Toronto Triumph
 | |
| Established | 2011 |
|---|---|
| Based in | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Home field |
Ricoh Coliseum (2011-12) Hershey Centre (2012) |
| Head coach | TBA |
| Owner(s) | Lingerie Football League, LLC |
| League | Legends Football League |
| Division | Eastern |
| Colours |
Oxford blue, Cambridge blue, white |
| Website | Official site |
The Toronto Triumph was a team in the Lingerie Football League which began play in the 2011-12 season. Based in Toronto, Ontario, the Triumph played their home games at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga, Ontario. Their inaugural season in 2011, was played at the Ricoh Coliseum.
The Triumph played the 2011 season in the U.S. Lingerie Football League as a preview for the future Canadian LFL league to begin play in 2012, which they joined along with the BC Angels, Saskatoon Sirens and Regina Rage.[1] The team is historically one of the worst in the league, having lost all of their six contests, and has been marred by labor disputes and behavioral issues throughout its existence.
The 2013 LFL Canada season has been postponed indefinitely due to player disputes, League office scheduling and general preparation. Whether the league will be able to come back from hiatus is questionable at this time. The league has been accused of fining players for wearing too many clothes, as well as not paying medical bills for injured players. The league prohibits players from commenting on personnel matters, a rule that prompted the vast majority of the Toronto Triumph, including team captain Krista Ford, to quit in protest in October 2011. Originally a professional league with players receiving a cut of net revenue, Mortaza stopped paying his players beginning in the 2011 season and converted the league into an amateur organization; players must also pay for their own health insurance.
2011
Open try-outs were held at Polson Pier on April 30, 2011. Among those attending was Krista Ford, the 20-year-old daughter of Toronto City Councillor Doug Ford and niece of Toronto mayor Rob Ford; she played touch football in high school.[2] Ford was eventually accepted onto the team, becoming the team's captain.
The inaugural game resulted in a 48-14 loss, with around 20% attendance. The half-time show was a contest to tackle one of the players.[3]
After a loss in the first game, the Triumph "released" four players. Shortly after, sixteen of the twenty players on the team including Captain and star player Krista Ford, quit the team. They criticized the helmets and shoulder pads provided as unsafe, and suggested that the coaching was improper. Their quitting followed the team "releasing" four of the unpaid players. Management suggested that "[m]ost of these women have never touched a football prior. Now they're critiquing on who's qualified to coach football. It's almost laughable."[4] Commissioner Mitchell Mortaza accused the players of having a "lack of heart."[5] Ford had previously publicly commented on the growing expenses not covered by the team.[6] The league made no mention of the mass exodus in its official preview of the following week's game, which the Triumph played with ten replacement players in addition to the few remaining players who did not quit.[7]
The replacement players went on to engage in a bench-clearing brawl in a 74–0 shutout loss to the Philadelphia Passion.[8] The team finished in last place in the league for the 2011 season, after which Mortaza indeed fired the Triumph coaching staff, citing the coach's inability to control the players.[9]
Season schedule
Win Loss Tie
| Week | Date | Opponent | Location | Final Score | Attendance | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 17[3] | Tampa Breeze | Ricoh Coliseum | L 14–48 | 1800 | 0–1 |
| 2 | October 28 | Baltimore Charm | Ricoh Coliseum | L 6–42 | 0–2 | |
| 3 | December 9 | Philadelphia Passion | at Sun National Bank Center | L 0–74 | 0–3 | |
| 4 | January 13 | Orlando Fantasy | at Citrus Bowl | L 18–49 | 0–4 |
2012
The Triumph was one of four teams to be included in the Lingerie Football League's new Canadian division, LFL Canada. Coinciding with the move, the Triumph relocated to the Hershey Centre in Mississauga.
On June 27, 2013, the LFL announced that the Triumph would suspend operations for the 2013 season citing concerns with their current home, the Hershey Centre, and their former home, the Ricoh Coliseum, being inadequate for the logistical and broadcast requirements of the LFL.[10]
References
- ↑ "LFL Announces Toronto Franchise Host Arena and Unveils Team Logo". www.lfl360.com. Retrieved 2011-04-27.
- ↑ Davidson, Terry (27 April 2011). "Mayor's niece trying out for lingerie football". The Toronto Sun. Toronto ON. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
- 1 2 Jackson, Emily (19 September 2011). "Toronto fans cheer on lingerie football team despite loss". Toronto Star. Toronto ON. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
- ↑ The Star. Toronto. 2011-10-23 http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1074763. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - ↑ "Lfl Chairman Mitchell Mortaza Issues Statement About Former Toronto Triumph Players". LFL360. Retrieved 2012-08-27.
- ↑ "Headed to practice". Facebook. Retrieved 2012-08-27.
- ↑ "Week Ten Preview | Baltimore Charm At Toronto Triumph". LFL360. Retrieved 2012-08-27.
- ↑ Dart, Chris (2012-08-23). "Lingerie Footbrawl | Buzz". The Score. Retrieved 2012-08-27.
- ↑ "Lfl Canada | Toronto Triumph Part Ways With Coaching Staff". LFL360. 2012-02-29. Retrieved 2012-08-27.
- ↑ "LFL Canada Suspends Operations Of Toronto Triumph For 2013 Season". Retrieved 2013-06-28.