Lingerie Football League
Encyclopedia
The Lingerie Football League (LFL) is a women's 7-on-7 tackle American football
league
, created in 2009, with games played in the fall and winter at NBA, NFL, NHL and MLS
arenas and stadiums. The league was founded by Mitch Mortaza. The league's administrative offices are in West Hollywood, California
.
halftime alternative television special called the Lingerie Bowl
, a pay-per-view
event broadcast annually opposite the Super Bowl halftime show. The television show has become a staple of Super Bowl Sunday
festivities for millions worldwide and is broadcast in over 85 countries.
, bras, panties, and ice hockey
-style helmets
with clear plastic visors in lieu of face masks.
There are no field goals and no punt
s. There is a kickoff to start the game and second half. A team must attempt to get a first down on every fourth down. After a touchdown
, a team can attempt a one-point conversion from the two yard line, or a two-point conversion
from the five-yard line.
There are seven women on each side of the 50-yard field, one fewer than the eight players usually found in arena football
or other indoor leagues. Teams consist of 20 players, only 14 of whom are active on game day. This means that there are usually three or four players who play both offense and defense.
The standard offensive formation features 1 quarterback
, 2 running back
s, 1 center
, and 3 wide receiver
s. The standard defensive formation features 2 defensive linewomen, 2 linebacker
s, 2 cornerback
s, and 1 safety.
The field is 50-yards between end zones, 30 yard
s wide, and the end zones are 8 yards deep, roughly the same as other indoor leagues.
A game consists of two 17-minute halves, separated by a 15-minute halftime. In the event of a tie, one or more 8-minute sudden-death overtimes are played until a victor is determined.
The Lingerie Football League is unique among indoor football leagues in that it plays its games during the traditional fall football season and not during the spring.
affiliate stations, international stations, and online streaming.
In 2010–2011, MTV Networks' MTV2 channel has licensed the rights to broadcast 20 regular season and two conference playoff highlight programs. LFL Presents: LFL, Friday Night Football on MTV2 is scheduled to premiere on September 10, 2010.
In 2011-12, MTV Networks' MTV2 channel will once again broadcast 20 regular season games, two conference playoff games, and the championship game during half time of the Super Bowl. This year however, they will present the games in their entirety and will broadcast them live at 9:00 PM ET. LFL Presents: LFL, Friday Night Football on MTV2 is scheduled to premiere on August 26, 2011 from Green Bay, Wisconsin.
. The league schedule ran from September 4, 2009 to January 29, 2010, with one game each Friday. Teams played one game against each other team in their conference; 2 games were at home and 2 games were on the road. The top two teams in each conference met in playoff games on February 4, 2010, in Miami, and the winners played in Lingerie Bowl VII on February 6, 2010. The Western Conference Los Angeles Temptation
defeated the Eastern Conference Chicago Bliss
by the score of 27–14.
Most of the teams are coached by former NFL players and coaches already well known in their respective cities. A majority of the players have a background in competitive athletics. Many of the players have experience in other sports at the college and semi-pro level, such as track and field
, tennis
, volleyball
, softball
, soccer, basketball
, and fitness
-style bodybuilding
. A few also have experience in tackle football from playing in semi-pro leagues.
) and Baltimore (Charm
). The New York Majesty and Denver Dream have suspended operations in an effort to find a suitable arena or stadium for each team.
The 2010 LFL All-Fantasy Game was held June 10, 2010 in Monterrey
, Mexico, with the Eastern Conference prevailing over the Western Conference 36–14. The All-Fantasy Game's co-MVPs were Philadelphia Passion's Tyrah Lusby and Miami Caliente's Anonka Dixon.
The 2011 Lingerie Bowl was played in Las Vegas, Nevada
, at Thomas & Mack Arena on Sunday, February 6, 2011 venue, during halftime of Super Bowl XLV
. It was won by Western Conference champions Los Angeles Temptation who defeated Eastern Conference champions Philadelphia Passion 26-25.
On December 6, 2010, it was announced that Cleveland, Ohio
beat out Columbus, Ohio for the newest franchise. In the 2011–12 season, the Cleveland Crush
will begin play at Quicken Loans Arena in downtown Cleveland
.
On December 8, 2010, it was announced that a Las Vegas
expansion side, to be known as the Las Vegas Sin
, would begin play for the 2011–12 season.
On January 25, 2011, the league announced an expansion team would be awarded to Green Bay
, Wisconsin
in the fall of 2011. They will be known as the Green Bay Chill
and play home games at Resch Center
.
On March 17, 2011, the LFL announced that the Dallas Desire
would be suspended for the 2011-2012 season with a planned return in 2012-2013. The stated reasons were financial and issues with the commitment of players on and off the field.
On March 23, 2011, the LFL announced a franchise to Minneapolis for the 2011 season. The team will be known as the Minnesota Valkyrie
and will play at Target Center
in dowtown Minneapolis (home of the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves
).
On April 12, 2011, the LFL announced that they are going to have a franchise in Toronto, Ontario. This is the first franchise outside of the United States. Their games will be played in the Ricoh Coliseum
where the American Hockey League
's Toronto Marlies
play.
The status of the San Diego Seduction is unknown; they are no longer included on the LFL's list of teams, but no suspension of operations has been publicly indicated. The Miami Caliente folded.
The 2011 All-Fantasy Game was held in Hamilton, Ontario
on July 30, 2011 at Copps Coliseum
. Trailing 18-6 in the second half, the Eastern Conference rallied to win 24-18 over the Western Conference. Anonka Dixon, quarterback for the Orlando Fantasy, was awarded offensive MVP for her 3 touchdown passes and game-winning rushing touchdown, while Liz Gorman, a safety with the Tampa Breeze, was named defensive MVP.
, Houston, Phoenix
, Detroit, Washington, D.C.
, Carolina
, Buffalo
, Columbus
, New Orleans
and New Jersey
in the coming seasons.
The league has announced plans to launch leagues in Canada (2012), Australia (2013) and Europe (2014). In 2014, the champions of each of the four leagues will compete in the LFL's first-ever World Bowl in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
. This was due in part to the league's announcement that in 2012 there will be a Canadian Lingerie Football League. LFL Canada will consist of a twelve week season with teams in six markets, culminating with the first Canadian Lingerie Bowl on November 24, 2012, the day before the 100th Grey Cup
.
currently playing in the regular Lingerie Football League, LFL Canada's other five markets would consist of Vancouver
, Calgary
, Edmonton
, Quebec City
, and Montreal
.
, Melbourne
, Brisbane
and Adelaide
have been designated as the four inaugural season market teams.
, Frankfurt
, Rhein
, Manchester
and Dublin.
competitions have noted that the typical LFL uniform is not that much more revealing than typical track uniforms. The league has been accused of fining players for wearing too many clothes, and for not paying medical bills for injured players. The league prohibits players from commenting on personnel matters, a rule that prompted the vast majority of the Toronto Triumph
, including team captain Krista Ford, to quit in protest in October 2011. Originally a professional league with players receiving a cut of net revenue, Mortaza stopped paying his players beginning in the 2011 season and converted the league into an amateur organization; players also must pay for their own health insurance. League founder Mortaza has admitted that the league is marketed toward "mostly beer-drinking college students aged 21 and up."
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
league
Sports league
League is a term commonly used to describe a group of sports teams or individual athletes that compete against each other in a specific sport. At its simplest, it may be a local group of amateur athletes who form teams among themselves and compete on weekends; at its most complex, it can be an...
, created in 2009, with games played in the fall and winter at NBA, NFL, NHL and MLS
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
arenas and stadiums. The league was founded by Mitch Mortaza. The league's administrative offices are in West Hollywood, California
West Hollywood, California
West Hollywood, a city of Los Angeles County, California, was incorporated on November 29, 1984, with a population of 34,399 at the 2010 census. 41% of the city's population is made up of gay men according to a 2002 demographic analysis by Sara Kocher Consulting for the City of West Hollywood...
.
Concept
The concept originated from the Super BowlSuper Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
halftime alternative television special called the Lingerie Bowl
Lingerie Bowl
The Lingerie Bowl is an annual Super Bowl halftime alternative shown on pay-per-view TV. It features a game of full-contact American football with female athletes playing seven-on-seven tackle football. Lingerie Bowl I aired during Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004 with Team Euphoria losing to the Team...
, a pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
event broadcast annually opposite the Super Bowl halftime show. The television show has become a staple of Super Bowl Sunday
Super Bowl Sunday
Super Bowl Sunday, sometimes referred to as Super Sunday, is the Sunday on which the Super Bowl is played. Typically occurring in late January or early February, it is considered a de facto national holiday in the United States. On Super Bowl Sunday many people gather to watch the Super Bowl...
festivities for millions worldwide and is broadcast in over 85 countries.
Playing style
Playing style is full-contact and similar to other indoor football leagues. Uniforms consist of shoulder pads, elbow pads, knee pads, gartersGarter (stockings)
Garters are articles of clothing: narrow bands of fabric fastened about the leg, used to keep up stockings, and sometimes socks. Normally just a few inches in width, they are usually made of leather or heavy cloth, and adorned with small bells and/or ribbons...
, bras, panties, and ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
-style helmets
Football helmet
A football helmet is a protective device used primarily in American football and Canadian football. It consists of a hard plastic top with thick padding on the inside, a face mask made of one or more plastic bars, and a chinstrap. Some players add polycarbonate visors to their helmets, which are...
with clear plastic visors in lieu of face masks.
There are no field goals and no punt
Punt (football)
In some codes of football, a punt is a play in which a player drops the ball and kicks it before it touches the ground. A punt is in contrast to a drop kick, in which the ball touches the ground before being kicked....
s. There is a kickoff to start the game and second half. A team must attempt to get a first down on every fourth down. After a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
, a team can attempt a one-point conversion from the two yard line, or a two-point conversion
Two-point conversion
In American and Canadian football, a two-point conversion is a play a team attempts instead of kicking a one-point convert immediately after it scores a touchdown...
from the five-yard line.
There are seven women on each side of the 50-yard field, one fewer than the eight players usually found in arena football
Arena football
Arena football is a variety of gridiron football played by the Arena Football League . It is a proprietary game, the rights to which are owned by Gridiron Enterprises, and is played indoors on a smaller field than American or Canadian outdoor football, resulting in a faster and higher-scoring game....
or other indoor leagues. Teams consist of 20 players, only 14 of whom are active on game day. This means that there are usually three or four players who play both offense and defense.
The standard offensive formation features 1 quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, 2 running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
s, 1 center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
, and 3 wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
s. The standard defensive formation features 2 defensive linewomen, 2 linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
s, 2 cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
s, and 1 safety.
The field is 50-yards between end zones, 30 yard
Yard
A yard is a unit of length in several different systems including English units, Imperial units and United States customary units. It is equal to 3 feet or 36 inches...
s wide, and the end zones are 8 yards deep, roughly the same as other indoor leagues.
A game consists of two 17-minute halves, separated by a 15-minute halftime. In the event of a tie, one or more 8-minute sudden-death overtimes are played until a victor is determined.
The Lingerie Football League is unique among indoor football leagues in that it plays its games during the traditional fall football season and not during the spring.
Media
In 2009–2010, the ten LFL inaugural season teams competed in a 20-week season with games at major arenas and stadia. The weekly games were shot in 1080i high-definition and to broadcast on some MyNetworkTVMyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
affiliate stations, international stations, and online streaming.
In 2010–2011, MTV Networks' MTV2 channel has licensed the rights to broadcast 20 regular season and two conference playoff highlight programs. LFL Presents: LFL, Friday Night Football on MTV2 is scheduled to premiere on September 10, 2010.
In 2011-12, MTV Networks' MTV2 channel will once again broadcast 20 regular season games, two conference playoff games, and the championship game during half time of the Super Bowl. This year however, they will present the games in their entirety and will broadcast them live at 9:00 PM ET. LFL Presents: LFL, Friday Night Football on MTV2 is scheduled to premiere on August 26, 2011 from Green Bay, Wisconsin.
2009–2010
The league announced it would play with ten teams in its 2009–2010 season2009 LFL season
The 2009-10 LFL Season is the inaugural season of the Lingerie Football League. The league was formed from a concept called the Lingerie Bowl, that was featured during half-time of the Super Bowl. The league features 10 teams in various cities across the United States. The season kicked-off on...
. The league schedule ran from September 4, 2009 to January 29, 2010, with one game each Friday. Teams played one game against each other team in their conference; 2 games were at home and 2 games were on the road. The top two teams in each conference met in playoff games on February 4, 2010, in Miami, and the winners played in Lingerie Bowl VII on February 6, 2010. The Western Conference Los Angeles Temptation
Los Angeles Temptation
Los Angeles Temptation was one of two teams that established the Lingerie Football League in 2003.The old name Team Dream was used at Lingerie Bowl I, broadcast during Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004...
defeated the Eastern Conference Chicago Bliss
Chicago Bliss
Chicago Bliss is one of two teams that were introduced to the Lingerie Football League in 2004 .Being defeated by New York Euphoria in the Eastern Final at Lingerie Bowl II in 2005 and again at Lingerie Bowl III in 2006, the team never reached the Final.On...
by the score of 27–14.
Most of the teams are coached by former NFL players and coaches already well known in their respective cities. A majority of the players have a background in competitive athletics. Many of the players have experience in other sports at the college and semi-pro level, such as track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
, soccer, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, and fitness
Physical fitness
Physical fitness comprises two related concepts: general fitness , and specific fitness...
-style bodybuilding
Bodybuilding
Bodybuilding is a form of body modification involving intensive muscle hypertrophy. An individual who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder. In competitive and professional bodybuilding, bodybuilders display their physiques to a panel of judges, who assign points based on their...
. A few also have experience in tackle football from playing in semi-pro leagues.
2010–2011
For the 2010–2011 season the League granted new franchises to both Orlando (FantasyOrlando Fantasy
The Orlando Fantasy is an expansion team in the Lingerie Football League which will begin playing in its 2010-11 season. It will play its home games at UCF Arena.Its head coach is legendary Orlando Predators Defensive Specialist Kenny McEntyre...
) and Baltimore (Charm
Baltimore Charm
The Baltimore Charm is a second year franchise of the Lingerie Football League. They began their 2010-2011 season on September 17, 2010. The Charm entered its second season in the LFL's Eastern Conference in September, 2011...
). The New York Majesty and Denver Dream have suspended operations in an effort to find a suitable arena or stadium for each team.
The 2010 LFL All-Fantasy Game was held June 10, 2010 in Monterrey
Monterrey
Monterrey , is the capital city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León in the country of Mexico. The city is anchor to the third-largest metropolitan area in Mexico and is ranked as the ninth-largest city in the nation. Monterrey serves as a commercial center in the north of the country and is the...
, Mexico, with the Eastern Conference prevailing over the Western Conference 36–14. The All-Fantasy Game's co-MVPs were Philadelphia Passion's Tyrah Lusby and Miami Caliente's Anonka Dixon.
The 2011 Lingerie Bowl was played in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, at Thomas & Mack Arena on Sunday, February 6, 2011 venue, during halftime of Super Bowl XLV
Super Bowl XLV
Super Bowl XLV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference champion Green Bay Packers to decide the National Football League champion for the 2010 season. The game was held at Cowboys Stadium in...
. It was won by Western Conference champions Los Angeles Temptation who defeated Eastern Conference champions Philadelphia Passion 26-25.
2011–2012
On November 10, 2010, it was announced that Oklahoma City would be receiving a expansion franchise for the 2011–12 season, only to be publicly rejected by the city's mayor, who said he would not allow the league to operate in the city.On December 6, 2010, it was announced that Cleveland, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
beat out Columbus, Ohio for the newest franchise. In the 2011–12 season, the Cleveland Crush
Cleveland Crush
The Cleveland Crush is an expansion team in the Lingerie Football League set to begin play for the 2011-12 season. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, the Crush is scheduled to play their home games at Quicken Loans Arena....
will begin play at Quicken Loans Arena in downtown Cleveland
Downtown Cleveland
Downtown Cleveland is the central business district of the City of Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. Reinvestment in the area in the mid-1990s spurred a rebirth that continues to this day, with over $2 billion in residential and commercial developments slated for the area over the next few years...
.
On December 8, 2010, it was announced that a Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
expansion side, to be known as the Las Vegas Sin
Las Vegas Sin
The Las Vegas Sin is a team in the Lingerie Football League. It is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.The Sin was originally announced one of four teams that were to be introduced to the league in 2008. The other teams were to be Atlanta Steam, Miami Caliente and San Francisco Seduction...
, would begin play for the 2011–12 season.
On January 25, 2011, the league announced an expansion team would be awarded to Green Bay
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
in the fall of 2011. They will be known as the Green Bay Chill
Green Bay Chill
The Green Bay Chill is an expansion team in the Lingerie Football League that began play for the 2011–12 season. Based in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the Chill play their home games at Resch Center. The team is coached by former Green Bay Packer Gilbert Brown....
and play home games at Resch Center
Resch Center
The Resch Center is a 10,200 seat multi-purpose arena, in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin.Built in 2002, it is the home of the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay Phoenix men's basketball team, the Green Bay Gamblers ice hockey team, Green Bay Chill and the Green Bay Blizzard arena football teams.The arena...
.
On March 17, 2011, the LFL announced that the Dallas Desire
Dallas Desire
The Dallas Desire are a professional women's American football team located in Dallas, Texas. They are one of five teams of the Lingerie Football League's Western Division. The Desire was one of two teams introduced to LFL in 2004, the other being the Los Angeles Temptation...
would be suspended for the 2011-2012 season with a planned return in 2012-2013. The stated reasons were financial and issues with the commitment of players on and off the field.
On March 23, 2011, the LFL announced a franchise to Minneapolis for the 2011 season. The team will be known as the Minnesota Valkyrie
Minnesota Valkyrie
The Minnesota Valkyrie is an expansion team in the Lingerie Football League set to begin play for the 2011-12 season. Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the team will play their home games at Target Center On March 23, 2011, it was announced that the LFL would added an expansion team to Minneapolis....
and will play at Target Center
Target Center
The Target Center is an arena in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is sponsored by Target Corporation. The arena has a capacity of 20,500 people. It contains 702 club seats and 68 suites....
in dowtown Minneapolis (home of the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
).
On April 12, 2011, the LFL announced that they are going to have a franchise in Toronto, Ontario. This is the first franchise outside of the United States. Their games will be played in the Ricoh Coliseum
Ricoh Coliseum
Ricoh Coliseum is an ice hockey and agricultural arena at Exhibition Place in Toronto. It serves as the home arena of the Toronto Marlies, the American Hockey League farm team of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Toronto Triumph of the Lingerie Football League. It was formerly known as the CNE...
where the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
's Toronto Marlies
Toronto Marlies
The Toronto Marlies is a Canadian professional ice hockey team currently playing in the American Hockey League . The top affiliate of the National Hockey League 's Toronto Maple Leafs, the Marlies play at the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto, Ontario...
play.
The status of the San Diego Seduction is unknown; they are no longer included on the LFL's list of teams, but no suspension of operations has been publicly indicated. The Miami Caliente folded.
The 2011 All-Fantasy Game was held in Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
on July 30, 2011 at Copps Coliseum
Copps Coliseum
Copps Coliseum is a sports and entertainment arena, on the corner of Bay Street North and York Boulevard, in Hamilton, Ontario. Depending on event, the Copps Coliseum has a capacity of up to 19,000.It is named after the former Hamilton mayor, Victor K...
. Trailing 18-6 in the second half, the Eastern Conference rallied to win 24-18 over the Western Conference. Anonka Dixon, quarterback for the Orlando Fantasy, was awarded offensive MVP for her 3 touchdown passes and game-winning rushing touchdown, while Liz Gorman, a safety with the Tampa Breeze, was named defensive MVP.
| Eastern Conference | Arena and Location |
|---|---|
| Baltimore Charm Baltimore Charm The Baltimore Charm is a second year franchise of the Lingerie Football League. They began their 2010-2011 season on September 17, 2010. The Charm entered its second season in the LFL's Eastern Conference in September, 2011... |
1st Mariner Arena 1st Mariner Arena 1st Mariner Arena is an arena located in Baltimore, Maryland. In 2003, it was renamed by 1st Mariner Bank, which purchased naming rights to the arena for 10 years. It was reported that 1st Mariner Bank will need to pay the city $75,000 for the next ten years to keep the naming rights to the complex... (Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore... ) |
| Cleveland Crush Cleveland Crush The Cleveland Crush is an expansion team in the Lingerie Football League set to begin play for the 2011-12 season. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, the Crush is scheduled to play their home games at Quicken Loans Arena.... |
Quicken Loans Arena Quicken Loans Arena Quicken Loans Arena , is a multi-purpose arena, in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States.... (Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border... ) |
| Orlando Fantasy Orlando Fantasy The Orlando Fantasy is an expansion team in the Lingerie Football League which will begin playing in its 2010-11 season. It will play its home games at UCF Arena.Its head coach is legendary Orlando Predators Defensive Specialist Kenny McEntyre... |
Citrus Bowl Citrus Bowl The Florida Citrus Bowl is a stadium in Orlando, Florida, USA, built for football, which currently seats around 70,000 people.... (Orlando, Florida Orlando, Florida Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States... ) |
| Philadelphia Passion Philadelphia Passion The Philadelphia Passion is a professional women's indoor football team based in Trenton, New Jersey. They are members of the Eastern Conference of the Lingerie Football League.... |
Sun National Bank Center (Trenton, New Jersey Trenton, New Jersey Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913... ) |
| Tampa Breeze Tampa Breeze Tampa Breeze is a team in the Lingerie Football League. They were part of the Lingerie Bowl's expansion into a full-fledged league in 2009. They play their home games at the St. Pete Times Forum in downtown Tampa, Florida.... |
St. Pete Times Forum St. Pete Times Forum The St. Pete Times Forum is an arena in Tampa, Florida, that has been used for ice hockey, basketball, and arena football games, as well as concerts.... (Tampa, Florida Tampa, Florida Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709.... ) |
| Toronto Triumph Toronto Triumph The Toronto Triumph is an expansion team in the Lingerie Football League which began play in the 2011-12 season. Based in Toronto, Ontario, the Triumph plays their home games at Ricoh Coliseum.Donna Paul is the team's starting quarterback... |
Ricoh Coliseum Ricoh Coliseum Ricoh Coliseum is an ice hockey and agricultural arena at Exhibition Place in Toronto. It serves as the home arena of the Toronto Marlies, the American Hockey League farm team of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Toronto Triumph of the Lingerie Football League. It was formerly known as the CNE... (Toronto, Ontario) |
| Western Conference | Arena and Location |
| Chicago Bliss Chicago Bliss Chicago Bliss is one of two teams that were introduced to the Lingerie Football League in 2004 .Being defeated by New York Euphoria in the Eastern Final at Lingerie Bowl II in 2005 and again at Lingerie Bowl III in 2006, the team never reached the Final.On... |
Toyota Park Toyota Park (Bridgeview) Toyota Park is a soccer-specific stadium located at 71st Street and Harlem Avenue in Bridgeview, Illinois. It is the home stadium of the Chicago Fire Soccer Club, members of Major League Soccer . Toyota Park was developed at a cost of around $100 million. The facility opened June 11, 2006... (Bridgeview, Illinois Bridgeview, Illinois Bridgeview is a village in Cook County, Illinois in the United States. It is located approximately from the Chicago Loop. As of the 2010 census, the village population was 16,446... ) |
| Green Bay Chill Green Bay Chill The Green Bay Chill is an expansion team in the Lingerie Football League that began play for the 2011–12 season. Based in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the Chill play their home games at Resch Center. The team is coached by former Green Bay Packer Gilbert Brown.... |
Resch Center Resch Center The Resch Center is a 10,200 seat multi-purpose arena, in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin.Built in 2002, it is the home of the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay Phoenix men's basketball team, the Green Bay Gamblers ice hockey team, Green Bay Chill and the Green Bay Blizzard arena football teams.The arena... (Green Bay, Wisconsin Green Bay, Wisconsin Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,... ) |
| Las Vegas Sin Las Vegas Sin The Las Vegas Sin is a team in the Lingerie Football League. It is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.The Sin was originally announced one of four teams that were to be introduced to the league in 2008. The other teams were to be Atlanta Steam, Miami Caliente and San Francisco Seduction... |
Orleans Arena Orleans Arena The Orleans Arena is a 9,500 seat multi-purpose arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is home to the Las Vegas Wranglers ice hockey team, Las Vegas Sin lingerie football team and was the home of the Las Vegas Gladiators arena football team in 2007, and is also an occasional home for the UNLV Rebels... (Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous... ) |
| Los Angeles Temptation Los Angeles Temptation Los Angeles Temptation was one of two teams that established the Lingerie Football League in 2003.The old name Team Dream was used at Lingerie Bowl I, broadcast during Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004... |
Citizens Business Bank Arena (Ontario, California Ontario, California Ontario is a city located in San Bernardino County, California, United States, 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. Located in the western part of the Inland Empire region, it lies just east of the Los Angeles county line and is part of the Greater Los Angeles Area... ) |
| Minnesota Valkyrie Minnesota Valkyrie The Minnesota Valkyrie is an expansion team in the Lingerie Football League set to begin play for the 2011-12 season. Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the team will play their home games at Target Center On March 23, 2011, it was announced that the LFL would added an expansion team to Minneapolis.... |
Target Center Target Center The Target Center is an arena in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is sponsored by Target Corporation. The arena has a capacity of 20,500 people. It contains 702 club seats and 68 suites.... (Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States... ) |
| Seattle Mist Seattle Mist This Seattle Mist are a team in the Lingerie Football League, part of the Lingerie Bowl's expansion into a full-fledged league in 2009. They play their home games at the ShoWare Center in Kent, Washington.-2009-2010 season:... |
ShoWare Center (Kent, Washington Kent, Washington Kent is a city located in King County, Washington, United States, and is the third largest city in King County and the sixth largest in the state. An outlying suburb of Seattle, Kent is also the corporate home for companies such as REI and Oberto Sausage... ) |
Future expansion
LFL Chairman and Commissioner Mitchell S. Mortaza announced that the league offices are in negotiations with ownership groups to bring the LFL to San JoseSan Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
, Houston, Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, Detroit, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, Carolina
The Carolinas
The Carolinas is a term used in the United States to refer collectively to the states of North and South Carolina. Together, the two states + have a population of 13,942,126. "Carolina" would be the fifth most populous state behind California, Texas, New York, and Florida...
, Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
and New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
in the coming seasons.
The league has announced plans to launch leagues in Canada (2012), Australia (2013) and Europe (2014). In 2014, the champions of each of the four leagues will compete in the LFL's first-ever World Bowl in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
LFL Canada
For the 2011-12 LFL season, the All-Fantasy Game was played in Hamilton, OntarioHamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
. This was due in part to the league's announcement that in 2012 there will be a Canadian Lingerie Football League. LFL Canada will consist of a twelve week season with teams in six markets, culminating with the first Canadian Lingerie Bowl on November 24, 2012, the day before the 100th Grey Cup
100th Grey Cup
The 100th Grey Cup will be played to decide the champion for the 2012 CFL season. It will be played on November 25, 2012 at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario.-Host city:...
.
Teams
On September 28, 2011, it was announced that, in addition to the Toronto TriumphToronto Triumph
The Toronto Triumph is an expansion team in the Lingerie Football League which began play in the 2011-12 season. Based in Toronto, Ontario, the Triumph plays their home games at Ricoh Coliseum.Donna Paul is the team's starting quarterback...
currently playing in the regular Lingerie Football League, LFL Canada's other five markets would consist of Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
, and Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
.
LFL Australia
LFL Australia will premiere in 2013, with the league to play the first Australian exhibition game in Spring 2012. SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
and Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
have been designated as the four inaugural season market teams.
LFL Europe
In 2014, LFL Europe is set to debut with teams in BarcelonaBarcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
, Rhein
Rhein
Rhein may refer to* the German word for the Rhine, a major river in Europe* Rhein , a substance in the anthraquinone group found in rhubarb* Rhein, Saskatchewan, a community in Canada...
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and Dublin.
Critical reaction
The league has met with significant criticism. Critics say the league degrades female athletes through "pernicious objectification". Potential players have responded more positively, with one quoted as saying "I just appreciate playing football, I don’t care what they put me in." and another favoring the limited clothing, saying "It’s more comfortable this way." Other players are quoted as viewing the uniforms as a necessary evil, with one saying "Maybe one day, girls won't have to wear lingerie to get people interested [in women's football]." LFL players with experience in track and fieldTrack and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
competitions have noted that the typical LFL uniform is not that much more revealing than typical track uniforms. The league has been accused of fining players for wearing too many clothes, and for not paying medical bills for injured players. The league prohibits players from commenting on personnel matters, a rule that prompted the vast majority of the Toronto Triumph
Toronto Triumph
The Toronto Triumph is an expansion team in the Lingerie Football League which began play in the 2011-12 season. Based in Toronto, Ontario, the Triumph plays their home games at Ricoh Coliseum.Donna Paul is the team's starting quarterback...
, including team captain Krista Ford, to quit in protest in October 2011. Originally a professional league with players receiving a cut of net revenue, Mortaza stopped paying his players beginning in the 2011 season and converted the league into an amateur organization; players also must pay for their own health insurance. League founder Mortaza has admitted that the league is marketed toward "mostly beer-drinking college students aged 21 and up."