Stockton is set to welcome a new professional arena football team, the Stockton Crusaders, which will begin play in spring 2027 as part of Arena Football One (AF1). The team will hold its home games at Adventist Health Arena, with officials expecting to draw fans from across the Central Valley.
Head coach Kurt Bryan, formerly of the Indoor Football League's Oakland/Bay Area Panthers, announced that the team's launch event will be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person. The Crusaders' uniforms feature black, silver, white, and orange highlights, and the team's website promises "exciting, family-friendly, and affordable Arena Pro Football." A 90-mile protected radius around Stockton prevents a competitive team from establishing in Sacramento.
Games are expected to be televised regionally or nationally. This marks Stockton's return to arena football after the Stockton Lightning (2006-2009) and the Wolves (2011).
The team name was announced this week.