Post by David on Nov 18, 2020 12:00:10 GMT -8
The following is the full schedule for the 2021 IFL season. This updated schedule replaces the previous schedule which was released in the middle of November, 2020. The updates are basically a postponement of the season due to concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccine roll out in regards to the virus.
The Indoor Football League looks to bounce back in 2021 after seeing the majority of its 2020 season wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic. The league only completed one week of games, in which only four teams were in action. The Quad City Steamwheelers defeated the Cedar Rapids River Kings 54-39 in Cedar Rapids, while the San Diego Strike Force dominated the Bismarck Bucks 50-36 in the Bucks' home opener.
Due to no champion officially crowned in 2020, once again the Sioux Falls Storm will seek to defend its 2019 United Bowl Championship. That season, Sioux Falls won the United Bowl after derailing the Arizona Rattlers' perfect season bid.
The league will yield 12 teams in 2021, down from 13 in 2020. Due to the financial hardships and state restrictions relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, four teams that were apart of the 2020 season will be dormant for 2021: the Cedar Rapids River Kings, Oakland Panthers, Quad City Steamwheelers, and San Diego Strike Force. The River Kings, Panthers and Strike Force, which have an ownership stake by Roy Choi, intend to return to play in 2022. The Steamwheelers, citing COVID-19 restrictions in the state of Illinois that affects fans attending games, opted to sit out the 2021 season with the full intention of re-joining in 2022.
The Columbus Wild Dogs, the new expansion team owned by the Germain family, were announced in 2020 with the intention of beginning play in 2021. However, due to the pandemic, the Wild Dogs will aim to make their debut in 2022.
The league will see a total of three new teams make their debut in 2021 with the additions of the Massachusetts Prates and two new expansion teams in the Northern Arizona Wranglers, and Louisville Xtreme.
The Massachusetts Pirates, the IFL's current most eastern team, join the IFL after spending the past three seasons in the National Arena League. The Pirates amassed a 19-11 overall regular season record, with two playoff appearances from 2018-2019. Like the IFL, the NAL was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and never played a down in 2020. The Pirates, coached by ex-New England Patriots RB/FB Patrick Pass, play their games at the DCU Center.
The Northern Arizona Wranglers mark the return of the IFL to Prescott Valley, Arizona. The first team, the Arizona Adrenaline, played one season in the IFL in 2011 with a 1-13 record. Coached by former Duke City Gladiators head coach Dominic Bramante, the Wranglers will play at the Findlay Toyota Center.
The Louisville Xtreme, a late addition to the IFL, mark the return of professional indoor football to the Louisville since the af2's Louisville Fire (2001-2008). The Xtreme were to play in the American Arena League in 2020, but that was cancelled as well due to COVID-19. Months earlier, the Xtreme were set to be members of the National Arena League, but saw its membership dismissed due to failure of providing the league with "mandidated letters of credit." Louisville is coached by longtime indoor/arena veteran coach Mark Stoute, previously head coach of the Cedar Rapids River Kings in 2019, and will play their home games at Freedom Hall.
The base schedule has each team playing 14 games over 15 weeks, with each having a bye. Additionally, the Bismarck Bucks, Green Bay Blizzard, Louisville Xtreme and Massachusetts Pirates have opted to play an additional two games each. The extra games will count against those teams' standings. All teams will have equal games at home versus on the road regardless of the total number of games they play.
Week 1 will feature the full slate of games, including the IFL debuts of teams who joined in 2020 that never saw the game action field; the Duke City Gladiators, Frisco Fighters, and Spokane Shock.
Originally intended for 2020, the IFL's playoff format will mark the first time since 2012 that the IFL Playoffs will yield eight teams, up from six teams last in 2019. The first round of the playoffs will see all eight playoff contenders in action during the weekend of weekend of July 30th with the #1 team playing the #8 seed, the #2 team playing the #7 seed, and so-on. The Semifinal round, which has become the unofficial United and Intense Conference Championship games, will occur the weekend of August 6th. After one full week off, the 2021 United Bowl will take place the weekend of August 20th.
UPDATE (6/14/21) -- This schedule is updated to reflect cancelled games involving the Louisville Xtreme. The team was eliminated from the IFL's slate due to not meeting financial obligations.
UPDATE (6/19/21) -- The Gladiators will play the remainder of their home games at Rio Rancho Events Center this season due to their home arena, Tingley Coliseum, being utilized as a COVID-19 vaccination site.
UPDATE (7/28/21) - As of July 16th, the home arena for the Arizona Rattlers has been renamed the Footprint Center. Known as Talking Stick Resort Arena from 2015-2020, and PHX Arena/Phoenix Suns Arena from November 6, 2020 to July 16.
Each week's games will appear most recent at the top of the post. Final results will be updated following the conclusion of the games and listed in ascending order. Where applicable, click on the final score to view the IFL's game tracker for the complete box score, and click the Recap link to read the SCtoC recap of the game.
NOTE: All game times are listed in the Pacific timezone and are subject to change.
All games will be streamed on the IFL's Official YouTube Channel except for those on the Stadium television network. Those games are noted in the schedule below.
Playoffs
2021 UNITED BOWL
Sun., September 12: #2 Massachusetts Pirates 37, #1 Arizona Rattlers (H) 34 (OT) - Recap
SEMIFINALS
Sat., September 4 - #2 Massachusetts Pirates (H) 43, #3 Frisco Fighters 22 - Recap
Sun., September 5 - #1 Arizona Rattlers (H) 58, #5 Duke City Gladiators 55 - Recap
FIRST ROUND
Sat., August 28: #2 Massachusetts Pirates (H) 44, #7 Bismarck Bucks 19 - Recap
Sat., August 28: #3 Frisco Fighters (H) 44, #6 Spokane Shock 33 - Recap
Sat., August 28: #5 Duke City Gladiators 34, #4 Iowa Barnstormers (H) 33 - Recap
Sun., August 29: #1 Arizona Rattlers (H) 69, #8 Sioux Falls Storm 42 - Recap
FINAL REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS
Regular Season
WEEK 18
Sat., August 21 - Massachusetts Pirates (H) 55, Iowa Barnstormers 19 - Recap
Sat., August 21 - Sioux Falls Storm (H) 58, Green Bay Blizzard 33 - Recap
Sat., August 21 - Arizona Rattlers (H) 55, Frisco Fighters 38 - Recap
Sat., August 21 - Duke City Gladiators (H) 57, Bismarck Bucks 45 - Recap
Sat., August 21 - Tucson Sugar Skulls 56, Northern Arizona Wranglers (H) 38 - Recap
Bye - Spokane Shock
WEEK 17
Fri., August 13 - Arizona Rattlers 30, Spokane Shock (H) 20 - Recap
Sat., August 14 - Frisco Fighters (H) 38, Green Bay Blizzard 20 - Recap
Sat., August 14 - Iowa Barnstormers (H) 55, Sioux Falls Storm 49 (OT) - Recap
Sat., August 14 - Tucson Sugar Skulls (H) 63, Duke City Gladiators 59 - Recap
Sun., August 15 - Massachusetts Pirates 51, Northern Arizona Wranglers (H) 16 - Recap
Bye - Bismarck Bucks
WEEK 16
Sat., August 7 - Massachusetts Pirates (H) 50, Green Bay Blizzard 33
Sat., August 7 - Frisco Fighters (H) 45, Spokane Shock 34
Sat., August 7 - Iowa Barnstormers (H) 48, Bismarck Bucks 41
Sun., August 8 - Duke City Gladiators (H) 71, Northern Arizona Wranglers 11 - Recap
Sun., August 8 - Arizona Rattlers (H) 55, Tucson Sugar Skulls 28 - Recap
Bye - Sioux Falls Storm
WEEK 15
Sat., July 31 - Bismarck Bucks (H) 41, Green Bay Blizzard 30 - Recap
Sat., July 31 - Frisco Fighters 37, Sioux Falls Storm (H) 33 - Recap
Sat., July 31 - Tucson Sugar Skulls (H) 48, Northern Arizona Wranglers 46 (3OT)
Sat., July 31 - Arizona Rattlers (H) 60, Duke City Gladiators 48
Sat., July 31 - Massachusetts Prates 63, Spokane Shock (H) 57 (2OT) - Recap
Bye - Iowa Barnstormers
WEEK 14
Sat., July 24 - Duke City Gladiators (H) 68, Spokane Shock 61
Sat., July 24 - Green Bay Blizzard 34, Iowa Barnstormers (H) 26
Sat., July 24 - Frisco Fighters (H) 33, Northern Arizona Wranglers 30
Sat., July 24 - Tucson Sugar Skulls (H) 34, Bismarck Bucks 27
Sat., July 24 - Arizona Rattlers (H) 59, Sioux Falls Storm 33
Bye - Massachusetts Pirates
WEEK 13
Fri., July 16 - Bismarck Bucks (H) 43, Frisco Fighters 42 - Recap
Sat., July 17 - Spokane Shock (H) 45, Tucson Sugar Skulls 34 - Recap
Sat., July 17 - Duke City Gladiators 71, Northern Arizona Wranglers (H) 54 - Recap
Sun., July 18 - Massachusetts Pirates (H) 68, Arizona Rattlers 44 - Recap
Sun., July 18 - Sioux Falls Storm 31, Green Bay Blizzard (H) 21 - Recap
Bye - Iowa Barnstormers
WEEK 12
Fri., July 9 - Frisco Fighters (H) 42, Iowa Barnstormers 35 - Recap
Sat., July 10 - Massachusetts Pirates (H) 43, Bismarck Bucks 38 - Recap
Sat., July 10 - Spokane Shock (H) 46, Sioux Falls Storm 35
Sat., July 10 - Arizona Rattlers (H) 62, Northern Arizona Wranglers 19 - Recap
Sat., July 10 - Tucson Sugar Skulls (H) 41, Duke City Gladiators 40 - Recap
Bye - Green Bay Blizzard
WEEK 11
Sat., July 3 - Massachusetts Pirates 38, Frisco Fighters (H) 37 - Recap
Sat., July 3 - Duke City Gladiators (H) 52, Northern Arizona Wranglers 38 - Recap
Sat., July 3 - Arizona Rattlers 54, Tucson Sugar Skulls (H) 38 - Recap
Byes - Bismarck Bucks, Green Bay Blizzard, Iowa Barnstormers, Sioux Falls Storm, Spokane Shock
WEEK 10
Fri., June 25 - Green Bay Blizzard (H) 48, Iowa Barnstormers 44 - Recap
Fri., June 25 - Arizona Rattlers (H) 56, Spokane Shock 35 - Recap
Sat., June 26 - Northern Arizona Wranglers (H) 48, Tucson Sugar Skulls 44 - Recap
Sat., June 26 - Sioux Falls Storm (H) 52, Bismarck Bucks 27
Sat., June 26 - Frisco Fighters 53, Duke City Gladiators (H) 48
Bye - Massachusetts Pirates
WEEK 9
Fri., June 18 - Bismarck Bucks 50, Green Bay Blizzard (H) 29 - Recap
Sat., June 19 - Iowa Barnstormers (H) 57, Sioux Falls Storm 47 - Recap
Sat., June 19 - Arizona Rattlers 51, Duke City Gladiators (H) 36 - Recap
Sat., June 19 - Massachusetts Pirates 37, Tucson Sugar Skulls (H) 34
Sat., June 19 - Spokane Shock (H) 63, Northern Arizona Wranglers 37
WEEK 8
Sat., June 12 - Frisco Fighters 40, Massachusetts Pirates (H) 33 - Recap
Sat., June 12 - Bismarck Bucks (H) 53, Iowa Barnstormers 22 - Recap
Sat., June 12 -
Sat., June 12 - Spokane Shock 50, Sioux Falls Storm (H) 32 - Recap
Sat., June 12 - Arizona Rattlers (H) 44, Tucson Sugar Skulls 34 - Recap
Sat., June 12 - Duke City Gladiators 34, Northern Arizona Wranglers (H) 17 - Recap
WEEK 7
Fri., June 4 - Arizona Rattlers 41, Green Bay Blizzard (H) 34 - Recap
Sat., June 5 - Massachusetts Pirates (H) 42, Louisville Xtreme 37 - Recap
Sat., June 5 - Sioux Falls Storm 64, Bismarck Bucks (H) 28 - Recap
Sat., June 5 - Frisco Fighters (H) 58, Duke City Gladiators 57 - Recap
Sat., June 5 - Spokane Shock 42, Northern Arizona Wranglers (H) 24
Sat., June 5 - Iowa Barnstormers 33, Tucson Sugar Skulls (H) 13
WEEK 6
Sat., May 29 - Sioux Falls Storm 49, Louisville Xtreme (H) 43 - Recap
Sat., May 29 - Iowa Barnstormers (H) 49, Bismarck Bucks 42 - Recap
Sun., May 30 - Tucson Sugar Skulls 55, Duke City Gladiators (H) 35 - Recap
Byes - Arizona Rattlers, Frisco Fighters, Green Bay Blizzard, Massachusetts Pirates, Northern Arizona Wranglers, Spokane Shock
WEEK 5
Fri., May 21 - Green Bay Blizzard (H) 42, Tucson Sugar Skulls 36 - Recap
Sat., May 22 - Spokane Shock 34, Massachusetts Pirates (H) 26
Sat., May 22 - Frisco Fighters 34, Louisville Xtreme (H) 26
Sat., May 22 - Bismarck Bucks (H) 61, Northern Arizona Wranglers 39 - Recap
Sat., May 22 - Duke City Gladiators 63, Iowa Barnstormers (H) 55 (OT) - Recap
Sat., May 22 - Sioux Falls Storm (H) 50, Arizona Rattlers 46 - Recap
WEEK 4
Sat., May 15 - Bismarck Bucks (H) 58, Green Bay Blizzard 46 - Recap
Sat., May 15 - Iowa Barnstormers 56, Sioux Falls Storm (H) 36 - Recap
Sat., May 15 - Frisco Fighters 36, Spokane Shock (H) 33 - Recap
Sun., May 16 - Arizona Rattlers 51, Northern Arizona Wranglers (H) 20 - Recap
Byes - Duke City Gladiators, Louisville Xtreme, Massachusetts Pirates, Tucson Sugar Skulls
WEEK 3
Fri., May 7 - Green Bay Blizzard (H) 49, Louisville Xtreme 29 - Recap
Sat., May 8 - Massachusetts Pirates 36, Bismarck Bucks (H) 18 - Recap
Byes - Arizona Rattlers, Duke City Gladiators, Frisco Fighters, Iowa Barnstormers, Northern Arizona Wranglers, Sioux Falls Storm, Spokane Shock, Tucson Sugar Skulls
WEEK 2
Sun., May 2 - Green Bay Blizzard (H) 40, Massachusetts Pirates 36 - Recap
Byes - Arizona Rattlers, Bismarck Bucks, Duke City Gladiators, Frisco Fighters, Iowa Barnstormers, Louisville Xtreme, Northern Arizona Wranglers, Sioux Falls Storm, Spokane Shock, Tucson Sugar Skulls
WEEK 1
Fri., April 23 - Bismarck Bucks 41, Green Bay Blizzard (H) 35 - Recap
Sat., April 24 - Massachusetts Pirates 49, Louisville Xtreme (H) 19 - Recap
Byes - Arizona Rattlers, Duke City Gladiators, Frisco Fighters, Iowa Barnstormers, Northern Arizona Wranglers, Sioux Falls Storm, Spokane Shock, Tucson Sugar Skulls
IFL Team Venues
Arizona Rattlers - Footprint Center; Phoenix, Arizona
Bismarck Bucks - Bismarck Event Center; Bismarck, North Dakota
Duke City Gladiators - Rio Rancho Events Center; Rio Rancho, New Mexico
Frisco Fighters - Comerica Center; Frisco, Texas
Green Bay Blizzard - Resch Center; Green Bay, Wisconsin
Iowa Barnstormers- Wells Fargo Arena; Des Moines, Iowa
Louisville Xtreme - KFC Yum! Center; Louisville, Kentucky
Massachusetts Pirates - DCU Center; Worcester, Massachusetts
Northern Arizona Wranglers - Findlay Toyota Center; Prescott Valley, Arizona
Sioux Falls Storm - Denny Sanford Premier Center; Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Spokane Shock - Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena; Spokane, Washington
Tucson Sugar Skulls - Tucson Convention Center; Tucson, Arizona
IFL Geographical Map
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