Dodge City Law | |
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Established 2013 Play in United Wireless Arena in Dodge City, Kansas | |
League/conference affiliations | |
Champions Professional Indoor Football League (2014) Champions Indoor Football (2015–2017, 2021)
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Current uniform | |
Team colors | Graphite, chartreuse, silver |
Mascot | Marshall |
Cheerleaders | Gunpowder Girls |
Personnel | |
Owner(s) | Sean & Joi Ponder (original) Craig Tirey (fill-in team) |
Head coach | Sean Ponder (original) Richard Davis (fill-in team) |
Team history | |
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Championships | |
League championships (0) | |
Conference championships (0) | |
Division championships (0) | |
Playoff appearances (4) | |
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Home arena(s) | |
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The Dodge City Law were a professional indoor football team based in Dodge City, Kansas, with home games at the United Wireless Arena. The team joined the Champions Professional Indoor Football League (CPIFL) in 2013 as an expansion member for the 2014 season. In 2014, the CPIFL merged with the Lone Star Football League (LSFL) to form Champions Indoor Football (CIF). [1] The branding was used again for the 2021 season as a replacement team before an expansion team was granted to the Southwest Kansas Storm for the 2022 season.
In September 2013, James Bain, the commissioner of the Champions Professional Indoor Football League (CPIFL) announced that a new expansion team would be coming to Dodge City, Kansas, becoming the tenth team in the league. [2] A name-the-team contest took place in October on the team's website and home office. Over the two weeks, there were over 1,000 submissions. It was decided the team colors would be graphite, chartreuse and silver. Adam McElwain of Hays, Kansas won the contest earning two season tickets for the season. The Law began its inaugural 2014 season with a road win over the Omaha Beef. The team lost the next two games but then won six of the following seven games. The Law finished with an 8–4 record, fourth best in the league, and good enough to qualify for the playoffs. They lost their semi-final game to eventual league champion Wichita Wild 33–31.
In August 2014, the CPIFL and Lone Star Football League announced they would merge as one league called Champions Indoor Football (CIF) beginning with the 2015 season. [3]
In the 2015 season, the Law lost their first CIF game, losing 63–68 to the Amarillo Venom, but then won their next six consecutive games before another late April loss to the Venom. The Law finished the season with a 7–5 record, tied with the Venom, but missed the last playoff spot due to the head-to-head tiebreakers against the Venom. The following 2016 season had the Law finish with an 8–4 record and qualified for the playoffs where the lost to the Venom again the first round.
In the 2017 season, the Law were leading the league with a 9–2 record. On June 2, 2017, the CIF stripped the law of two victories without awarding them to any other team. Reports from other teams and a subsequent investigation found that the Law were in violation of the league's operations manual and guidelines pertaining to uploading video in a timely manner. When asked about the decision, commissioner Ricky Bertz stated, "While this situation was unfortunate and no one in the CIF including the Dodge City Law wanted this to be the final outcome, the board of directors decided that this was what was best for the league given the circumstances and how they related to all team members involved." [4] Ultimately, the team finished with a loss to the Duke City Gladiators in Albuquerque, and a record of 7–5 after the penalty but still made the playoffs. They then lost in the first round at the home of the eventual postseason champions Texas Revolution 59–63.
After the season ended, it was reported that the owners, Sean and Joi Ponder, owed refunds to several ticket holders for the first round playoff game that was originally scheduled to be in Dodge City prior to receiving the league penalty. [5] Two days later, owner Sean Ponder posted that the Law had left the CIF. [6]
On April 1, 2021, opening week of the 2021 season, the CIF announced the Oklahoma Flying Aces had withdrawn from the league. The Dodge City Law were planned to be relaunched for the 2022 season under new ownership, but were immediately granted active status with the Flying Aces' roster and staff was transferred to the Law. [7] According to new head coach Richard Davis, the new Law team is owned by Oklahoma City business man Craig Tirey. [8] The new Law played their first game on April 10, a 20–18 win over the CIF expansion team, the Wyoming Mustangs. [9] The team qualified for the postseason with a 4–6 record and lost to the Salina Liberty in the first round game.
On October 1, 2021 the Dodge City Law, which had been a temporary replacement for the Oklahoma Flying Aces, was replaced by an expansion team in Dodge City under different ownership called the Southwest Kansas Storm. [10]
Note: The Finish, Wins, Losses, and Ties columns list regular season results and exclude any postseason play.
League Champions | Conference Champions | Division Champions | Playoff berth | League leader |
Season | Team | League | Conference | Division | Regular season | Postseason results | |||
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Finish | Wins | Losses | Ties | ||||||
2014 | 2014 | CPIFL | 4th | 8 | 4 | 0 | Lost Semifinals (Wichita) 31–33 | ||
2015 | 2015 | CIF | 5th | 7 | 5 | 0 | |||
2016 | 2016 | CIF | Southern | 3rd | 8 | 4 | 0 | Lost South Divisional (Amarillo) 56–98 | |
2017 | 2017 | CIF | South | 3rd | 9 | 3 | 0 | Lost South Divisional (Texas) 59–63 | |
2021 | 2021 | CIF | 4th | 4 | 6 | 0 | Lost Semifinal (Salina) 31–55 | ||
Totals | 32 | 16 | 0 | All-time regular season record (2014–2021) | |||||
0 | 3 | — | All-time postseason record (2014–2021) | ||||||
32 | 19 | 0 | All-time regular season and postseason record (2016–2021) |
Dodge City Law Roster | ||||||
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Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
| Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
| Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
| Reserve lists
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Opponent | Overall | Home | Away | Post. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Amarillo Venom | (0-2) | (0-1) | (0-1) | (0-0) |
Duke City Gladiators | (1-0) | (0-0) | (1-0) | (0-0) |
Kansas Koyotes | (2-0) | (1-0) | (1-0) | (0-0) |
Lincoln Haymakers | (1-0) | (1-0) | (0-0) | (0-0) |
Oklahoma Defenders | (1-1) | (0-1) | (1-0) | (0-0) |
Omaha Beef | (4-0) | (2-0) | (2-0) | (0-0) |
Salina Bombers | (2-2) | (1-1) | (1-1) | (0-0) |
San Angelo Bandits | (1-0) | (0-0) | (1-0) | (0-0) |
Sioux City Bandits | (1-1) | (1-1) | (0-0) | (0-0) |
Texas Revolution | (1-0) | (1-0) | (0-0) | (0-0) |
Wichita Force | (1-0) | (0-0) | (0-1) | (0-0) |
Wichita Wild | (0-3) | (0-1) | (0-2) | (0-1) |
The Amarillo Dusters are a professional indoor football team based in Amarillo, Texas, currently a member of the National Arena League. They play their home games at the Amarillo Civic Center. The Venom began play in 2004 as a charter member of the Intense Football League, a small indoor football league based in Texas. They won the championship in their first and only season with the Intense Football League.
The Omaha Beef are a professional indoor football team based in Omaha, Nebraska. The Beef plays their home games at Liberty First Credit Union Arena in nearby Ralston. The Beef competes in the National Arena League (NAL). The Beef has been a member of several leagues, including being a charter member of Champions Indoor Football (CIF).
The Bloomington Edge was a professional indoor football team based in Bloomington, Illinois. While it was in operation, the team hosted home games at Grossinger Motors Arena. Originally named the Bloomington Extreme, the team was a member of United Indoor Football (UIF), and joined the Indoor Football League (IFL) in 2009 during the UIF and Intense Football League merger. They left the IFL for the Champions Professional Indoor Football League (CPIFL) in 2013, and in 2015 the CPIFL merged with the Lone Star Football League (LSFL) to create Champions Indoor Football (CIF), where Bloomington did not follow and joined X-League Indoor Football (X-League). Following the 2015 season the Edge joined the CIF. The Edge then announced it had rejoined the IFL for the 2018 season, but a court ruling prevented the team from joining the league until 2019, however, they were not included in that season's schedule.
The Lone Star Football League (LSFL) was a regional professional indoor football minor league that played three seasons from 2012 to 2014. All of the LSFL's charter teams were based in the state of Texas, with five teams coming from the Southern Indoor Football League, three from the Indoor Football League, plus one expansion team. The LSFL played three seasons to completion before merging with the Champions Professional Indoor Football League in August 2014 to form Champions Indoor Football.
The Champions Professional Indoor Football League (CPIFL) was an indoor football minor league based along the Midwestern United States region. The league began play in February 2013. In August 2014, the CPIFL and Lone Star Football League (LSFL) completed a merger to form Champions Indoor Football (CIF) and began play in 2015.
The San Angelo Bandits were a professional indoor football team based in San Angelo, Texas. They were members of Champions Indoor Football (CIF) and the Lone Star Football League (LSFL). The Bandits began play in 2013 as an expansion team in the LSFL. They became members of the CIF when the LSFL and Champions Professional Indoor Football League (CPIFL) merged at the conclusion of the 2014 season. The Bandits played their home games at the Foster Communications Coliseum. The team folded following the 2016 season and were replaced by the expansion CenTex Cavalry.
The Salina Bombers were a professional indoor football team based in Salina, Kansas. The team was founded by Chris Vercher, Jake Leighty and Jake Sharp in 2012 as charter member of the Champions Professional Indoor Football League (CPIFL). The Bombers played their home games at the Bicentennial Center in Salina. After the Bombers folded, the Salina Liberty were started as a new indoor football franchise.
The United Wireless Arena is a multi-purpose venue in Dodge City, Kansas. The arena sits adjacent to the Boot Hill Casino and is connected to the Boot Hill Casino & Resort Conference Center. The United Wireless Arena and the Boot Hill Casino & Resort Conference Center are both managed by VenuWorks.
The West Texas Wildcatters were a professional indoor football team based in Odessa, Texas. The Wildcatters played their home games at the Ector County Coliseum. The Wildcatters began play in 2014 an expansion team in the Lone Star Football League (LSFL). They had planned on joining the CIF in 2014 during the merger of the LSFL and Champions Professional Indoor Football League (CPIFL), but were left out of the league.
Champions Indoor Football (CIF) was a professional indoor American football minor 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.
The Wichita Force were a professional indoor football team based in Wichita, Kansas, with home games in Wichita Ice Center. The team was founded in 2014 as an expansion franchise in the Champions Indoor Football league for the 2015 season. The Force's membership in the CIF was revoked prior to the 2022 season and the team joined the new Arena Football Association.
The 2015 Dodge City Law season is the team's second season as a professional indoor football franchise and first as a member of Champions Indoor Football (CIF) in the 2015 season.
The 2014 Dodge City Law season was the team's first season as a professional indoor football franchise and only season as a member of the Champions Professional Indoor Football League (CPIFL). One of nine teams in the CPIFL for the 2014 season, the Law were owned and operated by Ricky Bertz. The Law played their home games at the United Wireless Arena in Dodge City, Kansas, under the direction of head coach Sean Ponder.
The 2015 Amarillo Venom season was the team's twelfth season as a professional indoor football franchise, sixth as the "Amarillo Venom", and first as a member of Champions Indoor Football (CIF). The Venom were led by head coach Julian Reese. The defensive coordinator was Daniel Snyder, receivers coach was John King, assistant coach was Barrett Allen, wide receivers coach was Craig Fulton, special teams coach was Donna Welch, and the trainer was Nathan Johnson.
The 2015 Duke City Gladiators season was the team's first season as a professional indoor football franchise, first as the "Duke City Gladiators", and first as a member of Champions Indoor Football (CIF). The Venom were led by head coach Dominic Bramante. One of nine teams in the CIF for the 2015 season, the Gladiators played their home games at Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The 2015 San Angelo Bandits season was the team's third season as a professional indoor football franchise, third as the "San Angelo Bandits", and first as a member of Champions Indoor Football (CIF). The Bandits were led by head coach Wendell Davis.
The 2015 Sioux City Bandits season was the team's sixteenth overall, fifteenth as the Sioux City Bandits and first as a member of Champions Indoor Football (CIF). One of nine teams in the CIF for the inaugural 2015 season, the Bandits finished the regular season with a 9–3 record to earn the number one seed in the playoffs, in which they defeated the Amarillo Venom, 83–52 in the semifinals and beat the Texas Revolution in Champions Bowl I, 76–61.
The Salina Liberty are a professional indoor football team based in Salina, Kansas. They began play in 2016 as members of the Champions Indoor Football (CIF) and played in the Arena Football League in 2024. In 2025, they will become inaugural members of the newly-formed Arena Football One. The team plays their home games at the Tony’s Pizza Events Center.
Champions Bowl III was the third title game of Champions Indoor Football (CIF). It was played on June 23, 2017, and won by the Texas Revolution.
The Southwest Kansas Storm are a professional indoor football team based in Dodge City, Kansas. Members of Champions Indoor Football (CIF) from 2022 to 2023, they were announced as members of the revived Arena Football League (AFL) for the 2024 season. In 2025, they will become inaugural members of the newly-formed Arena Football One.