It appears that the Arena Football League could be shutting its doors in the near future. In an official statement, the league announced that six teams will be closing down local "team services and business operations." The league hasn't made an official decision on what the next step will be.

"We have not yet made the final determination that it will be necessary to suspend all League operations, but we expect that decision to be made within the next few weeks," AFL Commissioner Randall Boe said. "Should we not be able to move forward, we will issue information about all applicable refunds at that time."

Boe also revealed that the closures have directly resulted in "the elimination of various staff positions," and are "a direct consequence of the current financial constraints facing the AFL." The financial constraints include "extensive legacy liabilities" and a recent multi-million lawsuit filed against the AFL.

"We would like to thank our employees for their tremendous service during their time with the AFL, and we value the important role they played in being our front-line ambassadors for the sport," Boe said.

The AFL had just four teams in 2018 but expanded to six before the 2019 season. Those six teams are based out of Albany, Atlantic City, Baltimore, Columbus, Philadelphia and Washington. The league went bankrupt in 2009 and even had to cancel the season before ultimately being brought back.

According to the Times Union, if the league stays alive it may function as a traveling league:

"If it moves forward, the AFL may become a traveling league, similar to the Premier Lacrosse League, whereby all players practice in a centralized location and fly to a different city each weekend to play games."

The AFL first started in 1987.