BALTIMORE, Maryland (October 10, 2008) – The American Indoor Football Association has awarded an expansion franchise to the District of Columbia. The team, to be known as the D.C. Armor, will begin play in 2009.

“I am so very excited about this franchise,” said AIFA co-founder John Morris. “It is perfectly located in the center of our Eastern footprint. That Washington-Baltimore rivalry is going to be great, and don't forget nearby Richmond in 2010. The Pennsylvania and Carolina franchises are close by as well.”

“I can't say enough about the AIFA,” said Corey Barnette, a principal in the team ownership group. “We are enthused about the opportunity to field a team here. We looked at all of the leagues. When you look at the geographic location and the level of competition, it's hard to not argue that the AIFA is the absolute best. We think it's a very viable league, and we're excited.”

The Armor will play its home games in the D.C. Armory, which is being renovated for its newest tenant. The team will also have its offices in the arena, which is located adjacent to RFK Stadium and is easily accessible through the region's mass transit rail system.

“It's a ten-thousand seat arena,” Barnette remarked for an interview to air on This Week in the AIFA. “It's a phenomenal environment. It's a huge playing facility, but not so much that it would overwhelm a mid-sized crowd.”

“The D.C. Armor will fit beautifully in our league,” said AIFA co-founder Michael Mink. Washington is a fantastic sports market with a huge population base from which to draw.”

Washington D.C. currently ranks as the No. 8 television market, with nearly 2,300,000 TV households. Nearby Baltimore adds over a million more television households into a region with a total population in excess of eight million people.

The AIFA anticipates additional franchise announcements in the near future.