The 2016 American Indoor Football season is the eleventh season of American Indoor Football. The regular season began February 27, 2016, and ended on May 23, 2016. Each team plays a game schedule of varying lengths.
League changes
During the offseason there were several membership changes in the league that saw only four of the nine teams return from the previous season. However, the league would end up starting the season with 18 full member teams, two travel only teams, and one affiliated provisional team.[1] On March 31, 2016, the AIF also added the Austin Colts from North American Indoor Football but withdrew before their first game.
Returning teams
- Chicago Blitz returned for their second season in the AIF. However, the team would cancel its last game and announce the team was for sale at the end of the season.
- Maryland Eagles returned for their fourth season in the AIF as an AIF travel-only team.
- Savannah Steam returned for their second season in the AIF.
Relocating teams
Leaving teams
Teams added
Teams that folded mid-season
- Atlanta Vultures were added as an expansion team to replace the departed Atlanta Sharks. Folded mid-season with a 2-1 record due to lack of usable turf in their home arena. The team's last win against the Savannah Steam was reversed by the league and all remaining scheduled league games were ruled as 0-2 losses in the league standings.
- Philadelphia Yellow Jackets as an expansion team. The team had to cancel/forfeit two of their last three home games due to their arena lease being voided on May 11. They rescheduled their last home game to the home arena of the Central Penn Capitals but apparently folded instead.
- Steel City Menace were added as an expansion team. Originally were going to be named "Mile High Menace" and play in Denver but relocated to Pueblo, Colorado and were renamed. The team folded mid-season after two league road games and not having a home arena.[2] During their first exhibition away game they wore a local high school's uniform and during their April 9 game against the New Mexico Stars they wore white practice jerseys with numbers made of red duct tape. Even though the team folded in mid-April, the AIF listed the New Mexico Stars' 90-6 win over the local Capital City Warriors as a league game against the Menace.
Failed expansion teams
Regular season
Playoffs
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Division Semi-Finals |
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Division Championships |
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2016 AIF Championship |
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N1 |
West Michigan |
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N4* |
Myrtle Beach |
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N2 |
River City |
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N3 |
Lehigh Valley |
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S1 |
Columbus |
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W1 |
New Mexico |
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S2 |
Florida |
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S3* |
Savannah |
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* — When initially announced, the West Michigan Ironmen were set to play the Northern Division's fourth-seeded Central Penn Capitals. On May 30, the Captials were replaced with the Southern Division's third-seeded Myrtle Beach Freedom. The Freedom were replaced by the Southern Division's fourth-seed, the Savannah Steam.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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| Northern Division |
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| Southern Division |
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| 2017 expansion |
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| Seasons |
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| See also |
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