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46-505: The franchise was announced by Champions Indoor Football (CIF) in 2018 as a 2019 expansion team and selected the name "Flying Aces" from a name-the-team contest in October 2018. Playing at Stride Bank Center , they finished their inaugural season with a 2–10 record, with their only wins a forfeit over the folded Texas Revolution and a semi-professional team, the NTX Savages, that filled in for

92-705: A 51–49 upset. On July 5, 2008, Dusters running back Donte Newsome was shot to death outside of a nightclub in Huntington, West Virginia , home of his alma mater Marshall University . In 2008, under the leadership of head coach Chris MacKeown and quarterback Julian Reese, the Amarillo Dusters went 10–9 and played for the AF2 National Conference ArenaCup Finals. Following the Dusters most successful season in their AF2 history, MacKeown moved up to

138-628: A 65–35 percent margin in the fan vote, the Dusters would be moving to the Indoor Football League for the 2010 season. Owner Randy Sanders applied for his team's spot in the Indoor Football League (IFL) and they were accepted as an expansion franchise. It was announced on January 28, 2010, that the Dusters would have to be renamed, because the Arena Football League owned the rights to the Dusters' name and logo. On February 8,

184-625: A charter member of the CIF, rebranded as the Illiana Eagles (later the Chicago Eagles ) after a change in ownership and delayed their entry into the league until 2016. On February 21, 2015, the new owners of the New Mexico Stars announced that the team would not enter the league as planned after head coach Dominic Bramante resigned two weeks before the scheduled start of training camp. On March 3,

230-710: A league championship over the Lubbock Lone Stars . The Dusters left the league to play in the AF2 the following season. In their first year in the AF2, the Amarillo Dusters reached the playoffs with an 8–8 record, which was good enough for a wildcard. The Dusters, quarterbacked by Julian Reese, came from 21 points down at the start of the fourth quarter to win Round 1 over the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz . The Dusters fell in Round 2 to

276-718: A member of the National Arena League . They play their home games at the Amarillo Civic Center . The Venom began play in 2004 as a charter member of the Intense Football League , a small indoor football league based in Texas . They won the championship in their first and only season with the Intense Football League. In 2005, the Dusters became the first team to leave the Intense Football League and join

322-553: A re-launched Dodge City Law with the Law inheriting the Flying Aces' roster and staff. The Flying Aces were not included in the 2022 schedule and appeared to have suspended operations. In October 2023, the Flying Aces announced they would join the National Arena League and play their home games at the 8,000-seat Chisholm Trail Expo Center . In May 2024, the team and the league "mutually agreed to allow football operations to go dormant for

368-475: A reactivated Dodge City Law . On April 5, director of operations Todd Walkenhorst was named the new league commissioner, replacing founder Bertz who had been in the position since 2017. In August 2021, Walkenhorst was replaced as commissioner by Tommy Benizio, the former commissioner of the Indoor Football League . The league announced expansion teams in the Billings Outlaws , Rapid City Marshals , and

414-404: The AF2 , the minor league of the Arena Football League , where they played for four seasons until the AF2's folding in 2009. At that point, the team held a fan vote as to whether to join some of their AF2 brethren in the new Arena Football 1 (later gaining rights to the name as Arena Football League) or enjoy numerous Texas rivalries in the Indoor Football League . In 2009, it was announced that

460-850: The Albuquerque -based Duke City Gladiators announced they were joining the CIF for the 2015 season and would play an abbreviated 11-game schedule as a partial replacement for the New Mexico Stars. At the end of the regular season, the four teams (ordered by seeding) that made the postseason were the Sioux City Bandits , Texas Revolution , Wichita Force , and Amarillo Venom . On Thursday, June 11, Texas defeated Wichita 39–27. Two days later, Sioux City beat Amarillo 83–52 leading to Texas facing Sioux City in Champions Bowl I on June 20 in Iowa. At halftime

506-413: The Arena Football League as the offensive coordinator for John Elway 's Colorado Crush . On December 21, 2008, the Dusters introduced a new color scheme for the team with crimson, grey, and black. With the AF2 breaking up and its larger market teams moving to the newly reformed Arena Football League , the Dusters were forced to find a new league. On October 9, 2009, it was announced that, because of

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552-618: The COVID-19 pandemic without playing a game. For the 2021 season, the league added the Wyoming Mustangs in Gillette, Wyoming , as an expansion team. In August 2020, the CIF announced a schedule, keeping a four-team playoff format but with a 10-game regular season starting March 12, 2021, and that all games in 2021 would be streamed live on YouTube , officially ending the league's four-year relationship with Pluto TV . However, by February 2021,

598-510: The National Arena League (NAL) to create a new league for the 2020 season under a new identity with two conferences: the CIF and NAL. However, it was announced on October 10 that the deal had been postponed, with both leagues playing their own individual schedules in 2020. The league added the West Texas Warbirds in Odessa, Texas , as an expansion team. The 2020 season was cancelled due to

644-840: The Topeka Tropics . The league also announced a team in Denver, but it did not make the schedule announced on September 30, 2021, along with the Amarillo Venom, Oklahoma Flying Aces, and West Texas Warbirds. On October 1, the Dodge City Law, which had been a temporary replacement for the Oklahoma Flying Aces, was replaced by an expansion team in Dodge City called the Southwest Kansas Storm . Amarillo and West Texas officially left

690-720: The 2015 season. Prior to the 2021 season, the Venom withdrew from the CIF and later formed the Arena Football Association for the 2022 season. However, the team suspended operations in February 2022. The team was featured on an episode of Only in America , a show that aired on the Discovery Times channel. The Venom were relaunched for the 2024 season as members of the revived American Indoor Football league, but did not complete

736-590: The 2017 season by adding the River City Raiders and West Michigan Ironmen from the recently defunct American Indoor Football and two expansion teams in Kansas City Phantoms and Bismarck Bucks . The CIF announced the league would realign from two to four divisions, with two teams each division making the playoffs. In November 2016, the Chicago Eagles announced that they had suspended operations for

782-581: The 2017 season. Following the Eagles' departure, the River City Raiders left the league, citing the adverse effects on their schedule due to losing a regional opponent, although there had been claims that the Raiders were actually asked to leave due to non-payment of league fees. With the departure of the two teams, the league realigned back into two conferences of seven teams, with four teams per conference making

828-768: The 2021 CIF season. The Venom and Warbirds instead launched the Lone Star Series, a series of games between the two CIF Texas teams and a few other Texas-based semiprofessional teams. Amarillo lost the series championship game to West Texas, 79–60. Amarillo and West Texas officially left the CIF and turned their Lone Star Series from the previous season into the Arena Football Association (AFA) in November 2021. The new league also announced its initial membership consisting of former Lone Star Series member Texas Jets, former American Arena League champions North Texas Bulls,

874-647: The Dusters first AF2 season. For 2005, Steve Perdue took over the head coaching job and lead the team playoffs and a first round victory over the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgs . Looking to rebound after the previous losing season, injuries plagued the Dusters' offense. After a win against the Lubbock Renegades the Dusters struggled for the remainder of the year but were still able end the Quincy Carter -led Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings ' perfect season with

920-600: The Dusters would be moving to the Indoor Football League for the 2010 season. It was then announced that the Dusters would have to be renamed because the Arena Football League owned the rights to the Dusters name and logo and the team became the Amarillo Venom . The Venom then joined the Lone Star Football League for the 2012 season, which eventually merged into Champions Indoor Football (CIF) prior to

966-629: The IFL also joined on September 12. On the same day the Nighthawks joined, the Bloomington Edge and West Michigan Ironmen left the CIF for the IFL. The CIF apparently then attempted to sue the IFL, Edge, and Ironmen for leaving the CIF after the two teams had already signed league affiliation agreements with the CIF for 2018. The IFL then threatened to sue the CIF, Storm, and Nighthawks in return despite neither former IFL team signing an affiliation agreement with

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1012-509: The IFL for 2018. To avoid disputes, the CIF stated they would not schedule either team. The Storm immediately announced that they would return to the IFL and the Nighthawks had to suspend operations. While the CIF did drop the lawsuit against the IFL, it filed for an injunction against the Edge and Ironmen teams from participating in the IFL for breaking the terms of their signed affiliation agreements. A temporary injunction from participation against

1058-585: The IFL. When the 2019 schedule was released, both the West Michigan Ironmen and the Kansas City Phantoms had been removed as members. On May 9, the Texas Revolution folded during the season. At the end of the season, the Duke City Gladiators won their second consecutive championship and then withdrew from the league, eventually joining the IFL. The league announced it had partnered with

1104-577: The Outlaws hinting at seeking to oust Hutton from the commissioner's post. Hutton was successfully ousted May 14, with Jeff Fisher named his successor. When the CPIFL started in 2013, the championship game was known as the "Champions Bowl", so the CIF used the same name for their title game. Amarillo Venom The Amarillo Dusters are a professional indoor football team based in Amarillo, Texas , currently

1150-577: The Venom announced that they were rebranding back to their original name, the Amarillo Dusters. This in part due to the trademark previously held by the original Arena Football League has been allowed to elapse. On August 20, 2024, the National Arena League announced that the Dusters were joining the league for the 2025 season. Running backs Wide receivers Defensive linemen Defensive backs Special teams Front office Head coaches Offensive coaches Note: Statistics are correct through

1196-736: The Venom finished the 2013 season with a 9–3 record. In the playoffs, the finished off the Abilene Bombers , 70–40. On July 13, 2013, they faced the Laredo Rattlesnakes , where they won 70–69, winning back-to-back championships in the LSFL. Davis won the MVP of the Game. In 2014, after the completion of their third season in the LSFL, the league merged with Champions Professional Indoor Football League to become Champions Indoor Football . The Venom qualified for

1242-606: The additional rebound nets necessary to compete in that league, nor would the league allow any franchise owner to control multiple teams. The three remaining CIF teams held a press conference on October 5, in which they confirmed they would be joining the AFL. McCoy was named the AFL Deputy Commissioner on October 26. Several of the former CIF teams who joined the AFL indicated that commissioner Lee Hutton had made promises to cover increased travel and salary expenses for playing in

1288-496: The championship after beating Salina Liberty 50–30 in the Champions Bowl. After the season ended, founding CIF members Beef and Sioux City Bandits , as well as the Topeka Tropics (who ultimately folded instead after ownership abandoned the team ), all announced they were leaving the CIF for a new league, later revealed to be the National Arena League . The CIF then named Mike McCoy as league commissioner. On August 28, 2023,

1334-630: The dormant Rio Grande Valley Dorados , and the Texas Crude. On February 17, 2022, team co-owner Stephanie Tucker announced the team had withdrawn from participating in the AFA for the 2022 season and that the team was for sale. On August 24, 2023, the AIF announced that the Venom would return and join the AIF for the 2024 season. The team finished a very successful season lead by new owner, Robert Reyna. However, have gone silent since May 24, 2024. On July 26, 2024,

1380-403: The effects of the pandemic caused the Amarillo Venom and West Texas Warbirds to back out of the season due to a conflicting schedule at their home arena and play an independent regional schedule instead. On April 1, one week prior to their first game of the season, the Oklahoma Flying Aces withdrew from the season citing drastically increased workers' compensation insurance and were replaced by

1426-430: The eventual champion Memphis Xplorers . The Dusters tried to build on the moderate success they had in 2005. However, in 2006, the team suffered many injuries and failed to make it to the AF2 playoffs. Quarterback Steve Panella was injured early in the season, forcing numerous backups to take the job. They ended the season with a 4–12 record. Carthel left to take the head coaching job at West Texas A&M two games into

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1472-463: The home game originally scheduled against the Revolution. The team's second season was cancelled before it could begin due to the COVID-19 pandemic . On April 1, 2021, the team withdrew from the 2021 season one week before it was scheduled for its first game citing a drastically increased workers' compensation insurance from $ 5000 in 2019 to $ 150000 for 2021. The team was replaced on the CIF schedule by

1518-594: The league added the ICT Regulators based out of Park City, Kansas , in the Wichita area. On August 29, 2023, the Billings Outlaws left the league and was announced as the first official member of the relaunched Arena Football League . On September 25, 2023, the Gillette Mustangs suspended operations, stating that the remaining CIF members were being absorbed into the AFL and that their arena could not accommodate

1564-585: The league and turned their Lone Star Series from the previous season into the Arena Football Association (AFA) in November 2021. By the end of 2021, J. R. Bond, the new owner of the Sioux City Bandits and Topeka Tropics, had been named the commissioner of the league. The Wichita Force were removed from the league in January 2022. The same eight teams returned for the 2023 season, with the Omaha Beef winning

1610-458: The league used salary cap system which was divided amongst team players, with a minimum per game salary of $ 75 and a maximum of $ 300 with no other benefits. The CIF merged with the Arena Football League on October 5, 2023. The merger which formed the CIF was announced on August 22, 2014, after it had been rumored that the CPIFL and LSFL had been in discussions of a possible merger since July 31, 2014. The Gary Dawgs, originally announced as

1656-408: The new Amarillo Venom name and logo was unveiled. In August 2011, the Venom were sold to local couple Stephanie and Toby Tucker, with Stephanie taking on the role of general manager. For the 2012 season, the Venom joined the Lone Star Football League (LSFL). In their inaugural season in the LSFL they won the 2012 championship. Under the leadership of quarterback Nate Davis and coach Julian Reese,

1702-516: The new league, but failed to deliver on them. The Iowa Rampage , a team that had originally planned to join CIF before it merged into the AFL for the 2024 season, folded after one game when the promised compensation never arrived; the Rapid City Marshals , Salina Liberty and Billings Outlaws confirmed that the Rampage's complaints were legitimate but were committed to playing out the season, with

1748-688: The playoffs and the team with the best record in each division received a bye in the first round. The division leader would then play the winners of the 2 vs. 3 seeds playoff game. At the end of the 2016 season, the Mesquite Marshals changed their name to the Dallas Marshals . Later, the San Angelo Bandits folded but were immediately replaced by an expansion team called the CenTex Cavalry out of Belton, Texas . The CIF continued to expand for

1794-598: The playoffs in each of the next five seasons, including making it to the 2016 championship game where they lost to the Wichita Force 48–45. Prior to the start of the 2020 season, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic caused the season to be cancelled. The 2021 season was then delayed, but the local capacity and interstate travel restrictions in Texas led the Venom and the West Texas Warbirds to withdraw from participating in

1840-421: The playoffs. During the league winter meetings, Bertz returned to his former position of interim league commissioner. Sonny Clark of the Texas Revolution was named as director of operations. On August 16, 2017, the CIF announced the Quad City Steamwheelers as an expansion team for 2018. On August 30, the league announced the addition of the Sioux Falls Storm from the IFL . The Wichita Falls Nighthawks of

1886-525: The remainder of the 2024 season" to restructure. Running backs Wide receivers Defensive linemen Defensive backs Special teams Front office Head coaches Offensive coaches This American football team article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about a sports team in Oklahoma is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Champions Indoor Football Champions Indoor Football ( CIF )

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1932-508: The score was tied 35–35, but a rushing touchdown for eventual Champions Bowl MVP Andrew Prohaska of the Sioux City Bandits led to a final score of 76–61. The Mesquite Marshals , Salina Liberty , and Bloomington Edge announced their entrance into the league, bringing the total number of teams to 12. The league meetings were on August 19 in Dodge City, Kansas . Many league changes were announced, including Darlene Jones resigning as commissioner, citing personal health-related reasons. Ricky Bertz

1978-420: The season and went silent on May 30, 2024. On July 26, 2024, it was announced that the team will be rebranded back to the Dusters for the 2025 season. On August 20, 2024, it was announced that the Dusters had joined the National Arena League for that season. The Amarillo Dusters were led by head coach Don Carthel and finished their only season in the Intense Football League with a 13–3 record en route to

2024-444: The two teams was granted on January 31, 2018. During the 2018 season, it was announced that after a change in ownership, the West Michigan Ironmen would return to the CIF after playing a season in the semi-professional Midwest Professional Indoor Football. The league also added an expansion team called the Oklahoma Flying Aces in Enid, Oklahoma . During the offseason, the CIF lost the Bismarck Bucks and Quad City Steamwheelers to

2070-403: Was a professional indoor American football minor league created in 2014 out of the merger between the Champions Professional Indoor Football League (CPIFL) and Lone Star Football League (LSFL), plus one team from the Indoor Football League and two expansion teams. The league maximum player salary as of 2022 was $ 200 per game, along with housing, medical and meal expenses. In the past

2116-484: Was then appointed interim commissioner, with the help of Indoor Football League Hall-of-Famer, Tommy Benizio (who was the IFL's commissioner). Stephanie Tucker also joined Bertz and Benizio. Also announced at that time was the Northern/Southern divisional alignment. Later, on January 11, 2016, Bertz stepped down to focus on his team's sales, and Randy Sanders was named the interim commissioner. The updated alignment had each division with six teams. The top three teams reaching

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