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2023 National Arena League season

{{Short description|Sports season}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox sports season

| logo = NAL Logo.png

| title = 2023 NAL season

| league = National Arena League

| sport = Indoor American football

| duration = April 8 – August 12, 2023

| season = Regular season

| season_champs = Jacksonville Sharks

| MVP =

| MVP_link =

| playoffs =

| playoffs_link =

| conf1 =

| conf1_link =

| conf1_champ =

| conf1_runner-up =

| conf2 =

| conf2_link =

| conf2_champ =

| conf2_runner-up =

| finals = 2023 NAL Championship

| finals_champ = Jacksonville Sharks

| finals_runner-up = Carolina Cobras

| finals_MVP =

| finals_MVP_link =

| seasonslist = List of National Arena League seasons

| seasonslistnames = NAL

| prevseason_link = 2022 National Arena League season

| prevseason_year = 2022

| nextseason_link = 2024 National Arena League season

| nextseason_year = 2024

|no_of_teams=7

}}

The 2023 National Arena League season was the sixth season of the National Arena League (NAL).{{Cite web |title=About the NAL - National Arena League |url=https://www.nationalarenaleague.com/about-the-nal |access-date=2022-08-04 |website=www.nationalarenaleague.com}} The league started the season with seven teams following the additions of the expansion team, the Fayetteville Mustangs,{{Cite web |last=Rubel |first=Abigail |date=2022-07-14 |title=National Arena League announces expansion team |url=https://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/National-Arena-League-announces-expansion-team-17306201.php |access-date=2022-08-04 |website=Times Union |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2022-07-14 |title=National Arena League Announces Expansion Team for 2023 |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/national-arena-league-announces-expansion-team-for-2023/n-5856637 |access-date=2022-08-04 |website=OurSports Central |language=en}} and the West Texas Warbirds joining from the Arena Football Association, while the Columbus Lions left the league following the previous season.

Teams

class="wikitable"

!Teams

!Location

!Arena

!Capacity

!Founded

!Joined

!Head Coach

Albany Empire{{efn|Albany was expelled from the league and NAL membership was terminated due to non-payment of league dues. Owner Antonio Brown was also fined for conduct detrimental to the league, a fine included with league dues, and Brown failed to pay that fine.}}

|Albany, New York

|MVP Arena{{Cite web |last=Singelais |first=Mark |date=2021-12-22 |title=Albany Empire's 2022 schedule is announced |url=https://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/Albany-Empire-s-2022-schedule-is-announced-16722496.php |access-date=2022-07-25 |website=Times Union |language=en-US}}

|13,785{{Cite web |title=MVP Arena |url=https://www.albany.org/listing/mvp-arena/1218/ |access-date=2022-07-25 |website=www.albany.org |language=en-us}}

|2020

|2021

|Maurice Leggett

Carolina Cobras

|Greensboro, North Carolina{{Cite web |title=Carolina Cobras - Indoor/Arena Football on OurSports Central |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/sports/carolina-cobras/t-4164 |access-date=2022-07-25 |website=www.oursportscentral.com}}

|Greensboro Coliseum Complex{{Cite web |title=Greensboro Coliseum Special Events Center |url=https://www.visitgreensboronc.com/things-to-do/greensboro-coliseum-special-events-center/ |access-date=2022-07-25 |website=Greensboro Convention and Visitors Bureau |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Carolina Cobras Arena Football |url=https://www.visitgreensboronc.com/things-to-do/carolina-cobras-arena-football/ |access-date=2022-07-25 |website=Greensboro Convention and Visitors Bureau |language=en-US}}

|5,000

|2017

|2018

|James Fuller

Fayetteville Mustangs{{efn|Fayetteville could not afford to keep the team running and folded after Week 12.}}

|Fayetteville, North Carolina

|Crown Complex

|8,500

|2022

|2023

|Charles Gunnings

Jacksonville Sharks

|Jacksonville, Florida

|VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena{{Cite web |title=Jacksonville Sharks |url=https://downtownjacksonville.org/poi/jacksonville-sharks/ |access-date=2022-07-25 |website=Downtown Jacksonville |language=en-US}}

|13,011

|2009

|2017

|Jason Gibson

Orlando Predators

|Orlando, Florida

|Amway Center

|17,192

|2019

|2019

|Herkie Walls

San Antonio Gunslingers

|San Antonio, Texas

|Freeman Coliseum{{Cite web |last=Ramirez |first=Daniel Villanueva, Mark Mendez, Larry |date=2022-04-22 |title=The San Antonio Gunslingers are headed to Freeman Coliseum |url=https://www.ksat.com/sports/2022/04/22/the-san-antonio-gunslingers-are-headed-to-freeman-coliseum/ |access-date=2022-07-25 |website=KSAT |language=en}}

|9,000

|2020

|2022{{Cite web |last=Rachuk |first=Stephan |date=2021-11-11 |title=NAL Announces San Antonio Gunslingers as Expansion Franchise |url=https://xflnewsroom.com/news/nal-announces-san-antonio-gunslingers-as-expansion-franchise/ |access-date=2022-07-25 |website=XFL Newsroom |language=en-US}}

|Fred Shaw{{Cite web |title=Staff - San Antonio Gunslingers |url=https://www.sanantoniogunslingers.com/staff |access-date=2022-07-25 |website=www.sanantoniogunslingers.com}}

West Texas Warbirds{{Cite web |title=News: Expansion Team Reveals Logo and Name - National Arena League |url=http://www.nationalarenaleague.com/news/expansion-team-reveals-logo-and-name |access-date=2022-08-28 |website=www.nationalarenaleague.com}}

|Odessa, Texas{{Cite web |date=2022-07-17 |title=HIGHLIGHTS: Warbirds finish another undefeated championship season |url=https://www.yourbasin.com/sports/local-sports/highlights-warbirds-finish-another-undefeated-championship-season/ |access-date=2022-08-28 |website=Yourbasin |language=en-US}}

|Ector County Coliseum{{Cite web |last=Aguirre |first=Priscilla |date=2022-07-20 |title=VIDEO: Brawl at West Texas indoor football game spills into stands |url=https://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/article/Texas-indooor-football-game-brawl-Odessa-17317605.php |access-date=2022-08-28 |website=mySA |language=en-US}}

|8,000{{Cite web |url=https://www.cvent.com/venues/en-US/odessa/special-event-venue/ector-county-coliseum/venue-5dde3486-f5be-46e3-9da6-57651b4e58be |title=Ector County Coliseum |access-date=2022-08-28 |website=www.cvent.com}}{{Cite web |title=Data view of Ector County Coliseum from United States - Sports Stadiums & Arenas dataset |url=https://rlist.io/data/44760545/ector-county-coliseum |access-date=2022-08-28 |website=rlist.io}}

|2019{{Cite web |date=2019-10-02 |title=Professional Indoor Football Coming to West Texas in 2020 |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/professional-indoor-football-coming-to-west-texas-in-2020/n-5558203 |access-date=2022-08-28 |website=OurSports Central |language=en}}

|2023

|Tate Smith{{Cite web |title=Coaching Staff {{!}} Warbirds Football |url=https://warbirdfootball.com/front-office/coaching-staff/ |access-date=2022-08-28 |website=warbirdfootball.com}}{{Cite web |date=2021-05-12 |title=Warbirds introduce Tate Smith as head coach |url=https://www.cbs7.com/2021/04/27/warbirds-introduce-tate-smith-as-head-coach/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512104650/https://www.cbs7.com/2021/04/27/warbirds-introduce-tate-smith-as-head-coach/ |archive-date=2021-05-12 |access-date=2022-08-28 }}

{{notelist}}

Standings

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+2023 National Arena League Standings

!Team !!Win !!Loss !!PCT !!PF !!PA !!STK

style="text-align:left;" |z – Jacksonville Sharks

|10

|3

|.769

|810

|555

|L1

style="text-align:left;" |y – Carolina Cobras

|10

|4

|.714

|814

|653

|W5

style="text-align:left;" |x – San Antonio Gunslingers

|8

|4

|.727

|569

|606

|L3

style="text-align:left;" |x – Orlando Predators

|4

|8

|.333

|520

|618

|L3

style="border-top:5px solid black;"

|style="text-align:left;" |e – West Texas Warbirds

|3

|11

|.214

|576

|769

|W1

style="text-align:left;" |DNF – Fayetteville Mustangs

|4

|4

|.500

|371

|373

|L1

style="text-align:left;" |DNF – Albany Empire

|1

|6

|.142

|257

|339

|L6

z – clinched home field advantage

y – clinched home playoff game

x - clinched playoff berth

e – eliminated from playoffs

DNF – Did not finish the season

Reference:{{Cite web |title=Stats - National Arena League |url=https://www.nationalarenaleague.com/stats#/1200/standings?render=division&division_id=15180 |access-date=2022-07-26 |website=www.nationalarenaleague.com}}

2023 NAL Playoffs

{{4TeamBracket

|RD1 = Semifinal

|RD2 = 2023 NAL Championship

|RD1-seed1=1

|RD1-team1= Jacksonville Sharks

|RD1-score1= 62

|RD1-seed2= 4

|RD1-team2= Orlando Predators

|RD1-score2= 18

|

|RD1-seed3= 2

|RD1-team3= Carolina Cobras

|RD1-score3= 52

|RD1-seed4= 3

|RD1-team4= San Antonio Gunslingers

|RD1-score4= 36

|RD2-seed1= 1

|RD2-team1= Jacksonville Sharks

|RD2-score1= 54

|RD2-seed2= 2

|RD2-team2= Carolina Cobras

|RD2-score2= 45

}}Reference:{{Cite web |title=Stats - National Arena League |url=https://www.nationalarenaleague.com/stats#/1200/game/563963/boxscore |access-date=2022-08-14 |website=www.nationalarenaleague.com}}{{Cite web |title=Stats - National Arena League |url=https://www.nationalarenaleague.com/stats#/1200/game/563232/boxscore |access-date=2022-08-14 |website=www.nationalarenaleague.com}}{{Cite web |title=Stats - National Arena League |url=https://www.nationalarenaleague.com/stats#/1200/game/563233/boxscore |access-date=2022-08-14 |website=www.nationalarenaleague.com}}

Players of the Week

class="wikitable"

|+Players of the Week throughout the 2023 NAL Season

!Weeks

!Offensive Player of the Week

!Defensive Player of the Week

!Special Team Player of the Week

!Ironman Player of the Week

1

|Rakeem Cato, Fayetteville Mustangs

|Marvin Ross, Jacksonville Sharks

|Kendrick Ings, Fayetteville Mustangs

|Tre Long, Fayetteville Mustangs

2

|Darius Prince, Albany Empire

|Kenny Veal, Carolina Cobras

|Marc Orozco, Albany Empire

|Jalen Childress, West Texas Warbirds

3

|Arvell Nelson, San Antonio Gunslingers

|Sha-ki Holines, Jacksonville Sharks

|Kevin Didio-Webber, Jacksonville Sharks

|Phillip Barnett, San Antonio Gunslingers

4

|Rakeem Cato, Fayetteville Mustangs

|Freddie Booth-Lloyd, Orlando Predators

|T. C. Stevens, Carolina Cobras

|Jensen Stoshak, Jacksonville Sharks

5

|Jalen Childress, West Texas Warbirds

|Trevon Shorts, West Texas Warbirds

|Kendrick Ings, Fayetteville Mustangs

|Trevon Shorts, West Texas Warbirds

6

|Zach Brown, Carolina Cobras

|Mike Green, Carolina Cobras

|Darius Prince, Orlando Predators

|Zach Brown, Carolina Cobras

7

|Sam Castronova, Jacksonville Sharks

|Jabari Gorman, Jacksonville Sharks

|Adam Smith, Carolina Cobras

|Marquel Wade, Jacksonville Sharks

8

|Sam Castronova, Jacksonville Sharks

|Jabari Gorman, Jacksonville Sharks

|Marc Orozco, Jacksonville Sharks

|Jalen Wilson, West Texas Warbirds

9

|Sam Castronova, Jacksonville Sharks

|Sha-ki Holiness, Jacksonville Sharks

|Kevin Didio-Weber, West Texas Warbirds

|Devonte Baker, Fayetteville Mustangs

10

|Malik Henry, Carolina Cobras

|Joshua Jenkins, Orlando Predators

|Marquel Wade, Jacksonville Sharks

|Devonte Baker, Fayetteville Mustangs

11

|Darius Prince, Orlando Predators

|Dwayne Hollis, Orlando Predators

|Kevin Didio-Weber, West Texas Warbirds

|Trevon Shorts, West Texas Warbirds

12

|

|

|

|

13

|

|

|

|

14

|

|

|

|

Reference:{{Cite web |title=Players of the Week - National Arena League |url=http://www.nationalarenaleague.com//players-of-the-week |access-date=2022-07-26 |website=www.nationalarenaleague.com}}{{Cite web |title=News: THE EMPIRE LEAVES JACKSONVILLE IN WEEK TWO WITH THEIR FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON - National Arena League |url=http://www.nationalarenaleague.com/news/the-empire-leaves-jacksonville-in-week-two-with-t1 |access-date=2022-07-30 |website=www.nationalarenaleague.com |location=Team for Rob Jones.}}

References

{{Reflist|30em}}

See also

{{NAL}}

Category:National Arena League seasons