American Indoor Football Alliance

The American Indoor Football Alliance (AIFA) was a minor-professional American indoor football league based in the United States.[1]

American Indoor Football Alliance
SportIndoor football
Founded2021 (2021)
First season2022
Ceased2023 (2023)
No. of teams7
CountryUnited States
Last
champion(s)		Columbus Lions (2023)
Official websitewww.goaifa.com

Teams' typical operating budget was $500,000 with a $90,000 payroll budget per season. Players were paid up to $200 per game, with a $25 bonus for participating in charity events within their local communities. Most teams offered players housing during the season.[2]

History

After the 2021 American Arena League season concluded, four members of the East Division (Carolina Predators, Tampa Bay Tornadoes, Pennsylvania Union and Mississippi Raiders) announced that they would leave the AAL to form a new league, after league president and commissioner Tony Zefiretto had sold the league to the ownership.[3]

The league played its first season in 2022, while the Mississippi Raiders defeat the Las Vegas Kings 55–12 to claim the Inaugural AIFA Championship.[4][5][6]

For the 2023 season, AIFA had a inter-league scheduling agreement with the American West Football Conference.[7][8] The Columbus Lions won the league championship after completing an undefeated season and beating Mississippi Raiders 55 to 10 in AIFA Championship.[9][10][11]

In late 2023 most of the teams left to join different leagues and the AIFA website was shutdown.

Teams

Teams that participated or were listed as members in the 2023 season.

TeamHome cityHome venueCapacityFoundedJoinedHead coachFate
Carolina Predators[12]Fayetteville, North CarolinaTBDTBD20182021AAL2
Columbus Lions[13]Columbus, GeorgiaColumbus Civic Center7,57320072022Chris McKinneyAIF
Capital City CyclonesTallahassee, FloridaTraveling teamTBD20192021Stevie ThomasIFA
Las Vegas KingsLas Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas Sports Park20212021Chris WallaceIFA
Mississippi Raiders[14]Jackson, MississippiMississippi Coliseum6,50020192021Montra EdwardsAIF
South Florida ThunderPalm Beach, FloridaTBDTBD2019[15]2022TBD
Dallas FalconsDallas, TexasTraveling team[16]20222023Bryan KenskyAAL2

Former teams

References
  1. "Home – American Indoor Football Alliance". www.goaifa.com. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  2. "AIFA Expansion Packet" (PDF).
  3. "Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report". oursportscentral.com. July 12, 2021.
  4. "Mississippi Raiders are now AIFA National Champions". Vicksburg Daily News. July 10, 2022.
  5. Bowker, Ernest (July 8, 2022). "Vicksburg coach Muhammad chasing a championship with Mississippi Raiders". Vicksburg Post.
  6. "AIFA Championship". YouTube.
  7. "Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report". December 26, 2022.
  8. "AWFC/AIFA Partnership".
  9. "Lions defeat Raiders 55 to 10 in AIFA Championship". American Indoor Football Alliance.
  10. "AIFA Champioinship Part1". youtube.com.
  11. "AIFA Champioinship Part 2". youtube.com.
  12. "Fayetteville set to welcome arena football back to the Crown with the Carolina Predators".
  13. "LIONS JOIN REGIONAL ARENA LEAGUE". National Arena League. December 23, 2022.
  14. "Mississippi Raiders bringing arena football back to Jackson". November 4, 2021.
  15. "South Florida has a new arena football league coming soon — and you could be a part of it". November 29, 2019.
  16. "Dallas Falcons set to join the AIFA for the 2023 Season".
  17. "Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report". October 3, 2022.
  18. "AWFC Schedule & AIFA Partnership".
  19. "Lions Join Regional Arena League - Columbus Lions". Columbus Lions. December 23, 2022.
  20. "COLUMBUS LIONS JOIN AMERICAN INDOOR FOOTBALL (AIF) FOR THE 2024 INDOOR SEASON". aif-proindoorfootball.com. American Indoor Football. August 4, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  21. "Fayetteville set to welcome arena football back to the Crown with the Carolina Predators".
  22. "Carolina Predators Arena Football Team". Facebook.
  23. "Mississippi Raiders bringing arena football back to Jackson". November 4, 2021.
  24. "Dallas Falcons set to join the AIFA for the 2023 Season".
  25. "Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report". OurSports Central. September 4, 2023.
  26. "Las Vegas Kings Football Team Joins the International Football Alliance". PRLog.
  27. "TAMPA BAY TORNADOES JOINS THE AIFA!". goaifa.com. July 5, 2021. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021.
  28. "TAMPA BAY CYCLONES JOINS THE AIFA!". AIFA. July 5, 2021. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  29. "AIFA teams". AIFA. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  30. "Meet The Teams". International Football Alliance.
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