Arena Football League

BALTIMORE BRIGADE	CLEVELAND GLADIATORS	PHILADELPHIA SOUL

TAMPA BAY STORM	WASHINGTON VALOR

Comments

Following the 2016 season three AFL teams (Orlando Predators, Jacksonville Sharks, and Arizona Rattlers) departed to join other football leagues, while two franchises (Los Angeles Kiss and Portland Thunder) folded. The Baltimore Brigade and Washington Valor are new teams for the 2017 season.

Historical Helmets (current teams)

BALTIMORE BRIGADE

2017 (1st three games)	2017 -

CLEVELAND GLADIATORS / LAS VEGAS GLADIATORS / NEW JERSEY GLADIATORS / NEW JERSEY RED DOGS

1997? - ?	2001 - 2006	2007
NEW JERSEY RED DOGS	NEW JERSEY GLADIATORS/ LAS VEGAS GLADIATORS	LAS VEGAS GLADIATORS

2008; 2010 -
CLEVELAND GLADIATORS

There may have been some other helmet design variations for this team during the period when it was known as the Red Dogs - supposedly the logo was slightly different during the last year or two, and a switch to black facemasks is reported to have occurred by at least the 2000 season. Also, some sources indicate that the red color was changed to maroon during the Red Dogs' last couple of years. Photographs of any of these alleged other variations would be greatly appreciated.

PHILADELPHIA SOUL

2004 - 2008; 2011	2012 -	2012 -

TAMPA BAY STORM / PITTSBURGH GLADIATORS

1987 - 1990	1991 - 1992	1993 - 1994
PITTSBURGH GLADIATORS	TAMPA BAY STORM	TAMPA BAY STORM

1995 - 2008; 2010 - 2011	2012 -
TAMPA BAY STORM	TAMPA BAY STORM

This team was based in Pittsburgh and known as the Gladiators from 1987 through 1990.

WASHINGTON VALOR

2017 -

Historical Helmets (defunct teams)

ALABAMA VIPERS

2010

ANAHEIM PIRANHAS / LAS VEGAS STING

1995 - 1996	1997 - 1998
LAS VEGAS STING	ANAHEIM PIRANHAS

ARIZONA RATTLERS

1992 - 2008; 2010	2011	2012 -
		(home games)

2012 - 2016?	April 14, 2012
(road games)
*see note 1 below	*see note 2 below

*1 During the early part of the 2012 season the logo has been worn on the right sides of the helmets only, with the left sides remaining "blank".

*2 Worn during a game at Iowa.

AUSTIN WRANGLERS

2004	2005 - 2007

CAROLINA COBRAS

2003 (game #1)	2000 - 2003	2004

CHARLOTTE RAGE

1992 - 1993?	1994? - 1996

CHICAGO BRUISERS

c.1989?

The Bruisers may have also at some point used a helmet design similar to this one, but without any stripes (photographs would be appreciated). In one (or two?) of the earliest AFL exhibition games, the Bruisers used white helmets with a black or blue "B" on the sides; I would appreciate some color photographs from this game (or games).

CHICAGO RUSH

2001 - 2008; 2010	2008 (some games); 2011 - 2013

CINCINNATI ROCKERS

1992	1993

In 1993, the Rockers used green helmets with a logo similar to the one used in 1992; a clear photograph of the green helmet would be appreciated (not a photograph of a mini-helmet, please).

CLEVELAND THUNDERBOLTS / COLUMBUS THUNDERBOLTS

1991 - 1994

The franchise was based in Columbus, OH for its first year (1991) before moving to Cleveland. This is the only helmet design that I am aware of the team having used.

COLORADO CRUSH

2003 - 2008

COLUMBUS DESTROYERS / BUFFALO DESTROYERS

1999 - 2003	2004	2005 - 2006
BUFFALO DESTROYERS	COLUMBUS DESTROYERS	COLUMBUS DESTROYERS

2007 - 2008
COLUMBUS DESTROYERS

CONNECTICUT COYOTES

1995	1996

DALLAS DESPERADOS

2002 - 2008

DALLAS TEXANS

1990 - ?	? - 1993
*see note 1 below

This team lasted for four years, 1990 through 1993. At least two helmet designs were used, the earlier one with white shells and the later one with red, but I am not sure when the switch was made.

There may have been some slight variations of these designs. One visitor to this site has reported that there were "tails" extending back from the logos on both the red and white helmets, though there are quite clearly absent from the white helmets in videotape of the 1990 Arena Bowl game. I would appreciate any photographs showing the alleged "tails" on an actual helmet (please do not send photographs of mini-helmets).

*1 The stripe sequence on this helmet runs (from left to right) blue-white-red (at least during the 1990 Arena Bowl game).

DALLAS VIGILANTES

2010	2011

DENVER DYNAMITE

1987 - ?	? - 1991

One of the league's four original teams, the Dynamite played in 1987 and from 1989 through 1991. The team may have had one or two other helmet variations besides those shown here.

DETROIT FURY

2001 - 2004

The stripe sequence on the Fury helmets may have been different or absent during the first year or two of the team's existence.

FLORIDA BOBCATS / MIAMI HOOTERS / SACRAMENTO ATTACK

1992	1993 - 1994	1995
SACRAMENTO ATTACK	MIAMI HOOTERS	MIAMI HOOTERS

1996 - 1998	1999	2000 - 2001
FLORIDA BOBCATS	FLORIDA BOBCATS	FLORIDA BOBCATS

GEORGIA FORCE

2002 (approx. 1st eight games)	2002 - 2003	February 8, 2004; February 22, 2004
	*see note 1 below	*see note 2 below

2004 - 2008; 2011 -

*1 The Force switched from blue facemasks to black ones by at least the ninth game of the 2002 season, and possibly earlier.

*2 The team announced just prior to the 2004 season that a pair of stripes would be worn on the helmets for two games in 2004; following are excerpts from the announcement: "(February 3, 2004) � Force Owner Virgil Williams and Force Advisory Board Chairman and current University of Georgia Athletic Director Vince Dooley announced today that the Force will be adding �V Stripes� to the team's helmet for the Force's first two home games. The Force's new all black helmets, which were unveiled last week at a press conference by Governor Sonny Perdue, will sport red and gold �V Stripes� running down the middle of the helmet. The �V Stripes� are a symbolic gesture by the team in support of UGA and Georgia Tech. In addition, the �V Stripes� will represent the two strongest influences in the Force organization, Virgil Williams and Vince Dooley, as well as the Force's ultimate goal- Victory". During the February 8 game, the red stripe was worn on the left sides of the helmets, and the gold one on the right sides.

FORT WORTH CAVALRY

1994

GRAND RAPIDS RAMPAGE

1998 - 1999	2000 - 2006	2007 - 2008

HOUSTON THUNDERBEARS / TEXAS TERROR

1996 - 1997	1998 - 2001
TEXAS TERROR	HOUSTON THUNDERBEARS

This franchise was based in Houston through the first five years of its existence; in 2001, the league assumed ownership of the team and made it play a schedule consisting entirely of road games. The team was one of four teams disbanded in late 2001 when the league contracted.

INDIANA FIREBIRDS / ALBANY FIREBIRDS

1991 - 1997	1998 - 2004
ALBANY FIREBIRDS	INDIANA FIREBIRDS

IOWA BARNSTORMERS

2010 - 2014

JACKSONVILLE SHARKS

2010 - 2011	2012 - 2016

KANSAS CITY COMMAND / KANSAS CITY BRIGADE

2006 - 2008 (Brigade); 2011 - (Command)	2012

LAS VEGAS OUTLAWS

2015

LOS ANGELES AVENGERS

2001 - 2002	2003 - 2008

LOS ANGELES COBRAS

1988

MASSACHUSETTS MARAUDERS / DETROIT DRIVE

1988 - 1993	1994
DETROIT DRIVE	MASSACHUSETTS MARAUDERS

MILWAUKEE MUSTANGS (1994 - 2001)

1994 - 2001

MILWAUKEE MUSTANGS / MILWAUKEE IRON (2009 - 2012)

2010	2011 - 2012
MILWAUKEE IRON	MILWAUKEE MUSTANGS

MINNESOTA FIGHTING PIKE

1996

NASHVILLE KATS

1997 only(?)	1998? - 2001	2005 - 2007

Following the 2001 season, the Nashville Kats franchise was sold and relocated, becoming the Georgia Force. When the AFL admitted a new Nashville Kats franchise in 2005, it was allowed to assume the historical records of the earlier Kats franchise (1997-2001).

NEW ENGLAND STEAMROLLERS

1988

NEW ORLEANS NIGHT

1991 - 1992

NEW ORLEANS VOODOO

2004 - 2005; 2007 - 2008; 2011 - 2015

This team did not play in 2006 due to repercussions from Hurricane Katrina.

NEW YORK DRAGONS / IOWA BARNSTORMERS

1995 (game #1)	1995 - 2000	2007
IOWA BARNSTORMERS	IOWA BARNSTORMERS	NEW YORK DRAGONS

2001 - 2006; 2008	2009 (not used)
NEW YORK DRAGONS	NEW YORK DRAGONS
	*see note 1 below

*1 This design was to have been used in 2009 but was never actually used during a game, due to the cancellation of the 2009 season.

NEW YORK KNIGHTS

1988

The only photograph that I have ever seen of a New York Knights helmet is from the team's first-ever regular season game at the Los Angeles Cobras; there are no stripes on the Knights' helmets during this game, but the team supposedly had a blue stripe on its helmets during all of their other games. A photograph of the helmet with the stripe would be appreciated (not a picture of a mini-helmet, please!).

OKLAHOMA CITY YARD DAWGZ

2010

OKLAHOMA WRANGLERS / PORTLAND FOREST DRAGONS / MEMPHIS PHARAOHS

1995 - 1996	1997	1998 - 1999
MEMPHIS PHARAOHS	PORTLAND FOREST DRAGONS	PORTLAND FOREST DRAGONS

2000 - 2001
OKLAHOMA WRANGLERS

ORLANDO PREDATORS

1991 - 1997	1998 - 2000	2001 - 2002

2003 - 2008; 2010	2011 - 2016

PITTSBURGH POWER

April 6, 2012	2011 - 2014
*see note 1 below

*1 Worn during the 2012 home game against Iowa.

PORTLAND STEEL / PORTLAND THUNDER

2014	2015	2016

Team was named 'Thunder' in 2014 and 2015, and 'Steel' in 2016.

"ROCKFORD METROS" and "CHICAGO POLITICIANS"

April 27, 1986	April 27, 1986
ROCKFORD METROS	CHICAGO POLITICIANS

The "Rockford Metros" and "Chicago Politicians" were the two teams that played in the first exhibition game of the Arena brand of football on April 27, 1986, at Rockford, Illinois. Below is the clearest photograph I have seen from this game; I do not know which team is which. One team appears to be wearing gold or silver helmets with the word "ARENA" on the sides, while the other has dark-colored helmets with an unknown circular logo. I would appreciate any better photographs from this game, or any information about the team colors.

SAN ANTONIO FORCE

1992

SAN ANTONIO TALONS / TULSA TALONS

2010 - 2011	2012 - 2014
TULSA TALONS	SAN ANTONIO TALONS

Beginning in 2012 this team used a new logo (as shown in the photo below). I have been unable to locate a copy of the artwork for this design.

SAN JOSE SABERCATS

1995 - 2008; 2011 -	2012 - 2015?

SPOKANE SHOCK

2010 - 2012?	2013? -	2013? - 2015?
	*see note 1 below	*see note 2 below

*1 Numerals are used only on the left side of this design; the right side features an "S" logo (as shown below).

*2 Numerals are used only on the left side of this design; the right side features an "S" logo (as shown below).

ST. LOUIS STAMPEDE

1995 - 1996

TORONTO PHANTOMS / NEW ENGLAND SEA WOLVES / NEW YORK CITYHAWKS

1997 - 1998	1997 - 1998	1999 - 2000
NEW YORK CITYHAWKS	NEW YORK CITYHAWKS	NEW ENGLAND SEA WOLVES

2000	2001 - 2002
NEW ENGLAND SEA WOLVES	TORONTO PHANTOMS

While this team was known as the New York Cityhawks, both the gold and black helmets were used in both 1997 and 1998. I have received some film from various games confirming that the team used the gold helmets during a home game in 1997 vs Florida and during a road game in 1998 vs Grand Rapids, and confirming that the black helmets were used for a road game in 1997 vs New Jersey. I do not know what scheme was in place during these two years with regards to the usage of the two helmet designs, but it may have been a home-and-away scheme that was reversed in the second year.

UTAH BLAZE

2006 - 2008; 2010	2011 -	2012 - 2013

WASHINGTON COMMANDOS

1987; 1989-1990

This team used the name Maryland Commandos during the 1989 season only. The team may have used another helmet design besides the one shown above at some point in its history; I would appreciate any photographs showing such a design. I received a report that the team used gold helmets briefly, but no supporting evidence was provided. The team did not play in 1988.