It’s official. Again.

What was initially being tabbed as Arena Football One (AF1), the resurgent indoor football game is back to being called what it always has been – the Arena Football League.

Same league name, same league logo, and some familiar franchises on board to take part in the resuscitation process more than a year after being forced to “retool the economic model of the league.”

AFL commissioner Jerry Kurz cited “severe recession and rising league and team operational costs” for the lost season of 2009.

The big news this time around though is that the weekly live broadcasts, which were previously seen on NBC and ESPN over the course of the past decade are back as well, as the AFL secured a new broadcasting agreement with NFL Network.

Although limited in terms of its exposure – notably in Central Florida for cable subscribers – the NFL Network will televise weekly games every Friday night starting with the season opener on April 2.

Locally, the Orlando Predators start the season on the road April 9.

The Predators will be featured four times on NFL Network, including two games against in-state rivals. The Preds are currently working towards their goal of a sell-out for their home opener at Amway Arena on April 30 against the Iowa Barnstormers, one of the markets that folded well before the AFL eventually did so following the 2008 season.

Returning indoors with the Predators are such AFL holdovers as the Tampa Bay Storm, Chicago Rush, Utah Blaze, Cleveland Gladiators and Arizona Rattlers.

The 15-team league will also include former independent and arenafootball2 franchises such as the Jacksonville Sharks, Bossier-Shreveport BattleWings, Alabama Vipers, Dallas Vigilantes, Tulsa Talons, Milwaukee Iron, Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz and Spokane Shock.

Alongside the announcement of the return to the Arena Football League title and new television deal, comes word that plans are already in place for expansion come the 2011 season.

Among the four markets with considerable interest to the league is Philadelphia, who’s Soul won the last ArenaBowl title under former Predators assistant coach and Winter Park High School alum Brett Munsey.

Also being considered for expansion is Southern California, Denver, and Pittsburgh.

– Contact Orlando Sports Central at JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com –