Alabama Outlawz

Last updated
Alabama Outlawz
Established 2013
Folded 2017
Played in Birmingham, Alabama
Alabama Outlawz logo.jpg
League/conference affiliations
Current uniform
Team colorsLime, black, silver
   
Personnel
Owner(s)David Warren
Head coachDonnell Robinson
Team history
  • Alabama Outlawz (2014–2015, 2017)
Championships
League championships (0)
Conference championships (0)
Division championships (0)
Home arena(s)

The Alabama Outlawz were a professional indoor football team that resumed play in Arena Pro Football. They last played in the 2017 season at the Shelby County Exhibition Center in Columbiana, Alabama. They previously played in X-League Indoor Football while based in Birmingham, Alabama, with home games at Bill Harris Arena.

Contents

Franchise history

It was announced in November 2013 that the Alabama Outlawz would be joining X-League Indoor Football for its inaugural 2014 season, playing their home games in Bill Harris Arena at the Birmingham CrossPlex. Lee Ellison, who was 37 years old when the Outlawz were founded in 2013, remained the owner of the franchise. [1]

The Outlawz finished the 2014 season with a record of 5–3–1. The Outlawz had the number one offense under offensive coordinator Mike Bonner. [2] They won the first game ever played in the X-League. [3] The one tie was a result of the final game being canceled and declared a 7–7 tie as the Outlawz and their opponents, the Georgia Rampage, were both out of X-Bowl contention. The league deemed it financially responsible to consider the game a tie and use the operation cost to prepare for the 2015 season. [4]

In 2015, the Outlawz finished with a 2–6 record and ninth out of ten teams in the X-League. Several teams folded or left the league towards the end of the season. The X-League planned a merger with another league but the plans fell through in late 2015 and the X-League folded. The Outlawz were unable to find suitable league to join in time for the 2016 season and announced they would take the season off.

In late 2016, the Outlawz (now calling itself the Birmingham Outlawz) announced it was one of the three inaugural members of a new National Arena Football League to begin play in spring 2017. Around the time of the new league's announcement, the Outlawz ownership posted its announcement on social media but accidentally used the logo of the North American Football League. The National Arena Football League quickly rebranded in October 2016 as Arena Pro Football. [5] The Outlawz failed to secure a lease for the 2017 season in Birmingham causing the team to play out of the Shelby County Exhibition Center in nearby Columbiana. The team then reverted to its Alabama Outlawz moniker. The new owner of the team was announced as David Warren and the head coach would be Darnell Robinson. [6] After three away games, all losses, the Outlawz canceled their first home game scheduled for April 15 due to the lack of dashers on the sidelines which are needed for safety. By April 26, the Outlawz canceled all remaining games for the season, which were all scheduled home games.

Statistics and records

Season-by-season results

League ChampionsConference ChampionsDivision ChampionsPlayoff BerthLeague Leader
Season League Regular season Postseason results
FinishWinsLossesTies
2014 X-League 431
2015 X-League9th260
2017 APF 5th050
Totals6141All-time record (2014–2017)

Head coaches' records

NameTermRegular seasonPlayoffsAwards
WLTWin%WL
Lee Ellison2014–2015691.40600
Donell Robinson2017050.00000

2014 season results

DateKickoffOpponentResultsGame site
Final scoreTeam record
March 37:00 p.m.at Georgia Rampage W 44–431–0 Northwest Georgia Trade and Convention Center
April 48:00 p.m. St. Louis Attack L 39–581–1 Bill Harris Arena
April 118:00 p.m. Savannah Steam W 82–82–1 Bill Harris Arena
April 197:00 p.m.at Florida Marine Raiders W 44–383–1 Lakeland Center
April 258:00 p.m.Chattahoochee Vipers (NL)W 65–354–1 Bill Harris Arena
May 28:35 p.m.at St. Louis Attack L 65–764–2 Family Arena
May 98:00 p.m. Florida Marine Raiders L 38–444–3 Bill Harris Arena
May 177:35 p.m.at Savannah Steam W 55-255–3 Santander Arena
May 238:00 p.m. Georgia Rampage T 7–75–3–1 Bill Harris Arena

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References

  1. ↑ Crenshawv Jr., Solomon (November 11, 2013). "New spring indoor football team launching in Birmingham in March 2014". al.com. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
  2. ↑ "2014 Alabama Outlawz". birminghamprosports.com. Archived from the original on December 27, 2014. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Team Overview". birminghamprosports.com. Archived from the original on December 27, 2014. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Team and League History". birminghamprosports.com. Archived from the original on December 27, 2014. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Weekly Sports League & Franchise Report". OurSports Central. October 31, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Professional football coming to Columbiana". Shelby County Reporter. January 13, 2017.
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