The 2021 Indoor Football League season was the thirteenth (and twelfth complete) season of the Indoor Football League (IFL). The league played the season with twelve teams, down from thirteen the previous season, by adding one expansion team, one team from the National Arena League, one team from the American Arena League, and four teams going on hiatus. In addition, three existing teams made their IFL on-field debut after the 2020 season was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As there were still many pandemic-related restrictions still in place during early 2021, the start of the season was delayed from February to April with the postseason to begin in August. The top eight teams qualified for the postseason with the Massachusetts Pirates, playing their first season in the IFL, defeating the Arizona Rattlers in the United Bowl on September 12.
Offseason On June 26, 2020, the Columbus Wild Dogs announced that they would not begin play until 2022. On August 19, 2020, the Massachusetts Pirates, formerly of the National Arena League, were added to the IFL for the 2021 season as the league's first East Coast-based team. On August 25, the league added the Northern Arizona Wranglers in Prescott Valley, Arizona, for the 2021 season, joining the Arizona Rattlers and Tucson Sugar Skulls as the third IFL team to be based in Arizona for 2021. On November 6, the Louisville Xtreme of Louisville, Kentucky, was added. The 2020 expansion Oakland Panthers, as well as the Cedar Rapids River Kings, Quad City Steamwheelers, and the San Diego Strike Force withdrew from the season due to the effects of the pandemic.
The initial schedule for the twelve teams was announced on November 17, 2020, with all teams playing 16 games between March 28 and July 24, 2021, before the playoffs. On February 17, the league pushed back its start date to April 23 for four teams, with the rest of the teams to start on May 14. The four teams that started on April 23 were to still have 16 games, but the others teams were to play a reduced 14-game schedule.
Teams Team Location Arena Capacity Founded Joined Head coachArizona Rattlers Phoenix, Arizona Footprint Center 18,422 1992 2017 Kevin GuyBismarck Bucks Bismarck, North Dakota Bismarck Event Center 10,100 2017 2019 Rod MillerDuke City Gladiators Rio Rancho, New Mexico Rio Rancho Events Center 6,000 2015 2020 Martino Theus (until June 30)Robert Kent Jr.Frisco Fighters Frisco, Texas Comerica Center 3,500 2019 2020 Clint DolezelGreen Bay Blizzard Green Bay, Wisconsin Resch Center 8,600 2003 2010 Corey RobersonIowa Barnstormers Des Moines, Iowa Wells Fargo Arena 15,181 1995 2015 Les MossLouisville Xtreme Louisville, Kentucky KFC Yum! Center 22,090 2012 2021 Mark StouteMassachusetts Pirates Worcester, Massachusetts DCU Center 12,339 2017 2021 Patrick PassNorthern Arizona Wranglers Prescott Valley, Arizona Findlay Toyota Center 6,000 2020 2021 Dominic BramanteSioux Falls Storm Sioux Falls, South Dakota Denny Sanford Premier Center 10,678 2000 2009 Kurtiss RiggsSpokane Shock Spokane, Washington Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena 10,771 2006 2020 Billy BackTucson Sugar Skulls Tucson, Arizona Tucson Convention Center 8,962 2018 2019 Dixie Wooten
Regular season
Standings
Team 12 2 708 535 11 3 627 455 10 3 532 485 7 7 741 661 6 6 499 483 6 6 520 486 7 8 613 616 6 7 569 558 6 8 574 597 5 9 494 569 1 13 443 736 0 5 153 223Final standings • Source
Schedule The season began on the weekend of April 23–24 with two games: the Bismarck Bucks at the Green Bay Blizzard and the Massachusetts Pirates at the Louisville Xtreme. The four teams were the only teams playing until May 15 when the other teams joined. After initially postponing the Xtreme's June 12 home game, the IFL subsequently terminated the Xtreme's membership due to failing to maintain the league's minimum obligations and the team did not finish the season. All of the Xtreme's games were removed from the schedule. Week Date Visitor Score Home Venue 1 April 23 Bismarck Bucks 41–35 Green Bay Blizzard Resch Center April 24 Massachusetts Pirates 49–18 Louisville Xtreme KFC Yum! Center 2 May 2 Massachusetts Pirates 36–40 Green Bay Blizzard Resch Center 3 May 7 Louisville Xtreme 29–49 Green Bay Blizzard Resch Center May 8 Massachusetts Pirates 36–18 Bismarck Bucks Bismarck Event Center 4 May 15 Green Bay Blizzard 46–58 Bismarck Bucks Bismarck Event Center May 15 Iowa Barnstormers 56–36 Sioux Falls Storm Denny Sanford Premier Center May 15 Frisco Fighters 36–33 Spokane Shock Spokane Arena May 16 Arizona Rattlers 51–20 Northern Arizona Wranglers Findlay Toyota Center 5 May 21 Tucson Sugar Skulls 36–42 Green Bay Blizzard Resch Center May 22 Frisco Fighters 34–26 Louisville Xtreme KFC Yum! Center May 22 Northern Arizona Wranglers 39–61 Bismarck Bucks Bismarck Event Center May 22 Duke City Gladiators 63–55 OT Iowa Barnstormers Wells Fargo Arena May 22 Arizona Rattlers 46–50 Sioux Falls Storm Denny Sanford Premier Center May 22 Spokane Shock 34–26 Massachusetts Pirates DCU Center 6 May 29 Sioux Falls Storm 49–43 Louisville Xtreme KFC Yum! Center May 29 Bismarck Bucks 42–49 Iowa Barnstormers Wells Fargo Arena May 30 Tucson Sugar Skulls 55–35 Duke City Gladiators Rio Rancho Events Center 7 June 4 Arizona Rattlers 41–34 Green Bay Blizzard Resch Center June 5 Louisville Xtreme 37–42 Massachusetts Pirates DCU Center June 5 Sioux Falls Storm 64–28 Bismarck Bucks Bismarck Event Center June 5 Iowa Barnstormers 33–13 Tucson Sugar Skulls Tucson Convention Center June 5 Spokane Shock 42–24 Northern Arizona Wranglers Findlay Toyota Center June 5 Duke City Gladiators 57–58 Frisco Fighters Comerica Center 8 June 12 Iowa Barnstormers 22–53 Bismarck Bucks Bismarck Event Center June 12 Tucson Sugar Skulls 34–44 Arizona Rattlers Phoenix Suns Arena June 12 Duke City Gladiators 34–17 Northern Arizona Wranglers Findlay Toyota Center June 12 Spokane Shock 50–32 Sioux Falls Storm Denny Sanford Premier Center June 12 Frisco Fighters 40–33 Massachusetts Pirates DCU Center 9 June 18 Bismarck Bucks 50–29 Green Bay Blizzard Resch Center June 19 Arizona Rattlers 51–36 Duke City Gladiators Rio Rancho Events Center X June 19 Massachusetts Pirates 37–34 Tucson Sugar Skulls Tucson Convention Center June 19 Sioux Falls Storm 47–57 Iowa Barnstormers Wells Fargo Arena June 19 Northern Arizona Wranglers 37–63 Spokane Shock Spokane Arena 10 June 25 Iowa Barnstormers 44–48 Green Bay Blizzard Resch Center June 25 Spokane Shock 35–56 Arizona Rattlers Phoenix Suns Arena June 26 Frisco Fighters 53–48 Duke City Gladiators Rio Rancho Events Center June 26 Bismarck Bucks 27–52 Sioux Falls Storm Denny Sanford Premier Center June 26 Tucson Sugar Skulls 44–48 Northern Arizona Wranglers Findlay Toyota Center X 11 July 2 Massachusetts Pirates 38–37 Frisco Fighters Comerica Center X July 3 Northern Arizona Wranglers 38–52 Duke City Gladiators Rio Rancho Events Center July 3 Arizona Rattlers 54–38 Tucson Sugar Skulls Tucson Convention Center 12 July 9 Iowa Barnstormers 35–42 Frisco Fighters Comerica Center July 10 Bismarck Bucks 38–43 Massachusetts Pirates DCU Center X July 10 Northern Arizona Wranglers 19–62 Arizona Rattlers Phoenix Suns Arena July 10 Duke City Gladiators 40–41 Tucson Sugar Skulls Tucson Sugar Skulls July 10 Sioux Falls Storm 35–46 Spokane Shock Spokane Arena 13 July 16 Frisco Fighters 42–43 Bismarck Bucks Bismarck Event Center X July 17 Duke City Gladiators 71–54 Northern Arizona Wranglers Findlay Toyota Center July 17 Tucson Sugar Skulls 34–45 Spokane Shock Spokane Arena July 18 Arizona Rattlers 44–68 Massachusetts Pirates DCU Center July 18 Sioux Falls Storm 31–21 Green Bay Blizzard Resch Center 14 X July 24 Green Bay Blizzard 34–26 Iowa Barnstormers Wells Fargo Arena July 24 Northern Arizona Wranglers 30–33 Frisco Fighters Comerica Center July 24 Spokane Shock 61–68 Duke City Gladiators Rio Rancho Events Center July 24 Sioux Falls Storm 33–59 Arizona Rattlers Footprint Center July 24 Bismarck Bucks 27–34 Tucson Sugar Skulls Tucson Convention Center 15 July 30 Green Bay Blizzard 30–41 Bismarck Bucks Bismarck Event Center X July 31 Duke City Gladiators 48–60 Arizona Rattlers Footprint Center July 31 Northern Arizona Wranglers 46–48 Tucson Sugar Skulls Tucson Convention Center July 31 Frisco Fighters 37–33 Sioux Falls Storm Denny Sanford Premier Center July 31 Massachusetts Pirates 63–57 Spokane Shock Spokane Arena 16 August 7 Green Bay Blizzard 33–50 Massachusetts Pirates DCU Center X August 7 Tucson Sugar Skulls 28–55 Arizona Rattlers Footprint Center August 7 Northern Arizona Wranglers 11–71 Duke City Gladiators Rio Rancho Events Center August 7 Spokane Shock 34–45 Frisco Fighters Comerica Center August 7 Bismarck Bucks 41–48 Iowa Barnstormers Wells Fargo Arena 17 X August 13 Arizona Rattlers 30–20 Spokane Shock Spokane Arena August 14 Duke City Gladiators 59–63 Tucson Sugar Skulls Tucson Convention Center X August 14 Sioux Falls Storm 49–55 Iowa Barnstormers Wells Fargo Arena August 14 Green Bay Blizzard 20–38 Frisco Fighters Comerica Center August 15 Massachusetts Pirates 51–16 Northern Arizona Wranglers Findlay Toyota Center 18 August 21 Tucson Sugar Skulls 56–38 Northern Arizona Wranglers Findlay Toyota Center August 21 Green Bay Blizzard 35–58 Sioux Falls Storm Denny Sanford Premier Center August 21 Frisco Fighters 38–55 Arizona Rattlers Footprint Center August 21 Bismarck Bucks 45–57 Duke City Gladiators Rio Rancho Events Center August 21 Iowa Barnstormers 19–55 Massachusetts Pirates DCU Center X
Playoffs The top eight teams made the IFL playoffs, where teams were ranked by winning percentage due to the imbalanced schedule. After Louisville was terminated midseason, the schedule was further imbalanced leading to several tiebreaker parameters needing to be used resulting in the fourth place Duke City Gladiators and fifth place Iowa Barnstormers switching seeding for the playoffs.
The quarterfinals consisted of the top seed hosting the eighth seed, the second seed hosting the seventh seed, the third seed hosting the sixth seed, and the fourth hosting the fifth seed. In the semifinals, the highest remaining seed hosts the lower remaining seed and the next-highest hosts the next-lowest from the quarterfinals. The semifinal winners then meet in the 2021 United Bowl.
References