The Northern Arizona Wranglers are a professional indoor football team based in Prescott Valley, Arizona . They are members of the Indoor Football League and play their home games at the Findlay Toyota Center in Prescott Valley beginning in the 2021 season.
84-692: On August 25, 2020, the Indoor Football League (IFL) held a press conference at the Findlay Toyota Center to announce a new expansion team in Prescott Valley. The team is the third IFL franchise in the state of Arizona , along with the Arizona Rattlers and Tucson Sugar Skulls , for the 2021 season. They will be the third indoor football team to play in Prescott Valley. The Arizona Adrenaline played in
168-538: A 1-4 seed based on their W-L-T records. The one seed hosted the four seed, and the two seed hosted the three seed. The winners advanced to the Great Lakes Bowl I , and the highest remaining seed hosted. Due to expansion in 2007, the playoff format was expanded to eight teams making the playoffs. The top team in each division would clinch homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. The rest were wild card teams that are seeded second through fourth. From that point,
252-641: A 6-team single-elimination playoff beginning in April, culminating in the CIFL Championship Game in May. Traditionally, American high school football games are played on Friday nights, American college football games are played on Thursday nights and Saturdays, and most NFL games are played on Sunday. Because the CIFL season is played at a different season from the high school, college, and NFL seasons,
336-673: A California-based businessman, with the intentions of keeping the team Cedar Rapids but would rebrand the team. In August 2018, the IFL announced that the expansion Tucson Sugar Skulls , owned by Rattlers' coach Kevin Guy, were joining the league after being rumored to have joined the CIF. On September 7, the IFL announced that the Quad City Steamwheelers would join the league from the CIF. The Cedar Rapids team announced their rebrand as
420-587: A candidate must have contributed in some significant fashion to be enshrined in the Hall. There is no official criteria that must be met other than the self-explained significant contributions to the league. Unlike other football Hall of Fames, the IFL Hall of Fame is far more new and laxed. To qualify, a member would need to significantly contribute to a franchise that played in the IFL, United Indoor Football, or Intense Football League during their tenure. Starting with
504-463: A kickoff leaves the field of play after making contact with the field or a player on either team, the ball comes out to the 5-yard line, or the point in which it leaves the field of play, whichever is closest to the kicking team's goal line. Offense – No punting is allowed. The offense must attempt to gain a first down or touchdown, or may attempt a field goal (by placement or drop kick). Coaches – Starting in 2013, coaches were permitted to coach on
588-608: A league otherwise centered in the upper Midwest. On August 20, 2019, the Duke City Gladiators joined the IFL after winning back-to-back CIF championships. On September 10, the Oakland Panthers , co-owned by former NFL running back Marshawn Lynch , joined the IFL for the 2020 season. On November 1, the league added the Spokane Shock after it was resurrected by former NFL player Sam Adams , with
672-509: A memorial before their following home game against the Vegas Knight Hawks . Running backs Wide receivers Defensive linemen Defensive backs Special teams Rookies in italics Roster updated June 26, 2024 29 Active, 0 Inactive Indoor Football League The Indoor Football League ( IFL ) is a professional indoor American football league created in 2008 out of
756-681: A network, such as the Arena Football League with the CBS Sports Network . Individual teams are free to work out deals with their local affiliates to broadcast their games. Each CIFL team usually works out its own radio network deal with local stations, and the stations employ its announcers. Nationally, the CIFL is heard on the CIFL Radio Network, which can be used online via the CIFL GameCenter on
840-432: A new broadcasting agreement with CBS Sports Network ensuring that the next three IFL National Championship games will air on the network. The deal also allows for additional games to be aired on CBS Sports Network throughout the agreement. All other games will still be streamed through YouTube. Some teams also have individual contracts with local or regional TV and radio channels. The Indoor Football League Hall of Fame
924-793: A roster full of Port Huron's championship team. The 2007 season brought big changes, as the league changed its name to the Continental Indoor Football League , and the league expanded to 14 teams with only the Crunch not returning. The league suspended operations in October 2014, when the league's five remaining teams, the champion Erie Explosion , the Saginaw Sting , Marion Blue Racers , Chicago Blitz , and Northern Kentucky River Monsters , either suspended operations or joined other leagues. Shortly thereafter,
SECTION 10
#17327879516041008-546: A score of 71–62. 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 25 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
1092-439: A time. This player can blitz from any direction, but must be at least five yards off the line of scrimmage/goal line prior to the snap. Players do not have to announce their eligibility to blitz. Defensive backs are not allowed to blitz. Linebackers – At least two defensive players must line up at least 5 yards behind the line of scrimmage. The other two nonlinemen must either line up face-to-face with an offensive non-lineman on
1176-425: A travel team being in the league since 2009. The current rule reads: The CIFL regular season consists of a schedule of 10 games for each team. This allows for travel teams to play all their games on the road, and gives every team in the league an extra home game for each travel team in the league. Although this scheduling formula determined each of the 10 teams' respective opponents, the league usually did not release
1260-420: Is an eligible receiver if he is wearing an eligible receiver number (1–49, 80–89). Defensive linemen – The three defensive linemen must line up on the nose, or can line up inside foot-to-outside foot outside of an offensive lineman. Linemen must rush inside if nose up or slanted into if shaded, and they must make contact before any movement to the outside is made. Blitzing – Only one non-lineman can blitz at
1344-627: Is currently no physical location for the Indoor Football League Hall of Fame. Unlike the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Canadian Football Hall of Fame , there is no museum to view the inductees. Instead, it is more similar to the Arena Football Hall of Fame in that the inductees are enshrined online and without a physical location. In order to be nominated for the Indoor Football League Hall of Fame,
1428-439: Is the official Hall of Fame of the IFL. The creation and inaugural class for this Hall was formed in 2014 and consisted of three inductees. All classes between 2014 and 2019 have consisted of three inductees which have contributed to the league in a significant way. There were no inductees for 2020; however, the 2021 class included four inductees. The Hall of Fame is the highest honor for players, coaches, and contributors involved in
1512-738: The Alaska Wild suspended operations, leaving only 24 teams to finish the year. In the United Bowl , the Billings Outlaws (Intense Conference) took the league championship by defeating the Sioux Falls Storm (United Conference) by a score of 43–34. 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
1596-619: The American Indoor Football Association before that in 2008 and also played in the IFL in 2011. The Arizona Outlaws played in the AIF in 2012. The team hired Dominic Bramante as the inaugural head coach after previously serving in the same role with the Duke City Gladiators , winning the Champions Indoor Football title in 2018 and 2019. On October 6, 2020, the team name was announced as
1680-761: The Cedar Rapids River Kings on September 22. On October 5, the Bismarck Bucks of the CIF announced their move to the IFL. On November 19, the IFL announced another expansion team, the San Diego Strike Force , owned by the new Cedar Rapids owner Roy Choi to bring the league back up to ten teams. The addition of the Sugar Skulls and Strike Force gave the Rattlers geographic rivals, reducing that team's travel expenses in
1764-621: The Colorado Crush in October and began operating the team in the same manner. During the 2016 season, the Billings Wolves' website was hacked, was never completely fixed, and was non-operational for months. Several former staff members claimed that the team had folded after the completion of the season. On October 24, 2016, the Wolves announced they had left the IFL because of state regulations and failing to find new ownership for
SECTION 20
#17327879516041848-734: The IFL Game of the Week beginning May 15, 2021. On June 14, the IFL terminated the Xtreme's membership after five games played due to failing to maintain the league's minimum obligations and did not finish the season. On May 11, 2021, the IFL announced that Bill Foley and the Vegas Golden Knights had purchased a 2022 expansion franchise to be based in the Las Vegas Valley called the Vegas Knight Hawks . In October 2021,
1932-807: The Jacksonville Sharks and San Antonio Gunslingers from the National Arena League . The Sharks were added to the Eastern Conference and the Gunslingers were added to the Western Conference. While the Bismarck Bucks will stay idle for another season, the Scheels Arena will host the "Fargo-IFL Gridiron Classic" between Sioux Falls Storm and Massachusetts Pirates . On October 24, 2023,
2016-604: The Louisiana Swashbucklers (Intense) 54–42. Of the 17 teams involved in the two previous leagues, 14 moved over to the new organization's 2009 season. An additional three teams came over from the CIFL and two expansion teams began their life in the new IFL. In the United Bowl , the Billings Outlaws (Intense Conference) took the league championship by defeating the RiverCity Rage (United Conference) by
2100-582: 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 was used for the combined league's championship instead up through 2021. Starting in the 2022 season the league started a three-year deal to play the now named IFL National Championship Game in the Lee's Family Forum (formerly
2184-678: The 2013 season. On January 21, 2013, the league announced that the owner of the Cheyenne Warriors had died and that the team would not be entering the league this season as planned. 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 nine teams for the 2014 season. In February 2014, the league announced that it would return to Montana in 2015 with
2268-642: The 2016 season was to kick off, the Havok were terminated by the league for failing to meet operational standards. On November 25, the Minnesota Axemen folded due to the team "Not fulfilling their commitments to the league." Commissioner Mike Allshouse called the move a proactive one to prevent the team having to fold mid-season. On June 30, 2016, the IFL announced that the Tri-Cities Fever franchise would be dormant, but in good standing with
2352-408: The 2021 season, the league added a new tradition of a Hall of Fame game. Similar to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game , the first game of the season will now commemorate and recognize the hall of fame class for that year. Before this, the inductees were celebrated during the United Bowl championship game. Continental Indoor Football League The Continental Indoor Football League ( CIFL )
2436-523: The 2023 Championship defeating the Sioux Falls Storm 51–41 after going 1–15 in the previous year. On October 7, the Bismarck Bucks announced they will suspend operations for the 2023 season. For the 2023 season, the league signed a player personnel partnership with the XFL , to function as their de facto minor league. For the 2024 season, the league expanded to 16 teams with the addition of
2520-684: The Arena Development League but actually beginning play under the name National Arena League . After the 2017 season came to a close, the website for the Colorado Crush was shut down with no formal announcement on the franchise's future. Project FANchise, which also ran the Salt Lake Screaming Eagles, had announced they would start their own league and left the IFL, with both teams going up for sale. No buyers for either team were subsequently found and
2604-471: The CIF after the two teams had already signed league affiliation agreements with the CIF for 2018. The IFL then threatened to sue the CIF, Storm, and Nighthawks in return despite neither former IFL team signing an affiliation agreement with the IFL for 2018. The CIF then retracted their lawsuit with the IFL but also removed the Storm and Nighthawks from their 2018 schedule. After the IFL meetings in October 2017,
Northern Arizona Wranglers - Misplaced Pages Continue
2688-476: The CIFL scheduled Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and (new for 2013) Monday games. During minicamps in the winter, CIFL teams typically played one or two exhibition games from early January through early February. Each team was free to schedule these games, but all games were approved by the league. No games were allowed within one week of the team's first regular-season game. The games were useful for new players who were not used to playing indoor football. Following
2772-560: The CIFL to Indoor Football Incorporated, which included Rob Licht, Jim O'Brien, and Stuart Schweigert . The group also owned the Saginaw Sting. The new ownership of the league sought to help current teams brand their product better, as well as look to expand the league, but its primary goal was to have competitive franchises. The Great Lakes Indoor Football League was founded in 2005 by brothers Eric and Jeff Spitaleri and their friend Cory Trapp. The league's first franchise accepted
2856-419: The CIFL was a very unstable and somewhat informal organization. Many teams entered and left the league annually, with the worst instance of teams exiting occurring when the new Indoor Football League was formed and the league lost five teams. The league fielded at least six teams in each year of its existence, gaining and losing teams each year from both expansion and teams shifting leagues. The Saginaw Sting
2940-532: The CIFL. Excluding all-female leagues, the CIFL is one of only three professional football leagues (the Atlantic Coast Football League in 1970, the Indoor Football League in 2014) to have hired female players; the CIFL is the only league to have hired more than one, and the only one to have allowed its female players to score points. Since 2013, the CIFL season featured a 10-game, 12-week regular season running from February to April and
3024-707: The Columbus Wild Dogs announced it would not begin play until 2022. On August 19, 2020, the Massachusetts Pirates , formerly of the National Arena League , were added to the IFL for the 2021 season as the league's first East Coast-based team. On August 25, the league added the Northern Arizona Wranglers in Prescott Valley, Arizona , for the 2021 season, joining the Arizona Rattlers and Tucson Sugar Skulls as
3108-611: The Dollar Loan Center) in Henderson, Nevada. Teams in italics are no longer active in the IFL. On May 11, 2021, the IFL announced a national television partnership with Stadium , in which Stadium will air the IFL Game of The Week nationally each week for the rest of the season. The deal was negotiated by The Team Management, LLC, and each game will be produced exclusively by BEK Communications. In 2023, IFL announced
3192-551: The IFL announced that its first expansion team for 2025 would be based in Indianapolis and would play at the new Fishers Event Center in nearby Fishers . On December 15, the team announced they would be known as the Fishers Freight . Starting in 2024, the league has a theme song for all games – "The Indoor War" by Sioux Falls-based musician Denham. The song was released on March 10, 2024. On October 16, 2024,
3276-460: The IFL announced that the Duke City Gladiators and Frisco Fighters would sit out the 2025 season, both looking to return to play in 2026. The season schedule is set to be announced on October 31, 2024. On October 30, 2024, the Sioux Falls Storm announced they would sit out the 2025 season after their home arena did not renew the team's lease. For the 2024 season, the league is split into two conferences. The IFL Championship Game (formerly
3360-681: The IFL since the Texas Revolution (formerly the Arkansas Twisters), the Tri-Cities Fever and the Green Bay Blizzard . (The Revolution left the IFL for Champions Indoor Football before ceasing operations in May 2019.) This was the first season the IFL utilized roster restrictions which call for all teams to carry no more than seven players with three or more years' experience in Indoor/Arena football. For
3444-758: The IFL under a new identity as the Arena League announced on October 12 that they would retain the rights to the Shock logos and name, possibly for future use by another franchise in the state of Washington. The team subsequently held a name-the-team contest, which resulted in their new identity as the Spokane Empire . On September 9, the Minnesota Havok (based in Mankato ) were announced as an IFL team. However, on January 29, just four weeks before
Northern Arizona Wranglers - Misplaced Pages Continue
3528-551: The IFL, for the 2017 season. Project FANchise, a group aiming to create a professional sports team where fans help run the day-to-day operations, announced they would operate a new team, the Salt Lake Screaming Eagles in Salt Lake City. A fan vote determined the team's name and logo, and select fans will have access to player personnel decisions and in-game play calling. Project FANchise also bought
3612-482: The IFL. The league was formed out of the merger of two indoor football leagues United Indoor Football and Intense Football League , which qualifies players who have also contributed at a high level to these former leagues prior to the merger. This Hall of Fame only incorporates contributors to the IFL, and its former leagues, so no other indoor or arena football leagues factor into the inductions. The Arena Football League has its own corresponding Hall of Fame . There
3696-502: The Northern Arizona Wranglers. Former Jacksonville Sharks and Iowa Barnstormers head coach Les Moss was named the head coach for the 2022 season. The Wranglers won their first IFL National Championship in 2022, defeating the Quad City Steamwheelers 47–45. On July 2, 2024, assistant coach David Moran died after he collapsed during the team's prior game against the San Diego Strike Force . The team held
3780-399: The Pirates, and the Raiders defeated the Revolution 71–13. The league's first playoff format was a four-team setup with the number-one seed hosting the number-four seed, and the number-two seed hosting the number-three seed. The semifinals featured a pair of blowout games, with Port Huron and Rochester advancing to Great Lakes Bowl I , which was to be played at McMorran Arena as Port Huron
3864-401: The Sioux Falls Storm announced that they had joined Champions Indoor Football for 2018 after winning six consecutive championships from 2011 to 2016. The Storm was shortly followed by the Wichita Falls Nighthawks . The IFL then added the Bloomington Edge and West Michigan Ironmen from the CIF on September 12. The CIF apparently then attempted to sue the IFL, Edge, and Ironmen for leaving
3948-400: The Spokane team reacquiring the Shock brand following the Empire's folding in 2017. The Bosselman family were looking to sell the Nebraska Danger , but no owner was found before the deadline for participating in the 2020 season. On November 24, 2019, the IFL added a thirteenth team in Frisco, Texas , owned by the Germain family called the Frisco Fighters . The Germain family also purchased
4032-452: The Storm returned to the IFL but the Nighthawks had to suspend operations. While the CIF did drop the lawsuit against the IFL, it filed for an injunction against the Edge and Ironmen teams from participating in the IFL for breaking the terms of their signed affiliation agreements. A temporary injunction from participation in the league was granted on January 31, 2018, with the court ruling determining that both teams had been offered bribes from
4116-407: 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 $ 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 , but his association with the team and
4200-485: The United Bowl) has been played every season since 2009. The current IFL champions are the Arizona Rattlers , who won the championship game in 2024 defeating Massachusetts in Las Vegas. The IFL continued 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
4284-406: The ball makes its way through the uprights. Backfield in motion – One player may be in motion in any direction behind the line of scrimmage prior to the snap. Offensive linemen – Three linemen must be in a three- or four-point stance prior to the snap. They must line up guard, center, guard and next to one another. Any offensive lineman not covered up by the fourth man on the line of scrimmage
SECTION 50
#17327879516044368-406: The closure of the original Arena Football League in 2019, the IFL is the oldest active professional indoor football league in North America, and can trace its history to 2003 (as the Intense Football League). IFL players earn US$ 250–500 (before taxes) per game played, with a $ 25 bonus given to players on the winning team each week. Additionally some teams provide housing for their players during
4452-446: The entire field acted as an extension of the ground (only "out of bounds" if contact made by opposing player that forces player into the dasher wall, much like a 'down by contact' rule). Goal posts – Goal posts are 12 feet (3.7 m) from the floor to the crossbar. The crossbar is 10 feet (3.0 m) in width. Anything used to hang the goalpost is considered a part of the upright. Number of players – Eight players per team were on
4536-449: The field again, which improved communication between their players and them. Overtime – Overtime is played with NCAA-style rules (each team gets one possession), but each possession is started with a kickoff rather than at the 25-yard line. Teams must go for a two-point conversion (by scrimmage play) starting with the third overtime session. Co-ed play – Two female placekickers, Katie Hnida and Julie Harshbarger , have played for
4620-488: The field at one time. Starting in 2013, teams were allowed to expand their active rosters from 19 players to 21, and are required to carry a backup quarterback and kicker. In the league's earliest seasons, the GLIFL/CIFL played with only seven players on each side, one less than the standard eight used in other indoor football leagues. Playing time – Four 15-minute quarters were used, with a running clock. Clocks stopped only for incomplete passes and out-of-bounds plays during
4704-408: The final minute of the second and fourth quarters. A 25-second play clock also was used. Scoring – Six points were awarded for a TD, 2 points for run or pass conversion, or drop-kick PAT, 1 point for place-kick PAT, 2 points for defensive conversion following TD, 2 points for a safety, 3 points for a field goal, and 4 points for a drop-kick field goal. Teams score a single point on their kickoff if
4788-404: The final regular schedule with specific dates and times until the winter; the CIFL needed several months to coordinate the entire season schedule so that, among other reasons, games are worked around various scheduling conflicts. The CIFL has gone through many teams, so the playoff format was changed several times throughout the years. In the league's first season, 2006, the playoff format featured
4872-416: The league salary cap . In 2007, several teams folded during the season, and during the 2008 season, the league's most successful team, the Rochester Raiders , moved to another league due to frustration over the failure of the league to provide notice of an opponent's forfeiture, resulting in lost ticket and advertising revenue. The league also failed to return the Raiders' owners' emergency fund deposit, which
4956-441: The league proved to be short-lived. The front office of the league saw changes as well, as Commissioner Tommy Benizio resigned. The league appointed assistant commissioner Robert Loving as the interim Commissioner. 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
5040-433: The league updated its website, removing the Cedar Rapids River Kings and Columbus Wild Dogs. On February 24, 2022, the Spokane Shock were removed from the league after the team lost its lease for their home arena. On July 26, 2022, the IFL announced that Andy Scurto and the Tulsa Oilers had purchased a 2023 expansion franchise to be based in Tulsa, which would also be called the Tulsa Oilers . The Bay Area Panthers won
5124-436: The league was able to sell ownership to four of them. In December, it was finalized that the league would begin with six teams in their inaugural season, with each team playing a 10-game season over a 12-week span. On April 7, 2006, the league held its first games with the Battle Creek Crunch hosting the Port Huron Pirates and the Rochester Raiders hosting the New York/New Jersey Revolution . The Crunch were defeated 62–22 by
SECTION 60
#17327879516045208-456: The league website redirected to American Indoor Football. On August 23, 2015, it was announced that the CIFL would return for the 2016 season (playing an interlocking schedule with another proposed league, Supreme Indoor Football, as part of the Indoor Football Alliance ) and the Explosion, Sting, and Blue Racers will return to the CIFL as a result. However, the league effectively disbanded again later that fall after no other teams agreed to join
5292-441: The league's appeal to the entire Great Lakes region . Initially, the league was relatively successful, having a cumulative attendance over 75,000 in the inaugural regular season. However, the league, like other indoor football associations, was plagued by folding franchises and unenforceable policies throughout its existence. For example, the 2006 champion Port Huron Pirates were found to have been paying some of their players over
5376-426: The league's history. Prior to its disbanding, the CIFL claimed itself to be the longest continually operating current indoor football league in the United States, noting that older leagues such as the Arena Football League and American Indoor Football had suspended operations at least once since the CIFL's founding. In July 2012, the CIFL changed ownership for the first time in its history, when Jeff Spitaleri sold
5460-413: The league's website. In 2010, the CIFL introduced the CIFL GameCenter which allows statisticians wired to into the CIFL Network. As they use the stat software to record the game, it is updated live in the GameCenter. Base player salaries must be no less than $ 50 per game and no more than $ 200 per game. There are no win bonuses since the 2010 season, as agreed at the owner meetings. For the 2010 season,
5544-478: The line, or be 5 yards behind the line of scrimmage. After the snap, this rule is eliminated and the players can roam anywhere they wish, provided it does not violate blitzing rules. Linebackers can line up at the goal line if the offense is within five yards of scoring. Kickoffs – If a kickoff leaves the field of play on the fly, the ball comes out to the 25-yard line. The sideline walls and end zone walls are not out of bounds, and balls can be played off of them. If
5628-474: The matchups would remain the same as the previous year, with the exception that the winners of each divisional playoff would meet in the CIFL Championship Game . In 2009, the league returned to its original format of a four-team playoff. This stayed in place until 2012, when the league decided to just have the regular-season first and second seeds meet for the championship. The league put on an All-Star game once, in its inaugural 2006 season. In its early years,
5712-431: The merger between the Intense Football League and United Indoor Football . It has one of the largest number of currently active teams among indoor football leagues. As of the 2024 season, the league consists of 16 teams in two conferences with each team playing 16 games over 19 weeks. The league has operated continuously under the same name and corporate structure longer than any other current indoor football league. With
5796-426: The new Billings Wolves franchise. 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. They joined the IFL in August 2014, becoming the fourth active AFL/af2 franchise to leave for
5880-402: The offseason, bringing the total number to 22 for 2011. In the 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. The league had 16 teams that played the 2012 season. For the 2012 season, the IFL switched to a two-conference format with no divisions, due in large part to the loss of all
5964-404: The owner of the Arizona Rattlers to break their contract with the CIF. The schedule was revised in February for the six participating teams stating the Edge and Ironmen were to return in 2019. During the season, the Cedar Rapids Titans' ownership announced the team was for sale with hopes of selling to new local ownership. In June 2018, it was announced that the Titans had been sold to Roy Choi,
6048-417: The preseason, each of the 10 teams embarked on a 12-week, 10-game schedule, with the extra weeks consisting of a bye to allow teams a rest sometime in the middle of the season. The league had been using a scheduling formula to determine which teams play which during a given season. Under the formula since 2010, each of the six teams' respective 10-game schedule consisted of: This format was tweaked due to
6132-556: The revived league; the Blue Racers and Sting joined American Indoor Football, and the Explosion eventually announced they would not play in 2016. Field size – fields were 50 yards long by 25 yards wide, with end zones a minimum of 5 yards in depth. Fields may vary in size due to physical constraints within facility, with CIFL permission. End zones may be rounded due to hockey board configurations. Padded dasher board walls around
6216-533: The season. The IFL has a player personnel partnership with the UFL , to function as their de facto minor league. The league was formed as a merger between the Intense Football League and United Indoor Football , 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
6300-423: The second consecutive season, an AFL team was strongly rumored to join the IFL, as Spokane Shock owner Nader Naini said on August 10, 2015, that he was considering all options for the team. On September 1, the Shock officially joined the IFL, becoming the fifth active AFL/af2 franchise to leave for the IFL since the aforementioned Barnstormers, Fever, Blizzard and Revolution. The Shock, however, would have to enter
6384-512: The sponsorship rights for the IFL, the management rights of the league's communications and marketing department, as well as a second expansion for the 2021 season in Columbus, Ohio , known as the Columbus Wild Dogs. Two games into the 2020 season, the league postponed the rest of the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic . On April 13, 2020, the season was fully cancelled. On June 26, 2020,
6468-548: The team. On October 17, 2016, the IFL announced it had added the Arizona Rattlers , previously of the Arena Football League , for the 2017 season. The Rattlers were the third team in three consecutive seasons to leave the AFL for the IFL. The league rejected the bid of another former AFL franchise, the Jacksonville Sharks , who are located outside the IFL's regional territory. They subsequently announced their charter membership in an entirely new league, originally to have been called
6552-561: The teams folded. On July 12, 2017, the Spokane Empire announced that they would be suspending operations effective immediately. On July 25, 2017, the IFL announced that only the Arizona Rattlers, Cedar Rapids Titans, Green Bay Blizzard, Iowa Barnstormers, and Nebraska Danger had committed to play for 2018. However, expansion clubs and current member clubs had until September 1 to commit to the 2018 season. On August 30,
6636-538: The third IFL team to be based in Arizona for 2021. On November 6, the Louisville Xtreme of Louisville, Kentucky , was added. The 2020 expansion Oakland Panthers , as well as the Cedar Rapids River Kings , Quad City Steamwheelers, and the San Diego Strike Force withdrew from the season due to the effects of the pandemic. On May 11, 2021, the IFL announced as broadcast partnership with Stadium to air
6720-747: Was an indoor football league based along the Midwestern United States region that played nine seasons from 2006 to 2014. It began play in April 2006 as the Great Lakes Indoor Football League ( GLIFL ). It was formed by Jeff Spitaleri, his brother Eric, and a third member, Cory Trapp, all from the Canton, Ohio , area. The league was originally called the Ohio-Penn Indoor Football League, but then executives decided to increase
6804-404: Was collected specifically to protect against such occurrences. The CIFL is among several indoor football leagues that maintained a mostly regional operation, with most of its teams clustered in the Midwestern United States . Teams went back and forth between the CIFL and the other regional leagues, as well as the Indoor Football League (a national league of similar caliber), over the course of
6888-714: Was the Lehigh Valley Outlawz , who joined in late June, 2005. During the league's first season, it cost a new owner a $ 15,000 franchising fee, with a capped salary of $ 5,400 per team, per week, with no player earning more than $ 300 per game. While trying to attract teams, the league agreed to arena contracts before securing owners in efforts to attract owners in those specific market areas. They reached agreements with markets in Danville, Illinois , Battle Creek, Michigan , Rochester, New York , Port Huron, Michigan , Toledo, Ohio and Marion, Ohio . Of those markets,
6972-692: Was the franchise with the most time in the league; they completed their fourth season at the end of 2014. The Erie Explosion was the league's oldest team; it has been in operation since 2007 and joined the league in 2013. A potential for a merger with the American Professional Football League was expected in 2013, but this never came to fruition; likewise, a proposal to form an Indoor Football Alliance between three former CIFL teams and an upstart "Supreme Indoor Football" league for 2016 also collapsed. Motor City Reapers The league does not have its television rights sold to
7056-474: Was the number-one seed on July 22. The Pirates were able shut down the Raiders' offense for most of the second half, earning a 40–34 victory for Port Huron, thus completing the first undefeated season in league history. At the conclusion of the first season, the league also put together an All-Star Game at Stabler Arena , where they split up three teams each for an East vs. West matchup. The West dominated, with
#603396