By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor 
The first of two Arena Football League planned expansion teams has been identified for the recently rebranded league that will head into the 2019 season this spring in a "new direction," with preparations to "make a strong mark in the sports industry."
"Barring an unexpected development," the AFL will announce an expansion team in Atlantic City that will play its home games in the iconic Boardwalk Hall, according to the Press of Atlantic City's David Weinberg. The Atlantic City-based team will join the Philadelphia Soul, Baltimore Brigade, Washington Valor and Albany Empire as the AFL's fifth active team. The Cleveland Gladiators remain on hiatus as Quicken Loans Arena continues to undergo renovations.
The league has shifted its focus this past year with the goal to move forward as a "next-generation sports league," creating an "uniquely modernized and gamified experience for fans." It all started in late March, when Ron Jaworski, former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback who is now majority owner of the AFL's three-time champion Soul, assumed the role of Chairman of the AFL's Executive Committee upon Randall Boe's installment as Commissioner. Nearly five months later in late August, the league announced it will relocate its headquarters to Philadelphia.
Now, the AFL will expand into the heart of east Coast casinos in Atlantic City, with all eyes particularly set toward the recently legalized sports gambling.
"There's no doubt that gambling is a major part of sports right now," Jaworski told reporters prior to the Soul's open player tryouts in Pitman, New Jersey, on Nov. 3. "Now, with legalized [sports] gambling in the United States, people are going to wager on games. That means they are going to watch the game. People love football. Everyone knows NFL betting is where a majority of betting is done … but once people know they can wager on Arena Football League games, that means more eyeballs on our game, and we grow the game."
According to the Press of Atlantic City, fans are "expected to be able to bet on games and even in-game action at Boardwalk Hall." The yet-to-be-named team will reportedly be chosen by fans in a contest.
At the November player tryout, Jaworski shed light into the AFL's short and long-term plans and its move last summer to Philadelphia:
"Last year, we only had four teams … we will announce more teams coming into the league. We will announce a long-term strategy to really grow the league in a very big way. Our league office home was in Las Vegas for many many years. Since we are now northeast-centric, we wanted to have our league office in our backyard. … As we grow, we will grow the northeast, East Coast first, and then will start moving out west.
We needed to get everyone aligned in the same building, in the same city. Now, every single day our staffs are together. Commisioner Randy Boe is in Washington; he gets on the train and comes up once a week for our meetings. We really have not only a terrific short-term plan, but I think a very strategic long-term plan."
The AFL has yet to confirm the Press of Atlantic City's report, which also stated officials plan to tentatively schedule a news conference for Tuesday, January 22, at a to-be-determined site.
“This is great news,” City Council President Marty Small told the Press of Atlantic City in a phone interview on Wednesday. “Atlantic City is always looking for ways to appeal to residents and visitors with new and different amenities, and this definitely fits. I’m for anything that will bring family-oriented entertainment here.”
“It’s going to happen, and I’m absolutely thrilled. The people of Atlantic City and South Jersey deserve it," Jaworski told the Press of Atlantic City in a phone interview on Wednesday. “I can’t say enough about the overwhelming support we’ve received from the City, the CRDA (Casino Reinvestment Development Authority), the casino industry and the people. Everyone’s been behind this 100 percent.”
The AFL hopes its new Atlantic City team is unlike the city's previous four professional sports franchises over the past two decades, all of which have since folded.
The Soul will hold its second player tryout in Pitman on Saturday, January 19. Players not only will be trying out for the Philadelphia-based team, but also likely for other teams within the league as it looks to head into the 2019 season on a strong, revitalized note.
