Photo credit: AFL.
West Texas Warbirds rebranded as Desert Hawks as program preps for AFL
The West Texas Warbirds have been rebranded as the Desert Hawks in preparation for the 2024 relaunch of the Arena League Football (AFL).
In a video posted to social media, the Odessa-based team announced its rebrand as a new vision and mindset but with the same love for the game.
The Desert Hawks of Odessa are among 16 locations hosting AFL teams, the relaunched league announced in July. Other locations named as hosting AFL teams include Austin, Boise, Bakersfield, Chicago, Denver, St. Paul, Lake Charles, Cincinnati, Orlando, Salem (Ore.), Philadelphia, San Antonio, Tallahassee, Nashville, Everett (Wash.).
The program formerly known as the Warbirds recently finished up its 2023 campaign with the National Arena League, finishing sixth in the seven-team league with a 2-8 record. It was the Warbirds’ lone season in the league. Previously, the program played in the Arena Football Association and had originally intended to join the Champions Indoor Football league before the pandemic prevented that opportunity.
The newly-rebranded Desert Hawks are the third indoor football program after the Odessa/West Texas Roughnecks (2004-2012) and West Texas Wildcatters (2014).
To learn more about the Hawks, visit the program’s website here, and follow its Facebook page for updates.
