Kurz has an accomplished 30 year history in professional sports as one of the pioneering forces behind the inception and growth of the Arena Football League (AFL). Kurz brought the AFL to its greatest height negotiating national television contracts, acquiring team ownership, fan merchandising, as well as taking the sport to international audiences.
Prior to serving five years as the AFL Commissioner, Kurz served as President of the AF2, the AFL's developmental league. Under his guidance, the League saw extensive growth in small to mid-sized markets, building the league to 25 teams, with an extremely dedicated fan base across the country. That foundation helped to fuel the return of the Arena Football League in 2010 after a year on hiatus. Kurz and a group of enthusiastic investors arranged the acquisition of the AFL's asset in bankruptcy court in late 2009 and revived the League in early 2010, fulfilling the promise that Arena Football would return.
Arena Football isn't Kurz's only claim to fame. He is also a founding member of Gridiron Enterprises, Inc., a sports consulting firm based out of Chicago. Kurz has been a player, coach, general manager and owner during his lifelong involvement with he game of football. he is also a member four football hall of fames, including membership in the first class of the Arena Football Hall of Fame.
Kurz earned a Juris Doctor Degree at Northern Illinois and with his wife, also a licensed Illinois attorney, have operated a law firm, named Hall & Kurz since 1980. Jerry and his wife, Kathryn have one son named Mathew who was a scholarship football player at Indiana University.
