Regional Football League

Last updated

Regional Football League
Most recent season or competition:
1999
RFL99.jpg
Sport American football
Founded1997 [1]
First season1999
Ceased1999
CommissionerJohn "Gus" Bell [1]
Ron Floridia [2]
No. of teams6
CountryUnited States
Headquarters Framingham, MA [3]
Mobile, AL [2]
Last
champion(s)		 Mobile Admirals
(1999)
TV partner(s)none

The Regional Football League (RFL) was an American football minor league formed to be the self-styled "major league of spring football." Established in 1997, the league played a single season, 1999, and then ceased operations.

Contents

History

The RFL season was designed for spring-summer play with teams based primarily in the Southern United States. The debut season was originally slated to begin in March 1998, [4] however this was delayed by a year. [5] The league adopted rules consistent with professional football of the era, with some exceptions: [6] [7]

The league's inaugural (and only) season was 1999, where each of its six teams was scheduled to have training camp and two preseason games in early April, followed by 12 regular season games; a postseason would follow in July. The league held its first regular season games on April 17, 1999. [8] Financial constraints forced the league to reduce player salaries at the end of April, due to low attendance at games. [9] In late May, the league announced that the regular season would be shortened by three games, with the championship game held in late June. [10] Ultimately, the league only played an eight-week regular season. Near the end of the shortened season, the league cancelled a contest between New Orleans and Ohio, and Shreveport forfeited a game, both due to financial concerns. [11] Four teams qualified for the playoffs, [12] and on June 20, 1999, the Mobile Admirals defeated the Houston Outlaws, 14–12, in the championship game, RFL Bowl I, which was played at Ladd–Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama. [13]

RFL rosters were limited to 37 active players and five practice squad members with salaries in the range of $30,000 to $65,000 per player and team salary caps of $1,500,000. [3] The league held a draft where each team could only draft from their respective region in hopes that fans would turn out to see players they'd followed in college. Players who had been with college football programs in the south such as Jason Martin (Louisiana Tech), Stewart Patridge (Ole Miss), Raymond Philyaw (Northeast Louisiana), Marquette Smith (Central Florida) and Sherman Williams (Alabama) were signed to southern RFL teams, while players like Ricky Powers (Michigan), Corey Croom (Ball State), and Skip Tramontana (Miami University) were assigned to the Ohio franchise based in Toledo. Patridge, playing for Mississippi, was the all-RFL quarterback, [14] while running back Williams was the league MVP with Mobile. [15] This regional approach worked at the outset of play, as evidenced fan interest in the league at the start of the season.

The first commissioner of the league was John "Gus" Bell, who was succeeded by Ron Floridia in May 1999. [2] The league did not secure a television contract, and only one game was ever televised—the May 8, 1999, New Orleans Thunder at Mobile Admirals contest on WHNO,[ citation needed ] a mainly-religious television station in New Orleans.

Despite some efforts made to resume play for a second season, the league folded after its shortened 1999 season. The announced beginning of the XFL for 2001 precluded any realistic chance of the league resuming operations.

Teams

The league's six charter members were announced on November 12, 1998. [16] They participated in the league's only season, which ran from April to June 1999.

Usa edcp relief location map.png
Green pog.svg
Outlaws
Green pog.svg
Pride
Green pog.svg
Admirals
Green pog.svg
Thunder
Green pog.svg
Cannon
Green pog.svg
Knights
class=notpageimage|
RFL teams
TeamCityStadiumHead coach
Houston Outlaws Houston, Texas Pasadena Memorial Stadium [17] Ray Woodard [17]
Mississippi Pride Jackson, Mississippi Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium Johnny Plummer
Mobile Admirals Mobile, Alabama Ladd–Peebles Stadium Tom Walsh
New Orleans Thunder New Orleans, Louisiana Tad Gormley Stadium Rex Stevenson / Buford Jordan
Ohio Cannon Toledo, Ohio Glass Bowl Lew Carpenter
Shreveport Knights Shreveport, Louisiana Independence Stadium Fred Akers

Source [18]

Regular season

 vs. HOUvs. MISSvs. MOBLvs. N.O.vs. OHIOvs. SHRVForfeitOverall Win pct.
HOU—1–00–21–02–02–0—6–2.750
MISS0–1—1–11–11–01–1—4–4.500
MOBL2–01–1—2–00–11–0—6–2.750
N.O.0–11–10–2—0–10–1—1–6.143
OHIO0–20–11–01–0—0–1W3–4.429
SHRV0–21–10–11–01–0—L3–5.375

Notes:

Playoffs

Semi-finals
June 12 		RFL Bowl I
June 20
      
1 Mobile35
4 Ohio 14
1 Mobile14
2 Houston 12
2 Houston27
3 Mississippi 3

Games were hosted by the higher-seeded team.

Projected expansion teams

Proposed for the 2000 season, [8] which was not played.

Dallas and Monterey, Mexico were originally eyed for expansion, but dropped at the initial stages.

Further reading

Related Research Articles

Raymond 'Ray' Philyaw is a former arena football quarterback who was most recently the offensive coordinator of the Jacksonville Sharks of the Arena Football League (AFL). He also played for the Cleveland Gladiators, Chicago Rush, Kansas City Brigade, Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings and the Albany/Indiana Firebirds, leading the former to the American Conference championship game in 2004 and 2005. Prior to his Arena Football career, he played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the Madison Mad Dogs of the Indoor Football League (IFL). After leaving to coach with the New Orleans VooDoo in 2011, he attempted a return as a player in 2012 with the San Jose SaberCats, but later became OC for the San Antonio Talons. He holds the record for the highest career TD-to-INT ratio in AFL history and threw a school record 52 TDs while attending Northeast Louisiana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1904 LSU Tigers football team</span> American college football season

The 1904 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University (LSU) as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) during the 1904 college football season. Led by first-year head coach Dan A. Killian, the Tigers compiled an overall record of 3–4, with a mark of 1–2 in conference play.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Orleans Thunder</span>

The New Orleans Thunder were a professional American football team that played during the 1999 season as part of the Regional Football League. They played their home games at Tad Gormley Stadium in City Park in New Orleans.

Paul Buford Jordan is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the New Orleans Saints.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ralph Smith (American football)</span> American football player (1938–2023)

Ralph Allon "Catfish" Smith Sr. was an American professional football player who was an end in the National Football League (NFL). He played eight seasons, for the Philadelphia Eagles (1962–1964), Cleveland Browns (1965–1968), and the Atlanta Falcons (1969). He was drafted out of Ole Miss by the Eagles in 1962 and also had a stint with the New Orleans Saints.

Marquette Smith is a former American football running back. Mostly known for his prep and college career, he spent two seasons with the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL), but knee injuries in successive years during the pre-season kept him off the field.

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Dameian Jeffries is an American former professional football defensive end. He played college football for Alabama before being selected by the New Orleans Saints in the fourth round of the 1995 NFL draft. He appeared in two games for the Saints in 1995. Jeffries later played for the Mobile Admirals in the short-lived Regional Football League (RFL) in 1999.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shreveport Knights</span>

The Shreveport Knights were a professional American football team that played during the 1999 season as part of the Regional Football League. They played their home games at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mobile Admirals</span>

The Mobile Admirals were a professional American football team that played during the 1999 season as part of the Regional Football League; the Admirals were the league champions. They played their home games at Ladd–Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mississippi Pride</span>

The Mississippi Pride were a professional American football team that played during the 1999 season as part of the Regional Football League. They played their home games at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, Mississippi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ohio Cannon</span> Short-lived American football team

The Ohio Cannon, also known as the Toledo Cannon, was a professional American football team that played during the 1999 season as part of the Regional Football League. They played their home games at the Glass Bowl in Toledo, Ohio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Houston Outlaws (RFL team)</span>

The Houston Outlaws were a professional American football team that played during the 1999 season as part of the Regional Football League. They played their home games at Pasadena Memorial Stadium in Pasadena, Texas, a suburb of Houston.

The 1904 Louisiana Industrial football team was an American football team that represented the Louisiana Industrial Institute—now known as Louisiana Tech University—as an independent during the 1904 college football season. In their first and only season under head coach E. G. Pierce, Louisiana Industrial compiled a 1–4 record. The team's captain was Glenn M. Walker.

The 1910 Louisiana Industrial football team was an American football team that represented the Louisiana Industrial Institute—now known as Louisiana Tech University—as an independent during the 1910 college football season. Led by second-year head coach Percy S. Prince, Louisiana Industrial compiled a record of 7–0.

References

  1. 1 2 "Transactions: Football". The Des Moines Register . March 4, 1997. p. 12. Retrieved January 23, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  2. 1 2 3 McCloskey, John (May 7, 1999). "Knights stay focused despite RFL changes". The Times . Shreveport, Louisiana. p. 23. Retrieved January 23, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  3. 1 2 Rubin, Adam (May 7, 1997). "League considers Shreveport team (cont'd)". The Times . Shreveport, Louisiana. p. 26. Retrieved January 23, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ Rubin, Adam (May 7, 1997). "Pro league considers football in Shreveport". The Times . Shreveport, Louisiana. p. 21. Retrieved January 23, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "Regional Football League pushes start back to '99". The Times . Shreveport, Louisiana. December 2, 1997. p. 20. Retrieved January 23, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "Knights Fact Sheet". Remember the RFL. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  7. ↑ Gater, Harold (April 24, 1999). "The Leagues". The Clarion-Ledger . Jackson, Mississippi. p. 32. Retrieved January 25, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  8. 1 2 Vernellis, Brian (April 17, 1999). "RFL opens season tonight". The Times . Shreveport, Louisiana. p. 27. Retrieved January 23, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ McCloskey, John (April 30, 1999). "Knights, league slice salaries to survive". The Times . Shreveport, Louisiana. p. 1. Retrieved January 23, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "Admirals' season cut". Pensacola News Journal . Pensacola, Florida. May 27, 1999. p. 41. Retrieved January 23, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  11. 1 2 McCloskey, John (June 7, 1999). "RFL to begin playoffs without Knights". The Times . Shreveport, Louisiana. p. 15. Retrieved January 23, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ Goolsby, Henry (June 9, 1999). "Pride relishes change to apprehend Outlaws". The Clarion-Ledger . Jackson, Mississippi. p. 23. Retrieved January 23, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ "Roller coaster ride ends with championship for Admirals". Pensacola News Journal . June 21, 1999. p. 5D. Retrieved January 23, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ "Eight Pride players make All-RFL team". The Clarion-Ledger . Jackson, Mississippi. June 25, 1999. p. 31. Retrieved January 23, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ "Sherman still shakin' it up". June 23, 1995. Retrieved February 19, 2017– via Google News.
  16. ↑ "League". Remember the RFL. Retrieved January 25, 2019– via Google Sites.
  17. 1 2 Richards, Joey D. (May 27, 1999). "Santa Fe's Wylie finds a football home with the Outlaws". The Daily News . Galveston, Texas. p. 17. Retrieved January 28, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  18. ↑ "Beginning of the Knights' Reign". The Times . Shreveport, Louisiana. April 17, 1999. p. 28. Retrieved January 26, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  19. ↑ "Knights fall to Houston". The Times . Shreveport, Louisiana. June 1, 1999. p. 14. Retrieved January 23, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  20. ↑ Pugh, Jason (June 4, 1999). "Knights cancel Saturday home finale". The Times . Shreveport, Louisiana. p. 17. Retrieved January 26, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  21. ↑ Goolsby, Henry (June 4, 1999). "Pride, RFL try to adjust". The Times . Shreveport, Louisiana. p. 17. Retrieved January 27, 2019– via newspapers.com.
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