READY TO RETURN. The Eau Claire Axemen announced its plans to return in 2026 at a local press conference on Nov. 25. Arena League CEO and owner Jeff Holmes (pictured at left) introduced Jim Britton (middle) as the new head coach and welcomed Richard Mayne (right) back to the Axemen's leadership team. (Photo by McKenna Scherer)

It’s official: The Eau Claire Axemen will return for a second season next spring. 

After a rocky start to its debut year, the Axemen – an indoor football team part of The Arena League; the first of its kind to call Eau Claire home – have welcomed familiar faces to new roles ahead of its 2026 season.

During a press conference held on Tuesday, Nov. 25 at Pine Meadow Golf Club (4324 Fairfax Park Dr., Eau Claire), Arena League CEO and owner Jeff Holmes introduced the Axemen’s new head coach, Jim Britton.

Locals may recognize Britton, both as the Axemen’s former assistant coach and as an Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls educator and coach. A Durand native, Britton will enter his 46th coaching season in the spring – and 30th year of teaching – which will also be his first as a head coach.

“We interviewed several people (for the head coach role),” Holmes said during the press conference. “One of the things that led us to Coach Britton was Coach Tae’s resounding endorsement.”

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THAT'S MY GOAL; TO MAKE THIS NOT MY TEAM, NOT COACH'S TEAM, NOT JUST A TEAM, BUT YOUR TEAM – EVERYBODY IN THIS VALLEY'S TEAM.

RICHARD MAYNE

LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS ADVISOR, EAU CLAIRE AXEMEN

Tae Brooks, the Axemen’s former head coach, departed from the Eau Claire team during the offseason and is now part of the National Arena League with the Pueblo Punishers.

The coaching staff shuffles are just one of the changes preceding the Axemen’s second season.

The Arena League will continue its search for local ownership for the Eau Claire team, Holmes said, and encourages those earnestly interested to reach out via email at info@arenaleague.football. 

As announced last spring (less than two weeks before what would have been the Axemen's premiere game), The Arena League took ownership of the Axemen “due to the previous team ownership’s breach of the lease” with The Sonnentag Center (1075 Menomonie St., Eau Claire).

The Axemen still completed their debut season with home games held at The Sonnentag Center – ending the season with a 1-7 record. Holmes did not confirm if the Axemen would call the Eau Claire complex home again next year.

The Axemen are working on building out the 2026 roster and will have more announcements to share in the coming weeks, Holmes said.

“It's going to be disciplined; it's going to be community-based,” Britton said of the Axemen's forthcoming season and team.

The Eau Claire Axemen are part of The Arena League, a fast-paced, professional football league. The League – created just a few years ago with NFL Hall-of-Famer Tim Brown acting as chairman and commissioner – operates with a seven-on-seven player structure.

Richard Mayne, the Axemen's local partnership advisor, was enthusiastic about the team's future – and noted his pre-existing relationship with Britton, who formerly coached Mayne's daughter in basketball.

“(Britton) is the essence of what the Chippewa Valley and Eau Claire are about,” Mayne said. “(I want this team) to be community based, to have kids come to the games, to have partners that are local, and see this succeed.

“That’s my goal; to make this not my team, not Coach’s team, not just a team, but your team – everybody in this Valley’s team,” Mayne said. “2026 with the Axemen will just be one year of many to come.”

More updates will be revealed in the coming weeks, Holmes said, with presale season tickets and additional information to come (tickets will likely cost less than they did last year). Viewers and fans are encouraged to keep up with the Eau Claire Axemen on social media for future updates.

Keep up with the Eau Claire Axemen on Facebook. Learn more about The Arena League at www.thearenaleague.football. Get a glimpse into the Axemen's debut season by checking out this photoset.