Difference in Leagues

[newtothegame]

I've been lurking the past couple of days/weeks, and finally decided to join and post.

I've tried to get caught up with all the different indoor football leagues, but it's all very confusing to me. I'd really like to be excited about the sport, but don't know which league(s) are the best and which one(s) to support. Could someone differentiate between all of them, give the pros and cons to each, and just sort them out for me.

So far, what leagues are out there (I'm not talking about the AFL, or AF2)? The UIF, AIFL, NIFL, GLIFL, WIFL? What's good and bad about each? Just some clarification would be nice, if anyone doesn't mind.

Thanks,
newtothegame

[tony-o]

Well, here's how I rank the leagues:
1. GLIFL- They are clearly the best league out there. They haven't had teams fold, and the Spitaleris know how to run a league.
2. UIF - Another well-run league that has been flying under the radar without too much bad news making an impression on them.
3. IFL - Good league, not much going on though for them.
4. AIFL - Were well run at first but have made some bad impressions this past season.
5. APFL - No one really here's about this league. It's small and right now it seems like it is falling apart.
6. NIFL - The absolute worst. There are constantly teams folding and forfeits and replacement teams coming in to play. A lot of teams are leaving the NIFL this offseason.

The other leagues, the WIFL, PIFL and EIFL, haven't played yet. The WIFL and PIFL seem to be doing the right things, but the EIFL might be worse than the NIFL.

[preeths]

We should mention that the WIFL is thus far made up of seven teams, all of whom played and completed their seasons in a couple of different leagues last year. They seem to be as solid as can be.

[newtothegame]

Thanks for the response. Are these pretty much the thoughts throughout, or thoughts from one fanbase?

[gonzo13]

From an additional perspective, I can pretty much go along with everything that was said here.

[11HP20]

Where's the IFL here. If they expand in the off season, they should definately get some recognition. What is it that they do that makes people ignore them? It can't be the six team league thing. The GLIFL is the darling of the indoor world. So where's the love?

[Geoff]

Not much major news, positive or negative. In the world of media they just seem to sit there and don't get noticed much outside of Louisiana and Texas.

[Freedom]

Thanks for the response. Are these pretty much the thoughts throughout, or thoughts from one fanbase?

Tony-o's breakdown looks fair to me . . . probably acceptable by most fans.

[preeths]

I think the top two leagues could be interchanged, and probably would be, by many observers. That's nothing against the GLIFL, only a recognition that UIF is in bigger markets and now has one extra year on its track record.

[FortWayneBballfan]

I think the top two leagues could be interchanged, and probably would be, by many observers. That's nothing against the GLIFL, only a recognition that UIF is in bigger markets and now has one extra year on its track record.

But as the saying has always gone..."bigger does not always mean better." I think the UIF is a solid league and I also believe that the GLIFL is also on pretty good ground at this point. Year #2 will really tell us how they are doing. They seem to be running a pretty good ship in the GLIFL.

[tony-o]

GLIFL makes sure they have the right owners so small markets can work.

And I agree with Geoff, I don't hear about them a lot so it's easy to forget them. I added them to the list.

[preeths]

But as the saying has always gone..."bigger does not always mean better." I think the UIF is a solid league and I also believe that the GLIFL is also on pretty good ground at this point. Year #2 will really tell us how they are doing. They seem to be running a pretty good ship in the GLIFL.

The fact that they're simply in bigger markets doesn't make them better, but the fact that they've succeeded in bigger ones might.

[phydeaux72]

3. IFL - Good league, not much going on though for them.

There's about as much going on for the IFL as there is any other league. It's a small league, but a solid and well run one to boot. ALL teams finished the season, with several making much needed improvements in several areas. No games were postponed/forfeited. And I expent that all the teams, as well as several expansion teams, will be back next season.

You have to keep in mind that most leagues, if not all, wait until their season ends before they start making any moves toward expansion or restructuring. The IFL's season just barely ended. The championship game was this past Saturday. I'm sure you'll see some things coming out of the IFL camp in the next few weeks.

[tony-o]

There's about as much going on for the IFL as there is any other league. It's a small league, but a solid and well run one to boot. ALL teams finished the season, with several making much needed improvements in several areas. No games were postponed/forfeited. And I expent that all the teams, as well as several expansion teams, will be back next season.

You have to keep in mind that most leagues, if not all, wait until their season ends before they start making any moves toward expansion or restructuring. The IFL's season just barely ended. The championship game was this past Saturday. I'm sure you'll see some things coming out of the IFL camp in the next few weeks.
Well, I'll probably re-evaluate the leagues in a week or two. Then I'll add the WIFL and PIFL and EIFL too. Maybe even the OIFL and AGIFL. So if the IFL makes moves that improve them a lot, they might move up.

[newtothegame]

Thanks for all the great responses.

So pretty much, the UIF, GLIFL, and IFL are the cream of the crop in indoor football, and the AIFL, and NIFL are sinking ships?

Who do you think has the best run team in each league?

[preeths]

Wouldn't call the AIFL a sinking ship, but they need to make some improvements this season.

[UIF Storm]

When the Storm left the NIFL, we brought like 8 other teams with us. Theres talk about 5 teams jumping the NIFL to come over to the UIF in this offseason. Now why would a bunch of good teams from the cruddy league all be going to the same alternate league? Simple, we took what the NIFL was doing wrong, and fixed it. We had a team finish 0-15 this year. That might not seem too impressive, it might even seem like a negative. Until you look at what i said more closely. they FINISHED with that record. No forfiet, no cancelations; they stuck through the entire season. That has to say something for the team (Peoria Rough Riders) and our League itself.

As far as best run team. The Sioux Falls Storm and the Lexington Horsemen played in the 2004 NIFL championship game where the Horsemen kicked our butt. Both teams came to the UIF in 2005 where the Storm beat the horsmen in the playoffs and went on to win United Bowl 1. This past season, the Storm and Horsemen met in United Bowl 2 where the undefeated Storm beat the 14-2 Horsemen. It was an excellent game, and both teams are extremely well run.

[newtothegame]

So, as a UIF fan, how would you rank the teams in the UIF, in order, from the best run/managed, to the worst?

Also, if there are any fans of the GLIFL, how would you rank those teams? I saw the Port Huron Prates won the championship, was this the effect of coaching, talent, managment? Whose, the best run teams in this league? Thanks in advance.

[tony-o]

They are all very well run in the GLIFL. There is not team that really stands out. The only problem was the Crunch, but they were relatively quiet about it and fixed the problem.

[UIF Storm]

Sioux Falls Storm - I have to go with the Storm as #1 just for the fact that we've got back to back championships, and a run before that.

Lexington Horsemen - Lexington cuz they're a class organization.

Omaha Beef - Beef had made playoff runs the past 7 years i believe?

Sioux City Bandits - Very well run team.

Rock River Raptors - Team moved cities and still managed to make the playoffs with a 12-4 record

Evansville Bluecats - very good team, took us to overtime last year, and were a very defensive unit this year.

Bloomington Xtreme - expansion team. only had a 5-10 record, but realize that the top three seeds had a combined record of 39 - 6.

Ft. Wayne Freedom - started out well, but bombed. (8 game losing streak)

Peoria Rough Riders - they went 0-15, but they're not last, and i'll explain in a second. but you obviously aren't doing some things right if you can't win a game.

Ohio Valley Greyhounds - almost had to have the league step in and run their front office for a bit. Something happened to their management, and yea. Bad deal, but All teams were able to finish their scheduled games.

[FortWayneBballfan]

They are all very well run in the GLIFL. There is not team that really stands out. The only problem was the Crunch, but they were relatively quiet about it and fixed the problem.

What happened in Battle Creek?

[banannaman]

Something about the owner having a heart attack and health issues. GLIF took over the team, but there are rumors on the league board of new owners for 2007.

[newtothegame]

So is Battle Creek the worst run team in the GLIFL? I was looking at the league stats page, and their attendance wasn't very high, but I saw that the champion Pirates wasn't nearly as high as other teams, so maybe it's just the people of Michigan that don't like indoor football.

Thanks for the great comments so far, especially UIF Storm, that's what I was watning to see.

[exit322]

Both Michigan teams (and the two new ones for 2007) will be run better next year off the field than they were this year. I fully expect attendance to be higher for both squads, even considering the Pirates probably won't be as good on the field.

[nksports]

Your biggest battle every year in Michigan (at least since the early 1970s) is the economy. Too much is tied to the auto industry (at least Battle Creek has the cereal industry to fall back on). It's soooo rust belt. When things go good, minor league sports goes well, but when things don't -- let's just say will the last one leaving Flint or Saganaw please turn out the lights.

[rams80]

So is Battle Creek the worst run team in the GLIFL? I was looking at the league stats page, and their attendance wasn't very high, but I saw that the champion Pirates wasn't nearly as high as other teams, so maybe it's just the people of Michigan that don't like indoor football.

Thanks for the great comments so far, especially UIF Storm, that's what I was watning to see.

Did Port Huron outdraw the hockey team night to night? If they did, I think they're safe for right now.

[hawk174md]

Well, here's how I rank the leagues:
1. GLIFL- They are clearly the best league out there. They haven't had teams fold, and the Spitaleris know how to run a league.
2. UIF - Another well-run league that has been flying under the radar without too much bad news making an impression on them.
3. IFL - Good league, not much going on though for them.
4. AIFL - Were well run at first but have made some bad impressions this past season.
5. APFL - No one really here's about this league. It's small and right now it seems like it is falling apart.
6. NIFL - The absolute worst. There are constantly teams folding and forfeits and replacement teams coming in to play. A lot of teams are leaving the NIFL this offseason.

The other leagues, the WIFL, PIFL and EIFL, haven't played yet. The WIFL and PIFL seem to be doing the right things, but the EIFL might be worse than the NIFL.

I will go along with NIFL being the worst, Tony. The NIFL lost the Everett Hawks to af2 and they are about to lose another Washington State-based team to possibly the UIF.