Introduction to Glasgow Tartans and Arena Football
"Glasgow knows American Football - but not like this," announces a dramatic voiceover in advertisements introducing the city’s newest sports team.
The Glasgow Tartans will compete in arena football, a high-scoring, indoor, eight-a-side variant of America’s most popular sport.
They will join the England Eruptors, based in Nottingham, in a start-up 10-team league with franchises also located in Germany, Switzerland, and the United States.
The International Arena League (IAL) is the creation of Tom Mitchell, an American marketing executive with experience working with multiple indoor teams, including the long-established Arizona Rattlers.
Mitchell emphasizes the league’s long-term commitment and states that players will receive competitive pay.
Despite this, some have expressed doubts to BBC Scotland about whether charging at least £45 per game for a sport and players unfamiliar to many can achieve success.
Historical Context of American Football in Scotland
This is not the first attempt to establish American Football in Scotland.
The Scottish Claymores participated in NFL Europe for nearly a decade starting in 1995, as part of the sport’s effort to develop overseas leagues.
Mark Woods, who worked with the Claymores and later covered them as a journalist, told BBC Scotland that the new Tartans team faces a significant challenge.
"Football (soccer) has generational fans, where it passed down from parents. That doesn't really exist for smaller sports.
What a lot of minority sports find is you're trying to build an audience from a standing start.
The Claymores came in from scratch and were building it for zero - it was incredibly hard to do so."
Challenges and Perspectives from Team Management
Bennett Johnson, the Chicago-born general manager of the Tartans, acknowledges the difficulties involved.
"Carving out a niche isn't going to be easy but it's not impossible and we will truly have a great sporting experience,"
he said.
"Once people see the sport they'll be hooked because it's really exciting."
However, skepticism remains among individuals within the UK’s American football community.
Try-outs for the new league were still ongoing in March, despite the season starting on 18 April.
Brett Rosenbaum, an Englishman who played Arena Football in the USA and now coaches the sport across Europe, expressed doubts.
"My gut feeling is that this will fall over,"
he said.
"They have given themselves just over a month to get teams together and then put out a good product - can they do that?
If you told me it kicked off in six months I'd say they had a shot. Now I think you'll see players running about like headless chickens."
Ticket Pricing and Fan Engagement
Season tickets for the Tartans, who will play at Braehead Arena, start at £200 for six games, with front row seats priced just under £700.
Single-game tickets begin at £45, with similar pricing for the England Eruptors.
These prices are significantly higher than those for other local sports teams such as the Glasgow Clan ice hockey team, which also plays at Braehead, or the Nottingham Panthers, while basketball team Caledonian Gladiators charges £15 for adult tickets.
Johnson stated that the team is currently offering a buy-one-get-one-free deal on season tickets and emphasized that the prices provide good value as the sport will be interactive, with fans positioned close to the touchline.
Player Composition and Quality Concerns
The Tartans management indicated that most players will be Scottish.
Head coach Philip Garcia mentioned that many players have experience playing together for other clubs, which should ensure a strong standard of play.
However, a source familiar with amateur British leagues, who wished to remain anonymous, noted that many players come from teams such as the East Kilbride Pirates or London Blitz — respected local amateur teams.
"These are players who you could see for a fiver or a tenner before, and now they're charging £50 or so to do it,"
the source said.
"The likelihood of games taking place in empty arenas seems high."
Woods told BBC Scotland that one reason for the Scottish Claymores’ demise 22 years ago was that spectators were reluctant to watch a product perceived as lower quality than the NFL itself.
"The desire to watch the sport itself in person wasn't strong enough,"
he said.
Player Incentives and League Operations
For players, the IAL offers £1,000 per game, with an additional £1,000 if their team wins — rates higher than those offered by teams elsewhere in Europe.
"One player told me he'd never had an opportunity like it before,"
Garcia said.
These payments are made per game and only if a player participates.
Online discussions have frequently questioned whether the league covers players’ insurance and medical expenses, which Johnson and Garcia confirm is the case.
Background of Indoor Football Leagues and Risks
Various indoor leagues have attempted to capitalize on the NFL’s popularity during its off-season, but most have folded, although some, such as the original Arena League, enjoyed several years of success.
Tom Mitchell, the founder of the new league, previously served as president of the Ontario Warriors, a California-based team that ceased operations after one season. Such rapid closures have been common in indoor football.
Dr Walker Ross, a sports management lecturer at the University of Edinburgh, described launching a minority sport as risky.
"I want this to be successful, but there are a myriad of reasons to be cautious,"
he said.
"This isn't a popular sport in the US as it is, and that's a place that actually cares about American football."
Dr Ross also questioned the high ticket prices and noted that sponsorship would be necessary.
Johnson, whose background is in banking and finance, said the Tartans are currently seeking sponsorship, but the league as a whole has only three listed sponsors: a bank, financial company FocusCFO, and betting company SportHitters.
Online records show the president of SportHitters is Tom Mitchell. The IAL did not respond to requests for comment.
Market Understanding and Mascot Controversy
Multiple sources told BBC Scotland they were uncertain whether IAL management fully understands the markets they are entering. One source claimed the England Eruptors expressed interest in having a live tiger as a mascot, an idea that did not proceed.
Future Plans and Long-Term Vision
Johnson insists the Tartans are a long-term project with plans to engage schools across Glasgow.
He said Mitchell plans to expand the league from 10 teams to 16 by the second season.
"There'll be some hiccups and maybe slow starts but we can show what we can do, and then quickly grow the sport."
Johnson added:
"I've seen attempts to launch it in the Philippines and China because logistics around the teams are easier than the 11-a-side game. There is a novelty to it, but people will eventually ask - why am I watching this rather than the NFL?"
