San Diego has been awarded a team in the Alliance of American Football, an eight-team league set to begin play February 9. The team is expected to play at SDCCU Stadium and be coached by former St. Louis Rams coach Mike Martz, a graduate of San Diego's James Madison High School.
The announcement was made on the league's Twitter account, and details about the team will be announced at a Thursday news conference. The eight-team league was founded by television and movie producer Charlie Ebersol, a son of television executive Dick Ebersol and actress Susan Saint James, and former NFL executive Bill Polian, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The goal is to have "high-quality professional football fueled by a dynamic alliance between players, fans and the game," with fans able to stream games via a free app "while accessing integrated fantasy options with real rewards, for themselves and the players they are cheering on."
The league will be staffed by players cut by the NFL. In attempt to increase player safety, the league will not have kickoffs. Instead, teams will start with the ball on their own 25-yard lines to start a game or second half or after allowing a score.
The league's opener and championship game will be televised by CBS. Additional games will be carried by cable's CBS Sports Network. The planned eight-team league will operate under a single-entity structure instead of having individuals own teams. The other cities announced to be awarded teams are Atlanta, Memphis, Orlando, Phoenix and Salt Lake City.
Photo Credit: Getty Images