The Wyoming Cavalry will have a new team and a renamed team on its schedule next season. The American Indoor Football Association announced two new teams will play in Utah next season. The teams are the Utah Valley Thunder and a to be named team in Ogden.

The AIFA is also looking at expanding in Wenatchee, Wash. League officials visited Wenatchee a few weeks ago, and the new arena there is owned by the same company that owns Arizona and New Mexico's arena, so it would be a good fit for the league. 

The AIFA's press release says the Thunder are an expansion team, but news articles say the team is the Utah Saints under new ownership and in a new location. The Saints went 1-13 last year, allowed a league-high 845 points (including 103 in a game against Wyoming), and the league had to step in midway through the season to keep the team alive on the field and financially. Utah Valley is based in Orem, and is now owned by Dave Affleck, a former BYU player. Affleck's son, Mike, was the Saints’ quarterback last season. The Thunder will be coached by Chad DeGrenier, who played quarterback for the Arizona Adrenaline last season.

I think both new teams will be good for the AIFA and the Cavs. Utah was Wyoming's closest opponent last year, so having two teams in the state will cut down travel costs. Also, a new team and a new/improved version of the Saints should mean better competition. At the very least, it adds another opponent, which is good since the Cavs didn't play outside of the West Division last year until the playoffs. With the Ogden team and possible Wenatchee team, Wyoming won't have to play the Utah six times, Arizona five times (four regular season games and one playoff game) and New Mexico (four times).

What are your thoughts on these AIFA announcements?