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'{{short description|Arena football team}} {{About|the defunct [[Arena Football League]] team that operated in 2018 and 2019|the [[National Arena League]] team of the same name|Albany Empire (NAL)}} {{Infobox indoor American football team | name = Albany Empire | current = | logo = Albany Empire.png | helmet = Albany Empire Helmet Logo 2018.png | founded = 2018 | folded = 2019 | city = [[Times Union Center]]<br>in [[Albany, New York]] | misc = [http://www.thealbanyempire.com TheAlbanyEmpire.com] | uniform = | colors = Fiery reddish orange, dark navy blue, grey<br>{{colorbox|#FF4500}} {{colorbox|#202946}} {{colorbox|#B1B4B0}} | coach = [[Rob Keefe]] | owner = '''Trifecta Sports and Entertainment'''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.atlanticcityafl.com/home/ |title=THE ARENA FOOTBALL LEAGUE EXPANDS TO ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. |website=[[Arena Football League]] |date=January 22, 2019}}</ref><br>'''''Main owners:'''''<br>[[George Randolph Hearst III]]<br>Dan Nolan<br>Ed Swyer<br>'''''Partner owners (with [[Philadelphia Soul]]):'''''<br>[[Ron Jaworski]]<br>Craig Spencer<br>Pete Ciarrocchi<br>Cosmo DeNicola<br>Martin E. Judge<br>[[Dick Vermeil]]<br>[[Marques Colston]]<br>[[Jahri Evans]]<br>Nicholas Giuffre<br>Philip Jaurigue<br>Stewart Anmuth<br>Gil Peter<br>Hal Brunson | chairman = | president = John Adams | mascot = | pastnames = | nicknames = | league = '''[[Arena Football League]] ({{AFL Year|2018}}–{{AFL Year|2019}})''' | team_history = *'''Albany Empire''' (2018–2019) | no_league_champs = 1 | no_conf_champs = 0 | no_div_champs = 0 | league_champs = *2019 | conf_champs = | div_champs = | no_playoff_appearances = 2 | playoff_appearances = * {{AFL Year|2018}}, {{AFL Year|2019}} | arena_years = * [[Times Union Center]] (2018–2019) }} The '''Albany Empire''' was a professional [[arena football]] team based in [[Albany, New York]], that began play in the [[Arena Football League]] (AFL) in 2018. Home games were played at [[Times Union Center]] located in downtown Albany. The Empire was Albany's third arena football team and second AFL team; it succeeded the original [[Albany Firebirds]] who began AFL play in [[1990 Arena Football League season|1990]] and enjoyed great success, most notably winning [[ArenaBowl XIII]], before moving to [[Indianapolis]] following the [[2000 Arena Football League season|2000 season]], and later the [[Albany Firebirds (af2)|Albany Conquest]] who played in the [[af2]] developmental league from [[2002 af2 season|2002]] until that league folded after the [[2009 af2 season|2009 season]] (and was known as the Firebirds for that last season). ==History== After the [[American Hockey League]]'s [[Albany Devils]] [[Binghamton Devils|relocated]] to [[Binghamton, New York|Binghamton, NY]], the Times Union Center was left without a full-time professional tenant. (It remained home to the Siena College men's basketball team of the NCAA Division I Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.) On March 14, 2017, Center general manager Bob Belber confirmed that it was in early discussions to bring an AFL team back to Albany.<ref name="afltalks">{{Cite news |url=http://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/Times-Union-Center-eyeing-return-of-Arena-10999070.php |title=Times Union Center eyeing return of Arena Football, indoor lacrosse |last=Dougherty |first=Pete |date=March 14, 2017 |work=[[Times Union (Albany)|Times Union]] |access-date=October 24, 2017}}</ref> On October 24, the new Albany team was officially announced as a member of the AFL for the 2018 season. The local ownership group (led by [[George Randolph Hearst III]]) has partnered with that of their AFL leaguemates the [[Philadelphia Soul]] (which includes [[Ron Jaworski]], [[Dick Vermeil]], [[Marques Colston]] and [[Jahri Evans]] among others) to run both teams' business operations while keeping their football operations separate.<ref name="albanyaflannounced">{{Cite news|last=Skodnick|first=Leif|last2=Hughes|first2=Steve|date=October 24, 2017|title=It's Official: Arena Football League returning to Times Union Center|work=[[Times Union (Albany)|Times Union]]|url=http://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/It-s-Official-Arena-Football-League-returning-to-12301704.php|access-date=October 24, 2017}}</ref> (This marks the second time that the AFL has announced two teams with common ownership and management but separate football operations, as the [[Washington Valor]] and [[Baltimore Brigade]] are both owned and operated by D.C.-area businessman [[Ted Leonsis]] but are competitors on the field and separately coached.) On November 7, [[Rob Keefe]] was named the Albany team's head coach.<ref>{{cite web|date=November 7, 2017|title=Albany AFL Names Rob Keefe as Head Coach|url=http://www.arenafan.com/news/?page=pressrel&article=13717|access-date=November 7, 2017|website=ArenaFan.com|publisher=}}</ref> On November 9, the Albany team announced that the four team name finalists were the Empire, Fire, Machine and Phoenix.<ref>{{cite web|author=Skodnick|first=Leif|date=November 9, 2017|title=Fans can vote for Albany AFL team name|url=http://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/Fans-can-vote-for-Arena-team-name-12345379.php|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171111200821/http://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/Fans-can-vote-for-Arena-team-name-12345379.php|archive-date=November 11, 2017|access-date=November 11, 2017|website=[[Times Union (Albany)|Times Union]]|publisher=}}</ref> Voting ended on November 15 and the winning name was announced on January 23, 2018, as the Albany Empire.<ref>{{Cite web|date=January 23, 2018|title=Albany AFL owners look to build 'Empire'|url=https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/capital-region/news/2018/01/23/albany-arena-football-team-empire|access-date=November 12, 2021|website=[[Spectrum News]]|language=en}}</ref> The team played its first game on April 14, 2018, losing at home to the Philadelphia Soul 56–35 before a sellout crowd of 13,648.<ref>{{cite web|author=Singelais|first=Mark|date=April 15, 2018|title=Empire open with defeat|url=https://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/Empire-open-with-defeat-12835240.php|access-date=April 15, 2018|website=[[Times Union (Albany)|Times Union]]|publisher=}}</ref> On August 11, 2019, the Empire won their first [[ArenaBowl]], defeating the [[Philadelphia Soul]] 45–27.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Weiner|first=Bob|date=August 12, 2019|title=Empire wins ArenaBowl 32 {{!}} The Daily Gazette|url=https://dailygazette.com/2019/08/12/empire-wins-arenabowl-32/#:~:text=Moqut%20Ruffins%20kisses%20the%20championship,won%20ArenaBowl%2032%20Sunday%20night.&text=45-27%20victory%20over%20the,12,042%20at%20Times%20Union%20Center.|access-date=February 12, 2021|website=[[The Daily Gazette]]}}</ref> After the 2019 season, the AFL announced it was ceasing operating teams in local markets and looking into becoming a traveling league.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Dougherty|first=Pete|date=October 28, 2019|title=Albany Empire, other Arena Football League teams close operations|url=https://www.timesunion.com/empire/article/Albany-Empire-other-Arena-Football-League-teams-14569753.php|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191029214131/https://www.timesunion.com/empire/article/Albany-Empire-other-Arena-Football-League-teams-14569753.php|archive-date=October 29, 2019|access-date=October 29, 2019|website=[[Times Union (Albany)|Times Union]]}}</ref> However, the entire league filed for bankruptcy in November 2019 and ceased operations.<ref name="GleesonChap7">{{Cite web|last=Gleeson|first=Scott|date=November 27, 2019|title=Arena Football League files for bankruptcy, ceases all operations|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2019/11/27/arena-football-league-declares-bankruptcy-shuts-down/4322126002/|access-date=November 27, 2019|website=[[USA Today]]|language=en-US}}</ref> ==Season-by-season results== {| class="wikitable" style="margin:center; font-size:75%;" |bgcolor="#FFCCCC"|'''[[List of ArenaBowl champions|ArenaBowl Champions]]''' |bgcolor="#DDFFDD"|'''ArenaBowl Appearance''' |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|'''Division Champions''' |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|'''Playoff Berth''' |} {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- !rowspan="2" |[[List of Arena Football League seasons|Season]] !rowspan="2" |[[List of leagues of American football|League]] !colspan="3"|Regular season !rowspan="2"|Postseason results |- !Finish !Wins !Losses |- | Colspan="6" style="background: #202946"|'''<span style="color: #FF4500">Albany Empire</span>''' |- |{{afly|2018}} ||AFL ||bgcolor="#96CDCD"|1st ||8 ||4 ||align=left|Lost in playoffs ([[Washington Valor|Washington]]) |- |bgcolor="#FFCCCC"|{{afly|2019}} ||bgcolor="#DDFFDD"|AFL ||bgcolor="#96CDCD"|1st ||10 ||2 ||align=left bgcolor="#FFCCCC"|'''Won semifinals ([[Baltimore Brigade|Baltimore]]) <br> Won [[ArenaBowl XXXII]] ([[Philadelphia Soul|Philadelphia]]) 45–27''' |- ! rowSpan="3" colSpan="3"|Total |'''18''' ||'''6''' ||align=left|'''(Regular season)''' |- |'''4''' ||'''1''' ||align=left|'''(Postseason)''' |- !22 !!7 |align=left| |} ==Players== ===Individual awards=== {{col-float|width=400px}} {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" |- | colspan="4" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Albany Empire}};"| '''Offensive Lineman of the Year''' |- ! style="width:50px; {{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Albany Empire}};"| Season ! style="width:150px; {{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Albany Empire}};"| Player ! style="width:100px; {{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Albany Empire}};"| Position |- |{{AFL Year|2018}}||[[Hayworth Hicks]]||OL |- |{{AFL Year|2019}}||[[Ryan Cave]]||OL |} {{col-float-break|width=400px}} {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" |- | colspan="4" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Albany Empire}};"| '''Defensive Lineman of the Year''' |- ! style="width:50px; {{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Albany Empire}};"| Season ! style="width:150px; {{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Albany Empire}};"| Player ! style="width:100px; {{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Albany Empire}};"| Position |- |{{AFL Year|2018}}||[[Trumaine Sykes|Joe Sykes]]||DL |} {{col-float-break|width=400px}} {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" |- | colspan="4" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Albany Empire}};"| '''Most Valuable Player''' |- ! style="width:50px; {{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Albany Empire}};"| Season ! style="width:150px; {{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Albany Empire}};"| Player ! style="width:100px; {{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Albany Empire}};"| Position |- |{{AFL Year|2018}}||[[Tommy Grady]]||QB |} {{col-float-end}} {{col-float|width=400px}} {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" |- | colspan="4" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Albany Empire}};"| '''Offensive Player of the Year''' |- ! style="width:50px; {{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Albany Empire}};"| Season ! style="width:150px; {{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Albany Empire}};"| Player ! style="width:100px; {{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Albany Empire}};"| Position |- |{{AFL Year|2018}}||[[Tommy Grady]]||QB |- |{{AFL Year|2019}}||[[Malachi Jones (American football)|Malachi Jones]]||WR |} {{col-float-break|width=400px}} {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" |- | colspan="4" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Albany Empire}};"| '''Defensive Player of the Year''' |- ! style="width:50px; {{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Albany Empire}};"| Season ! style="width:150px; {{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Albany Empire}};"| Player ! style="width:100px; {{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Albany Empire}};"| Position |- |{{AFL Year|2018}}||[[Terence Moore (American football)|Terence Moore]]||LB |} {{col-float-break|width=400px}} {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" |- | colspan="4" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Albany Empire}};"| '''Rookie of the Year''' |- ! style="width:50px; {{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Albany Empire}};"| Season ! style="width:150px; {{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Albany Empire}};"| Player ! style="width:100px; {{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Albany Empire}};"| Position |- |{{AFL Year|2018}}||[[Malachi Jones (American football)|Malachi Jones]]||WR |} {{col-float-end}} {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" |- | colspan="4" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Albany Empire}};"| '''Kicker of the Year''' |- ! style="width:50px; {{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Albany Empire}};"| Season ! style="width:150px; {{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Albany Empire}};"| Player ! style="width:100px; {{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Albany Empire}};"| Position |- |{{AFL Year|2019}}||[[Adrian Trevino]]||K |} ==Personnel== ===Head coaches=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! rowspan="2" style="width:140px;"|Name ! rowspan="2" | Term ! colspan="3" | Regular season ! colspan="3" | Playoffs ! rowspan="2" | Awards |- ! W !! L !! Win% !! W !! L !! Win% |- | style="text-align:left;"|[[Rob Keefe]] || {{AFL Year|2018}}–{{AFL Year|2019}} || 18 || 6 || {{winperc|18|6}} || 4 || 1 || {{winperc|4|1}} || style="text-align:left;"| |} ===Staff=== {| class="toccolours" style="text-align: left;" |- ! colspan=7 style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Albany Empire|border=2}}; text-align:center;" | Albany Empire staff |- |colspan=7 align="right" | |- |valign="top"| | style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" | '''Ownership'''<ref>{{cite web|title=Albany Empire Ownership|url=http://www.thealbanyempire.com/team/ownership/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190208133039/http://www.thealbanyempire.com/team/ownership/|archive-date=February 8, 2019|access-date=February 7, 2019|website=Albany Empire|publisher=}}</ref> *Albany ownership group – [[George Randolph Hearst III]] *Albany ownership group – Daniel Nolan *Albany ownership group – Ed Swyer *Philadelphia ownership group – Craig A. Spencer *Philadelphia ownership group – [[Ron Jaworski]] *Philadelphia ownership group – Pete Ciarrocchi *Philadelphia ownership group – Cosmo DeNicola *Philadelphia ownership group – Martin E. Judge *Philadelphia ownership group – [[Marques Colston]] *Philadelphia ownership group – [[Dick Vermeil]] *Philadelphia ownership group – Nicholas Giuffre *Philadelphia ownership group – [[Jahri Evans]] *Philadelphia ownership group – Philip Jaurigue *Philadelphia ownership group – Stewart Anmuth *Philadelphia ownership group – Gil Peters *Philadelphia ownership group – Hal Brunson |width="35"|&nbsp; |valign="top"| | style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" | '''Front office'''<ref>{{cite web|title=Albany Empire Front Office|url=http://thealbanyempire.com/team/front-office|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181206123023/http://thealbanyempire.com/team/front-office|archive-date=December 6, 2018|access-date=February 7, 2019|website=Albany Empire|publisher=}}</ref> *Chief operating officer – George Manias *Chief ticketing officer – David Beck *Vice president of finance – Carly Griffin '''Coaches'''<ref>{{cite web|title=Albany Empire Coaching Staff|url=http://www.thealbanyempire.com/team/coaches/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209124710/http://www.thealbanyempire.com/team/coaches/|archive-date=February 9, 2019|access-date=February 7, 2019|website=Albany Empire|publisher=}}</ref> *Head coach – [[Rob Keefe]] *Assistant head coach/general manager – [[Les Moss (American football)|Les Moss]] *Director of player personnel/line coach – Dave Ewart *Director of player operations – Brandon Goldstein *Head athletic trainer – Brett Allen :<small>''As of 2019 season''</small> |} ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== * [http://www.thealbanyempire.com Official website]{{Dead link|date=June 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} {{Albany AFL team}} {{Arena Football League}} [[Category:Albany Empire (AFL)| ]] [[Category:2017 establishments in New York (state)]] [[Category:2019 disestablishments in New York (state)]]'