The Gridiron Developmental Football League (GDFL) is a low-level American football minor league[1][2] based in Memphis, Tennessee, using the franchise model.[3][4] The GDFL acts as an umbrella group that encompasses teams from across the Contiguous United States.[5]
Current season, competition or edition:![]() | |
Classification | Low-level minor league |
---|---|
Sport | American football |
Founded | 2010 |
President | Charles Thompson |
Commissioner | Khalid Bey |
No. of teams | 19 |
Countries | United States |
Most recent champion(s) | Racine Raiders (2nd title) |
Most titles | Oklahoma Thunder (5 titles) |
Official website | gdfl |
As of April 2023[update], the league has 29 teams. The GDFL plays a playoff format similar to NCAA tournament, as 14 teams make the playoffs, 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 meet their counterparts from Xtreme Conference, and played annually before the championship game.
Teams' typical payroll budget changes between franchises, while salary payment also varies per players and per skillset – as some are getting paid, others are not paid at all and some are getting only "gas money".[6]
The league have partnering agreements with the Elite Football League of India (EFLI)[7] and the Federación Deportiva Nacional de Fútbol Americano de Chile (FDNFA)[8] for player development.
History
editOrigins
editThe 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][6][9]
Inaugural Teams
editMemphis 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
editIn September 2019 the GDFL reached an agreement with Labelle Developmental Football League[10] (formerly Labelle Community Football League[11]) 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[12] teams will become GDFL members,[13] and the Colorado Football Association also confirmed that their league teams are joining the GDFL.[14] On October the league and Developmental Football International (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.[15]
As with almost all other sports leagues, the GDFL first postponed and then suspended operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.[16][17]
In 2023 the league announced that the Watertown Red & Black - the oldest active football team in the United States - would be joining the league[18] and the Racine Raiders - the second oldest active semi-pro team in the United States and the semi-pro team with the most all-time franchise wins - would be joining the league.[19]
Teams
editSource[20]
Impact Conference
edit- Impact North Division: Baltimore Lightning,[21] Capital City Seahawks, Mount Vernon Bangers,[22] New York Crusaders, Washington Bulldawgs
- Impact South Division: Buffalo Stampede,[23] Charlotte Colonials, Syracuse Strong, Troy Fighting Irish, Upstate Predators
Xtreme Conference
edit- Xtreme North Division: Racine Raiders, St. Paul Pioneers, Englewood Birdgang,[24] River City Sharks[25]
- Xtreme South Division: Huntsville Rockets, Kentucky Spartans,[26] Knoxville Grizzlies, Memphis Panthers,[27] Tri-City Outlaws
Notable former teams
edit- Albany Metro Mallers
- Carolina Warriors
- Central Penn Piranha
- Chambersburg Cardinals
- Dallas Diesel
- Erie Express
- Everett Royals,[28]
- Inglewood Blackhawks
- Lehigh Valley Storm
- Memphis Blast
- Myrtle Beach Sharks[29]
- Nashville Storm
- Pittsburgh Colts[30]
- Salt Lake City Senate
- SoCal Coyotes
- Tampa Bay Warriors
- Watertown Red & Black
GDFL National Champions
edit* Vacated by the league due to team leaving the GDFL after the season was over.
GDFL Commissioners
editNotable players
edit- Delvin Breaux – Former New Orleans Saints player.
- Tyron Carrier – Former Montreal Alouettes player.
- De'Mon Glanton – Former Arena Football League player.
- Kache Palacio – Former Seattle Seahawks player.[80]
- Keon Lattimore – Former San Francisco 49ers player.
References
edit- ^ "Salt Lake Senate The Mission Vision and Plan".
- ^ "2021 Senate Football Information". Facebook.
- ^ a b "Gridiron Developmental Football League – About". Gridiron Developmental Football League. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
- ^ "Joplin Crusaders add second team".
- ^ "Red & Black move to new league". WWNY.
- ^ a b c "When it comes to football D-leagues, resources are crucial, but locality may be the real key". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
- ^ "Oklahoma Thunder Football agrees to foreign exchange player program".
- ^ "Chile Players to Compete in H.Y.P.E. BOWL".
- ^ Wallace, Scott (January 23, 2018). "Bulldawgs Join Gridiron Developmental Football League". The Tennessee Tribune. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
- ^ "Labelle Developmental Football League".
- ^ "Labelle Community Football League Champions".
- ^ "West Coast Football Alliance CA".
- ^ "GDFL Strengthens With The Addition Of The West Coast Alliance Football League CA".
- ^ "Colorado Football Association".
- ^ "Developmental Football International (DFI) Announces Joint-Venture With Gridiron Developmental Football".
- ^ "Gridiron Developmental Football League postpones league start to June". 19 April 2020.
- ^ "COVID-19 Forces GDFL To Cancel The 2020 Season".
- ^ "FL adds another Championship Caliber Organization,Introducing The Watertown Red & Black".
- ^ "RACINE RAIDERS JOIN GDFL,OPENS UP MIDWEST".
- ^ "Stats – Gridiron Developmental Football League". www.gdfl.org. Retrieved 2020-12-14.
- ^ "LIGHTNING SET TO REJOIN THE MOST PROMINENT LEAGUE IN THE COUNTRY, THE GDFL, IN 2024".
- ^ "TFL Champions Mount Vernon Bangers join,The GDFL".
- ^ "Buffalo Stampede enter the GDFL".
- ^ "MCFL Champions Englewood Birdgang of Chicago, Illinois enter the GDFL!".
- ^ "River City Sharks Join the GDFL's Midwest Region".
- ^ "KENTUCKY SPARTANS READY TO DO BATTLE IN THE GDFL".
- ^ "The Memphis Panthers Pro Developmental National Team Join the GDFL".
- ^ "Semi-pro football team pushes players to succeed off the field". Everett Herald.
- ^ "Pro Arena Team Joins GDFL".
- ^ "GDFL Expands into the North East".
- ^ "Gridiron Developmental Football League Champions".
- ^ "National champions".
- ^ "2010 Standing".
- ^ "2011 Standing".
- ^ "2012 GDFL Season Approaching Fast". 29 March 2012.
- ^ "GDFL Championship Game, Tara Stadium 10-1-2011". 5 October 2011.
- ^ "2011 GDFL National Championship: Chambersburg Cardinals vs. Oklahoma Thunder". YouTube.
- ^ "2012 Standing".
- ^ "Central Penn Piranha Win 2012 GDFL National Championship". 14 October 2012.
- ^ "2013 Standing".
- ^ "Thunder Drop Boom On Storm; Win GDFL National Championship".
- ^ "2014 Standing".
- ^ "Central Penn Wins Second GDFL Championship In Two Years". October 2014.
- ^ "2015 Standing".
- ^ "GDFL Nashville Storm vs. Crescent City Kings". YouTube.
- ^ "2016 Standing".
- ^ "Oklahoma Thunder 2016 National Champion".
- ^ "GDFL 2016 Championship Oklahoma Thunder vs Nashville Storm". YouTube.
- ^ "2017 Standing".
- ^ "Thunder back-to-back national champions".
- ^ "2017 GDFL Football National Championship Game :: OKLAHOMA vs CHATTANOOGA". YouTube.
- ^ "GDFL announced Official Championship Site!!!".
- ^ "2018 Standing".
- ^ "Thunder Three-Peat!".
- ^ "Gridiron Bowl IX GDFL National Championship". YouTube.
- ^ "2019 Standing".
- ^ "Thunder claim 4th Consecutive National Championship".
- ^ "Thunder claim 4th Consecutive National Championship". YouTube.
- ^ "GDFL National Title Site Announced".
- ^ "2020 Standing".
- ^ "2021 Standing".
- ^ "GDFL National Championship Post Game Recap".
- ^ "Erie Express cap off perfect season with 42–40 win in GDFL national championship". 6 September 2021.
- ^ "2021 GDFL National Championship (Gridiron Bowl XII)". YouTube.
- ^ "GDFL National Title Site Announced".
- ^ "2022 Standing".
- ^ "Gridiron Bowl: New York vs California in GDFL National Championship".
- ^ "Syracuse Strong crowned GDFL National Champions!".
- ^ "Gridiron Bowl National Championship Game to be hosted in Las Vegas, Nevada".
- ^ "2023 Standing".
- ^ "Gridiron Bowl 2023 Live Game Kickoff: Live Stream for Raiders vs. Rebels".
- ^ "Racine Raiders claim 10th national title to cap 70th anniversary season".
- ^ "GDFL National Football Championship Set to Ignite Landover, Maryland on September 2, 2023".
- ^ "2024 Standing".
- ^ "Racine Will Host 2024 GDFL National Championship Weekend".
- ^ "GDFL selects New Commissioner Khalid Bey".
- ^ "GDFL Announces New Commissioner".
- ^ "Next Level Pro's".
- ^ "Next Level Pros".
- ^ "Former Seattle Seahawks LB Kache Palacio has Breakout Debut in Blackhawks 34–26 win".