The Fort Wayne Freedom was a professional indoor football team based in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The team was most recently a member of the Continental Indoor Football League, but originally began play in 2003 as an expansion team in the National Indoor Football League.
The Freedom were the original indoor football team to be based in Fort Wayne. After four years of being the only indoor team in Fort Wayne, the franchise was sold to AF2 and the Fort Wayne Fusion was established as part of the AF2 in 2007.
After a failed year in AF2, the Freedom came back in 2008 with new ownership and continued through the 2009 season. In 2010, another indoor team, the Fort Wayne FireHawks, replaced the Freedom in the CIFL.
The owner of the second version of the Freedom was Bill Fahlsing. The Freedom played their home games at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne.
Franchise history
2003
Schedule DateOpponentResultRecordMarch 22, 2003vs. Evansville BlueCatsW – 41–40(1–0)March 29, 2003vs. Tupelo Fire AntsW – 57–22(2–0)April 12, 2003vs. Ohio Valley GreyhoundsL – 41–54(2–1)April 19, 2003at Tennessee RiverhawksL – 48–65(2–2)April 25, 2003at Ohio Valley GreyhoundsL – 42–48(2–3)May 3, 2003vs. Sioux Falls StormW – 55–19(3–3)May 17, 2003vs. Myrtle Beach StingraysW – 51–25(4–3)May 24, 2003at Evansville BlueCatsW – 62–33(5–3)May 30, 2003at Lacrosse Night TrainW – 59–06(6–3)June 6, 2003vs. Tennessee RiverhawksW 74–15(7–3)June 14, 2003at Sioux Falls StormL 49–52(7–4)June 21, 2003at Myrtle Beach StingraysL – 41–50(7–5)June 26, 2003at Lexington HorsemenL – 43–59(7–6)July 5, 2003vs. Lexington HorsemenW – 76–62(8–6)
2004 The original Fort Wayne Freedom was a professional indoor football team. They were most recently a member of the United Indoor Football league (UIF), and played their home games at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. In 2004, the Freedom set the single game record for attendance at 10,225.
Schedule DateOpponentResultRecordMarch 14, 2004vs. Show-Me BelieversW – 66–37(1–0)March 20, 2004vs. Evansville BlueCatsW – 80–41(2–0)April 3, 2004at Lexington HorsemenL – 21–49(2–1)April 10, 2004vs. Lexington HorsemenL – 48–51(2–2)April 24, 2004vs. Atlantic City CardSharksW – 63–54(3–2)May 1, 2004at Evansville BlueCatsL – 68–71(3–3)May 8, 2004vs. Ohio Valley GreyhoundsW – 43–35(4–3)May 15, 2004at Staten Island XtremeL – 41–42(4–4)May 21, 2004vs. Staten Island XtremeW – 56–07(5–4)May 28, 2004at Show-Me BelieversW – 49–35(6–4)June 5, 2004at Ohio Valley GreyhoundsL – 23–52(6–5)June 12, 2004at Atlantic City CardSharksL – 27–41(6–6)June 19, 2004at Tupelo Fire AntsW – 61–40(7–6)June 26, 2004vs. Carolina StingraysW – 48–03#(8–6) # = set single game indoor football attendance record with 10,225 fans.
2004 stats do not include a NIFL playoff games with the Show Me Believers and at Ohio Valley (Wheeling, West Virginia)***
2005 The 2005 season was the best season in franchise history. This was the first year in the UIF, the team moved to the association, after two years in the NIFL. Finishing a league-best 14–2, and winning the UIF Midwest Division. In the first-round of the UIF playoffs. The Tennessee Valley Raptors upset Freedom 57–22.
Schedule DateOpponentResultRecordMarch 20, 2005vs. Ohio Valley GreyhoundsW 29–25(1–0)April 10, 2005at Ohio Valley GreyhoundsW 31–20(2–0)April 16, 2005vs. Black Hills Red DogsW – 59–34(3–0)April 23, 2005at Tupelo Fire AntsW – 51–15(4–0)April 30, 2005at Sioux Falls StormW – 34–31(5–0)May 7, 2005vs. Sioux City BanditsW – 57–50(6–0)May 13, 2005vs. Peoria Rough RidersW – 52–32(7–0)May 21, 2005at Peoria Rough RidersW – 41–13(8–0)May 28, 2005vs. Tupelo Fire AntsW – 45–20(9–0)June 5, 2005vs. Omaha BeefW – 42–40(10–0)June 11, 2005at Omaha BeefL – 30–33(10–1)June 18, 2005vs. Lexington HorsemenL 41–58(10–2)June 25, 2005at Peoria Rough RidersW – 56–35(11–2)July 2, 2005at Black Hills Red DogsW – 40–26(12–2)July 8, 2005at Ohio Valley GreyhoundsW – 44–34(13–2)July 17, 2005vs. Ohio Valley GreyhoundsW – 41–31(14–2)
2006 As Matt Land left the Freedom to become head coach at Tri-State University in NCAA Division III. The Freedom selected offensive coordinator Dan Pifer to be their new head coach. Pifer would later serve as the offensive coordinator for NCAA Division III Tri-State, later renamed Trine, under former coach Matt Land. He had worked previously as an assistant coach at the University of St. Francis, an NAIA institution, and NCAA Division II Hillsdale College in Michigan. Pifer also was a high school assistant and played quarterback at the University of California in Pennsylvania. After completing its fourth year of football, the assets of the Freedom were sold to Jeremy Golden, who moved the franchise to AF2. Meanwhile, leaders with United Indoor Football did find an ownership group (that included investor Bill Bean) that also sought a lease with Randy Brown and the Memorial Coliseum. Brown opted to go with the AF2 franchise.
Rumored move to AF2 The team had been heavily rumored to move to AF2 for quite some time, and Coffey sold the assets to Golden on November 10, 2006. Golden had already applied for and was awarded an AF2 franchise, but because only the assets and not the Freedom's corporate entity were sold, the Fort Wayne Fusion AF2 franchise is not a continuation of the UIF team.
Schedule DateOpponentResultRecordMarch 25, 2006vs. Sioux City BanditsW – 28–23(1–0)April 1, 2006at Bloomington ExtremeW – 51–28(2–0)April 8, 2006vs. Ohio Valley GreyhoundsW – 37–32(3–0)April 15, 2006at Sioux City BanditsL – 27–41(3–1)April 22, 2006vs. Sioux Falls StormL – 44–47(3–2)April 28, 2006at Lexington HorsemenL – 65–32(3–3)May 6, 2006at Sioux Falls StormL – 25–44(3–4)May 12, 2006vs. Rock River RaptorsL – 36–49(3–5)May 20, 2006vs. Evansville BlueCatsL – 31–33(3–6)June 3, 2006at Ohio Valley GreyhoundsL – 29–52(3–7)June 10, 2006at Evansville BlueCatsL – 37–43(3–8)June 17, 2006at Rock River RaptorsL – 27–29(3–9)June 24, 2006vs. Ohio Valley GreyhoundsW – 42–40(4–9)July 1, 2006vs. Lexington HorsemenL – 44–70(4–10)July 8, 2006at Omaha BeefL – 13–52(4–11)
2008: The return of the Freedom In October 2007, the group Fort Wayne Sports Partners owned by Todd Ellis, John Christener and Mike McCaffrey, adopted the name Freedom as a new franchise in 2008. Only the name, and some players from the 2003–2006 teams were associated with the original franchise. . The team also announced that Eddie Brown, who had coached the Fusion the season before, would be the head coach for the Freedom, who would be joining the Continental Indoor Football League. Since the Fusion ownership had failed mid season in 2007, Brown and McCaffrey made majority owner Todd Ellis guaranteed them both that if the team ran into financial trouble they would not be responsible for any of the unpaid bills. The teams poor financial history left every part of owning the franchise more difficult, even as far as ownership of the team's turf. The team's new ownership also showed signs of financial trouble right away, as they were banned from the CIFL in January 2008, for failing to pay league dues. These troubles made Brown and McCaffrey question the ownership, and Ellis fired them both, replacing Brown with Willie Davis Jr. and McCaffrey with himself. The Freedom were able to work out a deal with CIFL Commissioner, Jeff Spitaleri, and paid their $22,500 league fee, which removed the ban and allowed the team to join the CIFL in 2008.
Schedule DateOpponentHome/AwayResultMarch 21Miami Valley SilverbacksHomeWon 52–48March 27Kalamazoo XplosionHomeLost 34–50April 4Rock River RaptorsAwayLost 29–64April 12Muskegon ThunderAwayLost 33–39April 19Rock River RaptorsHomeWon 55–54April 26Marion MayhemHomeWon 55–40May 2Miami Valley SilverbacksAwayLost 29–35May 10Saginaw StingHomeLost 21–34May 17Chicago SlaughterAwayLost 33–41May 24Muskegon ThunderHomeWon 42–38May 31Chesapeake TideAwayWon 37–31June 7Kalamazoo XplosionAwayLost 32–39
Standings
2009 In September, 2008, the Freedom announced that former Freedom Assistant GM Brad Harris (who was with the original Freedom from 2003 to 2005) had been hired as GM. Head coach Matt Land also returned for the 2009 to coach the team for the full season.
In 2008, Land, who had been the team's head coach for the 2005 campaign, was asked by team co-owner William Fahlsing to lead the team for the final four games of the season when original head coach Willie Davis Jr. was fired the morning of the May 17 game against the Chicago Slaughter. With only 15 minutes of practice, Land's second term began with a 41–33 loss to the Slaughter, despite a solid performance by the Freedom defense.
In 2009, the Freedom had success on the field but struggled financially. Toward the end of the 2009 season players were not paid promptly and then not at all. Team Co-owners Bill Fahlsing and Mark Chappius were forced to ask for public support to help get the team through the season. Despite the financial issue with salaries, the players continued to play for the Freedom and won the Eastern Conference Championship over the Marion Mayhem but lost the 2009 CIFL championship game to the Chicago Slaughter.
Schedule DateOpponentHome/AwayResultMarch 21Marion MayhemHomeWin 46–23March 28Wheeling WildcatsAwayWin 49–34April 4Marion MayhemAwayLoss 39–33 OTApril 10Wisconsin WolfpackAwayLoss 38–34April 18Chicago SlaughterHomeLoss 56–41April 25Miami Valley SilverbacksHomeWin 33–28May 1Rock River RaptorsHomeLoss 48–46May 9Milwaukee BonecrushersAwayWin 51–33May 16Miami Valley SilverbacksAwayWin 56–28May 23Marion MayhemHomeLoss 62–47May 29Wheeling WildcatsAway Won 84–42June 6Miami Valley SilverbacksGame was canceledJune 20CIFL EASTERN DIVISION PLAYOFFMarion MayhemAway Won 49–40June 27CIFL CHAMPIONSHIPChicago SlaughterAway Lost 58–48
Standings
Fans The Freedom Force was the official fan club of the Fort Wayne Freedom.
Head coaches Name Term Regular season Playoffs Awards W L T Win% W LRich Huff2003–20041612011Matt Land2005, 2008–200925140.64112Dan Pifer2006411000Willie Davis Jr.200835000
Season-by-season results League championsConference championsDivision championsWild card berthLeague leader
SeasonTeam League Conference Division Regular season Postseason resultsFinishWinsLossesTies 2003 2003 NIFL Atlantic East 3rd 8 6 0 2004 2004 NIFL Atlantic North 2nd 8 6 0Won Atlantic Conference 1st Round (Believers) 45–28 Lost Atlantic Conference Quarterfinals (Greyhounds) 35–36 2005 2005 UIF Midwestern 1st 14 2 0Lost UIF Quarterfinals (Raptors) 22–57 2006 2006 UIF Eastern 4th 4 11 0 2008 2008 CIFL Great Lakes East 3rd 5 7 0 2009 2009 CIFL East 2nd 6 5 0Won Eastern Finals (Mayhem) 49–40Lost CIFL Championship Game (Slaughter) 48–58Totals45370All-time regular season record (2003–2009)23-All-time postseason record (2003–2009)47400All-time regular season and postseason record (2003–2009)
See also History of sports in Fort Wayne, Indiana
References