2007 Pittsburgh RiverRats season

Pittsburgh RiverRats
2007 Pittsburgh RiverRats season
Head coach	Shawn Liotta
Owner	Jeff Hauser
Home field	Rostraver Ice Garden ; 101 Gallitin Rd; Belle Vernon, PA 15012
Results
Record	7-7
Division place	4th
Playoff finish	Lost North Quarterfinals (Express) 24-42
	← 2006; Pittsburgh RiverRats ; 2008 →;

Last updated March 03, 2019

The 2007 Pittsburgh RiverRats season was the 1st season for the American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) franchise. The Explosion began play in 2007 as the Pittsburgh RiverRats, playing that season's home games at the Rostraver Ice Garden in Rostraver Township, Pennsylvania.^[1] The "RiverRats" name and logo were originally supposed to be used by the Reading Express, but that team chose the Express branding instead, freeing it up for use by another American Indoor Football League (AIFL) team.^[2] In August 2006, more arguments came about the RiverRats name as a team in the Eastern Indoor Football League, called the 3 River Rats, had intentions of suing the RiverRats to retain the naming rights of the team.^[3]

The 2007 American Indoor Football Association season was the league's third overall season. The league champions were the Lakeland Thunderbolts, who defeated the Reading Express in AIFA Championship Bowl I.

The Rostraver Ice Garden is a 5,000-seat multi-purpose arena in the Pittsburgh suburb of Rostraver Township, Pennsylvania, USA at exit 43, 43a and 43b on Interstate 70.

The Reading Express were a professional indoor football team based in Reading, Pennsylvania. They were most recently a member of the United Conference of the Indoor Football League (IFL). The Express began play in 2006, as an expansion team of the American Indoor Football League. The team was originally going to be named the Reading RiverRats, but passed on that name in favor of the "Reading Express." The RiverRats name and logo was moved to an AIFA team in Pittsburgh in 2007. The owners of the Express were Ted & Lisa Lavender. They played their home games at the Sovereign Center.

The RiverRats played their first game on February 3, 2007 on the road in Tupelo, MS, but lost 54-34 to the Mississippi Mudcats.^[5] Their first home game was on February 18, 2007 which they lost 35-28 to the Reading Express. Pittsburgh won its first home game by beating the Danville Demolition 47-21 on March 4, 2007, and then won its first away game by beating Danville a second time, on March 9, 2007, by a score of 34-29.^[6] On May 19, 2007, the RiverRats set an AIFA single game record when they scored 86 points in a single game.^[7]

Tupelo is a city in, and county seat of, Lee County, Mississippi, United States. With an estimated population of 38,114 in 2017, Tupelo is the seventh-largest city in Mississippi and is considered a commercial, industrial, and cultural hub of North Mississippi.

The Danville Demolition were an American Indoor Football Association team played in 2007. The team played their home games at the David S. Palmer Arena.

The team finished their inaugural season at a respectable 7-7 record, good for fourth place in the Northern Conference and a wild-card playoff berth.^[8] However, the RiverRats were eliminated in the first round, losing 42-24 to the eventual conference champions Reading Express.^[9]

Schedule

Regular season

Date	Opponent	Home/Away	Result
February 3	Mississippi Mudcats	Away	Lost 34-54
February 18	Reading Express	Home	Lost 28-35
February 23	Canton Legends	Away	Lost 11-45
March 4	Danville Demolition	Home	Won 47-21
March 9	Danville Demolition	Away	Won 34-29
March 17	Johnstown Riverhawks	Away	Lost 13-43
March 30	Johnstown Riverhawks	Home	Won 47-42
April 14	Florence Phantoms	Home	Won 66-60
April 21	Huntington Heroes	Away	Lost 34-55
April 28	Canton Legends	Home	Won 62-33
May 6	Reading Express	Away	Lost 40-57
May 12	Erie Freeze	Away	Won 52-45
May 19	Erie Freeze	Home	Won 86-72
May 25	Huntington Heroes	Home	Lost 26-69
June 9	Reading Express (Playoffs)	Away	Lost 24-42

Standings

Team	Overall			Division
Team	Wins	Losses	Percentage	Wins	Losses	Percentage
Northern Division
Reading Express	14	2	0.875	12	1	0.923
Canton Legends	10	4	0.714	9	3	0.750
Huntington Heroes	10	4	0.714	9	3	0.750
Pittsburgh RiverRats	7	7	0.500	6	6	0.500
Johnstown Riverhawks	6	9	0.400	5	6	0.417
Danville Demolition	1	12	0.077	1	11	0.083
Erie Freeze	1	13	0.071	1	11	0.083
Southern Division
Lakeland Thunderbolts	11	2	0.846	9	2	0.818
Mississippi MudCats	11	3	0.786	9	3	0.750
Tallahassee Titans	11	3	0.786	9	3	0.750
Carolina Speed	7	7	0.500	5	6	0.417
Montgomery Bears	5	9	0.357	4	8	0.333
Florence Phantoms	4	9	0.308	4	7	0.364
Baltimore Blackbirds	1	12	0.077	1	7	0.111
Gulf Coast Raiders	0	3	0.000	0	3	0.000

Green indicates clinched playoff berth
Purple indicates division champion
Grey indicates best league record

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References

↑ Phil Axelrod (August 5, 2006). "River Rats to debut in American Indoor Football League in 2007, will play in Rostraver". www.post-gazette.com. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
↑ Shawn Liotta (August 18, 2010). "Reading Express Moving to IFL". www.shawnliotta.com. Shawn Liotta. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
↑ Jeff Oliver (August 7, 2006). "Legal fight looms over name". www.triblive.com. Trib Total Media, Inc. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
↑ "RiverRats sign 2005 AIFL MVP Dinkins". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. August 20, 2006. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
↑ "RiverRats Fall to Mississippi in Season Opener". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. February 7, 2007. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
↑ "RiverRats rally to beat Danville". www.triblive.com. Trib Total Media, Inc. March 10, 2007. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
↑ Jeff Oliver (May 21, 2007). "RiverRats score 86 to reach AIFA playoffs". www.triblive.com. Trib Total Media, Inc. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
↑ "RiverRats Prepare For First Round Playoff Matchup Against Reading". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. June 7, 2007. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
↑ Brian Rippey (June 10, 2007). "Express rolls past Pittsburgh". www2.readingeagle.com. Reading Eagle Company. Retrieved December 26, 2013.

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[1] Phil Axelrod (August 5, 2006). "River Rats to debut in American Indoor Football League in 2007, will play in Rostraver". www.post-gazette.com. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved December 26, 2013.

[2] Shawn Liotta (August 18, 2010). "Reading Express Moving to IFL". www.shawnliotta.com. Shawn Liotta. Retrieved December 26, 2013.

[3] Jeff Oliver (August 7, 2006). "Legal fight looms over name". www.triblive.com. Trib Total Media, Inc. Retrieved December 26, 2013.

[4] "RiverRats sign 2005 AIFL MVP Dinkins". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. August 20, 2006. Retrieved December 26, 2013.

[5] "RiverRats Fall to Mississippi in Season Opener". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. February 7, 2007. Retrieved December 26, 2013.

[6] "RiverRats rally to beat Danville". www.triblive.com. Trib Total Media, Inc. March 10, 2007. Retrieved December 26, 2013.

[7] Jeff Oliver (May 21, 2007). "RiverRats score 86 to reach AIFA playoffs". www.triblive.com. Trib Total Media, Inc. Retrieved December 26, 2013.

[8] "RiverRats Prepare For First Round Playoff Matchup Against Reading". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. June 7, 2007. Retrieved December 26, 2013.

[9] Brian Rippey (June 10, 2007). "Express rolls past Pittsburgh". www2.readingeagle.com. Reading Eagle Company. Retrieved December 26, 2013.