Stockton is getting more pro sports.
Arena football is returning to the city, with the arrival of the Stockton Crusaders. The team — part of Arena Football One, or AF1 — will play at Adventist Health Arena. Games are slated to begin in spring 2027, and officials anticipate drawing fans from throughout the Central Valley
A press conference Wednesday officially announced the arrival of the team. Even before the event, the team released a promotional video in which executives expressed enthusiasm about the Crusaders.
“There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the kids and families in Stockton and the Central Valley eagerly and proudly support their Stockton Crusaders,” said General Manager Greg Pearce.
The head coach of the team will be Kurt Bryan. He was formerly the head coach of the Indoor Football League’s Oakland/Bay Area Panthers through 2022.
The Crusaders’ launch will mean “exciting, family-friendly, and affordable Arena Pro Football in the Central Valley,” the team’s website says. Flashy uniforms have already been unveiled — black, silver and white, with orange highlights.
Officials say there is a 90-mile “protected radius” around Stockton, precluding a competitive team from taking root in Sacramento. Games are expected to be televised regionally or nationally.
AF1 lists nine teams spread throughout the country.
This isn’t the city’s first Arena Football team. The Stockton Lightning opened in 2006 and played until the folding of Arena Football 2, or af2, in 2009.
In 2011, the Wolves — an independent indoor football team — relocated from San Jose to play their home games in Stockton for a single season.
The arrival of the Crusaders comes as Stockton is also welcoming a new pro hockey team that will play at the same arena. The name of the team is expected to be announced this week.