Titans, four other teams 2018 returns confirmed by IFL

[DiamondThief]

7/25/17 --

The Cedar Rapids Titans will be back in the Indoor Football League for the 2018 season, the league confirmed today in an announcement on its official website.

Due to financial concerns there was wide speculation that the team would fold. The Titans finished the 2015 season with a league-worst 1-15 record, and did not win a home game. Some of the speculation included the team's performance this season.

A SCtoC source has told this site that the team has been a financial drain on ownership, but it made more sense from a tax standpoint to return the team for another season.

The Titans began IFL play in 2012 and made the playoffs in four straight seasons from 2013 through 2016, losing to eventual the eventual champion Sioux Falls Storm in the United Conference Championship game in each of those four years.

In their six seasons in the IFL, the Titans have amassed a 46-41 regular season record and a 1-4 mark in the playoffs.

The IFL also announced that the Arizona Rattlers, Green Bay Blizzard, Iowa Barnstormers and Nebraska Danger will all also be back for 2018.

Curiously absent are the Sioux Falls Storm, which have appeared in the past eight United Bowls, winning six straight from 2011-16. Also absent from the list of returnees are the Wichita Falls Nighthawks. Unconfirmed speculation is that the Nighthawks are seriously considering a jump to Champions Indoor Football.

Two weeks ago, the Spokane Empire announced that it was ceasing operations for 2018 with the hopes of attracting new ownership for the following years.

The Salt Lake Screaming Eagles and Colorado Crush, both owned by Project FANchise would appear to be done in the IFL. FANchise founder Sohrob Farudi has confirmed that the Screaming Eagles were to fold at the end of the season while that ownership begins its own eight-team, interactive football league, likely in Las Vegas.

The Crush could be salvaged should a new owner for that franchise be able to be found.

The IFL said in its statement that it expects to make other team movement announcements during the off season.

Click for SCtoC's Cedar Rapids Titans Vital Statistics page and the Titans 2017 IFL Schedule.

- ANM


To comment on this thread and others on this forum, please login or register.

[spiderfan]

I wonder what is up with Sioux Falls. Are they going to the NAL or CIF? Folding?

[David]

Jul 25, 2017 13:52:00 GMT -8 spiderfan said:

I wonder what is up with Sioux Falls. Are they going to the NAL or CIF? Folding?

I've heard that SFS tends to renew their agreement with the IFL towards the end of August, near the September 1st cutoff.

That said, Kurtis Riggs did say that the CIF, while it would purge their roster, makes sense in terms of geography.

No Wichita Falls mention fuels the idea they may jump to the CIF, while it sounds like Colorado and Salt Lake are gone.

[SurferGirl]

This seems like good news. I think Sioux Falls will return. It would look pretty sad if they win six United Bowls and then bail after losing just one. I also think there are a couple more teams which still could be added over the coming months. Wasn't it October when the Rattlers announced they were moving to the IFL. I figure we have about that long to see a team jump to the IFL from another league or see a potential expansion team be announced.

[Nevadanut]

I too think the Storm will be back. They are too much of a staple in the IFL to leave at this point.