Indoor Football League

This article is about the indoor American football league founded in 2008. For the original Indoor Football League, see Indoor Football League (1999–2000).
Indoor Football League
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2015 Indoor Football League season

Indoor Football League logo
Sport Indoor football
Founded 2008
CEO Michael Allshouse
Inaugural season 2009
No. of teams 10
Country United States
Most recent champion(s) Sioux Falls Storm (4th title)
Most titles Sioux Falls Storm (4)
Founder Paul Aaron
Dan Blum
Official website goifl.com

The Indoor Football League is a professional Indoor Football league created in 2008 out of the merger between the Intense Football League and United Indoor Football. For the 2011 season the league had 22 teams in 14 different U.S. states. The 2012 season consisted of 16 teams. In 2013 and 2014, nine teams comprised the league. The league can best be described as semi-professional; players earn a maximum of $200 per game played (before taxes). The season is 14 games long, plus playoffs of two or more rounds. Altogether, as of the end of the 2014 season, 38 different teams had actually taken the field to compete in at least part of one or more seasons; this does not count teams which were organized and announced but folded prior to playing any actual games.

History

Formation of the league

The merger which formed the new IFL was announced the day before the 2008 National Indoor Bowl Championship, a game which pitted the champions of the two leagues against each other. The Sioux Falls Storm (United) defeated the Louisiana Swashbucklers (Intense) 54 to 42.

2009 season

Of the 17 teams involved in the two previous leagues, 14 carried over to the new organization's 2009 season. An additional 3 teams came over from the CIFL and two expansion teams began their life in the new IFL. In the 2009 IFL United Bowl, the Billings Outlaws (Intense Conference) took the league championship by defeating the River City Rage (United Conference) by a score of 71 to 62.

2010 season

After losing two teams to attrition after the end of the 2009 season, and a third in January 2010, the IFL then added another nine franchises to boost its membership to twenty-five for the 2010 season. Three of the new teams were expansion franchises. Two moved over from the Southern Indoor Football League and Continental Indoor Football League. After playing nine games of the 2010 season the Alaska Wild suspended operations, leaving only twenty-four teams to finish the year. In the 2010 IFL United Bowl, the Billings Outlaws (Intense Conference) took the league championship by defeating the Sioux Falls Storm (United Conference) by a score of 43 to 34.

2011 season

Seven new teams were added to the IFL for the 2011 season. Some of these were new expansion teams, and others moved to the IFL from the AIFA. The IFL also lost nine teams during the offseason, bringing the total number to twenty-two for 2011. In the 2011 IFL United Bowl, the Sioux Falls Storm (United Conference) took the league championship by defeating the Tri-Cities Fever (Intense Conference) by a score of 37-10.

2012 season

For the 2012 season, the IFL switched to a two-conference format with no divisions,[1] due in large part to the loss of all the Texas-based teams (except the Allen Wranglers) to the newly formed Lone Star Football League. The Wranglers brought attention to the league for offering a US$500,000 contract to unemployed wide receiver Terrell Owens to become the team's part-owner and wide receiver. Owens accepted the contract. ESPN3 carried Owens's debut game against the Wichita Wild. The front office of the league saw changes as well, as Commissioner Tommy Benizio resigned.[2] The league appointed assistant commissioner, Robert Loving, as the interim Commissioner.[2]

2013 season

On October 12, 2012, the Bloomington Edge announced that the team had been sold to the owners of the Bloomington Blaze hockey franchise and would relocate to the new Champions Professional Indoor Football League for the 2013 season.[3] On January 21, 2013, the league announced that the owner of the Cheyenne Warriors died and that the team would not be entering the league this season as planned.

2014 season

The league added the Minnesota-based Bemidji Axemen to expand to 10 teams but the Chicago Slaughter were sold and changed leagues, returning the IFL to 9 teams for the 2014 season. In February 2014, the league announced that it would return to Montana in 2015 with the new Billings Wolves franchise.[4]

2015 season

On July 27, 2014, Iowa Barnstormers president Jeff Lamberti hinted at joining the league by telling a local TV station that the franchise will explore "all options" in the off-season of their continuance to play, including leaving the Arena Football League and going to the IFL for 2015. [5] If this were to occur, they would be the fourth active AFL/af2 franchise to leave for the IFL since the Texas Revolution (formerly the Arkansas Twisters), the Tri-Cities Fever and the Green Bay Blizzard. (The Revolution have since left the IFL for Champions Indoor Football.)

Teams

Current

Team Location Arena Began
play		 Head Coach
Intense Conference
Billings Wolves Billings, Montana Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark 2015 Chris Dixon
Colorado Ice Loveland, Colorado Budweiser Events Center 2009 Heron O'Neal
Nebraska Danger Grand Island, Nebraska Eihusen Arena 2011 Mike Davis
Tri-Cities Fever Kennewick, Washington Toyota Center 2010 Adam Shackleford
Wichita Falls Nighthawks Wichita Falls, Texas Kay Yeager Coliseum 2015 James Kerwin
United Conference
Bemidji Axemen Bemidji, Minnesota Sanford Center 2014 Dixie Wooten
Cedar Rapids Titans Cedar Rapids, Iowa U.S. Cellular Center 2012 Mark Stoute
Green Bay Blizzard Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin Resch Center 2010 Tommie Williams
Iowa Barnstormers Des Moines, Iowa Wells Fargo Arena 2015 Joe Brannen
Sioux Falls Storm Sioux Falls, South Dakota Denny Sanford PREMIER Center 2009 Kurtiss Riggs
Map of teams competing in the IFL as of 2013

Former

Left for another league

Folded

Failed expansions

Timeline

Iowa Barnstormers Wichita Falls Nighthawks Billings Wolves Bemidji Axemen New Mexico Stars Cedar Rapids Titans Wyoming Cavalry Wenatchee Valley Venom Reading Express Nebraska Danger Lehigh Valley Steelhawks Bricktown Brawlers Arizona Adrenaline Tri-Cities Fever Richmond Revolution La Crosse Spartans Green Bay Blizzard Chicago Slaughter Austin Turfcats Texas Revolution Everett Raptors Amarillo Venom Wichita Wild West Michigan ThunderHawks Sioux Falls Storm Sioux City Bandits San Angelo Stampede Express Saginaw Sting Rochester Raiders RiverCity Rage Omaha Beef Maryland Maniacs Fairbanks Grizzlies El Paso Generals Colorado Ice Bloomington Edge Billings Outlaws Alaska Wild

IFL United Bowl Championship

The IFL continues to use the "United Bowl" name originally used by United Indoor Football. The UIF used this name before they merged with Intense Football League to form the Indoor Football League. The UIF held United Bowl I, II, III, and IV in 2005 through 2008, with all four being won by the Sioux Falls Storm. Although the name "National Indoor Bowl Championship" was used for the 2008 contest between the UIF and the Intense Football League, the "United Bowl" name continues to be used for the combined league's championship instead.

2009 United Bowl Championship

Seconds before the Outlaws 2009 United Bowl victory

The 2009 IFL United Bowl featured the Intense Conference champs, the Billings Outlaws, against the upset-minded United Conference River City Rage. The game became a scoring onslaught at the start of the 1st quarter with each team scoring touchdowns. The Outlaw defense snagged a pick in the 2nd quarter which led to another offensive touchdown and a commanding two score lead by halftime. The Rage fought back though, recovering an onside kick at the beginning of the 3rd quarter and driving the ball the length of the field for a touchdown. That would be the closest the game would get for the Rage. The Outlaws would put up just enough points to keep a comfortable lead throughout the fourth and after recovering an onside kick in the last minute of the game, the Outlaws kneeled the ball and took home the crown with a score of 71-62 in a loud, sold-out Rimrock Auto Arena.

2010 United Bowl Championship

In the 2010 IFL United Bowl, the Billings Outlaws of the Intense Conference took the league championship by defeating the Sioux Falls Storm of the United Conference by a score of 43 to 34 in front of a sold out crowd in the Billings Sportsplex (a training facility, used by the Outlaws after their arena suffered storm damage during the Fathers Day Tornado).

2011 United Bowl Championship

The 2011 IFL United Bowl was won by the United Conference champion Sioux Falls Storm when they beat the Intense Conference Champion Tri-Cities Fever 37-10 on July 16, 2011.

2012 United Bowl Championship

The 2012 IFL United Bowl was a re-match and was once again won by the United Conference champion Sioux Falls Storm when they beat the Intense Conference Champion Tri-Cities Fever 59-32 on July 14, 2012.

2013 United Bowl Championship

The 2013 IFL United Bowl was once again won by the United Conference champion Sioux Falls Storm when they beat the Intense Conference Champion Nebraska Danger 43-40 on June 29, 2013.

2014 United Bowl Championship

The 2014 IFL United Bowl was once again won by the United Conference champion Sioux Falls Storm when they beat the Intense Conference Champion Nebraska Danger 63-46 on June 28, 2014.

Year-by-year

YearHome TeamAway TeamWinnerScore
2009Billings OutlawsRiverCity RageOutlaws71–62
2010Billings OutlawsSioux Falls StormOutlaws43–34
2011Sioux Falls StormTri-Cities FeverStorm37–10
2012Sioux Falls StormTri-Cities FeverStorm59–32
2013Sioux Falls StormNebraska DangerStorm43–40
2014Sioux Falls StormNebraska DangerStorm63–46

References

  1. ↑ http://www.expressindoorfootball.com/news/index.html?article_id=264
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "IFL Elects Commissioner". www.keloland.com. KELO-TV. September 18, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
  3. ↑ Deacon, Joe (October 12, 2012). "Bloomington Edge sold to Blaze owner, changing to new league". Bloomington Pantagraph. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
  4. ↑ Zimmer, Mike (February 19, 2014). "Billings Wolves to bring indoor football back to Billings in 2015". Billings Gazette (Billings, MT). Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  5. ↑ Barnstormers May Leave AFL, Join Different League, John Sears, WHO-TV website, July 27, 2104
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 LSFL Welcomes West Texas and Amarillo
  7. ↑ Board approves return of indoor football
  8. ↑ Swashbucklers Leave IFL for new SIFL
  9. ↑ Saginaw Sting Named 6th And Final Team For UIFL, 2011 Season Now Set For Kick-Off
  10. ↑ Sioux City Bandits will leave IFL
  11. ↑ IFL Takes Necessarry Action In Anchorage
  12. ↑ Outlaws get forfeit win
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 2011 IFL Schedule Announced
  14. ↑ http://www.newsminer.com/view/full_story/15972707/article-Grizzlies-suspend-operations?instance=home_sports_bullets
  15. ↑ Early in the game, SportsQuest is falling behind
  16. ↑ Owner shuts down IFL's River City
  17. ↑ Tucson Thunderkats suspend operations
  18. ↑ Venom to sit out 2012 season
  19. ↑ http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20110930/SPORTS/109300364/Plans-indoor-football-team-Binghamton-hold
  20. ↑ "IFL Announces Revised 2013 Schedule". Indoor Football League. January 21, 2013. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  21. ↑ Nowlin, Jack (June 1, 2013). "Do Cavs have a future in Casper?". Casper Star-Tribune (Casper, WY: Lee Enterprises). Retrieved June 3, 2013.
  22. ↑ Riley, Alex (June 1, 2013). "Cheyenne Warriors have ceased operations". Wyoming Tribune-Eagle. Retrieved June 3, 2013.

External links

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