List of Arena Football League teams

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The Tampa Bay Storm, formed as the Pittsburgh Gladiators in 1987, was the oldest franchise in the AFL (and the last remaining inaugural team) before folding in 2017.

The following is a list of Arena Football League (AFL) teams. The AFL was a professional indoor American football league based in the United States.

The AFL started play with the 1987 season, featuring the Chicago Bruisers, the Denver Dynamite, the Pittsburgh Gladiators and the Washington Commandos. The Pittsburgh franchise became the Tampa Bay Storm in 1991 - they were the only franchise remaining from the inaugural 1987 season still operating until the 2017 season; after that season, they announced an indefinite suspension of operations, leaving open the possibility of returning in the future if the league were restructured in such a way as to make operation of a franchise potentially profitable.

As of the 2019 season, the final season in league history, 65 different franchises (operating under 85 different names when allowing for a franchise changing city or name) had competed in the AFL, of which 60 either left to compete in another indoor football league, suspended operations, or folded outright. At its height, the AFL featured 19 teams competing in the same season: 2001, 2004 and 2007.

Following the 2019 season, the AFL announced the closure of all its teams, but not the league itself. The league mulled over plans to operate with a touring format, with each week's games in a different arena and no set homes for any of its teams (much like the Premier Lacrosse League, BIG3, and most individual sports); however, league commissioner Randall Boe announced the league's filing for bankruptcy and cessation of operations on November 27, 2019.[1]

## Franchises active at the time of the 2019 bankruptcy

[edit]

Team  | City  | Arena  | Founded  | Joined

|
|
|
|

Albany Empire | Albany, New York | Times Union Center | 2017  | 2018
Atlantic City Blackjacks | Atlantic City, New Jersey | Boardwalk Hall | 2019
Baltimore Brigade | Baltimore, Maryland | Royal Farms Arena | 2016  | 2017
Columbus Destroyers | Columbus, Ohio | Nationwide Arena | 1999  | 2019
Philadelphia Soul | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Wells Fargo Center | 2004
Washington Valor | Washington, DC | Capital One Arena | 2016  | 2017

## Expansions and contractions

[edit]

The Arena Football League expanded and contracted many times throughout its history. Between 1987 and 2018, every year in the AFL had at least one team fold, relocate, or change names. There were never two consecutive seasons in which the league had exactly the same lineup of cities. The league reached its maximum size in the 2001, 2004 and 2007 seasons, in which 19 teams competed in each instance. The league was then primarily contracting from 2011 to 2018, either dropping teams proving to be financially unfeasible or having teams depart because of concerns about the financial structure or travel distances.[citation needed] In 2019, the league had its first season in which all teams returned from the previous season, where the league had tied a record low of four active members.

Year  | # of teams  | Expansion teams  | Folded teams  | Teams in a new League  | Suspended teams  | Returning teams  | Relocated teams  | Name changes

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1987  | 4  | Chicago Bruisers
Denver Dynamite
Pittsburgh Gladiators
Washington Commandos |  |  |  |  |  |
1988  | 6  | Detroit Drive
Los Angeles Cobras
New England Steamrollers
New York Knights |  |  | Denver Dynamite
Washington Commandos |  |  |
1989  | 5  |  | Los Angeles Cobras
New England Steamrollers
New York Knights  |  |  | Denver Dynamite
Maryland Commandos  |  | Maryland Commandos
(from Washington)
1990  | 6  | Albany Firebirds
Dallas Texans | Chicago Bruisers  |  |  |  |  | Washington Commandos
(from Maryland)
1991  | 8  | Columbus Thunderbolts
New Orleans Night
Orlando Predators | Washington Commandos  |  |  |  | Pittsburgh → Tampa Bay Storm |
1992  | 12  | Arizona Rattlers
Charlotte Rage
Cincinnati Rockers
Sacramento Attack
San Antonio Force | Denver Dynamite  |  |  |  | Columbus → Cleveland Thunderbolts  |
1993  | 10  |  | New Orleans Night
San Antonio Force  |  |  |  | Sacramento → Miami Hooters  |
1994  | 11  | Fort Worth Cavalry
Las Vegas Sting
Milwaukee Mustangs | Cincinnati Rockers
Dallas Texans  |  |  |  | Detroit → Massachusetts Marauders  |
1995  | 13  | Connecticut Coyotes
Iowa Barnstormers
Memphis Pharaohs
St. Louis Stampede
San Jose SaberCats | Cleveland Thunderbolts |  | Massachusetts Marauders
Fort Worth Cavalry  |  |  |
1996  | 15  | Texas Terror |  |  |  |  | Las Vegas → Anaheim Piranhas
Fort Worth → Minnesota Fighting Pike
(dormant from 1995)  | Florida Bobcats
(from Miami Hooters)
1997  | 14  | Nashville Kats
New Jersey Red Dogs
New York CityHawks | Charlotte Rage
Connecticut Coyotes
Minnesota Fighting Pike
St. Louis Stampede  |  |  |  | Memphis → Portland Forest Dragons  |
1998  | 14  |  | Anaheim Piranhas  |  |  |  | Massachusetts Marauders → Grand Rapids Rampage
(dormant for three years)  | Houston Thunderbears
(from Texas Terror)
1999  | 15  | Buffalo Destroyers |  |  |  |  | New York → New England Sea Wolves  |
2000  | 17  | Carolina Cobras
Los Angeles Avengers |  |  |  |  | Portland → Oklahoma Wranglers |
2001  | 19  | Chicago Rush
Detroit Fury |  |  |  |  | Albany → Indiana Firebirds
Iowa → New York Dragons
New England → Toronto Phantoms | New Jersey Gladiators
(from New Jersey Red Dogs)
2002  | 16  | Dallas Desperados | Florida Bobcats
Houston Thunderbears
Milwaukee Mustangs
Oklahoma Wranglers  |  |  |  | Nashville → Georgia Force[notes 1] |
2003  | 16  | Colorado Crush | Toronto Phantoms  |  |  |  | New Jersey → Las Vegas Gladiators |
2004  | 19  | Austin Wranglers
New Orleans VooDoo
Philadelphia Soul |  |  |  |  | Buffalo → Columbus Destroyers |
2005  | 17  | Nashville Kats | Carolina Cobras
Detroit Fury
Indiana Firebirds  |  |  |  |  |
2006  | 18  | Kansas City Brigade
Utah Blaze |  |  | New Orleans VooDoo  |  |  |
2007  | 19  |  |  |  |  | New Orleans VooDoo  |  |
2008
| 17  |  | Nashville Kats  | Austin Wranglers (af2)  |  |  | Las Vegas → Cleveland Gladiators |
2009
| 0  |  | New Orleans VooDoo
Los Angeles Avengers  |  | Arizona Rattlers
Chicago Rush
Cleveland Gladiators
Colorado Crush
Columbus Destroyers
Dallas Desperados
Georgia Force
Grand Rapids Rampage
Kansas City Brigade
New York Dragons
Orlando Predators
Philadelphia Soul
San Jose SaberCats
Tampa Bay Storm
Utah Blaze  |  |  |
2010
| 15  | Alabama Vipers*
Bossier–Shreveport Battle Wings*
Dallas Vigilantes
Iowa Barnstormers*
Jacksonville Sharks
Milwaukee Iron*
Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz*
Spokane Shock*
Tulsa Talons*
(* Promoted from af2)  |  |  |  | Arizona Rattlers
Chicago Rush
Cleveland Gladiators
Orlando Predators
Tampa Bay Storm
Utah Blaze  |  |
2011
| 18  | Pittsburgh Power | Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz |  |  | Kansas City Command
Philadelphia Soul
San Jose SaberCats  | Alabama Vipers → Georgia Force
Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings → New Orleans VooDoo[2] | Kansas City Command
(from Kansas City Brigade)

Milwaukee Mustangs
(from Milwaukee Iron)
2012
| 17  |  | Dallas Vigilantes |  |  |  | Tulsa Talons → San Antonio Talons |
2013
| 14  |  | Georgia Force
Kansas City Command |  | Milwaukee Mustangs |  |  |
2014
| 14  | Los Angeles Kiss | Chicago Rush
Utah Blaze |  |  |  | Milwaukee Mustangs → Portland Thunder |
2015
| 12  | Las Vegas Outlaws | Pittsburgh Power
San Antonio Talons | Iowa Barnstormers (Indoor Football League)  |  |  |  |
2016  | 8  |  | Las Vegas Outlaws
New Orleans VooDoo
San Jose SaberCats | Spokane Shock (Indoor Football League as Spokane Empire)  |  |  |  | Portland Steel
(from Portland Thunder)
2017  | 5  | Baltimore Brigade
Washington Valor[3][4] | Los Angeles Kiss
Orlando Predators
Portland Steel | Arizona Rattlers (Indoor Football League)
Jacksonville Sharks (National Arena League)  |  |  |  |
2018  | 4  | Albany Empire | Tampa Bay Storm |  | Cleveland Gladiators |  |  |
2019  | 6  | Atlantic City Blackjacks |  |  |  | Columbus Destroyers |  |
2020  | 0  |  | Albany Empire
Atlantic City Blackjacks
Baltimore Brigade
Cleveland Gladiators
Columbus Destroyers
Philadelphia Soul
Washington Valor |  |  |  |  |
Year  | # of teams  | Expansion teams  | Folded teams  | Teams in a new League  | Suspended teams  | Returning teams  | Relocated teams  | Name changes

## List of franchises

[edit]

Team  | First AFL season  | Final AFL season  | Previous name(s)  | Previous name(s) season(s)  | Notes

|
|
|
|
|

Alabama Vipers | 2010 | 2010 | Tennessee Valley Vipers
Tennessee Valley Raptors  | 2000–2004, 2006–2009
2005  | Franchise founded in af2 in 2000, then moved to United Indoor Football in 2005. Rejoined af2 in 2006, then joined new AFL in 2010. Moved to Georgia and became the reincarnated Georgia Force for the 2011 season.
Albany Empire | 2018 | 2019 |  |  | Team closed and subsequently folded with league's 2019 bankruptcy.
Anaheim Piranhas | 1994 | 1997 | Las Vegas Sting  | 1994–1995 | Reason for cession of operations:
Owner C. David Baker became league Commissioner.
Arizona Rattlers | 1992 | 2016 |  |  | Moved to Indoor Football League.
Atlantic City Blackjacks | 2019 | 2019 |  |  | Team closed and subsequently folded with league's 2019 bankruptcy.
Austin Wranglers | 2004 | 2007 |  |  | Moved to af2, folded.
Baltimore Brigade | 2017 | 2019 |  |  | Team closed and subsequently folded with league's 2019 bankruptcy.
Carolina Cobras | 2000 | 2004 |  |  |
Charlotte Rage | 1992 | 1996 |  |  |
Chicago Politicians | 1986 | 1986  |  |  | Playtest game only.
Chicago Bruisers | 1987 | 1989 |  |  |
Chicago Rush | 2001 | 2013 |  |  | Suspended operations and never returned.
Cincinnati Rockers | 1992 | 1993 |  |  |
Cleveland Thunderbolts | 1991 | 1994 | Columbus Thunderbolts  | 1991  |
Cleveland Gladiators | 1997 | 2017 | New Jersey Red Dogs
New Jersey Gladiators
Las Vegas Gladiators  | 1997–2000
2001–2002
2003–2007  | Had planned to return in 2020 before the league went bankrupt.
Colorado Crush | 2003 | 2008 |  |  | Not to be confused with the Colorado Ice, which formed in 2007 in United Indoor Football (part of the Indoor Football League merger) and later took on the Crush name before folding after that league's 2017 season.
Columbus Destroyers | 1999
2019 | 2008
2019 | Buffalo Destroyers  | 1999–2003  | Inactive from 2008 to 2019. Returned for the 2019 season, then closed and subsequently folded with the league's bankruptcy.
Connecticut Coyotes | 1995 | 1996 |  |  | Attempted and failed to sell the franchise.
Dallas Desperados | 2002 | 2008 |  |  | Replaced by Dallas Vigilantes
Dallas Texans | 1990 | 1993 |  |  |
Dallas Vigilantes | 2010 | 2011 |  |  |
Denver Dynamite | 1987 | 1991 |  |  | Inactive for 1988.
Detroit Fury | 2001 | 2004 |  |  |
Florida Bobcats | 1992 | 2001 | Sacramento Attack,
Miami Hooters  | 1992,
1993–1995 |
Fort Worth Cavalry | 1994 | 1994  |  |  |
Georgia Force | 2002 | 2012 |  |  | Inactive for 2010 season.
Grand Rapids Rampage | 1998 | 2008 |  |  |
Houston ThunderBears | 1996 | 2001 | Texas Terror  | 1996–1997 |
Indiana Firebirds | 1990 | 2004 | Albany Firebirds  | 1990–2000 | Albany Firebirds name and logo returned in af2 in 2009, replacing the Albany Conquest.
Iowa Barnstormers | 2010 | 2014 |  |  | Original franchise became the New York Dragons following 2000 season; the revived franchise launched in AF2 in 2008 and rejoined the AFL in 2010. Team left following the 2014 season for the Indoor Football League.
Jacksonville Sharks | 2010 | 2016 |  |  | Left the AFL for the new National Arena League.
Kansas City Command | 2006 | 2012 | Kansas City Brigade  | 2006–2008  | Inactive for the 2010 season
Las Vegas Outlaws | 2015 | 2015  |  |  |
Los Angeles Avengers | 2000 | 2008 |  |  |
Los Angeles Cobras | 1988 | 1988  |  |  |
Los Angeles Kiss | 2014 | 2016 |  |  |
Massachusetts Marauders | 1988 | 1994 | Detroit Drive  | 1988–1993 |
Miami Vise | 1987 | 1987  |  | Showcase game only.  |
Milwaukee Mustangs | 1994 | 2001 |  |  |
Milwaukee Mustangs | 2010 | 2012 | Milwaukee Iron  | 2010  | Inactive for the 2013 season, team moved to Portland for 2014 and became the Portland Thunder
Minnesota Fighting Pike | 1996 | 1996  |  |  |
Nashville Kats | 1997 | 2007  |  |  | Returned as the Nashville Kats in 2005.
New England Steamrollers | 1988 | 1988  |  |  |
New Orleans Night | 1991 | 1992 |  |  |
New Orleans VooDoo | 2004 | 2008 |  |  | Did not play 2006 season.
2011 | 2015 | Bossier–Shreveport Battle Wings | 2010 | Bossier-Shreveport moved to New Orleans and became the VooDoo after coming back from the af2.
New York Dragons | 1995 | 2008 | Iowa Barnstormers  | 1995–2000 | Barnstormers name returned in 2010 with a new AFL team.
New York Knights | 1988 | 1988  |  |  |
Oklahoma Wranglers | 1995 | 2001 | Memphis Pharaohs,
Portland Forest Dragons  | 1995–1996,
1997–1998 |
Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz | 2010 | 2010  |  |  |
Orlando Predators | 1991 | 2016 |  |  | Suspended operations
Philadelphia Soul | 2004 | 2019 |  |  | Team closed and subsequently folded with the league's 2019 bankruptcy.
Pittsburgh Power | 2011 | 2014 |  |  | Suspended operations.
Portland Steel | 2014 | 2016 | Portland Thunder  | 2014–2015  |
Rockford Metros | 1986  | 1986  |  |  | Playtest game only.
San Antonio Force | 1992 | 1992  |  |  |
San Antonio Talons | 2012  | 2014 | Tulsa Talons  | 1999–2011  | Franchise started as the Tulsa Talons in af2 back in 1999. Joined the new AFL in 2010 and relocated to San Antonio in 2012.
San Jose SaberCats | 1995  | 2015  |  |  |
Spokane Shock | 2010  | 2015 |  |  | Franchise started in af2 in 2005. Joined the new AFL in 2010. Team left for the IFL after 2015 season. Team later folded in 2017, before being resurrected for the 2020 IFL season.
St. Louis Stampede | 1995 | 1996 |  |  |
Tampa Bay Storm | 1987 | 2017 | Pittsburgh Gladiators  | 1987–1990 | Ceased operations
Toronto Phantoms | 1997 | 2002 | New York CityHawks,
New England Sea Wolves  | 1997–1998,
1999–2000 |
Utah Blaze | 2006 | 2013 |  |  | Suspended operations.
Washington Commandos | 1987 | 1990 | Maryland Commandos  | 1989 | Did not play the 1988 season.
Washington Valor | 2017 | 2019 |  |  | Team closed and subsequently folded with the league's 2019 bankruptcy.

## Timeline

[edit]

## See also

[edit]

* List of Arena Football League arenas

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ The history of the Kats stayed in Nashville, similar to the agreement made between the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens of the NFL.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Gleeson, Scott (November 27, 2019), "Arena Football League files for bankruptcy, ceases all operations", USA Today, retrieved November 27, 2019
2. ^ Nakia Hogan, The Times-Picayune. "The New Orleans VooDoo and the Arena Football League are returning". NOLA.com. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
3. ^ Ted Leonsis close to securing Arena Football League team to play at Verizon Center, Jonathan O'Connell and Dan Steinberg, Washington Post, February 10, 2016
4. ^ Ted Leonsis to announce D.C. is getting an Arena Football League team, Scott Allen, The Washington Post, March 10, 2016

## External links

[edit]

* Arena Football League official website

* v
* t
* e

Arena Football League

* Alabama Vipers (2010)
* Albany Empire (2018–2019)
* Anaheim Piranhas (1994–1997)
* Arizona Rattlers (1992–2016)
* Atlantic City Blackjacks (2019)
* Austin Wranglers (2004–2007)
* Baltimore Brigade (2017–2019)
* Bossier–Shreveport Battle Wings (2010)
* Carolina Cobras (2000–2004)
* Charlotte Rage (1992–1996)
* Chicago Bruisers (1987–1989)
* Chicago Politicians (1986)
* Chicago Rush (2001–2013)
* Cincinnati Rockers (1992–1993)
* Cleveland Thunderbolts (1991–1994)
* Colorado Crush (2003–2008)
* Columbus Destroyers (1999–2008, 2019)
* Connecticut Coyotes (1995–1996)
* Dallas Desperados (2002–2008)
* Dallas Texans (1990–1993)
* Dallas Vigilantes (2010–2011)
* Denver Dynamite (1987, 1989–1991)
* Detroit Fury (2001–2004)
* Florida Bobcats (1992–2001)
* Fort Worth Cavalry (1994)
* Georgia Force (2002–2008, 2011–2012)
* Grand Rapids Rampage (1998–2008)
* Houston ThunderBears (1996–2001)
* Indiana Firebirds (1990–2004)
* Iowa Barnstormers (2010–2014)
* Jacksonville Sharks (2010–2016)
* Kansas City Brigade/Command (2006–2012)
* Las Vegas Outlaws (2015)
* Los Angeles Avengers (2000–2008)
* Los Angeles Cobras (1988)
* Los Angeles Kiss (2014–2016)
* Massachusetts Marauders (1988–1994)
* Miami Vise (1987)
* Milwaukee Mustangs (1994–2001)
* Milwaukee Iron/Mustangs (2010–2012)
* Minnesota Fighting Pike (1996)
* Nashville Kats (1997–2001, 2005-2007)
* New England Steamrollers (1988)
* New Orleans Night (1991–1992)
* New Orleans VooDoo (2004–2005, 2007–2008, 2011–2015)
* New York Dragons (1995–2008)
* New York Knights (1988)
* Oklahoma Wranglers (1995–2001)
* Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz (2010)
* Orlando Predators (1991–2016)
* Philadelphia Soul (2004–2019)
* Pittsburgh Power (2011–2014)
* Portland Thunder/Steel (2014–2016)
* Rockford Metros (1986)
* San Antonio Force (1992)
* San Antonio Talons (2010–2014)
* San Jose SaberCats (1995–2008, 2011–2015)
* Spokane Shock (2010–2015)
* St. Louis Stampede (1995–1996)
* Tampa Bay Storm (1987–2017)
* Toronto Phantoms (1997–2002)
* Utah Blaze (2006–2008, 2010–2013)
* Washington Commandos (1987–1989)
* Washington Valor (2017–2019)

* Arena football
* af2
* AFL arenas
* ArenaBowl
* All-Arena
* Hall of Fame
* List of franchises
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* Video games

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