Nashville Visits Albany for the 2025 Arena Crown

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NASHVILLE — The Nashville Kats are headed to the 2025 Arena Crown to face the top-seeded and host Albany Firebirds on Saturday, June 28, at MVP Arena. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET/noon CT. The game will be nationally televised on VICE Sports and broadcast locally on 102.5 FM The Game Nashville and Totally Hits 99.3 FM, with Chase McCabe and Big Joe Dubin on the call.

SCENE SETTER: Saturday’s contest marks the third meeting this season between the Kats and Firebirds. Albany won both previous matchups and completed the regular season with a perfect 10–0 record before defeating No. 4 seed Salina, 75–44, to clinch home-field advantage for the championship.

KING OF THE RING: Kats head coach Darren Arbet is aiming to add another title to his storied career as he chases his fifth championship ring. Inducted into the Arena Football Hall of Fame in 2011, Arbet led the San Jose SaberCats to four championships in 2002, 2004, 2007, and 2015. In 2002, he made history by becoming the first African-American head coach to win a professional football championship, guiding the SaberCats to victory in ArenaBowl XVI.

KLAWS OUT:  Nashville has won four of its last five games after suffering a 71–55 loss to Albany on May 10. The Kats secured a spot in the title game with a thrilling 48–43 win over No. 3 seed Southwest Kansas on Sunday at a packed F&M Bank Arena in Clarksville — the team’s second consecutive near-sellout since relocating just north of Music City.

Quarterback Tyler Kulka, one of the league’s most efficient passers, completed 18 of 21 passes for 250 yards and five touchdowns in the semifinal victory.

Receiver Nih-Jer Jackson led the team with six catches for 131 yards and two touchdowns. He was complemented by Antwane Grant, Jordan Gandy, Payton Muljo, and Robert Jones Jr. — returning from injury — who combined for 119 yards and three scores.

Shaun Lewis led the defense with five tackles, while Kenny Veal added four.

KULKAMANIA: Tyler Kulka enters Arena Crown with 36 touchdown passes to just two interceptions and a 64.3% completion rate (407 attempts). He leads the team in rushing touchdowns with five.

CEREAL MAN: Nih-Jer Jackson made an immediate impact after joining the Kats for the final five games. He totaled 28 receptions for 426 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 85.2 receiving yards per game. Jackson’s pregame superstition? Two bowls of cereal.

THE GANDY MAN CAN: Jordan Gandy leads the team in receiving yards (671) on 60 receptions. The only wideout to play in all 11 games, Gandy excelled in short-yardage situations.

THE TRIPLE THREAT: Robert Jones Jr. won three AF1 Player of the Week honors early in the season and finished second on the team with 381 yards. Milton Williams joined midseason and added 32 catches for 292 yards and six touchdowns. Antwane Grant has tallied 332 yards and eight touchdowns.

FANCE-Y LIKE: Fullback Calvin Fance has rushed for five touchdowns on 25 carries. He scored twice in the semifinal win.

FAMOUS AMOS: Defensive leader Amos Coleman III boasts a team-high 40 tackles, seven pass deflections, and one interception. As a kick returner, he returned two kicks for touchdowns and 125 yards on eight returns.

LEWIS AND THE NEWS: Shaun Lewis leads the team and the league with 10 interceptions and 11 pass breakups. He ranks second on the team in tackles (31).

ROWDY ROD PERRY: Defensive lineman Roderick Perry II recorded a team-high eight sacks and nine tackles for loss.

DEUCE RABORN, AF1 GIGOLO: Kicker Gunner Raborn scored 43 points on 11 deuces, 18 PATs, and one field goal.

VEAL CUTLET PARM: Kenny Veal remains the only player from Nashville’s indoor football history to win a championship in Music City, earning the title with the Nashville Venom during the Professional Indoor Football League’s 2014 season.

THAT PREVIOUS LEAGUE: Payton Muljo and Isaiah McFarland make their return to the championship stage for a second consecutive season, having helped lead the Billings Outlaws to a title last year in the former Arena Football League.

Albany is also returning to the championship after falling to Billings last season in the Arena Football League title game, held at the Great American Mall in New Jersey.

THE FABULOUS FIREBIRDS: Albany advanced to Arena Crown ‘25 with a 75–44 win over Salina. The Firebirds led 35–25 at halftime before exploding for 40 second-half points.

Quarterback Sam Castronova threw for 303 yards and eight touchdowns on 21-of-33 passing and added two rushing scores.

Four receivers — Marquel Wade, Duane Brown, Isaiah Scott, and Darien Townsend — each caught two touchdown passes. Brown led the group with 98 receiving yards.

On defense, Markus Smith had two interceptions. Mike Lee and Tre Wortham each recorded eight tackles.

SCOUTING ALBANY: Albany, led by quarterback Sam Castronova, went undefeated in the regular season. Castronova has thrown a league-best 56 touchdowns and completed 149 of 237 passes for 2,038 yards. He’s also rushed for seven scores on 28 carries.

Duane Brown leads the league with 32 receiving touchdowns on 69 catches for 1,007 yards. Townsend and Scott have added 29 combined touchdowns and 1,018 yards.

Trevon Shorts owns the team lead with 41 tackles. Former Nashville Kat Ezekiel Rose has tallied 15 sacks and 17 tackles for loss. Markus Smith manages Albany with six interceptions and six pass deflections.

Special teams standout Marquel Wade totaled 650 return yards and two kick return touchdowns. Kicker Henry Nell converted 88% of PATs and 67% of field goals, scoring 106 points with 15 deuces.