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American Indoor Football (AIF) was a professional indoor football league, one of the several regional professional indoor football leagues in North America.
The Columbus Lions are a professional indoor football team based in Columbus, Georgia and a founding member of the National Arena League (NAL) for the 2017 season. The Lions were founded in 2006 as an expansion team of the World Indoor Football League (WIFL). After the WIFL went under in 2007, the Lions joined the American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) where they played for two seasons. When the AIFA broke apart, the Lions joined the Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL). The Lions joined the Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL) in 2012 when the Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL) teams split up into two new leagues. After the 2015 season, the PIFL broke apart, and the Lions joined American Indoor Football for 2016.
The Saginaw Sting was a professional Indoor Football team based in Saginaw, Michigan. The team was most recently a member of American Indoor Football (AIF). They began play in 2008 as an expansion team in the Continental Indoor Football League and then moved to the Indoor Football League for the 2009 season. They suspended operations for the 2010 season before becoming an inaugural member of the Ultimate Indoor Football League. The following season they were suspended by the UIFL and re-joined the CIFL under new ownership. The team has since moved to the AIF. The owners of the Sting were Stuart Schweigert, Rob Licht and Jim O'Brien. The Sting played their home games at The Dow Event Center in Saginaw, Michigan.
The Lehigh Valley Steelhawks were a professional indoor football team based in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The Steelhawks began play as an expansion team in the Indoor Football League (IFL) in 2011. The Steelhawks moved to the Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL) in 2013, where they made their only championship game appearance to date, losing PIFL Cup III to the Nashville Venom. The team joined American Indoor Football for the 2016 season after the PIFL folded, which lasted one season before that league also folded. They joined the National Arena League for the 2017 and 2018 seasons. The Steelhawks are the Lehigh Valley's second indoor football team, following the defunct Lehigh Valley Outlawz of the Continental Indoor Football League (2005–2008). Both teams played their home games at Stabler Arena. The Steelhawks played their home games at the PPL Center.
The River City Raiders were a professional indoor football team based in St. Charles, Missouri. They play their home games at Family Arena. As of February 2018 the River City Raiders website and social media pages have been removed. No formal announcement has ever been publicly made by the Raiders or their ownership after their final 2017 regular season game regarding their future or folding.
The 2011 Northern Kentucky River Monsters season was the first season for the Ultimate Indoor Football League (UIFL) franchise. Announced as startup team for the newly formed Ultimate Indoor Football League in 2010, the team was purchased by Jill Chitwood from the UIFL in February 2011. Just a week before the season began, team General Manager, Jared Lorenzen, relieved himself of his duties as general manager, and became the quarterback for the franchise. In the River Monsters first ever game they defeated the Canton Cougars by a score of 63–41. With a Week 9 win over the Saginaw Sting, the River Monsters had clinched a postseason berth in their first season, clinching home field advantage throughout the playoffs. After wrapping up the season, the UIFL had discovered that the River Monsters had been paying their players over the league's salary cap. The UIFL stripped the River Monsters of the #1 seed and made them the #4 seed, taking away the River Monster's chance to earn playoff money. The River Monster now traveled to Saginaw, Michigan to play the Sting, where the Sting upset the River Monsters 48–47. On June 6, 2011, it was announced that the UIFL and the River Monsters mutually agreed to part ways, leaving the team free to join another league. However, the UIFL had a lease agreement with the arena, which hampered the likelihood the River Monsters would play in Highland Heights in 2012. The team had been mentioned as a charter member Stadius Football Association, but that league never got off the ground.
The Northern Kentucky River Monsters were a professional indoor football team based in Highland Heights, Kentucky. The River Monsters began play as a charter member of the Ultimate Indoor Football League (UIFL) for its inaugural 2011 season spending one season in the UIFL before reaching an agreement with league management to leave. After a two-year hiatus, the River Monsters returned in 2014 as a member of the South Division of the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL). The River Monsters played their home games at The Bank of Kentucky Center. On June 6, 2011, it was announced that the UIFL and the River Monsters mutually agreed to part ways, leaving the team free to join another league. However, the UIFL had a lease agreement with the arena, which hampered the likelihood the River Monsters would play in Highland Heights in 2012. The team had been mentioned as a charter member Stadius Football Association in 2012, but that league never got off the ground. The team suspended operations on October 1, 2014.
Alex Carder is an American football quarterback for the West Michigan Ironmen of American Arena League. He was signed as a free agent by the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was formerly the starting quarterback at Western Michigan University.
The Central Penn Capitals were a professional indoor football team based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The Capitals played as members of American Indoor Football (AIF) from 2013 to 2016. The club was established in 2012 as an expansion team for the 2013 season when Jim Morris secured the rights to an AIF franchise in York, Pennsylvania at the York City Ice Arena. The team relocated to Harrisburg for the 2016 season with home games played at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center. The AIF ceased operations after the 2016 season and the Capitals did not join another league.
The Chicago Blitz were a professional indoor football team based in Villa Park, Illinois. The Blitz were members of American Indoor Football (AIF) in 2015 and 2016 and the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL) in 2014. They played their home games at the Odeum Expo Center. The Blitz briefly joined the regional Midwest Professional Indoor Football (MPIF) for the 2018 season, but ceased operations once again after three games.
Champions Indoor Football (CIF) is a professional indoor American football league created in 2014 out of the merger between the Champions Professional Indoor Football League (CPIFL) and Lone Star Football League (LSFL), plus one team from the Indoor Football League and two expansion teams. Players are paid $75 – $300 per game before taxes with no other benefits.
The Southern Steam are a professional indoor football team and currently a member of Elite Indoor Football (EIF) since 2017.
Supreme Indoor Football (SIF) is an inactive professional indoor football league based in the Southeastern United States.
The Myrtle Beach Freedom were a professional indoor football team based in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and played their home games at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. They were a member of American Indoor Football for one season until the league ceased operations in the summer of 2016.
The West Michigan Ironmen are a professional indoor football team based in Muskegon, Michigan, the Ironmen play their home games at Mercy Health Arena. The team joined American Indoor Football (AIF) in 2016. The AIF ceased operations following the 2016 season, leaving the Ironmen without a league. They joined Champions Indoor Football for the 2017 season. For the 2018 season, the team was originally announced to have joined the Indoor Football League, however, the team was forced to sit out the 2018 Indoor Football League season. The team was then sold and played in the regional Midwest Professional Indoor Football for the 2018 season until they could rejoin the CIF in 2019. However, they were not among the list of members for the 2019 CIF season and instead joined the American Arena League.
The 2016 American Indoor Football season was the eleventh and final season of American Indoor Football (AIF). The regular season began February 27, 2016, and ended on May 23, 2016. Each team played a game schedule of varying lengths.
The 2016 Chicago Blitz season was the third season for the American Indoor Football franchise, and their second season in the AIF. On May 25, the Blitz cancelled its last scheduled road game and announced that the team was for sale.
The 2016 West Michigan Ironmen season was the franchise's inaugural season and the city of Muskegon's first indoor football season since the West Michigan ThunderHawks folded following the 2009 season.
The Northern Kentucky Nightmare was a professional indoor football team based in Highland Heights, Kentucky and were members of American Indoor Football that began play in the 2016 season. The Nightmare, who were nominally a replacement for the Northern Kentucky River Monsters, played all their games on the road during the 2016 season. Following the 2016 season, the AIF ceased operations, and the Nightmare were left without a league. In September 2016, owner W. Leland Bennett III was listed as the owner of another proposed Northern Kentucky indoor football team in negotiations with joining the new Arena Developmental League, but were later removed from the league in November.
The 2016 Florida Tarpons season was the fifth season for the American indoor football franchise, and their first in American Indoor Football.
References
- ↑ "Free Tickets Entertainment, LLC Acquires the St. Louis Attack; Joins AIF". American Indoor Football. October 14, 2015. Archived from the original on October 18, 2015. Retrieved October 14, 2015.
- ↑ Andy Foltz (March 9, 2016). "Northern Kentucky Nightmare hope to make an impact in first year of arena football; aim for playoffs". www.nkytribune.com. Northern Kentucky Tribune. Retrieved March 15, 2016.
- ↑ Mark Opfermann (March 13, 2016). "West Michigan Ironmen drop inaugural football game on the road". www.mlive.com. MLive Media Group. Retrieved March 15, 2016.
- ↑ Brian Ledford (April 4, 2016). "River City Raiders Leash Bulldogs To Maintain Perfect Record". www.archcitysports.com. Arch City Sports. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
- ↑ Mark Opfermann (April 9, 2016). "Passing combo helps West Michigan Ironmen post arena win". www.mlive.com. MLive Media Group. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
- ↑ "Lehigh Valley Steelhawks have trouble in River City but escape with playoff win". www.mcall.com. Allentown Morning Call. June 7, 2016. Retrieved June 7, 2016.