Gay billionaire Peter Thiel (Photo courtesy of Flickr)

Billionaire Peter Thiel is investing in Alliance of American Football, a new pro football league, that will rival the NFL.

Thiel’s Founders Fund is backing the spring league along with Slow Ventures, the Chernin Group, Adrian Fenty and Charles King’s M Ventures, Keith Rabois and former Vikings player Jared Allen.

The league will feature eight teams and is expected to kick off on February 9, 2019 for a 10-week regular season and a four-team playoff season.

Charlie Ebersol, founder and CEO of the Alliance of American Football, promised that the league will ensure the safety of its players.

“Players have our commitment that we will seek the highest degree of safety and our support as we continue to invest in their success off the field with post-football career scholarships and financial wellness programs,” Ebersol said in a statement,

CBS has partnered with the Alliance of American Football to broadcast one regular season game per week. The network will also air the league’s championship game.

The Alliance of American Football isn’t Founders Fund’s only investment this year. The fund also backed the popular live trivia app HQ in February.