Riddell and The Alliance of American Football announced a multi-year partnership bringing the latest in football helmet technology and protective equipment to the new league and its players. Riddell will serve as the official protective equipment partner of The Alliance through the 2021 season.
“The Alliance of American Football is invested in our athletes both on and off the field. The selection of Riddell as our protective equipment partner underscores The Alliance’s commitment to player health and wellness that I so passionately believe in,” said Hines Ward, head of football development, The Alliance. “Riddell demonstrated its leadership through recent helmet and shoulder pad innovations, and we look forward to working together on initiatives that will advance player protection and grow the game of football.”
In the inaugural season, The Alliance will be using helmets from Riddell’s SpeedFlex and Speed platforms, which have a proven track record of delivering on-field protection and performance. Both helmets include several protective features and receive the best available 5-STAR rating from Virginia Tech. Alliance players will also use Riddell’s CPX and SPX shoulder pads, which are popular with elite athletes. Through the partnership, there will be opportunities for Riddell to conduct field tests and make new technology available to Alliance players. Riddell will also provide equipment fitting support and reconditioning services to each team.
“Riddell believes in The Alliance’s mission to provide the best possible protection for athletes, leveraging technology and innovation to help strengthen the game of football,” said Dan Arment, president and chief executive officer, Riddell. “Riddell has been impressed with The Alliance’s approach to building its league and on-field product, as well as the team of experienced professionals supporting this new pro football league. We look forward to collaborating on initiatives designed to better protect those who play.”
The Alliance is set to begin its inaugural season in February 2019. The league has more than 600 players signed and will field eight teams in popular markets across the U.S. For more information regarding The Alliance, please visit https://aaf.com/.
Founded by TV and film producer Charlie Ebersol and Hall of Famer Bill Polian, The Alliance will feature eight teams with 52-player rosters playing a 10-week regular season schedule in the spring beginning February 9, 2019 on CBS, followed by two playoff rounds and culminating with the championship game the weekend of April 26-28, 2019.
The eight cities, stadiums and head coaches are as follows:
- Orlando Apollos / Spectrum Stadium / Steve Spurrier
- Atlanta Legends / Georgia State Stadium / Brad Childress
- Memphis Express / Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium / Mike Singletary
- Birmingham Iron / Legion Field Stadium / Tim Lewis
- Salt Lake Stallions / Rice-Eccles Stadium / Dennis Erickson
- Arizona Hotshots / Sun Devil Stadium / Rick Neuheisel
- San Diego Fleet / San Diego County Credit Union Stadium / Mike Martz
- San Antonio Commanders / Alamodome / Mike Riley
