American Professional Football League
Encyclopedia
The American Professional Football League (APFL) is a Midwestern United States
-based indoor football league founded in 2003. The league consists of professional and semi-professional teams, with a few core teams that play a full 10 game schedule and other teams that play partial schedules. At the end of each season, the playoffs are contested between the league's core teams. The first few years of league play were dominated by the Kansas Koyotes
, but in recent years the league has gained parity and more stable members resulting in the first championship won by another team, the Iowa Blackhawks
in 2009, and the first championship game contested by two teams other than the Koyotes, when the Iowa Blackhawks defended their championship against the Mid-Missouri Outlaws in 2010. There is potentental for a possible merger with the Continental Indoor Football League in 2013.
a. St. Joseph Storm was suspended from the league before the 2006 season began. Kansas City Thunderstorm and Columbia Outlaws played in their place.
b. This team only played road games and a reduced schedule.
for the APFL. In February 2011 the league added the Florida Scorpions and Kansas City Matadors as provisional members to fill out their 2011 schedule.
x - won regular season / y - clinched playoff spot
2011 Playoffs
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
-based indoor football league founded in 2003. The league consists of professional and semi-professional teams, with a few core teams that play a full 10 game schedule and other teams that play partial schedules. At the end of each season, the playoffs are contested between the league's core teams. The first few years of league play were dominated by the Kansas Koyotes
Kansas Koyotes
The Kansas Koyotes are a professional indoor football team based out of Topeka, Kansas. The Koyotes compete in the American Professional Football League . They began play in 2003....
, but in recent years the league has gained parity and more stable members resulting in the first championship won by another team, the Iowa Blackhawks
Iowa Blackhawks
The Council Bluffs Express formerly known as the Iowa Blackhawks are an indoor football team in the American Professional Football League. They have been around since 2004...
in 2009, and the first championship game contested by two teams other than the Koyotes, when the Iowa Blackhawks defended their championship against the Mid-Missouri Outlaws in 2010. There is potentental for a possible merger with the Continental Indoor Football League in 2013.
Current members
Full members| Team | Location | Arena (Capacity) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheyenne Warriors | Cheyenne, Wyoming Cheyenne, Wyoming Cheyenne is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Wyoming and the county seat of Laramie County. It is the principal city of the Cheyenne, Wyoming, Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Laramie County. The population is 59,466 at the 2010 census. Cheyenne is the... |
Cheyenne Ice and Events Center (1,000) | |
| Colorado Lightning | Monument, Colorado Monument, Colorado Monument is a growing town situated on the Rampart Range in El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Monument is bordered by Pike National Forest on the west, Colorado Springs and the United States Air Force Academy to the south, foothills and rock outcroppings to the north and rolling plains to... |
Colorado Sports and Events Center (?) | |
| Council Bluffs Express Iowa Blackhawks The Council Bluffs Express formerly known as the Iowa Blackhawks are an indoor football team in the American Professional Football League. They have been around since 2004... |
Council Bluffs, Iowa Council Bluffs, Iowa Council Bluffs, known until 1852 as Kanesville, Iowathe historic starting point of the Mormon Trail and eventual northernmost anchor town of the other emigrant trailsis a city in and the county seat of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States and is on the east bank of the Missouri River across... |
Mid-America Center Mid-America Center The Mid-America Center is an arena and convention center located in Council Bluffs, Iowa, just five minutes from downtown Omaha, Nebraska. The arena's maximum capacity is about 8,000 for concerts and 6,700 for ice hockey and arena football. The arena continues to provide free parking.It is the... (6,700) |
|
| Kansas Koyotes Kansas Koyotes The Kansas Koyotes are a professional indoor football team based out of Topeka, Kansas. The Koyotes compete in the American Professional Football League . They began play in 2003.... |
Topeka, Kansas Topeka, Kansas Topeka |Kansa]]: Tó Pee Kuh) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is situated along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was... |
Landon Arena Landon Arena Landon Arena, better known as the Kansas Expocentre, is a 10,000-seat multi-purpose arena built in 1987 in Topeka, Kansas. It is currently home to the Kansas Koyotes indoor football team and the Topeka Roadrunners ice hockey team. Previously, Topeka Sizzlers of the Continental Basketball... (8,000) |
|
| Mid-Missouri Outlaws | Sedalia, Missouri Sedalia, Missouri Sedalia is a city located about south of the Missouri River in Pettis County, Missouri. U.S. Highway 50 and U.S. Highway 65 intersect in the city. As of 2006, the city had a total population of 20,669. It is the county seat of Pettis County. The Sedalia Micropolitan Statistical Area consists of... |
Mathewson Exhibition Center (3,200) | |
| Sioux City Bandits Sioux City Bandits The Sioux City Bandits are a professional indoor football team, currently a member of the American Professional Football League. They play their home games at the Tyson Events Center.... |
Sioux City, Iowa Sioux City, Iowa Sioux City is a city in Plymouth and Woodbury counties in the western part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 82,684 in the 2010 census, a decline from 85,013 in the 2000 census, which makes it currently the fourth largest city in the state.... |
Gateway Arena Gateway Arena The Gateway Arena is a multi-purpose arena inside the Tyson Event Center, located in Sioux City, Iowa is sponsored by Tyson Foods and Gateway, Inc..... (6,437) |
|
| Springfield WolfPack Springfield Wolfpack The Springfield WolfPack are an indoor football team. The team plays in the APFL. In 2006, they were the champions of the MAIFL, a semi-pro indoor football league. In 2007, they finished in fourth place in the league.... |
Springfield, Missouri Springfield, Missouri Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of... |
Mediacom Ice Park Mediacom Ice Park Mediacom Ice Park is a multi-purpose arena located in downtown Springfield, Missouri. The arena is owned and operated by the Springfield-Greene County Park Board and serves as a location for community recreation and the home for the Missouri State University Ice Bears ice hockey team, Springfield... (2,000) |
Former teams
- Beaumont DrillersBeaumont DrillersThe Beaumont Drillers were a professional indoor football team. They played their home games at Ford Arena in Beaumont, TX. They originally began playing as the Louisiana Rangers in the Indoor Professional Football League in 2000 when they replaced the Louisiana Bayou Beast...
(2008) - Chillicothe Lumberjacks (2003, never played)
- Colorado Stars (2004, never played)
- Conroe StormConroe StormThe Conroe Storm was a team in the American Professional Football League based out of Conroe, Texas. They were originally slated to play in the Ultimate Indoor Football League before that league's aborted merger with the NAIFL...
(2007-2008) - Denver Titans (2009)
- Florida ScorpionsFlorida ScorpionsThe Florida Scorpions are an indoor football team. They are a 2008 expansion member of the American Professional Football League. They play their home games at the Manatee Civic Center. They played their first season in the NIFL as the Sarasota Knights...
(2008-2009, 2011) - Kansas City Matadors (2011)
- Kansas/St. Joseph StormKansas/St. Joseph StormThe Kansas Storm played in the American Professional Football League in 2005. The Storm was founded by Chad and Jessica Jagerson. The Storm were originally going to play in the Midwest Indoor Football League but the league never kicked off...
(2005)a - Missouri MinutemenMissouri MinutemenMissouri Minutemen are an indoor football team that plays in the American Professional Football League . The team started in 2003 as one of three original APFL teams. In 2003 and 2004, they played in the APFL championship game, losing to the Kansas Koyotes both times.From 2004 through 2006, the...
(2003-2008) - Nebraska Bears (2005)
- Nebraska Extreme/Tornadoes (2008-2009)
- Nebraska Wildcats (2006)
- Springfield ShieldSpringfield ShieldThe Springfield Shield is an indoor football team that competes in the American Professional Football League. The team was originally slated to start play in 2008, but instead will wait a year and start in 2009. The Shield has no direct link to the Springfield Stallions, the city's first indoor...
(2008, never played) - St. Joseph Explorers (2003)
- Texas RegulatorsFort Worth RegulatorsThe Texas Regulators is an indoor football team that is to play in the American Professional Football League.In 2007, they joined the APFL and was to play as the Fort Worth Regulators. However, arena problems forced them to cancel all home games. The only away games they played were league games...
(2007-2008) - Texas ThunderTexas Thunder (football)The Texas Thunder was a professional indoor football team that played in the American Professional Football League in 2004. The Thunder played their inauagural APFL game vs the Missouri Minutemen. Key players and coaches included Head Coach James Sanders, Mark Ricker, Rolf Shaefer, Hallart Keaton,...
(2004) - Wichita AviatorsWichita AviatorsThe Wichita Aviators were an indoor football team that played in the American Professional Football League .THe first season, they played their home games at Britt Brown Arena at the Kansas Coliseum. In 2006, they played their home games at the Wichita Ice Center in Wichita, Kansas...
(2005-2006) - Wichita Falls DiablosWichita Falls DiablosThe Wichita Falls Diablos were a professional indoor football team that played in the American Professional Football League during the 2008 season. They were based out of Wichita Falls, Texas but originally scheduled to play only road games....
(2008) - Wisconsin LocomotivesLa Crosse Night TrainThe La Crosse Night Train were a professional indoor football team. They were a member of the NIFL. In 2004, they were going to play in the APFL as the Wisconsin Locomotives, however they folded without playing a game. They played their home games at La Crosse Center...
(2004, never played)
a. St. Joseph Storm was suspended from the league before the 2006 season began. Kansas City Thunderstorm and Columbia Outlaws played in their place.
b. This team only played road games and a reduced schedule.
League champions
| Year | Champion | Score | Runner-up | Semi-finalist(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Kansas Koyotes | 59-29 | Missouri Minutemen | n/a |
| 2004 | Kansas Koyotes | 64-6 | Missouri Minutemen | n/a |
| 2005 | Kansas Koyotes | 26-24 | Iowa Blackhawks | Wichita Aviators |
| 2006 | Kansas Koyotes | Forfeit | Wichita Aviators | Iowa Blackhawks |
| 2007 | Kansas Koyotes | 39-15 | Iowa Blackhawks | Conroe Storm |
| 2008 | Kansas Koyotes | 62-36 | Beaumont Drillers | Iowa Blackhawks (North), Conroe Storm (South) |
| 2009 | Iowa Blackhawks | 63-17 | Kansas Koyotes | Springfield Wolfpack |
| 2010 | Iowa Blackhawks | 31-28 | Mid-Missouri Outlaws | Springfield Wolfpack, Kansas Koyotes |
| 2011 | Sioux City Bandits | 69-28 | Iowa Blackhawks | Mid-Missouri Outlaws, Kansas Koyotes |
2003
Early in 2003, the APFL started as a regional league with the Kansas Koyotes, Missouri Minutemen, St. Joseph Explorers, and Chillicothe Lumberjacks. However, the Lumberjacks didn't make it to opening day and as a result the league played on with three teams while Chillicothe was replaced on the schedule. The Koyotes went undefeated in the league's first season and won the championship game in a rout against Missouri, their 4th victory over the Minutemen that season.2004
Kansas and Missouri returned and the league added the Iowa Blackhawks and Texas Thunder. The Colorado Stars and Wisconsin Locomotives were originally scheduled to compete, but neither played a down of football in the APFL. The Blackhawks were previously the River City Redemption, who had competed in an exhibition match against the Koyotes the season before. Texas only played a partial schedule. The Koyotes and Minutemen both made it back to the championship, and the Koyotes rolled to a second championship and undefeated season.2005
The 2005 season saw the addition of the Kansas Storm, Nebraska Bears, and Wichita Aviators. The Thunder did not return and the league played with six teams. The league saw an increase in competition with these new teams and an improved team in Iowa. The Koyotes again captured the #1 seed and an undefeated regular season but had to win more close games than the previous two seasons. The Minutemen, twice the APFL runner-up, did not even make the playoffs. Iowa hosted Wichita in the semi-final and won 50-42 to earn a berth in the championship game. In a thrilling final, the Koyotes almost saw the championship slip away when the Blackhawks took a late lead. Jerry Lakin hit a game-winning field goal and Kansas completed their third consecutive undefeated season with a 26-24 win.2006
The Nebraska Bears did not return the next year and the Nebraska Wildcats were added as a travel-only team. The Kansas Storm attempted to move to St. Joseph, Missouri but ended up not playing in 2006, causing the league to find replacements for their games on the schedule. The 2006 season started with a bang when Kansas finally lost, dropping their season opener against Wichita 50-43. The Aviators were the APFL regular season champions and had earned the right to host the championship game. After Kansas won their semi-final against the Blackhawks, the league decided to move the championship game to Landon Arena, home of the Koyotes. This controversial decision caused Wichita to boycott the championship game, resulting in a forfeit win for the Kansas Koyotes and leading to Wichita's exit from the league.2007
The MAIFL champion Springfield Wolfpack and two new teams from Texas, the Conroe Storm and Fort Worth Regulators, joined the league for the 2007 season. The Regulators couldn't secure a home arena, and they only played road games in 2007. Conroe had a strong debut season, finishing 2nd in the regular season and earning a home playoff game. The season ended when they were upset in the semi-final by the visiting Blackhawks. Iowa's second championship appearance also ended in defeat, and the Koyotes claimed a 5th championship with a 39-15 victory.2008
The APFL expanded ambitiously in 2008 to 10 teams, and split its teams into divisions for the first time. The Nebraska Extreme joined Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Springfield in the Northern Division. The Wichita Falls Diablos and former NIFL members Beaumont Drillers and Florida Scorpions joined Conroe and Fort Worth in the Southern Division. The expansion was a flop and led to a disastrous season for the league. Arena problems and mismanagement plagued many teams throughout the league, resulting in a cancellation of the entire season for Ft. Worth. None of the Southern teams played more than half their schedule, and all of the teams in that division had either folded or were on the verge of folding by season's end. In the North, Nebraska and Missouri didn't have home arenas, but most of the scheduled games went on as planned. Kansas defeated Iowa in the Northern semi-final, and the Southern semi-final wasn't played but Beaumont went on to the APFL championship. With few of their original players available, the Drillers still traveled to Topeka for the championship and lost 62–36. The Drillers played better than many had expected them to given the circumstances, but it wasn't enough to stop the Koyotes from taking their sixth championship.2009
In the 2009 season, all of the teams from the North except Missouri returned, and Florida was the only surviving member of the South. The Scorpions continued to play in the league as a travel-only team, as did the renamed Nebraska Tornadoes and new member Denver Titans. The core teams of Iowa, Kansas and Springfield played full schedules and participated in the playoffs. The Koyotes continued their streak of championship game appearances by defeating the Wolfpack in the semi-final. For the first time the championship was not held in Topeka when the regular season champion Blackhawks hosted the Koyotes. Iowa blew out Kansas 63-17 to earn their first championship.2010
The Junction City Force and Mid-Missouri Outlaws joined the league in 2010. Junction City joined as a travel-only team and primarily played in the Central Plains Football League. The Outlaws came to the league after winning the CPFL title three years in a row and were also notable for defeating the Blackhawks in a matchup during the 2009 season. Iowa won the regular season title once again, and Mid-Missouri came in second during an impressive debut season. Kansas suffered through their worst season to date, finishing in 4th. The Koyotes won their play-in game against the Force, but lost to the Blackhawks in the semi-final. The Outlaws defeated the Wolfpack in the other semi-final, and the top two teams faced off in the championship. In the first championship game to go to overtime, Iowa came away with the victory on a game-winning kick from Jerry Lakin in a 31-28 thriller.2011
In October 2010, the Sioux City Bandits announced that they were leaving the Indoor Football LeagueIndoor Football League
The Indoor Football League began in 1999 as an offshoot of the troubled Professional Indoor Football League. Keary Ecklund, the owner of the Green Bay Bombers and Madison Mad Dogs, left the PIFL after its first, financially-troubled, season to start his own league. Unlike the PIFL, the IFL was an...
for the APFL. In February 2011 the league added the Florida Scorpions and Kansas City Matadors as provisional members to fill out their 2011 schedule.
| 2011 APFL Standings | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x-Sioux City Bandits Sioux City Bandits The Sioux City Bandits are a professional indoor football team, currently a member of the American Professional Football League. They play their home games at the Tyson Events Center.... |
11 | 0 | 684 | 237 | |||||
| y-Iowa Blackhawks Iowa Blackhawks The Council Bluffs Express formerly known as the Iowa Blackhawks are an indoor football team in the American Professional Football League. They have been around since 2004... |
6 | 5 | 510 | 416 | |||||
| y-Mid-Missouri Outlaws | 5 | 6 | 370 | 431 | |||||
| y-Kansas Koyotes Kansas Koyotes The Kansas Koyotes are a professional indoor football team based out of Topeka, Kansas. The Koyotes compete in the American Professional Football League . They began play in 2003.... |
5 | 6 | 382 | 404 | |||||
| Springfield Wolfpack Springfield Wolfpack The Springfield WolfPack are an indoor football team. The team plays in the APFL. In 2006, they were the champions of the MAIFL, a semi-pro indoor football league. In 2007, they finished in fourth place in the league.... |
3 | 8 | 221 | 384 | |||||
| Florida Scorpions Florida Scorpions The Florida Scorpions are an indoor football team. They are a 2008 expansion member of the American Professional Football League. They play their home games at the Manatee Civic Center. They played their first season in the NIFL as the Sarasota Knights... |
0 | 2 | 039 | 084 | |||||
| Kansas City Matadors | 0 | 3 | 012 | 269 | |||||
x - won regular season / y - clinched playoff spot
2011 Playoffs
Interleague play
Because the APFL has always had a small number of teams, teams in the league have regularly scheduled teams from other leagues, both indoor and outdoor, to fill their schedules. In 2010, APFL teams played interleague regular season games against teams from the Central Plains Football League (CPFL). The CPFL is a 4-year old regional league based in many of the same states as the APFL. Both leagues follow the same rules but the APFL plays indoors while the CPFL plays outside. Interleague play was discontinued for the 2011 season, with the exception of one game: the Stockton Wolves are scheduled for a June 2011 matchup against the Sioux City Bandits.External links
- APFL Homepage
- http://www.realiff.com, APFL has a strong presence on the message board here
- APFL Statistics, History and Discussion