The Alliance of American Football kicked off in February 2019.

The league features franchises in multiple areas of the United States, including: Arizona, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, Atlanta, Birmingham, Memphis, and Orlando.

The league was formed to supplement the National Football League and to develop talent in another American professional league.

Championed by Charlie Ebersol and Bill Polian, the AAF is a great idea to grow football in the United States.

Almost every professional sport has a minor league system.

Hockey has the American Hockey League; baseball has Minor League Baseball; basketball has the G League.

The AAF can serve this purpose for football.

It makes perfect sense to have an outlet to expose players to professional expectations before they reach the big show.

Draft picks who are unable to find their game are often quickly railroaded as busts, as wastes of time and money.

The AAF gives these players a second chance to prove their worth.

Former Alabama running back Trent Richardson was picked third overall by Cleveland in the 2012 NFL Draft.

While he was once compared to Adrian Peterson, Richardson proved unable to stick in the NFL, playing only three seasons with the Browns and Colts before moving on to the Canadian Football League.

In the AAF, he has been dominant with the Birmingham Iron, scoring six touchdowns in his first three games.

The AAF gives players like Richardson a chance to show their value without the fear of ridicule that NFL fans dole out daily.

Yet another benefit of the AAF is its continuation of football in the NFL’s off-season.

If there’s anything that football fanatics want, it’s more football.

The AAF can provide high-quality play to satisfy fans’ cravings.

Almost 3 million fans watched the league’s debut, beating out the NBA in ratings.

While past leagues have accomplished similar feats, the AAF kept its viewership high in its second week, drawing millions of viewers on TNT and the NFL Network.

Player development is also impacted by the new football alliance.

Oftentimes, players who can’t crack the main roster on NFL teams are sent to the practice squad, seeing little in-game experience and even fewer meaningful snaps.

The AAF gives players a live, action-packed outlet to develop — more than hours of practice could ever provide.

It may not be the most glamorous league in the history of sports, but the AAF can serve as an efficient and entertaining venue for football fans, players, and coaches to revive and grow their love for the game, as well as their careers.