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The Professional Indoor Football League was the second league to successfully play indoor football as a paid pro-league sport, after than the Arena Football League. Since the AFL had a patent given in 1990 on the gameplay of "Arena Football" (mainly the endzone nets), the PIFL played with mostly the same rules, but without the endzone nets. The PIFL only lasted one season (1998) with that name. The PIFL was started by Richard "Dick" Suess. Suess was deeply involved in football on the semi-pro/minor league level, and was editior/publisher of the Minor League Football News. In 1996, he began shopping around the idea of the PIFL, an indoor league created from the top minor league programs around the country. The league was finally formed in late 1997 and began it's first season in 1998. The league offices were located in Las Vegas, NV.
The PIFL was rife with problems from the start. The Colorado Wildcats changed coaches during the preseason. By the third game, many teams were in serious financial trouble and started forfeiting games. The Minnesota Monsters folded after Week #3. Many other teams missed payrolls and the best players quit.
In 1999, it would essentially "split" into two leagues. Keary Ecklund, owner of the Green Bay Bombers and Madison Mad Dogs teams, and an owner/operator of Ecklund Carriers in Neenah, WI (a trucking company), would take his two teams and form the Indoor Football League (IFL). On January 4, 1999, the remaining teams of the PIFL renamed the league to the Indoor Professional Football League (IPFL).
1998 PIFL Teams
- Colorado Wildcats - based in Denver, CO
- Green Bay Bombers
- Honolulu Hurricanes
- Louisiana Bayou Beast - based in Baton Rouge, LA
- Madison Mad Dogs
- Minnesota Monsters - based in Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN
- Texas Bullets - based in Belton, TX
- Utah Catzz - based in Orem, UT
1998 PIFL Final Regular Season Standings
| Teams | Wins | Losses | PF | PA | PPG | PPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana Bayou Beast | 13 | 1 | 565 | 400 | 47.1 | 33.3 |
| Madison Mad Dogs | 10 | 4 | 450 | 371 | 40.9 | 33.7 |
| Green Bay Bombers | 10 | 4 | 585 | 458 | 45.0 | 35.2 |
| Colorado Wildcats | 9 | 5 | 340 | 360 | 34.0 | 36.0 |
| Honolulu Hurricanes | 6 | 8 | 449 | 537 | 37.4 | 44.8 |
| Utah Catzz | 5 | 9 | 343 | 462 | 31.2 | 42.0 |
| Texas Bullets | 2 | 8 | 322 | 479 | ||
| Minnesota Monsters | 0 | 14 | 122 | 199 |
- Minnesota folded after starting 1-4 on the season. PF/PA are for 4 games played - the other game which was Minnesota's lone victory, was ruled a forfeit awarded to Honolulu and the points were not counted in standings.
- Texas folded after starting 2-8 on the season. PF/PA are for 9 games played.
- Utah forfeited their last game of the season to Madison. PF/PA are for 13 games played.
- Wins for other teams, include 7 forfeited games by Minnesota and 3 forfeited games by Texas.
- Standings do not include exhibition games played by any of the teams.
The Lawsuit (Arena Football League vs. the PIFL)
In February of 1998, the Arena Football League sued the PIFL for allegedly infringing its trademarks, copyrights and patent. The PIFL answered and denied the Arena Football League's allegations. Late in June '98, the Arena Football League filed a Motion for Preliminary Injunction before Judge Harry Leinenweber in Federal Court in the Northern District of Illinois. The Motion was set for hearing on July 21, 1998. On July 20, 1998, the PIFL and its league members filed their response, which included video tapes and other evidence refuting the Arena Football League's allegations. On July 22, 1998, the day after receiving the PIFL's legal papers, the Arena Football League withdrew its Motion for Preliminary Injunction in a lawsuit in Federal Court in Chicago. This ended the Arena Football League's efforts to challenge the practices of any competing professional "indoor" football league.
On November 12, 1998, The Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL) and the Arena Football League reached a settlement agreement in the lawsuit brought by the Arena Football League against the PIFL for patent infringement. As part of the settlement, all present and future PIFL teams have agreed to honor the patents, trademarks, copyrights and net structure of the Arena Football League, and in return the Arena Football League has withdrawn its motion to seek a restraining order to prevent the PIFL from playing its games. Additionally, the PIFL has agreed to use the following disclaimer, "PIFL and its teams are not affiliated, sponsored or associated with the Arena Football League or any of its member teams," on all official publications. Professional Indoor Football League Commissioner Mike Storen stated,"The Professional Indoor Football League is happy to acknowledge the uniqueness of the Arena Football League's patented net system and method of play on the basis that this settlement will allow the Professional Indoor Football League to expand in an orderly fashion."
PIFL Playoffs
August 7, 1998 - #3 Green Bay Bombers 19 @ #2 Madison Mad Dogs 46
August 9, 1998 - #4 Colorado Wildcats* 51 @ #1 Louisiana Bayou Beast 67 (at Riverside Centroplex)
- Colorado's trip to Louisiana was paid for by the owners of the Bayou Beast.
1998 PIFL Championship Game
Sat. August 15, 1998
#2 Madison Mad Dogs 41 at #1 Louisiana Bayou Beast 42 F
at Pete Maravich Assembly Center - Baton Rouge, LA.
Award Winners
Following the championship game, the Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL) saluted its best with an on-the-field awards ceremony. Those honored were as follows:
Most Valuable Player - Melvin Hill, QB, Louisiana Bayou Beast
Offensive Player of the Year - Jay McDonagh, QB, Green Bay Bombers
Defensive Player of the Year - Derric Coakley, DE, Green Bay Bombers
Coach of the Year - Buford Jordan, Louisiana Bayou Beast
Executive of the Year - James Shiver Sr., Louisiana Bayou Beast
The Professional Indoor Football League earlier announced its 1998 All-Star teams as chosen by the PIFL coaches. The Green Bay Bombers lead the list with five first team selections, including top vote getter quarterback Jay McDonagh. He is joined on the offensive first team by teammates Chris Perry and Heath Garland (both receivers), Louisiana's Michael Lewis (WR), Chris Cloud (center) and Matt Huerkamp (kicker), Colorado's Rob Satterly (offensive line) and Utah's Matt Meservy (OL). Green Bay, Colorado and Madison each placed a pair of players on the defensive first team.
1998 Professional Indoor Football League All-Stars
- First Team
- Offense
- QB Jay McDonagh, Green Bay
- RB Darnell Brooks, Colorado
- WR Heath Garland, Green Bay
- WR Michael Lewis, Louisiana
- WR Chris Perry, Green Bay
- OL Matt Meservey, Utah
- OL Rob Satterly, Colorado
- C Chris Cloud, Louisiana
- K Matt Huerkamp, Louisiana
- Defense
- LB James Gillyard, Louisiana
- LB Jeff Veronie, Colorado
- S Nick Galbreath, Colorado
- DB Ryan Buchanon, Madison
- DB Derf Reese, Green Bay
- DE Derric Coakley, Green Bay
- DE Tawain Temple, Madison
- NT Junior Fonoti, Utah
- Offense
- Second Team
- Offense
- QB Mike Tillis, Honolulu
- RB Byron Allen, Louisiana
- WR Antonio Chandler, Colorado
- WR Greg Hooks, Utah
- WR Kahn Powell, Madison
- OL Jim Hobbins, Green Bay
- C Andy Ramos, Honolulu
- K Bryan Mader, Green Bay
- Defense
- LB Joshua Jardine, Honolulu
- LB Pat Rogers, Louisiana
- S Jack Phillips, Louisiana
- DB Keith Ballard, Louisiana
- DB Falinko Vitale, Honolulu
- NT Kale Cockett, Honolulu
- DE Charles Johnson, Louisiana
- DE Franklin Thomas, Louisiana
- Offense
- Honorable Mention
- Offense
- QB Melvin Hill, Louisiana
- RB Willie High, Green Bay
- RB Darnell Jones, Honolulu
- WR Lee McCormick, Texas
- OL Brandon Bergstresser, Madison
- OL Curtis Jones, Utah
- C Carl Silva, Utah
- K Doug Beach, Utah
- Defense
- LB Junior Tagaloa, Utah
- LB Jose Salcido, Madison
- S Nick Mc Daniel, Utah
- DB Damon Jackson, Colorado
- DB Jesse Tann, Colorado
- NT David Cunningham, Madison
- DE Jeff Warner, Madison
- DE Norm Barnett, Colorado
- Offense
PIFL European Division
The PIFL proposed European Division was set to kick off in November 1998 with teams in England and Ireland. A six team tournament was planned for August 22, 1998 in Manchester, England. Terry Smith was the PIFL European League Director and was the head coach of the Great Britain Spartans. The Spartans were a very successful european minor football club, trying to move up to the pro level. The Spartans played two exhibition games in the US on April 27, 1998 at the Madison Mad Dogs and on April 29, 1998 at the Green Bay Bombers. They lost both games, 12-29 to Madison and 34-55 to Green Bay.
2007 - The PIFL Returns
The PIFL will return with "The League of Dreams" in 2007. More information can be found at Professional Indoor Football League's new website.
"The League's base of operations will be located in San Angelo, TX. Our plan is to move the majority of the operations to Las Vegas within the next year."
The final game of the '07 season has been renamed to the "CHAMPIONSBOWL I".
"Professional Indoor Football League"