But there are some who are doubting the ArenaBowl title game will even be played.

If it is, it is scheduled to be televised at 5:30 p.m. on the CBS Sports Network, Channel 224 on Charter Spectrum cable TV systems.

Muljo is on the roster of the Billings, Montana, Outlaws, which will face the Albany, New York, Firebirds in ArenaBowl XXXIII (33) after the league came out of mothballs this spring.

This indoor football league was popular in the past several decades, in fact, it had several levels to it. This iteration, apparently, is an entirely new operation that simply acquired the name of its predecessor.

The Billings Outlaws’ Payton Muljo waves his arms to fire up the crowd during an Arena League game played in its spring and early summer season. (Photo courtesy Payton Muljo)

But an online report on the Pro Football Network website, known more commonly as PFN, says as of Tuesday, there were real doubts just a few days ago about whether the league would be able to pull off its championship game.

That would be too bad for players like Muljo, who played football and graduated from MSHS in 2016 and played the sport and graduated from NMU in 2021.

Muljo, who turns 26 on Aug. 6 and was with the New Orleans Breakers of the U.S. Football League in 2022, then joined the Arena league, which re-formed in 2023.

He is listed as a defensive tackle and wearing uniform No. 67 on the online Outlaws roster, which also lists him at an imposing 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds.

Billings was the top team in the league this spring with a 7-1 record, including an end-of-the-regular-season, narrow 36-35 victory over today’s opponent, Albany, at home on June 22.

Northern Michgian University offensive lineman Payton Muljo, No. 67 at left center, blocks for teammate Deandre Caldwell, right, during the Wildcats' annual intrasquad game at the Superior Dome on April 20, 2019. (Journal file photo)

Billings, which received a first-round bye in the playoffs, reached the Arena Bowl by avenging its only loss. The Outlaws defeated the Nashville Kats 35-32 in the semifinals at home last Saturday.

Albany, also getting an initial playoff bye, earned its finals position by outscoring the Salina Liberty 80-59 in the other semifinal.

Nashville had knocked off the Outlaws 57-54, again in Billings, on June 8.

All the buildup to the finals could be rendered moot, however, if the online reports contain real substance.

“Arena Football League On Brink Of Championship Disaster” is the headline on reporter James Larsen’s story dated Tuesday on the PFN website, pfnewsroom.com.

Payton Muljo While playing football at Northern Michigan University

After introducing the AFL and ArenaBowl XXXIII in his first paragraph, Larsen gets right to the issue:

“With one game left to be played, though, they might be facing their largest hurdle yet. League sources tell Pro Football Newsroom that the AFL is seeing some major changes this week when it comes to leadership. In addition, issues stemming from financial fraud have put the Arena Bowl game in jeopardy of even being played at all.

“According to a league source, the AFL’s CEO/chairman, Chris Chetty, has been unanimously voted out of the league by the eight team owners left. We’ve learned that Chris stole over $110,000 from a fellow employee’s credit card, which has resulted in AFL officials/owners stepping in to remove him from his position.

“In addition to said fraud, Chetty’s mismanagement of funds has put the AFL in massive debt to the American Dream Entertainment/Retail Center. This venue is where the Arena Bowl is currently slated to be played — but with this latest development, it appears that they’ve pulled the plug entirely on hosting the ArenaBowl XXXIII.

“We received a statement from a senior league official on the matter: ‘After repeated efforts to recoup the hundreds of thousands of dollars promised by Chris Chetty, American Dream has pulled the plug on the AFL. Chris Chetty has continually broken promises, and has left us with no other option. Chetty was unable to attend meetings and ArenaBowl preparations, due to being denied entry into the United States.’

“League officials are currently working towards a potential solution, which could include playing this game at a different venue. There are a few options on the table. The league could play the game this Friday (today) in Albany, figure out a date to play the game in Billings — or, they could host it in Nashville next Saturday (July 27).

“UPDATE: We’ve been told that the game could potentially still be played this Friday (today), if American Dream is paid in full. This remains to be seen.”

There were more details that followed in the online story, including that “multiple teams folded during the course of the year.”

In another online story, this one from Wednesday in the Albany Times Union by sports reporter Michael Kelly, the AFL and both ArenaBowl participants refuted the PFN report and “confirmed ArenaBowl XXXIII remains on track, as scheduled, at American Dream.”

Another online report on Wednesday from 406 MT Sports, at 406mtsports.com, out of Billings’ home state of Montana, reiterated much of what was in the Albany Times Union story.

A Wikipedia website about the new incarnation of the league said it actually started with 16 teams, though six were absorbed through a prelaunch merger with the existing Champions Indoor Football league.

After firing founding commissioner Lee Hutton, it reorganized as 10 teams, shortly thereafter restored to 11, then reduced to nine, while it finished the season with eight squads.

Taking over as interim commissioner was former NFL head coach Jeff Fisher, who had headed up the Houston Oilers, Tennessee Titans, St. Louis Rams and Los Angeles Rams, along with coaching the Michigan Panthers of the USFL from 2022-23.

The eight teams in the Arena League that finished the regular season are spread around a diverse part of the country, though notably no teams are in Michigan nor California or even any state that borders them.

Albany and Orlando, Florida, are the furthest franchises east, with other franchises in Nashville, Tennessee, Billings and Seattle, Washington, while curiously the other three are in Kansas — Wichita, Salina and Southwest Kansas.

Steve Brownlee can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 552. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.