B/R Live, TNT to Broadcast Alliance of American Football

Pro football is coming to B/R Live.

Live game coverage, highlights and shows from the Alliance of American Football will be available across Bleacher Report platforms. When the season kicks off in February, you'll be able to see plays designed by Steve Spurrier and defenses coached by Mike Singletary.

The AAF and Turner Sports announced a multiyear partnership Thursday that will feature TNT televising one regular-season game and one playoff game each year, while B/R Live will be the exclusive home of one game each week. Other games will be shown on CBS, CBS Sports Network and reportedly NFL Network.

The new professional football league will showcase developing talent and will complement the NFL, rather than attempt to rival it. Teams will also feature local talent.

For example, the team based in Atlanta will feature many players with ties to Georgia and Georgia Tech. Alabama's Trent Richardson is set to play for the Birmingham team. The league will mostly adopt NFL rules, but there will be no extra-point kicks, no kickoffs and a shorter play clock, and the only replays will be initiated by coaches' challenges.

TNT will televise the Salt Lake Stallions vs. the Birmingham Iron on Feb. 16. The game will kick off at 2 p.m. ET and be followed by TNT's coverage of NBA All-Star Saturday Night. In April, TNT will also broadcast an AAF playoff game.

B/R Live will begin its AAF coverage with a special one-hour program on Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. to introduce fans to the new league. B/R Live will air its first game on Feb. 23 at 1 p.m. when the Arizona Hotshots take on the Salt Lake Stallions.

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And if you miss a game, all AAF games distributed through B/R Live will be available on demand.

"This is a true partnership and The Alliance will have our full support in the distribution of its live game coverage and content across the Turner Sports portfolio," Lenny Daniels, president of Turner Sports, said in a release.

The leadership behind the Alliance of American Football includes TV and film producer and director Charlie Ebersol, longtime NFL front office executive Bill Polian, and former Pittsburgh Steelers Pro Bowlers and Super Bowl champions Hines Ward and Troy Polamalu.

Ebersol, the co-founder and CEO of the Alliance, said in a release:

"Our focus has always been, and will always be, to create an Alliance of players, fans and the game. Joining forces with world-class partners like Turner Sports allows us to keep our mission moving forward and reach thousands of sports fans across their Turner family of platforms. Turner's focus on providing high-quality live event programming and their commitment to digital with B/R Live, fits seamlessly into our distribution model, and ultimately offers fans the opportunity to watch more football." 

In its first season, the AAF will feature eight teams with rosters of 52 players. Teams will be based in Orlando, Atlanta, Memphis, Salt Lake City, San Diego, Birmingham, San Antonio and Phoenix.

The 10-week regular season schedule will end with a championship game at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas on April 27.