Gridiron Developmental Football League

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gridiron Developmental Football League
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event
SportAmerican football
Founded2010
PresidentCharles Thompson
CommissionerBo Townsend
No. of teams63
CountriesUnited States
ClassificationLow-level minor league
Official websitewww.gdfl.org

The Gridiron Developmental Football League (GDFL) is a low-level minor professional football league,[1][2] based in Memphis, Tennessee, using the franchise model.[3][4]

As of January 2021, the league has 63 teams. The GDFL plays a playoff format similar to NCAA tournament, as 16 teams make the playoffs (14 automatic division winners qualifiers), with the two finalists meet in the Gridiron Bowl. The league also has an All-Star game called Hype Bowl, where the best players from the Impact Conference meets their counterparts from Xtreme Conference, and played annually before the championship game.

The league have partnering agreements with the Elite Football League of India (EFLI)[5] and the  [es] (FDNFA)[6] for player development.

History[]

Origins[]

The league was first conceived in 2009 and formed in 2010, with Charles Thompson as the founder and first president, and with representatives of several regional semi-pro football teams, that had a plan to form a 32 team pro minor league.[3][7][8]

Inaugural Teams[]

Memphis Blast, Arkansas Pirates, Carolina Warriors, Mississippi Raiders, Huntsville Hurricanes, Derby City Thunder, Hopkinsville Marauders, River City Raptors, Kentucky Wolverines, Ohio Browns, Columbus Gladiators, Tristate Sharks, Goshen Rampage, North Carolina Bengals, Lumberton Razorbacks, Carolina Cougars, Carolina Lions, Carolina Warhawks, Carolina Warriors, Port City Snipers, Beaufort Broncos, Palmetto Havoc, Palmetto State Spartans, CSRA Cobras, Georgia Crush, Rock Hill Scorpions, Lake Norman Fear, Ashville Grizzlies.

2019-present[]

On September 2019 the GDFL reached an agreement with Labelle Developmental Football League[9] (formerly Labelle Community Football League[10]) to absorb the league teams under the Gridiron Developmental Football League umbrella, and to launch "GDFL West Coast". On later date, it was announced that the West Coast Football Alliance[11] teams will become GDFL members,[12] and the Colorado Football Association also confirmed that their league teams are joining the GDFL.[13] On October the league and (DFI) announced joint-venture agreement, that "would strengthen the American developmental football landscape through stability, commercial growth and the professional development of club football in four main regions throughout the United States", with attempt to mirror the United Soccer League.[14]

As with almost all other sports leagues, the GDFL first postponed and then suspended operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.[15][16]

Teams[]

Source[17]

Impact Conference[]

  • Eastern Impact North Division: Huntsville Rockets, Louisville Raiders, Middle Tennessee Bulldawgs, Tri-City Outlaws
  • Eastern Impact South Division: Magnolia State Knights, , Mississippi Road Warriors, River City Pythons
  • Western Impact Conference East Division: Kern Oilers, Mecca Town Dogs, , Sin City Rough Riders, , West Coast Lions
  • Western Impact Conference South Division: 805 Bears, , Kipsat Bears, North County Zulu, , Southern California Apaches
  • Western Impact Conference North Division: Alameda County Knights, Bay Delta Nightmare, Golden State Rhinos, South Beach Outlaws
  • Western Impact Conference West Division: Central Valley Hurricanes, East Valley Bandits, Elk Grove Kingz, Valley Stallions

Xtreme Conference[]

  • Eastern Xtreme East Division: Cataract City Wolverines, East Penn Raiders, Syracuse Strong, Upstate Predators, Utica Nighthawks
  • Eastern Xtreme North Division: Cleveland Rams, Ohio Elite Outlaws, Ohio Gladiators, Ohio Phoenix
  • Eastern Xtreme Northwest Division: Greensburg Golden Hawks, Shenango Valley Truth, Steel City Bobcats,
  • Eastern Xtreme South Division: Cleveland Cobras, Cleveland Predators, Columbus Fire, Lake Erie Explosion
  • Eastern Xtreme West Division: Charleroi Sabers, , Pittsburgh Buccaneers, Pittsburgh Saints
  • Western Xtreme Conference North Division: Colorado Knights, Montana Dawgs, Salt Lake City Senate, Wasatch Revolution
  • Western Xtreme Conference East Division: Colorado Greyhawks, Denco Spades, Denver Sharks, Loveland Elite, Mile High Sting, Southern Colorado Renegades, Western Dakota War Eagles
  • Western Xtreme Conference South Division: Joplin Crusaders, Oklahoma Thunder, Texas Raiders

Notable former teams[]

GDFL National Champions[]

Source[20][21]

Season National Title Game Date Champions (Record) Score Runner-up (Record) Location
2010[22] Gridiron Bowl I Sep 25, 2010 (9-0) 15-7 (10-0) Memphis, Tennessee
2011[23] Gridiron Bowl II[24] Oct 1, 2011 Chambersburg Cardinals (9-0) 19-14[25][26] Oklahoma Thunder (9-0) (Jonesboro, Georgia)
2012[27] Gridiron Bowl III[28] Oct 13, 2012 (9-0) 49-14 (8-1) (Chambersburg, Pennsylvania)
2013[29] Gridiron Bowl IV[30] Sep 7, 2013 Oklahoma Thunder (10-0) 56-8 Lehigh Valley Storm (8-2) Memphis, Tennessee
2014[31] Gridiron Bowl V[32] Sep 27, 2014 * (8-1) 21-19 (8-2) Cordova Stadium (Cordova, Tennessee)
2015[33] Gridiron Bowl VI Sep 5, 2015 (8-0) 31-28[34] (7-1) (New Orleans, Louisiana)
2016[35] Gridiron Bowl VII[36] Sep 3, 2016 Oklahoma Thunder (8-0) 29-16[37] (8-0) Holland Hall Stadium (Tulsa, Oklahoma)
2017[38] Gridiron Bowl VIII[39] Aug 26, 2017 Oklahoma Thunder (8-0) 51-12[40] (7-1) Kirby Stadium (Memphis, Tennessee)[41]
2018[42] Gridiron Bowl IX[43] Aug 11, 2018 Oklahoma Thunder (6-2) 38-15[44] (7-1) Carver Stadium (Birmingham, Alabama)
2019[45] Gridiron Bowl X[46] Aug 17, 2019 Oklahoma Thunder (7-1) 24-12[47] (8-0) Fred G. Hughes Stadium (Joplin, Missouri)[48]
2020[49] Canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic

* Vacated by the league due to team leaving the GDFL after the season was over.

GDFL Commissioners[]

  • Bo Townsend (2019-present)[50]
  • George Burch (2017-2019)
  • Devin Richardson (2015-2017)
  • Steven Roper (2014-2015)
  • Charles Thompson (2010-2014)

Notable players[]

Source[7][51]

References[]

  1. ^ "Salt Lake Senate The Mission Vision and Plan".
  2. ^ "2021 Senate Football Information".
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b "Gridiron Developmental Football League - About". Gridiron Developmental Football League. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
  4. ^ "Joplin Crusaders add second team".
  5. ^ "Oklahoma Thunder Football agrees to foreign exchange player program".
  6. ^ "Chile Players to Compete in H.Y.P.E. BOWL".
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b "When it comes to football D-leagues, resources are crucial, but locality may be the real key". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  8. ^ Wallace, Scott (January 23, 2018). "Bulldawgs Join Gridiron Developmental Football League". The Tennessee Tribune. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  9. ^ "Labelle Developmental Football League".
  10. ^ "Labelle Community Football League Champions".
  11. ^ "West Coast Football Alliance CA".
  12. ^ "GDFL Strengthens With The Addition Of The West Coast Alliance Football League CA".
  13. ^ "Colorado Football Association".
  14. ^ "Developmental Football International (DFI) Announces Joint-Venture With Gridiron Developmental Football".
  15. ^ "Gridiron Developmental Football League postpones league start to June".
  16. ^ "COVID-19 Forces GDFL To Cancel The 2020 Season".
  17. ^ "Stats - Gridiron Developmental Football League". www.gdfl.org. Retrieved 2020-12-14.
  18. ^ "Pro Arena Team Joins GDFL".
  19. ^ "GDFL Expands into the North East".
  20. ^ "Gridiron Developmental Football League Champions".
  21. ^ "National champions".
  22. ^ "2010 Standing".
  23. ^ "2011 Standing".
  24. ^ "2012 GDFL Season Approaching Fast".
  25. ^ "GDFL Championship Game, Tara Stadium 10-1-2011".
  26. ^ "2011 GDFL National Championship: Chambersburg Cardinals vs. Oklahoma Thunder".
  27. ^ "2012 Standing".
  28. ^ "Central Penn Piranha Win 2012 GDFL National Championship".
  29. ^ "2013 Standing".
  30. ^ "Thunder Drop Boom On Storm; Win GDFL National Championship".
  31. ^ "2014 Standing".
  32. ^ "Central Penn Wins Second GDFL Championship In Two Years".
  33. ^ "2015 Standing".
  34. ^ "GDFL Nashville Storm vs. Crescent City Kings".
  35. ^ "2016 Standing".
  36. ^ "Oklahoma Thunder 2016 National Champion".
  37. ^ "GDFL 2016 Championship Oklahoma Thunder vs Nashville Storm".
  38. ^ "2017 Standing".
  39. ^ "Thunder back-to-back national champions".
  40. ^ "2017 GDFL Football National Championship Game :: OKLAHOMA vs CHATTANOOGA".
  41. ^ "GDFL announced Official Championship Site!!!".
  42. ^ "2018 Standing".
  43. ^ "Thunder Three-Peat!".
  44. ^ "Gridiron Bowl IX GDFL National Championship".
  45. ^ "2019 Standing".
  46. ^ "Thunder claim 4th Consecutive National Championship".
  47. ^ "Thunder claim 4th Consecutive National Championship".
  48. ^ "GDFL National Title Site Announced".
  49. ^ "2020 Standing".
  50. ^ "Next Level Pro's".
  51. ^ "Next Level Pros".
  52. ^ "Former Seattle Seahawks LB Kache Palacio has Breakout Debut in Blackhawks 34-26 win".
Retrieved from ""