Oregon Blackbears Cancel Season After Playing Just Three Games

The first professional football team in the Mid-Willamette Valley, the Salem-based Oregon Blackbears, has canceled its season after playing just three games. The Blackbears, part of the newly reimagined Arena Football League (AFL), made their debut on April 27 in Salem.

As part of the realignment of the AFL and with former NFL coach Jeff Fisher being made interim commissioner, the league announced on Tuesday that it would be reduced to 10 teams, and the Oregon Blackbears are not one of them.

“While there is disappointment around this decision, and as to my knowledge neither our ownership group nor myself were a part of them, we have very much to be proud of regarding the accomplishments we achieved in this early season,” team president Pat Johnson said.

The Blackbears brought indoor American football to Salem, played on a 50-by-33-yard field, about a quarter of the surface area of an NFL field. The team’s President and COO, Patrick Johnson, emphasized their goal of providing an affordable, family-friendly entertainment option for the community. Johnson, a former University of Oregon athlete and Super Bowl champion with the Baltimore Ravens, had high hopes for the team’s impact on local sports culture.

“We were able to make some history in Salem as the first professional football team in the Mid-Willamette Valley,” Johnson said. “We wanted to offer a product that families could enjoy without spending too much money.”

The Blackbears were the first AFL team in Oregon since the now-defunct Portland Thunder and were owned by current New York Giants linebacker and former Oregon Duck, Kayvon Thibodeaux. Despite initial excitement and a promising 2-0 start, the team will not continue its season.

Games were played at the Pavilion Arena at the Oregon State Fairgrounds, which has a seating capacity of 5,000. The fast-paced, high-scoring games offered a unique brand of football that quickly gained local fans.

Local fan Sara Hollandsworth expressed her disappointment: “I was super excited that we now had a team here to support. It’s disappointing to see the season canceled, but I hope there will be future opportunities for professional sports in Salem.”

Several local businesses had partnered with the Blackbears, showing early support through sponsorship packages. The sudden cancellation leaves a gap in the community’s sports scene and raises questions about the future of professional football in the area.

The AFL’s decision to reduce the number of teams and the appointment of Jeff Fisher as interim commissioner are part of broader changes aimed at stabilizing and growing the league. However, the loss of the Blackbears marks a setback for Salem’s foray into professional football.