The National Indoor Football League (NIFL) was a professional indoor football league in the United States. For their first six years, the league had teams in markets not covered by either the Arena Football League or its developmental league, AF2, however, that changed briefly with their expansion into AFL markets such as Atlanta, Denver, and Los Angeles, and AF2 markets such as Fort Myers and Houston. Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, Buffalo Bills running back Fred Jackson, New Orleans Saints quarterback John Fourcade and Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl running back Bam Morris, all played in the NIFL. The league folded in 2008.
The Fort Worth Cavalry was an Arena Football League team which operated for a single season, 1994, in the National Conference. The league did not want to abandon the idea of having a franchise in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, a major media market, after the demise of the Dallas Texans (1990–1993), and granted a new franchise to an ownership group in Fort Worth. The team was owned by Peter "Woody" Kern and led by head coach Michael Trigg. The team struggled with ticket sales and financial issues lead to the team being folded after the 1994 season.
The Texas Revolution were an American professional indoor football team and a founding member of Champions Indoor Football (CIF). The Revolution were based in Allen and Frisco, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex.
The Beaumont Drillers were a professional indoor football team. They played their home games at Ford Arena in Beaumont, Texas. They originally began playing as the Louisiana Rangers in the Indoor Professional Football League (IPFL) in 2000 when they replaced the Louisiana Bayou Beast. As the Rangers, they played their home games at the Rapides Parish Coliseum in Alexandria, Louisiana. After the league collapsed, the Rangers moved into the National Indoor Football League (NIFL). After two seasons, the franchise moved to Beaumont, Texas, and became the Drillers. The team left the NIFL in 2008 and played in the American Professional Football League in 2008 with new ownership. The team played most of their schedule, cancelling two home games. The team played in APFL Bowl VI, because of the Conroe Storm withdrawing, but lost.
The Lincoln Capitols were a professional indoor football team that played their home games at Pershing Auditorium in Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. They originally planned on becoming the Nebraska Knockout, but the name was scrapped. From 1999 to 2000, they were the Lincoln Lightning of the original Indoor Football League before the IFL was bought out. The Lightning then played in the Arena Football's farm league during the 2001 season, before leaving the league and joining the National Indoor Football League as the Capitols. During their four-year run, the franchise's most prominent player was a former Nebraska Cornhusker running back named Damon Benning and the franchise's owner was Andrew Cheesman. In 2005 through 2006 they had 3 standout players, Nate Jacks from Atlanta, Ga, a graduate from Clinton High School, Mike Carrawell from St. Louis, MO and Brian Guthrie from National City,CA The trio with Coach Chris Simpson, brought the key players in to play many roles. Brian Guthrie came in as a DB/LB/RB and later played for the Wyoming Cavalry (2007-2008). Mike was an All-American slot receiver from Quincy University and Nate was a shutdown corner back from KU.
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 Sioux City Bandits are a professional indoor football team based in Sioux City, Iowa, and compete as a member of National Arena League (NAL). The team was founded in 1999 as the Sioux City Attack. In 2001, the team assumed their current name of the Bandits. The Bandits play their home games at the Tyson Events Center.
American Indoor Football (AIF) is a professional indoor football league, one of the several regional professional indoor football leagues in North America.
The Palm Beach Phantoms were a professional indoor football team that were members of the National Indoor Football League in 2006. A new team with the same name played two replacement games for the Ultimate Indoor Football League in 2012.
The Fort Worth Sixers were a professional indoor football team founded as 2007 expansion franchise of the National Indoor Football League. The team struggled on the field during its single season in existence. The franchise folded with the league at the end of the shortened 2007 season. The Sixers/Regulators were merged after a meeting with the NIFL league president, the Sixers had a name but no players nor staff Will Williams became the head coach and general manager/president of the Sixers Williams owned the Regulators who played under both names and in two leagues the APFL and NIFL. The NIFL was struggling to stay afloat entering the season, and was simply spread too thin after changing ownership and reorganization attempt before the start of the season. Obtaining home dates was one of the team's biggest problems, as most dates were taken for other events leaving the team to book dates on mostly Sundays with a couple of options Sunday dates were considered bad dates for teams traveling from out of state. Teams proposed by the league (NIFL) in Houston San Antonio and Dallas never materialized also causing travel issues as teams were spread out nationwide, and all mostly having issues preparing for the season, Beaumont was the only other Texas team and the Sixers and Drillers played twice. Both teams also played the Conroe Storm members of the APFL and affiliate NIFL member.
The American Professional Football League (APFL) was an indoor football league that was founded in 2003. After the 2012 season, most of the teams left to start the Champions Professional Indoor Football League. The league consisted of professional and semi-professional teams, with a few core teams that played a full 10 game schedule and other teams that played partial schedules. At the end of each season, the playoffs were contested between the league's core teams. The first few years of league play were dominated by the Kansas Koyotes, but in later years the league had more parity and more stable members, resulting in the first championship won by another team, the Iowa Blackhawks, and the first championship game not involving the Koyotes, when the Iowa Blackhawks defended their championship against the Mid-Missouri Outlaws in the 2010 APFL season. Former Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl champion Clayton Holmes played for the Kansas Koyotes and former Kansas State star QB Jonathan Beasley played for the Wichita Aviators.
The Kansas Koyotes, founded by Ralph Adams, were a professional indoor football and were a charter member of the Champions Professional Indoor Football League. Based in Topeka, Kansas, the Koyotes played their home games at Landon Arena.
The Lincoln Haymakers were a professional indoor football team based in Lincoln, Nebraska. The Haymakers played their 2013–2014 home games at the Pershing Center.
The Conroe Storm was an American indoor football team based out of Conroe, Texas, that played in the American Professional Football League. They were originally slated to play in the Ultimate Indoor Football League before that league's aborted merger with the NAIFL. After it appeared the NAIFL would not play, they moved to APFL.
The Nebraska Extreme were an indoor football team that plays in the American Professional Football League. They started as the Omaha Extreme and played their 2006 season in the MIFL. They finished with a 5-3 record.
The Mesquite Bandits indoor football club was a charter member of the Lone Star Football League (LSFL) that was scheduled to begin play for its 2012 inaugural season. Based in Mesquite, Texas, the Bandits would have played their home games at the Resistol Arena, home of the famous Mesquite Championship Rodeo. Citing financial and organizational issues, the LSFL revoked the team's franchise in January 2012.
The Oklahoma Defenders were a professional indoor football team and a charter member of the Champions Professional Indoor Football League (CPIFL). Based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Defenders played their home games at the Cox Business Center.
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.
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 National Arena League (NAL) is a professional indoor football league that began play in 2017. For the upcoming 2024 season, the league consists of six teams.
