The Continental — Issue #11

The Continental — Issue #11 · July 24, 2026

The People's League · Insider Edition

THE CONTINENTAL

Issue #11 · Friday, July 24, 2026

From the CEO

I spent three days this week in Indianapolis working on our new headquarters and taking meeting after meeting on the future of this league. I left the city more convinced than ever that we picked the right home for the CoFL — and more convinced that 2027 is going to look nothing like 2026.

This issue has a lot in it — a major front-office announcement, real movement on expansion, and the first look at a national Showcase-to-Combine-to-Draft calendar for CoFL. Let's get into it.

Front Office · Major Announcement

Michael Schetzel Named Chief of Staff

A career professional-sports executive joins the CoFL front office to lead sponsorship revenue, standards, and sales infrastructure heading into 2027.

The Continental Football League is proud to announce that Michael Schetzel has been named the league's first Chief of Staff. Michael and I have been working together for weeks, and this week in Indianapolis we finalized the role. He starts immediately.

Michael brings the kind of professional-sports revenue résumé this league needs at this stage of its growth. His career spans nearly three decades of front-office leadership across MLB, MLS, USL, WNBA, NHL, ECHL, Arena Football, and Olympic sport:

Chief Business Officer, FC Tulsa (USL) — oversaw all revenue streams; grew revenue over 200%; closed a $600,000 jersey-front partnership; nominated for USL's top business executive.

VP, Ticketing & Corporate Partnerships, Nashville Soccer Club (USL / MLS) — chief revenue officer for an expansion club; sponsorship sales topped $2M annually; closed the league's second-highest jersey-front deal ($1M with Nissan).

VP, Ticket Sales Strategy, Indy Eleven (USL) — increased ticket revenue 17%, led the league in group sales.

Director of Sales & Ticket Services, Boston Red Sox (MLB) — led a team generating over $135M in annual ticket revenue; managed inventory through the 2004 World Series championship run and the launch of Monster Seats, Roof Deck, Dugout Seats, and Legends Suite at Fenway Park.

President, Big Ticket Consulting (Westfield, IN) — his current firm, helping expansion USL clubs (AV Alta FC) build corporate partnership programs and consulting for ALSD on memberships and sponsors in LA, Philadelphia, Denver, and London.

Additional executive roles with the Arizona Coyotes, Dallas Wings (WNBA), Utah Grizzlies, Real Salt Lake, Utah Blaze (Arena Football), NHRA, Madison Square Garden, and the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games — where he built the first full-scale yachting ticket program in Olympic history.

Michael holds an MA in Sports Management from Georgia Southern and a BA from Brigham Young University. He is fluent in Spanish. He is based in Westfield, Indiana — putting him on the ground where our new headquarters is coming online.

As Chief of Staff, Michael's lane at the CoFL is clear: sponsorship revenue, the league media kit, sales infrastructure, hiring, and operating standards. He will build out the national- and team-tier sponsor pipeline, own the league's standards for the ownership groups we are recruiting, and help scale a front office that can support 8 clubs in 2027 and 24 clubs across four divisions in our five-year vision.

Adding an executive of Michael's caliber to the CoFL sends a message: we are building a real professional league, and we are building it with people who have done this at the highest levels.

Expansion · 2027

The League is Growing — On Our Terms

The Continental Football League is officially in expansion mode. Multiple ownership conversations are on the calendar, and we are moving deliberately.

Next week — We will officially announce the newest team joining the Continental Football League. Details land in Issue #12.

Currently vetting — Two additional ownership groups are in active evaluation for 2027. Numerous meetings are on the horizon.

Our standard is unchanged — Every addition must fit the league's standards, be properly capitalized, be locally connected, and be ready to compete. We are launching too much in 2027 to bring on a group that is not ready to go. Getting the right fit matters more than getting a fast fit.

Interested in ownership? The process begins with a discovery call at coflfootball.com/ownership. If you know a community that deserves professional summer football, this is the moment.

National Football Calendar

Building a Player Pipeline: Showcases, Combine, Draft

One of the most exciting things we are building right now is the infrastructure that turns the CoFL from a summer season into a year-round football operation. That means real player evaluation, real coaching evaluation, and real events that feed our clubs.

Continental Showcase Series

Coming together — likely opening at Grand Park

We are in the formative stages of building a Continental Showcase Series — researching sites and dates across the country, with a likely opener at Grand Park in Indianapolis and additional stops in regional markets. These will be open, evaluated workouts for players who want a legitimate path onto a CoFL roster.

CoFL Combine

Spring 2027 — the finale of the Showcase circuit

We are researching dates for a spring CoFL Combine — the invitation-only culmination of the Showcase circuit — with the goal of putting our top prospects in front of every CoFL club and every scouting network paying attention to summer pro football.

CoFL Draft

Spring 2027 — first draft in modern CoFL history

Following the Combine, the league is planning a CoFL Draft to distribute available talent across our clubs ahead of the 2027 season opener. Broadcast, format, and calendar details will be announced in the coming weeks.

Players, coaches, and scouts — keep an eye on coflfootball.com and the CoFL Network for dates as they lock.

Headquarters

Three Days in Indianapolis

I spent Monday through Wednesday in Indianapolis this week working on the new CoFL headquarters and taking meetings across the market. Indianapolis is turning out to be exactly the right city for this league — sports-first, trades-strong, football-literate, centrally located, and full of the kinds of partners who understand what we are building.

With Grand Park anchoring our national programming and the new office coming online, the league office is starting to feel like a real front office for the first time. And with Michael Schetzel now on the ground, the pace picks up considerably.

Build the League · Own a Club · 2027

We are hand-picking 2027.

One new team announcement next week. Two more in active vetting. If you know a market that belongs in the CoFL — or you are the ownership group that belongs in the CoFL — start the conversation now.

Explore Ownership →

Coming Up in The Continental

Next Friday: the new team announcement, an update on the ownership groups in active vetting, and additional detail on the Showcase Series calendar.

A word of thanks to Light Helmets, our league-wide sponsor, for continuing to stand behind the players who wear the shield.

On to 2027 — unified and ready to go.

— Manny Matsakis, Founder & CEO, Continental Football League

Watch replays: CoFL Network · Ownership: coflfootball.com/ownership · Media inquiries: [email protected]

The Continental Football League

The People's League · Summer Football · Headquartered in Indianapolis

Proud league-wide partner: Light Helmets

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