Credit: Our Sports Central |
Last week we saw what 2004 offered us, this week our trip through the history brings us into 2005. With 2005 saw the most leagues playing up to this point with four. Both the APFL and NIFL would return from 2004 while the Intense Football League would take 2005 off as it would be on a one year hiatus. Two new leagues we're also formed, United Indoor Football a league based mostly in the Midwest, along with the Atlantic Indoor Football League, a league based in the Eastern US formed by five expansion teams and one former NIFL club (Johnstown formerly Greeneville in the NIFL) for it's inaugural six teams.
The APFL who had four clubs in 2004 lost the Texas Thunder, who only lasted one season, but did add the Kansas Storm, Nebraska Bears, and Wichita Aviators too compete with six teams in 2005. The NIFL had 26 teams in 2004 lost 10 clubs (mostly to the new UIF and one to the new AIFL) to new leagues, 7 teams (Atlantic City, Colorado, Houma, Lake Charles, Tri-City, Utah, and Wichita Falls) that folded. That meant that only 9 teams returned to the league for the 2005 season, 13 new teams were added to give a total of 24 teams for 2005. The newly formed Atlantic Indoor Football League had six teams, with 5 expansion teams and from the NIFL the RiverHawks who moved from Greenville, SC to Johnstown, PA. In United Indoor Football it was made up EXCLUSIVELY of existing franchises. 9 of the 11 moved from the NIFL while Peoria (formerly the Pirates now the Rough Riders) and Tennessee Valley (formerly the Vipers now the Raptors) moved from arenafootball2.
The APFL's third season would see the Kansas Koyotes take on the Iowa Blackhawks, who had beat Wichita in the Semi-Final, for the APFL Championship. The Koyotes would reign supreme again barely edging out Iowa 26-24 at the Landon Arena to go 9-0 for a third straight season. While in the AIFL the playoffs looked a little different for a six team league as all six teams would qualify for the playoffs. After 2 rounds of playoffs the number one and two seeds, Richmond and Erie would play for the 2005 AIFL Championship. The Bandits would come out on top with a 56-30 road win over the Erie Freeze. The National Indoor Football League, even with all it's turmoil, saw this biggest amount of playoff teams at 16, just like the year before. With Indoor Bowl V being played at Three Rivers Coliseum in Kennewick, WA. With a sellout crowd seeing the expansion Fever taking on the Rome (GA) Renegades, Tri-Cities took the Championship 47-31. In the first year United Indoor Football 8 teams (of the leagues 11) would go into it's inaugural playoffs. UIF United Bowl I would be held at the Gateway Arena at Tyson Event Center in Sioux City, IA. The hometown Bandits would fall in a tough game 40-38 to their arch rival, the Sioux Falls Storm. United Bowl I was the Storm's first ever league Championship and set off the pace for the team that would win 10 titles in 12 seasons.
Credit: Indoor Football League |
Week 6 has all ten teams playing once again this weekend. The weeks kicks off on Friday at 9PM (CT) with Spokane vs Salt Lake. It's followed up on Saturday with two games at 7:05PM (CT) with Wichita Falls visiting Sioux Falls and the Nebraska Danger hosting the Colorado Crush. Sunday finishes the week with two games, Iowa hosts Cedar Rapids in the Barnstormers home opener at 3:05PM (CT). While the Arizona Rattlers travel to Green Bay to take on the Blizzard also at 3:05PM (CT) from the Resch Center. As always the games are LIVE and FREE on YouTube.
Credit: Champions Indoor Football |
The CIF's Week 5 will have six games, kicking off on Thursday when the Texas Revolution host the Dallas Marshals at 7PM (CT). Saturday features the other five games this week starting with yet another all-Kansas clash when Salina heads to Dodge City to play the Law at 6:30PM (CT). At 7PM (CT) Wichita will host Amarillo, Duke City hosts CenTex, the Bismarck Bucks travel to Bloomington to face the Edge, and Kansas City heads north to take on the Bandits in Sioux City. All games can be viewed of course on Eversport.
Credit: National Arena League |
Now something that was very interesting is during the Lehigh Valley-"Dayton" game the Steelhawks owner stated that there would be four expansion teams coming in for the 2018 season. A league that hadn't even completed it's first week of play touting expansion teams. Plus add the fact that "Dayton" is based out of Atlanta and is not really known what will happen to them after this year. The NAL is sounder more and more like the winner that the AIF was. Well on Monday the NAL announced the first of the expansion teams for 2018, the Jersey Flight. This team will be based out of Trenton, NJ Sun National Bank Center. This market is one of the most well known for being terrible for all sports, multiple indoor football, hockey, and basketball teams have failed just inside that building.
For Week 2 of the NAL's first season the games start on Saturday with two being played at 6PM (CT). Jacksonville will host Georgia in the Sharks 2017 home opener. The other game on Saturday has High Country hosting Lehigh Valley in the Grizzlies first ever home game. Sunday at 7PM (CT) has the Corpus Christi Rage facing the Columbus Lions. This will be the Rage's first ever game at the American Bank Center as they replace the former Corpus Christi Fury who played there from 2004-06 and 2010-16. The final game of the week is on Monday night at 9PM (CT) when Monterrey hosts the Wolfpack. And per the NAL, and just like the IFL, all games are LIVE and FREE on YouTube.
Now that all three leagues are playing as of last week there will be three (one from each league) Games of the Week until the playoffs start. This weekend all three will be played on Saturday night and they start with the NAL Game of the Week. This week sees the High Country Grizzlies (1-0) host the Lehigh Valley Steelahwks (1-0). This will be the Grizzlies first ever home game in franchise history as they kickoff at 6PM (CT) from the George M. Holmes Convocation Center in Boone, NC. High Country vs Lehigh Valley is LIVE and FREE on YouTube. Next up is the CIF Game of the Week is a rematch from last years Champions Bowl II in the same building, the INTRUST Bank Arena as the Wichita Force (1-2) host the Amarillo Venom (2-0) in a South Division clash at 7PM (CT). The CIF Game of the Week is available of course on Eversport. And finally now the IFL Game of the Week, this has got to be the most exciting of all the games this week. A battle of the United Conference unbeatens is the game. At 7PM (CT) the Sioux Falls Storm (4-0) with the leagues toughest defense takes on the Wichita Falls Nighthawks (4-0) with the leagues highest scoring offense. If you only can watch one game the IFL Game of the Week is definitely the one to go towards.
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