Champions Indoor Football was born out of a Merger in 2014, but it broke apart following the 2023 season due to a Merger and poaching. 2014-2023. The dash between those numbers produced high-level indoor football, which is in my opinion better than what we see out of the modern-day NAL! Taking a look back we will see many names still around today… some good, some odd, some great but nonetheless once a part of the Champions Indoor Football! But what was the Champions Indoor Football League?
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Champions Indoor Football
The CIF was officially announced in August of 2014. Rumors swirled as early as July of the Lone Star Football League and Champions Professional Indoor Football League (CPIFL) merging in the months before but late August would finally see it be officially announced! Along with them came a little bit of Expansion and an IFL team (IFL was a much weaker league in 2014). CIF was no stranger to the ins and outs of normal indoor leagues adding, stealing, folding, and expanding as the years went on, but that’s not why we are here!
This will be more of a look into the footprint left behind by this very memorable league and where the teams it produced and left behind stand today! If not for some internal squabbles that were never resolved, the Champions Indoor Football League may still be standing to this day. The AIF, IFL, AF1, and NAL all have at least one active member who took the field under the CIF banner! So let’s see where these teams landed and where they stand now!
Last 8 Standing:
A look back at the last eight franchises to play in the Champions Indoor Football where they stand today and their outlook going forward!
Outlaws Arena Football
Founded:2022
Years in CIF:2
Current League: AF1
Post was CIF Record:15-7
Home Arena: MetroPark First Interstate Arena
Journey Since CIF:
The Outlaws were launched in 2022 as one of three franchises owned by Keith Russ and his partner Tel Koen. Running one stable team is difficult enough, and trying to run three at once quickly turned into a disaster. The ownership group nearly burnt the Billings market altogether before selling to Steven Titus.
Titus would keep the branding, and colors staying in the Champions Indoor Football League for the 2023 season. Initially they were coached by Kerry Locklin a former NFL and longtime indoor football coach. After a tough start to the season, Locklin was fired and they brought in Shon King to serve as Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator. He would turn things around and lead the Outlaws to the playoffs.
The Outlaws have debatably the best run since departing the Champions Indoor Football. In 2024 after brining in Cedric Walker as the new Head Coach and GM, this franchise dominated a 7-1 season n the ill-fated AFL 3.0. This was followed by a tight playoff run only winning by three in round one against the Nashville Kats. Ultimately winning what one
can only assume is the last Arena Bowl, Arena Bowl XXXIII, over the Albany Firebirds.
Despite the success not all is well, recent interviews with Outlaw’s owner, Steven Titus, have hinted at and outright said he is looking to move or sell. Even further cementing this was the team recently dropping their home city, Billings, from the name on social media and website. Though turmoil may have affected on-field performance, a 6-6 record left this squad sitting at fifth in the AF1 and out of the playoffs.
Omaha Beef
Founded:1999
Years in CIF:8
Current League: NAL
Post CIF Record:17-2
Home Arena: Liberty First Credit Union Arena
Journey Since CIF:
Before ever taking a snap of football in the Champions Indoor Football the Beef had played 14 seasons of Indoor football. Nonetheless, this franchise was a staple of the Champions Indoor Football League and won two of its final three Championships. Appearing in the final three Champion Bowls, and all against a future AF1 franchise.
After Joining the NAL for 2024 the Beef continued the championship run slaughtering the NAL all the way to 8-0 and a National Arena League championship. This year has been no different. Outside of a pre-season blunder against a now-defunct semi-pro squad and a nail-biting loss to an expansion team, it’s been business as usual.
Even pulling a new head coach, Brandon Negron, from a failing Carolina Cobras squad mid-season. Omaha capped off the season once again losing to that pesky expansion team, the Beaumont Renegades, 29-37. The loss ends a championship streak that predated their departure from the Champions Indoor Football, respectably ending the 2025 campaign 8-2.
Rapid City Marshalls
Founded:2021(Folded 2024)
Years in we CIF:2
Current League: Defunct
Post CIF Record:0-3(3 games in AFL)
Home Arena: Summit Arena
Journey Since CIF:
There isn’t a ton to be said of this franchise. They began as a Champions Indoor Football League expansion team under the direction of Keith Russ (Shreveport Rouxgaroux) and were one of the many casualties of Lee Hutton III and his unfulfilled promises in AFL 3.0. Russ launched the team in 2022 but soon after was forced to sell the team following financial issues.
Wes and Rebecca Johnson a brother and sister who had ties to Steven Titus purchased the franchise and returned to the Champions Indoor Football League in 2023. Rebuilding the franchise created a tough situation where the Marshals were forced to build the team on lower cost players, and this contributed directly to a long stretch of losing. During the 20 games the Marshalls took part in the Champions Indoor Football they only managed to win two…serving as a beating post for teams like Omaha and Billings.
In late 2023 it was announced that the Marshals would follow the Billings Outlaws, Salina Liberty, Southwest Kansas Storm, and Wichita Regulators to the AFL. It unfortunately was not long after the season began, that broken promises from Lee Hutton and Travelle Gaines resulted in significant financial issues. Ultimately this would create strife in the locker room leading to the end of the team.
Players would strike on May 11th, 2024 in a home game against Billings and ultimately forfeit, shortly after canceling any remaining games and going dormant, a sad ending for a franchise that had some of the most entertaining owners in any league. The Rapid City Marshals met their demise with an all-time record of just 2-21!
Salina Liberty
Founded:2015
Years in CIF: 7
Current League: AF1
Post CIF Record: 13-8
Home Arena: Tony’s Pizza Event Center
Journey Since CIF:
Salina was a core team in the Champions Indoor Football. They were born into the CIF, and will always be remembered for their deep playoff runs in the Champions Indoor Football League. After getting the expansion team blues out of the way… to the tune of 3-21 in their first two seasons, they would flip a switch hiring Heron O’Neal as their head coach.
The years following would see a floor no lower than a semi-final win and as high as Champions Indoor Football League champions! Playing in four straight Champion Bowls and winning one in ‘22. The success would translate to arena-style football in the 2024 AFL season seeing Salina go on a 6-2 run and eventually a second round loss to Albany to finish 7-3.
2025? It started rough…0-4…then 2-5 and looking like a dud of a year before a late-season surge to 6-5. Salina secured the 4th seed in a last-second win against Southwest Kansas for their 7th straight trip to the postseason between three different leagues. The upset would ensure the previously mentioned Outlaws came up short of a shot at the postseason.
Despite the constant turnover and change with leagues the fan support and ownership group, Precision Sports LLC, has held steadfast. No major roster moves and no real issues have haunted them like others in the AF1. Decent 2025 attendance and late-season success should see this franchise through to 2026 and beyond no matter how the landscape of Indoor and Arena football changes this offseason.
Sioux City Bandits
Founded:1999 ( As Sioux City Attack)
Years in CIF:8
Current League: NAL
Post CIF Record: 8-10
Home Arena: Tyson Event Center
Journey Since CIF:
Sioux City, just like a few others on this list, founded the Champions Indoor Football and would see it through to the end. The Bandit’s first year in the Champions Indoor Football League would even see them win a title, and make the playoffs all but one year, 2019.
Even more amazing? Erv Strohbeen has been with the team for 9 years as a player and 14 as head coach. 2024 would see the bandits take the field under the banner of the National Arena League, and a continuation of previous success, only missing a NAL championship by one point to Omaha after a 5-3 Regular Season. The 2025 NAL state wouldn’t be nearly as kind to Sioux City.
After a promising 2-1 start nearly taking out NAL Champions, Beaumont, in a 46-49 thriller. A win wouldn’t come again for over a month… the franchise only managed to win one of the next six games to finish at 3-6. This would match a record-low win total not seen since the 2007 UIF squad fell to 3-12. Don’t take the 2025 campaign as a sign of things to come, 2026 should see Bandit football, their long-time head coach, and their devoted fan base right back to winning.
Southwest Kansas Storm
Founded: 2022
Years in CIF: 2
Current League: AF1
Post CIF Record: 11-11
Home Arena: United Wireless Arena
Journey Since CIF:
Southwest Kansas was far from a complete bottom feeder in the Champions Indoor Football League.. but far from successful. The fairly young franchise only saw two years in CIF play before the move to the AFL and finally the AF1. During the 2 seasons and 21 games in league play the Storm would manage only 8-13…seemingly regressing as year two would see two fewer wins than year one at 3-7.
Rebound nets and over half of their league folding helped the boys from Dodge City improve marginally in 2024 to a 4-5 record. The main thing being that they survived the AFL 3.0 disaster! Currently…They have stormed through the 2025 slate to a third seed in the AF1 playoffs at 7-5.
Jalen Morton, a candidate for Offensive Player of the Year the new addition at QB for 2025 has been on a tear, averaging over 228 yards a game, paired with 14 total touchdowns through 11 games. Morton even signed with the Birmingham Stallions of the UFL, for a week, getting cut and then rejoining the Storm all without missing a game. Look for this squad to be around for the AF1 title game and a future cornerstone of Arena Football One!
Topeka Tropics
Founded: 2022 (Folded 2024)
Years in CIF: 2
Current League: Defunct
Post CIF Record: N/A
Home Arena: Stormont Vail Events Center
Journey Since CIF:
Similar to the Marshalls and the next team on this list, Gillette, there isn’t much to say for this franchise. The Tropics initially were launched as a side project for Sioux City Bandits owner JR Bond in an effort to expand the Champions Indoor Football League. He would get them off the ground for the 2022 season before selling the team to an investment group involving three men. Trevor Burdett, Josh Barr, and Chad Logan made up TCB Consulting LLC. During the 2023 season the team was marred by controversy when ownership was accused of mistreating players.
Many reports indicated that there was a fractured relationship among ownership with Trevor Burdett being singled out as the man who sided with players too often. Prior to the 2024 season, Burdett would leave the Tropics giving up his stake in the team. He went on to purchase the River City Rage, relocating them to Iowa and rebranding them as the Rampage. In February of 2024, the NAL would terminate the franchise for not paying league dues.
The Rampage, and Tropics however would fall apart during the 2024 season with neither finishing the season. None of the three owners have resurfaced with a new team as of yet. All in all.. a few hardcore fans may miss this team… but besides the unique branding nothing is memorable about them… going just 1-19 in CIF play!
Gillette Mustangs
Founded: 2020 (Folded 2023)
Years in CIF: 3
Current League: Defunct
Post CIF Record: N/A
Home Arena: CAM-PLEX
Journey Since CIF:
Originally launching in 2022 under current Shreveport Rouxgaroux owner Keith Russ, the Mustangs were one of three teams Russ had launched all in the Champions Indoor Football League. However, he was later forcibly persuaded into selling when major financial issues began to arise. He would sell the Billings Outlaws, and Wyoming Mustangs to Steven Titus a Wyoming based lawyer.
Heading into the 2023 season Titus rebranded the Mustangs dropping the Wyoming name, and calling them the Gillette Mustangs. They were coached by future 2024 AFL Championship winning coach Cedric Walker, whom Titus retained following the purchase of the team. Walker would coach the Mustangs in 2023 leading them to the playoffs.
Steven Titus did however take his other team, the Billings Outlaws, into AFL play in 2024, bringing with them Cedric Walker a former AFL player. Dominic Montero has brought football back to Gillette by reviving the well known Wyoming Calvary franchise.
Just Passing Through
Not every notable CIF franchise made it to the final season in 2023. Some were expansion teams that league hoped… Some multi-decade teams that needed a new home for a season or two, but a select few would leave the Champions Indoor Football League, and then leave a lasting mark on the landscape of arena and indoor football. The following active and defunct teams we found of note for a variety of reasons:
Quad Cities Steamwheelers
Founded:2018
Years in CIF: 1
Current League: IFL
Post CIF Record: 44-33
Home Arena: Vibrant Arena
Journey Since CIF:
If not for being an expansion/revival team created in the Champions Indoor Football League(and named for the Defunct AF2 franchise), Quad City wouldn’t have made the list. The SteamWheelers essentially used the CIF as a trial run to jump to the much bigger and stronger IFL. Falling from 8-5 in the CIF in 2018 to 6-8 in the IFL in 2019! The entirety of the IFL would go dormant in 2020, the SteamWheelers staying dormant for the 2021 season also.
The comeback to the comeback would see 2022 through an up-and-down 9-7 regular season followed by a run all the way to the IFL National Championship Game. The result? A 45-47 heartbreaker to Northern Arizona. The last two seasons, 2023 and 2024 have seen Quad City sneak into the playoffs with eight and nine win campaigns.
Cory Ross, the long-time QC Head coach, signed an extension for the 2025 season with a 17-16 record since the run to the IFL National Championship game. The 2025 squad looks as if they will nab the first double-digit regular season record in the IFL, sitting at 9-2 with 5 games to go! Don’t be surprised if this team is playing well into August!
West Michigan Ironmen
Founded:2016
Years in CIF: 1
Current League: AIF (3.0)
Post CIF Record: 50-6
Home Arena: Trinity Health Arena
Journey Since CIF:
West Michigan didn’t originate in the Champions Indoor Football League but was an AIF(first iteration) expansion team. Following the collapse of the AIF after the 2016 season the Ironmen would jump to the CIF. The Terrence Williams owned franchise would only accomplish an abysmal 4-8 record, before once again finding a new league. Later in 2018 the Ironmen were sold to current owner Mario Flores.
West Michigan tried to join the IFL along with another Champions Indoor Football League squad, the Bloomington Edge, in 2018 but a legal battle ensued. In the end, an injunction was filed against the Ironmen and they played a semi-pro schedule for 2018. The longest landing spot was next, the AAL. They would last four years until yet another league collapse in 2022. What about 2023 to the modern day? Essentially West Michigan has built leagues to have someone to play. They would emerge as the core of the GLAF (Great Lakes Arena Football) which they essentially built.
The GLAF would have more of a crumble than a collapse, leading the Ironmen to help remake a third version of the AIF. The now Mario Flores owned version dominated lesser AIF and Independent competition to 7-0 in 2025. Don’t be surprised to see West Michigan dominate the lower-level league for years to come… where they seem to be very comfortable. The post-CIF Record of 50-6 in various leagues holds less merit than a .500 record in literally any other league, think high end AAL2 level play!
Duke City Gladiators
Founded:2015
Years in CIF: 5
Current League: IFL (Dormant)
Post CIF Record: 24-40
Home Arena: TBD
Journey Since CIF:
Duke City began Champions Indoor Football League play as a replacement team for the New Mexico Stars in the first year of the CIF in 2015. The Gladiators had limited success in the first two seasons going a subpar 13-10. Year three would see a major improvement in on-field product and a playoff berth.
The playoff berth in 2017 would start a streak that wouldn’t end until 2021(joined in IFL in 2020)when the Gladiators entered the Indoor Football League. Not only would they make the playoffs in 2018 and 2019, but win the Champion Bowl both years in a combined 25-4 effort. Departing the CIF may not have been the best decision for Owner Gina Prieskorn-Thomas. Prieskorn-Thomas bought the team in 2019 shortly before their final season in the CIF.
In 2021 Duke City moved from Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque to the Rio Rancho event center due to issues coming from COVID restrictions. The franchise would retain less than 10% of season ticket holders and see a 50% drop in attendance in the move. The abysmal 8-23 record in the final two seasons didn’t help either. After the 2024 season, dormancy would be announced, later being sold in 2025. Plans are in place to revive and rebrand the franchise under new ownership in 2026.
What a Legacy!
The CIF certainly left its mark. If you’re keeping count, that’s three AF1 teams, two NAL teams, and one IFL Team actively playing in 2025 that originated in Champions Indoor Football. From the franchises that planted roots and grew into something bigger to the teams founded and stood tall till the end, we will never forget the legacy the CIF and its teams left behind.
In 2024 alone former teams won an Arena Bowl and NAL Championship. Literally half of the 2025 AF1 playoffs are CIF greats in Salina and Southwest Kansas! There are plenty of leagues that have gone out and never been thought of again but the roots of the CIF will be in memory until the sport as a whole is no more!
If you’re interested in or want to know any more about the AIF mentioned above be sure to check out the article linked below!
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If you are as into Arena and Indoor Football History as we are then check out this TikTok page:
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