PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- Before the puck drops for the 2018 Maine Mariners' season, arena football will be front and center at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland. The National Arena League made it official Tuesday afternoon, and the giant elephant in the room is the new team name - the Maine Mammoths.
The logo features the colors maroon and gold and the team is scheduled to kick off its inaugural season in April. The league's commissioner, Chris Siegfried, says that tickets for a family of four will be less than a movie. It was also announced that a pair of season tickets will be $99.
The first Mammoth player signed to the team is quarterback Jonathon Bane from Temple, Texas, and he's optimistic about his team's future here in Maine.
"We are going to come into this thing and compete right away," said Bane during a news conference. He also mentioned getting to the championship game and "...try to bring a trophy down to Maine or up to Maine I should say."
Former University of Maine Quarterback Warren Smith Junior briefly played in the NAL and was the 2017 MVP. Smith led the league in total offensive yards and total touchdowns.