SAN ANTONIO – Training camp for San Antonio’s brand new football team kicks off on Saturday, after the team assembled in town on Friday.

  • Alliance of American Football teams will practice in the city for next three weeks
  • Some Commanders' players are locals
  • Season beings February 9 at the Alamodome

For the next three weeks, the San Antonio Commanders and the seven other Alliance of American Football teams will all be practicing around the city.

The AAF considers itself to be complementary to the National Football League. It’s not a minor league team and not associated with the NFL.

"Just come out and watch them play. Come out on February 9 and see the type of football player that exists out there that's not on an NFL roster,” Daryl “Moose” Johnston, the Commanders General Manager, said. “There are some very, very talented young men. Some of the guys are just here because they love the game of football and they just want to keep playing."

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Many of the Commanders’ players previously played on NFL teams or practice squads and are hoping to make it back to the highest level of football one day. Other players just want to keep playing in any capacity and extend their professional football careers through the AAF.

Each AAF team has players allocated to it, based on their previous playing experience including high school, college and professional teams. This system results in teams with rosters filled with names familiar to local fans. The hope is that fans will be encouraged to watch the players they’re already familiar with, and so far it seems to be working.

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"Every time we do a little signing in the Alamodome, it seems like there's somebody new who recognizes me, so it's pretty cool that people recognize and admire your art,” Aaron Green, Commanders running back who previously played at James Madison High School and Texas Christian University, said. “So, if anything, that's cool and hopefully I can represent San Antonio."

This will be the first time the Alamodome host pro-football competition since the New Orleans Saints played a few games in 2005 after hurricane Katrina.