Continental Indoor Football League

The Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL) is an indoor football league based along the Midwestern United States region. It began play in April 2006 as the Great Lakes Indoor Football League (GLIFL). Formed by Jeff Spitaleri, his brother Eric, and third member, Cory Trapp, all from the Canton, Ohio area.

The league was originally called the OPIFL (short for Ohio-Penn Indoor Football League), but then executives decided to increase the league's appeal to the entire Great Lakes region. So far, the league has been relatively successful, having a cumulative attendance of over 75,000 in the inaugural regular season.. However, the league, like other indoor football associations, has been plagued by folding franchises and unenforceable policies. For example, the 2006 champion Port Huron Pirates were found to have been paying some of their players over the league salary cap. 2007 saw several teams fold during the season, and during the 2008 season, the league's most successful team, the Rochester Raiders, moved to the AIFA due to frustration over the failure of the league to provide notice of an opponent's forfeiture, resulting in lost ticket and advertising revenue. The league also failed to return the Raiders' owners' emergency fund deposit, which was collected specifically to protect against such occurrences.

The league's primary competition for talent is the American Indoor Football Association, and teams have moved to and from that league. However, unlike the AIFA, the CIFL remains mostly a regional operation, with most of its teams clustered in the Midwestern United States. A similar but unrelated league, the Intense Football League, played in Texas through 2008 before merging with United Indoor Football to form the Indoor Football League for the 2009 season. Four CIFL franchises subsequently left the league to join the IFL.

CIFL Championship Games
CIFL Championship Game History

CIFL Rules
Field Size – 50 yards long by 25 yards wide, with end zones a minimum of 5 yards in depth. Fields may vary in size due to physical constraints within facility, with CIFL permission. End zones may be rounded due to hockey board configurations. Padded dasher board walls around the entire field that act as an extension of the ground (only “out of bounds” if contact made by opposing player that forces player into the dasher wall, much like a ‘down by contact’ rule).

Goal Posts – Goal posts are 12 ft from the floor to the crossbar. The crossbar is 10 ft in width. Anything used to hang the goalpost is considered a part of the upright.

Number Of Players – Eight players per team on the field at one time. Maximum of 20 active players with a 21st player that is only eligible for special-teams plays (kickoffs, field goals, point-after-touchdown plays).

Playing Time – Four 15-minute quarters with a running clock. Clock only stops for incomplete passes and out of bounds plays during the final minute of the second and fourth quarters. 25-second play clock.

Scoring – 6 points for TD, 2 points for run or pass conversion, or drop kick PAT, 1 point for place kick PAT, 2 points for defensive conversion following TD, 2 points for safety. 3 points for a field goal, 4 points for a drop kick field goal.

Backfield in Motion – One player may be in motion in any direction behind the line of scrimmage prior to the snap.

Offensive Linemen – Three linemen must be in a three- or four-point stance prior to the snap. They must line up guard, center, guard and next to one-another. Any offensive lineman not covered up by the fourth man on the line of scrimmage is an eligible receiver if he is wearing an eligible receiver number (1-49, 80-89).

Defensive Linemen – There must be three defensive linemen, and they must line up on the nose, or can line up inside foot-to-outside foot outside of an offensive lineman Linemen must rush inside if nose up or slanted into if shaded, and they must make contact before any movement to the outside is made.

Blitzing – Only one non-lineman can blitz at a time. This player can blitz from any direction, but must be at least five yards off the line of scrimmage/goal line prior to the snap. Players do not have to announce their eligibility to blitz.

Linebackers – At least two defensive players must line up at least 5 yards behind the line of scrimmage. The other two non-linemen must either line up face-to-face with an offensive non-lineman on the line, or be five yards behind the line of scrimmage. After the snap, this rule is eliminated and the players can roam anywhere they wish, provided it doesn’t violate blitzing rules. Linebackers can line up at the goal line if the offense is within five yards of scoring.

Kickoffs – If a kickoff leaves the field of play on the fly, the ball comes out to the 25-yard line. The sideline walls and end zone walls are not out of bounds, and balls can be played off of them. If a kickoff leaves the field of play after making contact with the field or a player on either team, the ball comes out to the 5-yard line, or the point in which it leaves the field of play, whichever is closest to the kicking team’s goal line.

Offense – No punting. Offense must attempt to gain a first down or touchdown, or may attempt a field goal (by placement or drop kick).

Coaches – No coaches allowed on the field.

Overtime – Overtime is played with NCAA-style rules (each team gets one possession), but each possession is started with a kickoff rather than at the 25-yard line. Teams must go for a two point conversion (by scrimmage play) starting with the third overtime session.

Rule differences
The league does not utilize a rebound net, but otherwise, its rules are nearly identical to those of the Arena Football League.

2011 CIFL Teams

 * Chicago Knights
 * Cincinnati Commandos
 * Dayton Silverbacks
 * Indianapolis Enforcers
 * Marion Blue Racers
 * Port Huron Predators

Suspended Operations

 * Flint Phantoms (2008-)
 * Kalamazoo Xplosion (2007-)
 * Rock River Raptors (2008-)
 * Wisconsin Wolfpack (2009-2010)

Possible Expansion Teams

 * Lexington Horsemen
 * Kalamazoo Xplosion
 * Motor City Reapers
 * Springfield Shield
 * Indianapolis, Indiana
 * Flint, Michigan

Defunct
(*=The league took over operations and ceased for failure to meet league requirements.)
 * Battle Creek Crunch (2006)
 * Springfield Stallions (2007)*
 * Steubenville Stampede (2007)*
 * Summit County Rumble (2007)*
 * Port Huron Pirates (2006–2007)
 * West Virginia Wild (CIFL) (2009)*
 * Wheeling Wildcats (2009)
 * Milwaukee Bonecrushers (2008–2009) relocated to Villa Park, Illinois and are Chicago Cardinals
 * Fort Wayne Freedom (2008–2009) folded in Receivership; new company operating as Fort Wayne FireHawks
 * Marion Mayhem (2010)
 * Fort Wayne Firehawks (2010)

Moved

 * Rochester Raiders (2006–2008)**
 * Chesapeake Tide (2007–2008)** ( moved to the Indoor Football League as Maryland Maniacs)
 * Lehigh Valley Outlawz (2006–2008)****
 * Saginaw Sting (2008)** Now are in the Ultimate Indoor Football League
 * Muskegon Thunder (2007–2008)**
 * New England Surge (2007–2008) ***
 * New Jersey Revolution (2006–2009)*****
 * Chicago Slaughter (2007–2009)**

2006

 * Most Valuable Player (Vincent Cleveland Memorial Trophy) - Matt Cottengim, Rochester Raiders
 * Offensive Player of the Year - Matt Cottengim, Rochester Raiders
 * Quarterback of the Year - Matt Cottengim, Rochester Raiders
 * Running Back of the Year - Rayshaun Askew, Port Huron Pirates
 * Wide Receiver of the Year - Maurice Jackson, Rochester Raiders
 * Defensive Player of the Year - Eddie Bynes, Port Huron Pirates
 * Linebacker of the Year - Ed Chan, NY/NJ Revolution
 * Defensive Back of the Year - Eric Gardner, Battle Creek Crunch
 * Return Man of the Year - Darius Smith, Rochester Raiders
 * GLIFL All-Star Game MVP - Shane Franzer, Port Huron Pirates
 * Coach of the Year - Brian Hug, Port Huron Pirates

2007

 * Most Valuable Player (Vincent Cleveland Memorial Trophy) - Robert Height, Port Huron Pirates
 * Offensive Player of the Year - Robert Height, Port Huron Pirates
 * Defensive Player of the Year - Eddie Bynes, Port Huron Pirates
 * Special Teams Player of the Year - Brad Selent, Kalamazoo Xplosion
 * CIFL Indoor Championship Game Most Valuable Player - Mike Condello, Rochester Raiders
 * Coach of the Year - Karl Featherstone, Port Huron Pirates

2008

 * CIFL Most Valuable Player - David Gater, Kalamazoo Xplosion
 * Offensive Player of the Year - Randy Bell, Rock River Raptors
 * Defensive Player of the Year - David Gater, Kalamazoo Xplosion
 * Special Teams Player of the Year - Brad Selent, Kalamazoo Xplosion
 * Coach of the Year - Mike Sparks, Kalamazoo Xplosion

2009

 * CIFL Most Valuable Player - Russ Michna, Chicago Slaughter
 * Offensive Player of the Year - Russ Michna, Chicago Slaughter
 * Defensive Player of the Year - Bryceon Lawrence, Marion Mayhem
 * Special Teams Player of the Year -
 * Coach of the Year - Matt Land, Fort Wayne Freedom

2010

 * CIFL Most Valuable Player - Ben Mauk QB, Cincinnati Commandos
 * Offensive Player of the Year - Dominick Goodman WR, Cincinnati Commandos
 * Defensive Player of the Year - James Spikes DL, Cincinnati Commandos
 * Special Teams Player of the Year - Mike Tatum Marion Mayhem / Fort Wayne Firehawks
 * Coach of the Year - Brian Wells Miami Valley Silverbacks