Memphis is about to find out what arena football sounds like in a packed gym. The Memphis Hound Dogs, the city’s new arena football franchise, kick off their inaugural season with a home debut at the Memphis Sports and Events Center in Liberty Park on June 6. Built around a roster stacked with Mid-South talent and a staff led by head coach Richard Gilliam, the team will play under turbocharged Arena League rules that speed things up and flip traditional kicking strategy on its head. Here is a quick guide to game times, tickets, and the rule twists to know before you head out.
When and where to show up
The Hound Dogs play a 10-game regular season and host their first home contest on June 6 at the Memphis Sports and Events Center, with most matchups locked in for a 7:05 p.m. CT start. As reported by WREG, Memphis opens the season on the road against the Nebraska Siege before returning for that June 6 home opener. Season and single-game tickets are available through the club and listed on the team ticketing pages.
How the arena rules change the game
Arena League play is built to keep the ball moving and the scoreboard busy. There are no punts or field goals, and instead of standard kickoffs, the league uses throw-offs to restart play. According to The Arena League, the game also runs on a 20-second play clock and lets teams try a fourth-and-20 conversion in place of an onside kick. Quarterbacks are required to stay inside a designated run lane when they take off, a wrinkle that forces coaches to think carefully about when to dial up scrambles and how much risk they want from their signal-caller.
Roster and coaching staff
The Hound Dogs' roster lists 28 players, including 22 with Mid-South connections and 18 from the 901 area code, a clear signal that the franchise is leaning hard into homegrown talent. Richard Gilliam steps in as the team’s first head coach, with James Fisher Jr. serving as general manager. Coordinators Dustin Bauman and Robert Redmond round out the staff. As reported by WREG, the club is using those local roots as a core part of its identity from day one.
Tickets, timing, and game-night tips
Single-game and season tickets are available through the team's site and ticket partners, and the schedule is posted across regional sports listings. Based on scoreboard listings from OurSportsCentral, most games are set for a 7:05 p.m. CT start, with the arena planning family-friendly promotions around tipoff. The Memphis Sports & Events Center notes in its Memphis Sports & Events Center FAQ that fans should arrive early to navigate parking and reminds visitors that the facility sits inside Liberty Park.
What to watch in the opener: how smoothly Gilliam’s system comes together and how quickly that largely local roster adjusts to the rapid-fire arena format. If Memphis settles in fast, Liberty Park could turn into a real home-field edge in a short, high-speed season. For anyone curious about something a little different from the outdoor game, the Hound Dogs’ debut on June 6 should scratch that itch.
