A Brief History of the NIFL
The National Indoor Football League was created in October of 2000, when two fledging indoor football leagues, the IPFL and the IFL, combined with 8 new teams. The idea was to create a league with more similarities to the outdoor game, while providing inexpensive family entertainment and accessible quality football action for all the communities involved.
The inaugural NIFL game was played on Wednesday March 28, 2001 in Medford, Oregon when the visiting Yakima Shockwave defeated the Southern Oregon Heat 27-21. In its inaugural season, the best record in the league was shared between the Mississippi Fire Dogs and the Rapid City Red Dogs at 13-1. The first league championship, dubbed the “Indoor Bowl”, was played in Biloxi, Mississippi on August 4, 2001 with the Mississippi Fire Dogs defeating the Wyoming Cavalry 55-21.
The NIFL continued to grow and develop by expanding from 18 teams in 2001 to 21 teams in 2002 . In its second year, the leagues regular season record was again shared by two teams, the Ohio Valley Greyhounds and the Lake Charles Landsharks, at 13-1. The "Indoor Bowl II" was played on August 3, 2002 in Wheeling, WV with the hometown Greyhounds defeating the Billings Outlaws in a barnburner, 55-52.
2003 saw more positive changes as the league expanded to 24 teams. There were now teams stretching as far east as Myrtle Beach, SC and as far west as Salt Lake City, Utah. Attendance records were shattered as Lexington and Fort Wayne broke previous single-game records in their home openers. The Ohio Valley Greyhounds again tore through the league by posting an unprecedented 14-0 regular season record. The Hounds completed the first-ever perfect season in league history, and continued their dominance into the post-season winning their 2nd Indoor Bowl by defeating the Utah Warriors 45-37.
In 2004 the League continued its growth , reaching 26 teams. The League extended into the northeast with teams in Atlantic City & Staten Island. Attendance records were again broken, as the Fort Wayne Freedom set the single game record for attendance at 10,225. With one of the most potent offenses in the league, the Lexington Horsemen posted ten regular season victories, on their way to capturing the Indoor Bowl IV.
Heading into its fifth year, the NIFL merged with the Intense Football League, setting the total number of teams at 22. 2005 would produce two undefeated teams, Everett and Odessa, unfortunately neither would go on to make the Indoor Bowl. For the first time in league history a Pacific Conference team, the expansion Tri-Cities Fever, would capture the Indoor Bowl V. The Fever defeated another 2005 expansion team, the Rome Renegades by a score of 47-31.
