NAL Commissioner Ikard Helps Plant Arena Football Flag in Dallas

DALLAS - Arena football is back in Dallas, and for us, that isn’t just a new season; it’s a statement.

When the National Arena League signed on with the Dallas Bulls, Commissioner Brandon Ikard didn’t talk about Dallas like a dot on a map. He spoke of it as if it were a flag in the ground. “Population isn’t the key,” Ikard said. “It’s the footprint. When you plant a flag in Dallas, you’re telling everyone: we’re here to stay.”

The idea of having a team in Dallas also gives the league a “front porch” into the entire state of Texas and the region as a whole.

“From our perspective, that footprint matters,” he said. “With Amarillo in the mix and Louisiana within driving distance, Ikard says the Bulls help solidify a true regional presence. We didn’t pick a small town. We said we wanted to be in Dallas. And if we’re going to do Dallas, we want to do it big.”

Big is exactly how arena football feels the first time you see it in person.

Ikard is the first to admit this sport is a niche, but once you experience it, he knows the sport has long been popular in the Metroplex. 

“A lot of people who say they don’t like arena football have never been to a game,” he said. “Get them in the building once in Texas, and they’re going to be hooked. The pace is relentless. The angles are sharper. And the action doesn’t politely stop at the sidelines.’

For those who haven’t been to a game, there are plenty of similarities to the outdoor game, but Ikard knows that when the fans see the differences, they will become fans in an instant.

“First-time fans watch the first play, and they will see two receivers run toward the line of scrimmage, and they’ll say, ‘He can’t do that!’” That’s the arena difference as everything happens faster because everything is closer,” Ikard said. “The cutback lanes you’re used to? Gone. The field is tighter, the windows disappear quicker, and every snap feels like a highlight trying to happen.”

Ikard wants to remind fans of another huge difference between the two games. And it means you need to pay attention while enjoying the game.

Fans forget that the football’s coming into the stands,” Ikard laughed. “Players come into the stands. You’ve got to keep your head on a swivel. And when we score? We celebrate. We don’t throw a flag for having fun.”

He also knows a fit when he sees one, and having the Bulls in Dallas as part of the NAL is a perfect one for everyone involved.

“To see arena football back in Dallas, it feels like the right reset at the right time,” he said.

The Bulls open the 2026 season March 7 at Fair Park Coliseum with an international preseason matchup against Team Mexico (7 p.m. kickoff), before the home schedule begins March 14. Tickets are available here.