Indoor football plans to `hip-hop' back into Pittsburgh

Indoor football is making a comeback in Pittsburgh, only this time with a hip-hop twist.

Four years after the Pittsburgh Power left the Arena Football League, the Burgh Defenders, an expansion team in the American Arena League, announced Monday they will play their inaugural season at the Robert Morris University Island Sports Center on Neville Island.

The announcement was made by hip-hop mogul Antjuan “The Tjuan Benafactor” Washington.

“The RMU Island Sports Center is a fantastic venue and easily accommodates all of our needs,” Washington said. “For us, it was very important for us to partner with a venue with the right accommodations and that we can grow with.”

The Defenders will be host to six regular-season home games from March 30 until the end of the regular season the last week of June, but the team is promising more than football.

“Each game will have tons of family and fan-friendly activities surrounding the actual game, including a pregame tailgate party with live music,” team general manager Casandra Smith said. “For us, it’s all about the fans, the experience, and memories we will make together.”

The Burgh Defenders will play their first game on the road March 23 before returning home to host the New England Bobcats on March 30. Ticket prices start at $5 for a standing room only ticket.

The Defenders will hold their first news conference at 1 p.m. Jan. 23, at the RMU Island Sport Center, with several players attending, Smith said.

Jerry DiPaola is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Jerry at jdipaola@tribweb.com or via Twitter @JDiPaola_Trib.