Indiana Firebirds
Encyclopedia
The Indiana Firebirds were a team in the Arena Football League
.The team was based in Indianapolis, Indiana
. Home games were played at the Conseco Fieldhouse
, also the home of the Indiana Pacers
of the National Basketball Association
and Indiana Fever
of the Women's National Basketball Association
.
from 1990 to 2000. At that time, home games were played at the Knickerbocker Arena (now known as the Times Union Center). After the move, the Firebirds competed in the Central Division of the AFL's American Conference.
The Firebirds were very successful during their tenure in Albany. They won six division titles, made nine playoff appearances, and won the 1999 ArenaBowl
championship.
Adrian McPherson
.
However, in early September 2004, Indiana Firebirds owner Dave Lageschulte announced that his company, Lags Football LLC, would cease all business operations for the Firebirds. Lageschulte had been actively, but unsuccessfully, pursuing local investors to purchase the Firebirds since he had assumed ownership in 2002.
On September 20, 2004, the date of the announced sales deadline, the Arena Football League announced the termination of the Firebirds franchise and that the players would be made available to continuing AFL teams in a dispersal draft
. However, within the week the team was purchased by Scott and Todd Hines, who run H3 Sportsgear, a sportsgear company based in Indianapolis. With AFL approval, it was hoped that the Firebirds could remain operational in Indianapolis. However, this bid floundered due to concerns that the low sale price would devalue the worth of the other 18 franchises. The former Firebirds players were made available in the dispersal draft conducted on October 14, 2004, marking the end of one of the AFL's longest-running franchises.
team called the Albany Conquest
took to the field to replace the arena football void left by the departure of the Firebirds. After eight seasons and troubles with fielding a winning team in recent seasons, Conquest owner Walter Robb contemplated shutting down the Conquest franchise. Then, on Friday, October 3, 2008, Robb announced the return of the team for the 2009 season but renamed as the Albany Firebirds in the hopes of "re-branding" the team.
| colspan="6" align="center" | Albany Firebirds
|-
|1990 || 3 || 5 || 0 || 5th || --
|-
|1991 || 6 || 4 || 0 || 4th || Lost Week 1 (Detroit
37-35)
|-
|1992 || 5 || 5 || 0 || 3rd Northern || Lost Week 1 (Dallas
48-45)
|-
|1993 || 5 || 7 || 0 || 5th NC || Lost Week 1 (Tampa Bay
48-34)
|-
|1994 || 10 || 2 || 0 || 1st NC || Won Week 1 (Las Vegas
49-30)
Lost Week 2 (Arizona
40-33)
|-
|1995 || 7 || 5 || 0 || 1st NC Eastern || Won Week 1 (St. Louis
51-49)
Lost Week 2 (Tampa Bay
56-49)
|-
|1996 || 10 || 4 || 0 || 1st NC Eastern || Won Week 1 (Milwaukee
70-58)
Lost Week 2 (Iowa
62-55)
|-
|1997 || 6 || 8 || 0 || 3rd NC Eastern || --
|-
|1998 || 10 || 4 || 0 || 1st NC Eastern || Lost Week 1 (New Jersey 66-59)
|-
|1999 || 11 || 3 || 0 || 1st NC Eastern || Won Week 1 (Grand Rapids
55-45)
Won Week 2 (Arizona
73-47)
Won ArenaBowl XIII
(Orlando
59-48)
|-
|2000 || 9 || 5 || 0 || 1st NC Eastern || Lost Week 2 (Arizona
53-50)
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" | Indiana Firebirds
|-
|2001 || 9 || 5 || 0 || 2nd AC Central || Won Week 1 (Carolina
58-41)
Won Week 2 (Tampa Bay
68-31)
Lost Week 3 (Grand Rapids
83-70)
|-
|2002 || 7 || 7 || 0 || 3rd AC Central || Lost Week 1 (Dallas
47-46)
|-
|2003 || 6 || 10 || 0 || 4th AC Central || --
|-
|2004 || 8 || 8 || 0 || 3rd AC Central || --
|-
!Totals || 121 || 91 || 0
|colspan="2"| (including playoffs)
|}
Arena Football League
The Arena Football League is the highest level of professional indoor American football in the United States. It is currently the second longest running professional football league in the United States, after the National Football League. It was founded in 1987 by Jim Foster...
.The team was based in Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. Home games were played at the Conseco Fieldhouse
Conseco Fieldhouse
Conseco Fieldhouse is a multi-purpose arena located in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Opened in November 1999 to replace Market Square Arena, it is home to the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association and the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association...
, also the home of the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
of the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
and Indiana Fever
Indiana Fever
The Indiana Fever is a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
of the Women's National Basketball Association
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
.
Albany Firebirds (1990–2000)
Originally called the Albany Firebirds, the team was based in Albany, New YorkAlbany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
from 1990 to 2000. At that time, home games were played at the Knickerbocker Arena (now known as the Times Union Center). After the move, the Firebirds competed in the Central Division of the AFL's American Conference.
The Firebirds were very successful during their tenure in Albany. They won six division titles, made nine playoff appearances, and won the 1999 ArenaBowl
ArenaBowl XIII
Arena Bowl XIII was the 1999 edition of the Arena Football League's championship game. Played on August 21, 1999, it was played at the Firebird's home arena, the Times Union Center . It was played between the #8 Orlando Predators and the #3 Albany Firebirds...
championship.
Indiana Firebirds (2001–2004)
The 2004 Firebirds just missed the playoffs after a disappointing 0-5 start. However, they finished the season winning eight of the their last eleven games and were considered by some a potential contender for the 2005 Arena Bowl championship led by 2004 Rookie of the Year, quarterbackQuarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Adrian McPherson
Adrian McPherson
Adrian Jamal McPherson is a quarterback for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the fifth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
.
However, in early September 2004, Indiana Firebirds owner Dave Lageschulte announced that his company, Lags Football LLC, would cease all business operations for the Firebirds. Lageschulte had been actively, but unsuccessfully, pursuing local investors to purchase the Firebirds since he had assumed ownership in 2002.
On September 20, 2004, the date of the announced sales deadline, the Arena Football League announced the termination of the Firebirds franchise and that the players would be made available to continuing AFL teams in a dispersal draft
Dispersal draft
A dispersal draft is a process in professional sports for assigning players to a new team when their current team goes out of business, consolidates with another team, or for some other reason ceases to exist. Since most sports drafts are held in North America, this is where most dispersal drafts...
. However, within the week the team was purchased by Scott and Todd Hines, who run H3 Sportsgear, a sportsgear company based in Indianapolis. With AFL approval, it was hoped that the Firebirds could remain operational in Indianapolis. However, this bid floundered due to concerns that the low sale price would devalue the worth of the other 18 franchises. The former Firebirds players were made available in the dispersal draft conducted on October 14, 2004, marking the end of one of the AFL's longest-running franchises.
Resurrection of the Albany Firebirds name
After the move of the Albany Firebirds AFL franchise to Indiana, an af2Af2
AF2 was the name of the Arena Football League's developmental league; it was founded in 1999 and played its first season in 2000. Like parent AFL, the AF2 played using the same arena football rules and style of play. League seasons ran from April through July with the postseason and ArenaCup...
team called the Albany Conquest
Albany Conquest
The Albany Firebirds are a professional arena football team of the af2 based in Albany, New York. Albany was granted an expansion team in 2002 and began play as the Albany Conquest. The Firebirds play their home games at the Times Union Center...
took to the field to replace the arena football void left by the departure of the Firebirds. After eight seasons and troubles with fielding a winning team in recent seasons, Conquest owner Walter Robb contemplated shutting down the Conquest franchise. Then, on Friday, October 3, 2008, Robb announced the return of the team for the 2009 season but renamed as the Albany Firebirds in the hopes of "re-branding" the team.
Season-by-season
|-| colspan="6" align="center" | Albany Firebirds
|-
|1990 || 3 || 5 || 0 || 5th || --
|-
|1991 || 6 || 4 || 0 || 4th || Lost Week 1 (Detroit
Massachusetts Marauders
The Massachusetts Marauders was a professional arena football team that played in the Arena Football League in 1994.-Detroit Drive :...
37-35)
|-
|1992 || 5 || 5 || 0 || 3rd Northern || Lost Week 1 (Dallas
Dallas Texans (Arena)
The Dallas Texans was an Arena Football League team that played from 1990 to 1993.-History:The team was based in Dallas, Texas. They played their home games in the Reunion Arena, which they shared with the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association. The team made the ArenaBowl their...
48-45)
|-
|1993 || 5 || 7 || 0 || 5th NC || Lost Week 1 (Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay Storm
The Tampa Bay Storm are an Arena Football League team based in the Tampa Bay Area of Florida. They play their home games in the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa....
48-34)
|-
|1994 || 10 || 2 || 0 || 1st NC || Won Week 1 (Las Vegas
Anaheim Piranhas
The Anaheim Piranhas were a professional arena football team that played in the Arena Football League from 1994 - 1997. They played their home games at Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California. The team was originally known as the Las Vegas Sting, prior to moving to Anaheim in 1996. The team was owned...
49-30)
Lost Week 2 (Arizona
Arizona Rattlers
The Arizona Rattlers are a professional arena football team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Conference in the Arena Football League . The Rattlers were founded in 1992 as an expansion team. They play their home games at US Airways Center...
40-33)
|-
|1995 || 7 || 5 || 0 || 1st NC Eastern || Won Week 1 (St. Louis
St. Louis Stampede
The St. Louis Stampede was a team in the Arena Football League. The Stampede competed in the 1995 and 1996 seasons, playing their home games in the Kiel Center , also the home of the St...
51-49)
Lost Week 2 (Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay Storm
The Tampa Bay Storm are an Arena Football League team based in the Tampa Bay Area of Florida. They play their home games in the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa....
56-49)
|-
|1996 || 10 || 4 || 0 || 1st NC Eastern || Won Week 1 (Milwaukee
Milwaukee Mustangs
The Milwaukee Mustangs were an Arena Football League team. They played from 1994 to 2001 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin's Bradley Center.-History:The team was founded in 1994 amidst rumors that the Green Bay Packers would soon stop playing games in Milwaukee, something they'd been doing since 1936...
70-58)
Lost Week 2 (Iowa
New York Dragons
The New York Dragons were an Arena Football League team based in the New York metropolitan area. The team was founded in as the original incarnation of the Iowa Barnstormers, and relocated to New York in . They played in New York until 2008, when the league folded...
62-55)
|-
|1997 || 6 || 8 || 0 || 3rd NC Eastern || --
|-
|1998 || 10 || 4 || 0 || 1st NC Eastern || Lost Week 1 (New Jersey 66-59)
|-
|1999 || 11 || 3 || 0 || 1st NC Eastern || Won Week 1 (Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids Rampage
The Grand Rapids Rampage was an Arena Football League team that began playing as a 1998 expansion team. They were coached by Steve Thonn.-History:...
55-45)
Won Week 2 (Arizona
Arizona Rattlers
The Arizona Rattlers are a professional arena football team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Conference in the Arena Football League . The Rattlers were founded in 1992 as an expansion team. They play their home games at US Airways Center...
73-47)
Won ArenaBowl XIII
ArenaBowl XIII
Arena Bowl XIII was the 1999 edition of the Arena Football League's championship game. Played on August 21, 1999, it was played at the Firebird's home arena, the Times Union Center . It was played between the #8 Orlando Predators and the #3 Albany Firebirds...
(Orlando
Orlando Predators
The Orlando Predators are an Arena Football League team based in Orlando, Florida that was founded in 1991. Their playoff streak is currently 19 seasons in a row, as of the season, becoming the ArenaBowl champions in 1998 and 2000...
59-48)
|-
|2000 || 9 || 5 || 0 || 1st NC Eastern || Lost Week 2 (Arizona
Arizona Rattlers
The Arizona Rattlers are a professional arena football team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Conference in the Arena Football League . The Rattlers were founded in 1992 as an expansion team. They play their home games at US Airways Center...
53-50)
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" | Indiana Firebirds
|-
|2001 || 9 || 5 || 0 || 2nd AC Central || Won Week 1 (Carolina
Carolina Cobras
Not to be confused with the Los Angeles Cobras, who played in the 1988 AFL season.The Carolina Cobras were an expansion franchise in the Arena Football League...
58-41)
Won Week 2 (Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay Storm
The Tampa Bay Storm are an Arena Football League team based in the Tampa Bay Area of Florida. They play their home games in the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa....
68-31)
Lost Week 3 (Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids Rampage
The Grand Rapids Rampage was an Arena Football League team that began playing as a 1998 expansion team. They were coached by Steve Thonn.-History:...
83-70)
|-
|2002 || 7 || 7 || 0 || 3rd AC Central || Lost Week 1 (Dallas
Dallas Desperados
The Dallas Desperados were a professional Arena Football team. The Desperados played in the Southern Division of the now-defunct Arena Football League from 2002 to 2008....
47-46)
|-
|2003 || 6 || 10 || 0 || 4th AC Central || --
|-
|2004 || 8 || 8 || 0 || 3rd AC Central || --
|-
!Totals || 121 || 91 || 0
|colspan="2"| (including playoffs)
|}