The American Football Association announced its 2005 membership campaign recently and they are now in the process of offering "League Membership Applications". For the past 25 years the AFA national association has been providing services to most of the nearly 800 plus teams who play on the semi-pro (non-professional) level. The AFA is a 501(c)(3) national non-profit corporation dedicated to the advancement of semi-pro (adult amateur) football teams and leagues from coast-to-coast.

To better identify those teams and leagues across the country who want to be part of this ever growing national association, the AFA has designed a membership program that will allow teams from established leagues operating in local state or multi-state regional areas to become AFA members.

AFA league membership will have its privileges. For starters, member leagues and their member teams will be allowed to participate in the AFA's low rate liability insurance program. Only teams from AFA member leagues will be "power rated" during the coming season. The league champions from each member league will qualify for the AFA's National Tournament of Champions in Florida next December. Players from each member league will have the opportunity to be named as AFA All-Americans. Each participating league will be allowed to nominate individuals for the AFA's annual Semi-Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement and annual "Gold Ball Achievement Awards". Team owners from official AFA member leagues will be invited to attend the AFA's National Semi-Pro Football Convention/Seminar in Chicago the first weekend in June (3-4-5). The convention will be held in conjunction with the AFA's 25th annual Hall of Fame Induction Dinner, the Hall of Fame Alumni's "Silver Anniversary Reunion" and the AFA league commissioners (and team owners) summer meetings. Pairings for the postseason Tournament of Champions will be determined by league commissioners at that meeting.

To qualify for AFA league membership a semi-pro football league must agree that 100% of its member teams will join the AFA for the 2005 season. League administrators interested in obtaining an AFA membership application may do so by contacting the American Football Association office via e-mail at Amerfoot@aol.com (or by phone 941-388-3510). Be sure to give the name of your league and league mailing address as well as a day and nighttime phone number. League memberships are based on $100 per team.

More details about the Semi-Pro Football Convention in Chicago will be outlined in upcoming AFA press releases.