Columbus Lions
The Columbus Lions are a professional indoor football team based in Columbus, Georgia, and are a member of American Indoor Football.
| Columbus Lions | |
|---|---|
| Established 2006 Play in Columbus, Georgia at the Columbus Civic Center ColumbusLions.net | |
| League/conference affiliations | |
| |
Current uniform | |
| Team colors | Blue, black, silver, white |
| Mascot | Leo the Lion |
| Personnel | |
| Owner(s) | Richard Maslia[1] Kacee Smith[2] John Hargrove Jay Patel[3] Eugenio Castro Bush Sporting Enterprises LLC |
| Chairman | Kacee Smith |
| President | Kacee Smith |
| General manager | Lee Snow |
| Head coach | Damian Daniels |
| Team history | |
| |
| Championships | |
| League championships (4) | |
| Conference championships (0) | |
| Division championships (3) | |
| Playoff appearances (13) | |
| WIFL: 2007 AIFA: 2008, 2009 SIFL: 2010, 2011 PIFL: 2012, 2014, 2015 AIFA: 2016 NAL: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 | |
| Home arena(s) | |
| |
The Lions were founded in 2006 as an expansion team of the World Indoor Football League (WIFL). After the WIFL went under in 2007, the Lions joined the American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) where they played for two seasons. When the AIFA broke apart, the Lions joined the Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL). The Lions joined the Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL) in 2012 when the Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL) teams split up into two new leagues. After the 2015 season, the PIFL broke apart, and the Lions joined American Indoor Football for 2016. They were a founding member of the National Arena League (NAL) for the 2017 season. The then joined the new American Indoor Football Alliance for 2023 before they rejoined American Indoor Football for 2024.[4]
In their first sixteen seasons, the Lions have won four league championships: in 2010, 2015, 2016, and 2023.
History Edit
Initial seasons (2007–2016) Edit
The Lions were founded in 2006. They began play in the short-lived World Indoor Football League (WIFL) in 2007. The Lions' inaugural game on February 26, 2007, was marred by tragedy when opposing defensive back Javon Camon of the Daytona Beach Thunder was killed after a hard but clean hit by Lions fullback Cedric Ware during the fourth quarter.[5][6] The Lions finished with the best regular season record, but lost the championship to the Augusta Colts. For the Lions' inaugural season, head coach Jason Gibson won the league's Coach of the Year Award.
The WIFL collapsed after the season and the Lions moved to the American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) where they played two seasons in 2008 and 2009, winning the their division in 2009. They would then join the Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL) and play from 2010 to 2011. The won the SIFL championship in 2010 defeating the Louisiana Swashbucklers in President's Cup II,[7]. The SIFL split into two separate leagues before the 2012 season, with the Lions going to the Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL). In 2015, they defeated the Richmond Raiders in PIFL Cup IV.
Following the Lions' 2015 championship, the Lions moved back to American Indoor Football (AIF), formerly the AIFA, for the 2016 season.[8] The Lions completed the regular season 8–0 and won the 2016 AIF Championship over the West Michigan Ironmen.[9] One week after winning the championship, the Lions announced they were leaving the AIF for the 2017 season.[10]
National Arena League (2017–2021) Edit
In July 2016, Lions' owners Skip Seda and his father, Keke Seda, announced the formation of a new league called the Arena Developmental League to begin play in spring 2017.[12] They named former Canadian Football League, Arena Football League, and AF2 coach John Gregory as the league's commissioner. In November 2016, the Jacksonville Sharks joined and the Sedas yielded control over the new league for it to become the National Arena League.
The Lions appeared in the NAL playoffs in every season they participated. They, and the NAL, would not play in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They made three appearances in the NAL Championship Game, losing to the Jacksonville Sharks 27–21 in 2017, the Carolina Cobras 66–8 in 2018, and the Albany Empire 79–62 in 2021.
New ownership (2022–present) Edit
On August 30, 2022, the Lions announced new ownership led by Jeff Levack, who also has ownership stake in the Orlando Predators and Albany Empire. He was a part of two staffs that helped the Empire win three championships in four years.[13] On September 13, 2022, they introduced new branding for the team designed by former player and designer, Mike Jones. They also announced arena football veteran player and coach Chris McKinney as the second head coach in team history after Gibson had left and became head coach of the Jacksonville Sharks.[14] On December 22, the National Arena League had announced that the membership of the Lions had been discontinued.[15] One day later, the Lions announced they have joined the regional American Indoor Football Alliance.[16] They played only home games, going 6–0,[17] and defeated the Mississippi Raiders 55–10 in the league championship.[18]
On August 4, 2023, the Lions announced their return to relaunched American Indoor Football for the 2024 season.[19]
Players Edit
Current roster Edit
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
| Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
| Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
| Reserve lists
Rookies in italics |
Awards and honors Edit
The following is a list of all Lions players who have won league awards:
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Season-by-season results Edit
| League champions | Conference champions | Division champions | Playoff berth | League leader |
| Season | Team | League | Conference | Division | Regular season | Postseason results | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finish | Wins | Losses | Ties | ||||||
| 2007 | 2007 | WIFL | 1st | 10 | 4 | 0 | Lost World Indoor Bowl I (Augusta) 60–63 | ||
| 2008 | 2008 | AIFA | Western | South | 2nd | 10 | 4 | 0 | Lost Divisional Round (Mississippi) 50–52 |
| 2009 | 2009 | AIFA | South | 1st | 11 | 3 | 0 | Won Divisional Round (Fayetteville) 45–35 Lost Semifinal (Reading) 51–60 | |
| 2010 | 2010 | SIFL | 2nd | 8 | 3 | 0 | Won Semifinal (Lafayette) Won President's Cup II (Louisiana) | ||
| 2011 | 2011 | SIFL | Eastern | South | 1st | 11 | 1 | 0 | Won Divisional (Trenton) 62–60 Lost Eastern Conference Championship (Albany) 61–75 |
| 2012 | 2012 | PIFL | 3rd | 6 | 6 | 0 | Lost Semifinal (Albany) 36–60 | ||
| 2013 | 2013 | PIFL | 6th | 4 | 8 | 0 | |||
| 2014 | 2014 | PIFL | American | 2nd | 7 | 5 | 0 | Lost American Conference Championship (Nashville) 39–44 | |
| 2015 | 2015 | PIFL | 1st | 8 | 3 | 0 | Won Semifinal (Lehigh Valley) 69–41 Won PIFL Cup IV (Richmond) 64–38 | ||
| 2016 | 2016 | AIF | Southern | 1st | 8 | 0 | 0 | Won Southern Semifinal (New Mexico) 49–37 Won Southern Championship (Florida) 79–66 Won AIF Championship Game (West Michigan) 74–32 | |
| 2017 | 2017 | NAL | 3rd | 9 | 3 | 0 | Won Semifinal (Lehigh Valley) 52–50 Lost NAL Championship (Jacksonville) 21–27 | ||
| 2018 | NAL | 4th | 8 | 7 | 0 | Won Semifinal (Massachusetts) 50–36 Lost NAL Championship (Carolina) 8–66 | |||
| 2019 | NAL | 4th | 6 | 8 | 0 | Lost Semifinal (Jacksonville) 43–67 | |||
| 2020 | NAL | Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | |||||||
| 2021 | NAL | 2nd | 6 | 2 | 0 | Won semifinal (Orlando) 61–43 Lost NAL championship (Albany) 62–79 | |||
| 2022 | NAL | 3rd | 7 | 5 | 0 | Lost semifinal (Carolina) 51–65 | |||
| 2023 | AIFA | 1st | 6 | 0 | 0 | Won Championship (Mississippi) 55–10 | |||
| Totals | 125 | 62 | 0 | All-time regular season record (2007–2023) | |||||
| 13 | 11 | — | All-time postseason record (2007–2023) | ||||||
| 138 | 73 | 0 | All-time regular season and postseason record (2007–2023) | ||||||
References Edit
- ^ Lee Snow (21 June 2023). "Lions Welcome Experienced Newcomer to Ownership Group". www.columbuslions.net. Columbus Lions. from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
- ^ "Lions Add New Member To Ownership Group". Columbus Lions. November 10, 2020.
- ^ "Staff". Columbus Lions. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
- ^ "COLUMBUS LIONS JOIN AMERICAN INDOOR FOOTBALL (AIF) FOR THE 2024 INDOOR SEASON". aif-proindoorfootball.com. American Indoor Football. August 3, 2023. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
- ^ "Indoor football player dies after head-to-head hit". www.espn.go.com. ESPN Internet Ventures. February 27, 2007. Retrieved February 27, 2007.
- ^ "Daytona player dies". www.ledger-enquirer.com. Ledger-Enquirer. Retrieved February 27, 2007.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Chris White (July 19, 2010). . www.ledger-enquirer.com. Ledger-Enquirer. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
- ^ Keith Groller (September 14, 2015). "Steelhawks moving to a new indoor football league for 2016". www.mcall.com. The Morning Call. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
- ^ Dana Barker (June 19, 2016). "Lions capture AIF title in bizarre, blowout fashion". www.ledger-enquirer.com. Ledger-Enquirer. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
- ^ "Columbus Lions leaving AIF following 2016 season". www.wltz.com. Frankly and WLTZ. June 27, 2016. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
- ^ Matthew Hester (April 10, 2012). . www.proifl.com. Professional Indoor Football League. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
- ^ "Lions owner Seda establishes new Arena Developmental League". Ledger-Enquirer. July 7, 2016.
- ^ "LIONS PURCHASED BY VETERAN ARENA FOOTBALL OWNERSHIP GROUP". www.columbuslions.net. Lee Snow. August 30, 2022. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
- ^ "Lions introduce new head coach, new team logos". www.wtvm.com. Jonathon Hoppe and Tony Reese, WTVM. September 13, 2022. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
- ^ "NAL DISCONTINUES MEMBERSHIP OF THE COLUMBUS LIONS". National Arena League. July 14, 2022.
- ^ "LIONS JOIN REGIONAL ARENA LEAGUE". National Arena League. December 23, 2022.
- ^ "And the regular season comes to a close at 6-0!". Facebook. June 23, 2023.
- ^ "LIONS WIN IT ALL!". Columbus Lions. July 21, 2023.
- ^ "COLUMBUS LIONS JOIN AMERICAN INDOOR FOOTBALL (AIF) FOR THE 2024 INDOOR SEASON". aif-proindoorfootball.com. American Indoor Football. August 4, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ . www.ledger-enquirer.com. Ledger-Enquirer. July 13, 2015. Archived from the original on July 22, 2015. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
- ^ . www.ledger-enquirer.com. Ledger-Enquirer. July 19, 2015. Archived from the original on July 22, 2015. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
External links Edit
- Official site
- Lions' 2008 stats[permanent dead link]
- Lions' 2009 stats[permanent dead link]
- Lions' 2011 stats[permanent dead link]