando Predators, 1 p.m. ET
- Sunday, May 5 – Philadelphia Soul at Minnesota Myth, 6 p.m. ET
- Thursday, May 9 – Orlando Predators at Louisiana Voodoo, 8 p.m. ET
- Sunday, May 12 – West Texas Desert Hawks at Washington Wolfpack, 3:30 p.m. ET
- Thursday, May 16 – Orlando Predators at West Texas Desert Hawks, 8 p.m. ET
- Sunday, May 19 – Philadelphia Soul at Albany Firebirds, 1 p.m. ET
- Sunday, May 19 – Salina Liberty at Iowa Rampage, 3 p.m. ET
- Thursday, May 23 – Oregon Blackbears at Washington Wolfpack, 8 p.m. ET
- Sunday, May 26 – Nashville Kats at Orlando Predators, 1 p.m. (ET); noon (CT)
- Sunday, May 26 – Philadelphia Soul at Georgia Force, 3:30 p.m. ET
- Thursday, May 30 – Washington Wolfpack at Minnesota Myth, 8 p.m. ET
- Sunday, June 2 – Louisiana Voodoo at Georgia Force, 1 p.m. ET
- Sunday, June 2 – Albany Firebirds at Nashville Kats, 2:30 p.m. (CT); 3:30 p.m. (ET)
- Thursday, June 6 – Nashville Kats at Minnesota Myth, 8 p.m. (ET); 7 p.m. (CT)
- Sunday, June 9 – Philadelphia Soul at Wichita Regulators, 1 p.m. ET
- Sunday, June 9 – Washington Wolfpack at Southwest Kansas Storm, 6 p.m. ET
- Thursday, June 13 – Louisiana Voodoo at Orlando Predators, 8 p.m. ET
- Sunday, June 16 – Oregon Blackbears at Nashville Kats, 3:30 p.m. ET; 2:30 p.m. (CT)
- Sunday, June 16 – Georgia Force at West Texas Desert Hawks, 2:30 p.m. (CT); 12:30 p.m. (PT)
- Thursday, June 20 – Albany Firebirds at Billings Outlaws, 8 p.m. ET
- Sunday, June 23 – Nashville Kats at Philadelphia Soul, 1 p.m. (ET); noon (CT)
- Sunday, June 23 – Salina Liberty at Louisiana Voodoo, 3:30 p.m. ET
- Thursday, June 27 – Iowa Rampage at Orlando Predators, 8 p.m. ET
- Sunday, June 30 – Albany Firebirds at Georgia Force, 1 p.m. ET
- Sunday, June 30 – Minnesota Myth at Philadelphia Soul, 3:30 p.m. ET
2024 OT7 NFL Network Broadcast Schedule:
Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7 – Dallas College-Brookhaven Campus, 4 p.m. ET
Saturday, April 13 and Sunday, April 14 – Dallas College-Brookhaven Campus, 4 p.m. ET
Sunday, April 28 – Orlando, Austin Tindall Sports Complex, 4 p.m. ET