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This has been one of the most tension filled years in IFL history as financial doom lingered over the 2026 season, which saw the Cleveland Clawz win their second Imperial Bowl on the back of Quarterback Edwin Hyman who only had 3 previous starts going into the playoffs.
At the beginning of the season there were rumblings throughout league ownership that they were struggling financially and that rule changes were needed to help defenses defend pass happy offenses. It seemed that Wide Receivers were being given latitude by the referees to cheat defenses in order to get open. Further discussion erupted as some owners stated that there was no way a QB who’s been riding the bench all year should have been able to lead his team to the Championship. Others praised the Cleveland system and pointed to former NFL great Tom Brady who took over for Drew Bledsoe leading them to a SuperBowl some 20 years ago. As owners met behind closed doors throughout the season there were even thoughts about the collapse of the IFL at the end of the season. Long time owners such as Jester of the Lawrence Phantoms were most vocal in terms of stepping out of the league because there were no challenges anymore. George, owner of the Dakota Spirit continued to complain that they could not make a go of it in a small town like Fargo, compared to Newark who has one of the largest fan bases in the league. As rumors continued to swirl there was even talk of starting a new league merging with the now struggling NFL.
In what could be called an “eleventh hour meeting” team ownership voted to make changes going into the 2027 season that could be either the deathknell or salvation of the league. In order to save some struggling franchises, the league pooled profits, sought out new investors, and leveled the playing field financially for teams so that they could stay in their city. In other cases cities who did not have a franchise, and in some cases lost their NFL franchise, would be allowed to apply for a franchise that was in disarray, thus bringing an influx of new dollars into the league. The league also voted to make some rule changes that would balance the league defensively so as to not overvalue WR’s impact on the game.
While the dust still settles and there are some new ventures on the horizon, let me offer a few suggestions to the league.
It is bad news that Jester has left the league, my suggestion is to close the history book on the Lawrence Phantoms. Boston, who lost their franchise to Chicago, has been begging for a franchise to replace their beloved Dragons. Boston would be able to gain Phantom phans who live near they city. I’ve always had difficulty with Lawrence and could never figure out how Kansas was part of the East—turns out they played in Massachusetts—who knew?
Iowa City, which has been ownerless during the entire 2026 season, has a couple of options. They can remain where they are, or seek refuge somewhere else. Iowa City is one of those small markets that actually made money last year so there is no need to go elsewhere. Detroit has been begging for a franchise but it appears that Lansing ownership is trying to block that move. Minnesota, Indianapolis, Columbus, Cincinnati and Buffalo have also been inquiring about a franchise. How about another Canadian city like Toronto?
It is great to see the city of St. Louis step up to keep their franchise. With the loss of Suicane, however, the team has been rebranded as the Archers. The colors are somewhat familiar to the folded NFL franchise Rams as owner Hooper takes over the reins. Hooper is a former NFL owner who was almost instrumental in working out a merger between the two leagues.
In absolutely outstanding news, Rook has announced that the Norfolk Vipers will be returning to the league after rumors swirled that they were leaving. Finances were never a problem for the Vipers, so it seems that whatever misgivings they had about remaining with the league have been solved. It is noted that Commissioner Matt has had numerous meetings with Rook, as well as the return of the former Commissioner Cringer who has returned as an owner.
Speaking of Cringer. Is it not great to see the Chaos back in town. Fresno has had one of the most tumultuous turnovers at the helm and the fans are a bit schizophrenic went it comes to their team. Whether it’s the Kings, Chaos, Heroes, or Warthogs, financial backing has been hard to come by. With Cringer, there seems to be a “Back to the Future” theme going on and we believe that he can turn previous hardship into a viable sustained franchise. This team didn’t even sniff the playoffs until 2 years ago and Schwartz is getting older quick. Do they have enough to get them to the top?
Ah…Oakland. What a mess. Here’s a streaky team that’s been made over just as many times as Fresno but with a little more success. Oakland has always had difficulty after lawsuits with the NFL Oakland Raiders for trademark rights changed their name to the Owls and then back to the “Assassins”. Courts ruled in favor of the IFL Assassins despite the obvious comparisons. Jave, who has been an on again, off again owner was almost persuaded back into the league, but when the courts overturned their ruling blocking the silver and black, he declined. In my opinion it’s time to get out of Oakland. Oakland is one of those places that people can’t seem to be content. From the Oakland Raiders/Los Angeles Raiders to the now San Jose A’s, there’s just no stability in that city. I say it’s time to move across the bay and allow San Francisco to get the franchise they deserve. Let’s just hope they don’t look like the 49ers. They’ve got a young club with plenty of cap room. It would be a nice restart for an interested ownership group.
I’m sad to see Hoosier leave the league. I loved his branding of the Matadors, but his frustration with the unbalance between offense and defense seemed to be too much. It will be interesting to see what someone else can do with this team which has not had a winning season since 2013. Los Angeles has not been the financial success that was hoped for after moving from Albuquerque, but I believe a team can still make a go of it there despite the NFL’s unsuccessful ventures into that market. Who knows maybe the city is cursed for football, or maybe USC should field a team.
The Penn State Nittany Lions…err…I mean Pennsylvania Lions, are one of the more stable franchises in the league. Cy Young has managed the team well, but it actually lost money last year after paying off Penn State for copyright licensing rights. Rumor has it that Cy may be taking a break to focus on personal issues. In a startling report, Mr. Bigglesworth, original owner of the Pittsburgh Power has shown interest in coming back. While we never fell in love with that lightning bolt or whatever it was on the side of the helmet, we know that Pittsburgh or Philadelphia would be glad to take the franchise and Bigglesworth would keep the team as a major competitor in the league.
I love the Portland Seals. I just don’t understand why they can’t retain ownership for any length of time. They make money and have only missed the playoffs 6 times in their entire history, including this year and that only because they lacked ownership. I hope the person who takes this team stays in Portland, keeps its history, and makes it their own. It would be a shame to see this team die.
And then there’s Tulsa. There are certain franchises, some of which have already been named, that have never had stability and this is one of them. Let’s recap a second—Tulsa Eagles, Tulsa Twisters (who can forget HammeringJohnson NFW posts) Tulsa Cows, Tulsa Tigerhawks, did I miss any? For the 10 years between 2013 and 2023, Tulsa never missed the playoffs. And then—the Stavros deal was made. This deal with the Devil, while not initially noticed doomed the franchise and may have killed it. On the other side, it has finally given Dakota hope. New ownership will have to look long and hard at this franchise to rebuild it. Stavros could be leveraged in a trade, but his price tag is already steep and becomes a free agent next year expected to ask an astronomical price tag in his 6th year. There is very little talent on this roster and almost the entire team is filing for free agency. Good thing is that they do now have all their draft picks back, minus a second rounder this year and—the team makes money with a rather large salary cap. Tulsa may just need to rebrand altogether. Miami, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Birmingham, and possibly Charlotte (stay tuned) may be looking for a franchise.
Speaking of Dakota, which has benefitted so much from Tulsa, this could be an opportunity for George to get out of Fargo and move to a bigger city—let’s say…Minneapolis right down the road. Or…now with financially backing, he stays in Dakota. I mean after all what would we call Dakota George…just…George?
And now for a few one more thought. Can we get the Reno/Carolina franchise back in the West? This was a bad move. Despite great talent, the team is under performing and still losing money with a new stadium. This team has never sniffed the Imperial Bowl. Ownership groups in Phoenix, Denver and Las Vegas, even Reno-- have all approached Argot to move the franchise back, make it financially viable and become the Wolfpack again.
At the beginning of the season there were rumblings throughout league ownership that they were struggling financially and that rule changes were needed to help defenses defend pass happy offenses. It seemed that Wide Receivers were being given latitude by the referees to cheat defenses in order to get open. Further discussion erupted as some owners stated that there was no way a QB who’s been riding the bench all year should have been able to lead his team to the Championship. Others praised the Cleveland system and pointed to former NFL great Tom Brady who took over for Drew Bledsoe leading them to a SuperBowl some 20 years ago. As owners met behind closed doors throughout the season there were even thoughts about the collapse of the IFL at the end of the season. Long time owners such as Jester of the Lawrence Phantoms were most vocal in terms of stepping out of the league because there were no challenges anymore. George, owner of the Dakota Spirit continued to complain that they could not make a go of it in a small town like Fargo, compared to Newark who has one of the largest fan bases in the league. As rumors continued to swirl there was even talk of starting a new league merging with the now struggling NFL.
In what could be called an “eleventh hour meeting” team ownership voted to make changes going into the 2027 season that could be either the deathknell or salvation of the league. In order to save some struggling franchises, the league pooled profits, sought out new investors, and leveled the playing field financially for teams so that they could stay in their city. In other cases cities who did not have a franchise, and in some cases lost their NFL franchise, would be allowed to apply for a franchise that was in disarray, thus bringing an influx of new dollars into the league. The league also voted to make some rule changes that would balance the league defensively so as to not overvalue WR’s impact on the game.
While the dust still settles and there are some new ventures on the horizon, let me offer a few suggestions to the league.
It is bad news that Jester has left the league, my suggestion is to close the history book on the Lawrence Phantoms. Boston, who lost their franchise to Chicago, has been begging for a franchise to replace their beloved Dragons. Boston would be able to gain Phantom phans who live near they city. I’ve always had difficulty with Lawrence and could never figure out how Kansas was part of the East—turns out they played in Massachusetts—who knew?
Iowa City, which has been ownerless during the entire 2026 season, has a couple of options. They can remain where they are, or seek refuge somewhere else. Iowa City is one of those small markets that actually made money last year so there is no need to go elsewhere. Detroit has been begging for a franchise but it appears that Lansing ownership is trying to block that move. Minnesota, Indianapolis, Columbus, Cincinnati and Buffalo have also been inquiring about a franchise. How about another Canadian city like Toronto?
It is great to see the city of St. Louis step up to keep their franchise. With the loss of Suicane, however, the team has been rebranded as the Archers. The colors are somewhat familiar to the folded NFL franchise Rams as owner Hooper takes over the reins. Hooper is a former NFL owner who was almost instrumental in working out a merger between the two leagues.
In absolutely outstanding news, Rook has announced that the Norfolk Vipers will be returning to the league after rumors swirled that they were leaving. Finances were never a problem for the Vipers, so it seems that whatever misgivings they had about remaining with the league have been solved. It is noted that Commissioner Matt has had numerous meetings with Rook, as well as the return of the former Commissioner Cringer who has returned as an owner.
Speaking of Cringer. Is it not great to see the Chaos back in town. Fresno has had one of the most tumultuous turnovers at the helm and the fans are a bit schizophrenic went it comes to their team. Whether it’s the Kings, Chaos, Heroes, or Warthogs, financial backing has been hard to come by. With Cringer, there seems to be a “Back to the Future” theme going on and we believe that he can turn previous hardship into a viable sustained franchise. This team didn’t even sniff the playoffs until 2 years ago and Schwartz is getting older quick. Do they have enough to get them to the top?
Ah…Oakland. What a mess. Here’s a streaky team that’s been made over just as many times as Fresno but with a little more success. Oakland has always had difficulty after lawsuits with the NFL Oakland Raiders for trademark rights changed their name to the Owls and then back to the “Assassins”. Courts ruled in favor of the IFL Assassins despite the obvious comparisons. Jave, who has been an on again, off again owner was almost persuaded back into the league, but when the courts overturned their ruling blocking the silver and black, he declined. In my opinion it’s time to get out of Oakland. Oakland is one of those places that people can’t seem to be content. From the Oakland Raiders/Los Angeles Raiders to the now San Jose A’s, there’s just no stability in that city. I say it’s time to move across the bay and allow San Francisco to get the franchise they deserve. Let’s just hope they don’t look like the 49ers. They’ve got a young club with plenty of cap room. It would be a nice restart for an interested ownership group.
I’m sad to see Hoosier leave the league. I loved his branding of the Matadors, but his frustration with the unbalance between offense and defense seemed to be too much. It will be interesting to see what someone else can do with this team which has not had a winning season since 2013. Los Angeles has not been the financial success that was hoped for after moving from Albuquerque, but I believe a team can still make a go of it there despite the NFL’s unsuccessful ventures into that market. Who knows maybe the city is cursed for football, or maybe USC should field a team.
The Penn State Nittany Lions…err…I mean Pennsylvania Lions, are one of the more stable franchises in the league. Cy Young has managed the team well, but it actually lost money last year after paying off Penn State for copyright licensing rights. Rumor has it that Cy may be taking a break to focus on personal issues. In a startling report, Mr. Bigglesworth, original owner of the Pittsburgh Power has shown interest in coming back. While we never fell in love with that lightning bolt or whatever it was on the side of the helmet, we know that Pittsburgh or Philadelphia would be glad to take the franchise and Bigglesworth would keep the team as a major competitor in the league.
I love the Portland Seals. I just don’t understand why they can’t retain ownership for any length of time. They make money and have only missed the playoffs 6 times in their entire history, including this year and that only because they lacked ownership. I hope the person who takes this team stays in Portland, keeps its history, and makes it their own. It would be a shame to see this team die.
And then there’s Tulsa. There are certain franchises, some of which have already been named, that have never had stability and this is one of them. Let’s recap a second—Tulsa Eagles, Tulsa Twisters (who can forget HammeringJohnson NFW posts) Tulsa Cows, Tulsa Tigerhawks, did I miss any? For the 10 years between 2013 and 2023, Tulsa never missed the playoffs. And then—the Stavros deal was made. This deal with the Devil, while not initially noticed doomed the franchise and may have killed it. On the other side, it has finally given Dakota hope. New ownership will have to look long and hard at this franchise to rebuild it. Stavros could be leveraged in a trade, but his price tag is already steep and becomes a free agent next year expected to ask an astronomical price tag in his 6th year. There is very little talent on this roster and almost the entire team is filing for free agency. Good thing is that they do now have all their draft picks back, minus a second rounder this year and—the team makes money with a rather large salary cap. Tulsa may just need to rebrand altogether. Miami, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Birmingham, and possibly Charlotte (stay tuned) may be looking for a franchise.
Speaking of Dakota, which has benefitted so much from Tulsa, this could be an opportunity for George to get out of Fargo and move to a bigger city—let’s say…Minneapolis right down the road. Or…now with financially backing, he stays in Dakota. I mean after all what would we call Dakota George…just…George?
And now for a few one more thought. Can we get the Reno/Carolina franchise back in the West? This was a bad move. Despite great talent, the team is under performing and still losing money with a new stadium. This team has never sniffed the Imperial Bowl. Ownership groups in Phoenix, Denver and Las Vegas, even Reno-- have all approached Argot to move the franchise back, make it financially viable and become the Wolfpack again.
.... Man feeling wanted...
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