New Arena Football One league will bring a team, the Oregon Lightning, to the Redmond Fairgrounds in 2025
REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The newly formed Arena Football One league announced Tuesday that the Oregon Lightning will join the league for its 2025 premiere season, playing their home games at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds, the previous home of the Oregon High Desert Storm indoor football team.
In an X post, the league said, "Bend, Oregon is part of a growing Central Oregon area that loves football and will bring the excitement and passion of Friday Night Lights to the professional stage."
Michael Summers tells us the new team is "a rebrand of the former Oregon High Desert Storm team that played from 2021 to 2023 in the now-defunct American West Football Conference."
Here's the rest of the new league's announcement about the team:
With an experienced Head Coach and dedicated ownership group, the Oregon Lightning will bring another emerging market into AF1 for 2025.
With an experienced arena coach in Chuck Jones as part of the ownership group, the Oregon Lightning brings a hometown feel to the 50-yard game. Sara Gumm and Jay Jenkins joined Jones as part of the Lightning’s ownership group. With a passionate, hard-working and dedicated ownership group, the Lightning are well-poised to bring Central Oregon onto the national stage.
“I’ve seen Chuck’s dedication first-hand for over 20 years, and I’m excited to partner with these two on this incredible journey,” co-owner Sara Gumm says. “Together, we’re committed to the Oregon Lightning team and plan to light up the in-game experience in Central Oregon.”
By bringing together a homegrown Arena Football veteran like Chuck Jones with local business leaders like Gumm and Jenkins, the Lightning are building a team that will become a focal point for the Central Oregon community.
The First Interstate Bank Center at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds will be home for the Lightning in 2025, and the excitement is already building for Arena Football to touchdown in Central Oregon.
AF1 Commissioner Jeff Fisher said, “We are incredibly excited to be bringing Arena Football to Bend. The hometown and homegrown roots of their organization will bring the passion and excitement of Friday Night Lights to the professional arena stage.”
Arena Football One is excited to welcome Oregon back into the Arena Football world and to see what dedicated and responsible leadership can deliver to Oregon football fans.
AF1 is excited as we continue our progress toward our Premiere Season in 2025. With more announcements coming about expansion and scheduling, AF1 is building for 2025 and beyond.
