Los Angeles Kiss

Los Angeles Kiss File:AmericanFootball current event.svg Current season Established 2013 Play in Honda Center in Anaheim, California
Los Angeles Kiss logo Logo
League/conference affiliations
Arena Football League (2014–present) National Conference (2014–present)
Team colors	Black, Flame, Gold, White
Personnel
Owner(s)	Gene Simmons Paul Stanley Doc McGhee Brett Bouchy
President	Schuyler Hoversten
Head coach	Bob McMillen
Team history
Los Angeles Kiss (2014–present)
Championships
League championships (0)
Conference championships (0)
Division championships (0)
Home arena(s)
*Honda Center (2014–present)

The Los Angeles Kiss (stylized as LA KISS) are a professional arena football team based in Los Angeles, California. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Conference of the Arena Football League (AFL). The Kiss joined the AFL as an expansion team after Los Angeles' previous franchise (Los Angeles Avengers) did not return as a part of Arena Football 1. The team's ownership is a group of Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, members of rock band Kiss, as well as their manager Doc McGhee. The team plays its home games at the Honda Center in nearby Anaheim, which they share with the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League.

History

Southern California's prior AFL history

The Kiss is the third AFL team to represent Los Angeles, the fourth to represent Southern California, and the second to play at the Honda Center. Los Angeles' first AFL team was the Los Angeles Cobras, which called the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena home for the team's only season of 1988, in which they finished 5–6–1, making the playoffs but losing to the Chicago Bruisers in the first round. Eight years later, the Anaheim Piranhas moved from Las Vegas, beginning play for the 1996 season at the Honda Center (known as the Arrowhead Pond at the time). Their first season saw them finish 9–5 and make the playoffs (losing to the Tampa Bay Storm in the first round), but their second season saw them finish 2–12 and fold after year's end, most likely because of their owner, C. David Baker, being named the AFL's commissioner and wanting to focus on that.

However, perhaps Los Angeles' most notable foray into arena football was the Los Angeles Avengers, which called the Staples Center home during their nine-year run from 2000 until the league's suspension of operations in 2008. During that time, the team made five playoff appearances and won one division title (in 2005), though only winning one of those playoff games.

Kiss arrives

On August 15, 2013, it was announced that Kiss (who performed at halftime of ArenaBowl XXVI) had purchased a share of an AFL expansion team set to begin play in 2014. Kiss lead members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, their manager Doc McGhee, and league veteran Brett Bouchy jointly own the team. Both Simmons and Stanley are known fans of the AFL, and they look forward to bringing an experience like no other in the AFL in specific or sports in general.

On September 10, 2013, the Kiss began assembling their first roster, trading their first pick in the dispersal draft of Chicago Rush and Utah Blaze players, to the Iowa Barnstormers in exchange for quarterback J. J. Raterink. With their 2nd and 3rd picks, they drafted wide receiver Chase Deadder and linebacker Antwan Marsh. On September 17, 2013, they named Bob McMillen, the 2013 AFL Coach of the Year, the franchise's first head coach. On September 18, the Kiss hired former Los Angeles Dodgers business executive Schuyler Hoversten as its inaugural president.

The games are themed to echo a Kiss music concert: games open with an electric guitar rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner; there is "loud pyrotechnics and music" throughout the game; "the Kiss logo is plastered everywhere: on the arena football field, on the end zone and on the flame-emblazoned jerseys in the stands. ... [There is a] Kiss Girls dance-squad in black leather. ... Through the entire game, scantily clad women dance around poles in cages hanging over the end zones." The team's artificial turf field is also colored in a unique silver color scheme.

On Tuesday, August 12, 2014, AMC premiered 4th and Loud, a reality documentary series focusing on the team's inaugural season.

Notable players

Current roster

Los Angeles Kiss roster
Quarterbacks 12 Kenny Guiton 11 J. J. Raterink Fullbacks Currently vacant Wide receivers  1 Donovan Morgan  7 Brandon Thompkins		Offensive linemen 70 Michael Diaz 63 Joe Madsen 74 Andres Vargas 55 Julius Wilson Defensive linemen 94 B. J. Bell 56 Nekos Brown 64 Sam Campbell 71 Darryl Cato-Bishop 92 David Williams		Linebackers 33 Ayo Idowu 26 Shawn Loiseau Defensive backs 23 A. J. Cruz 13 Donnie Fletcher 22 Terrence Johnson  4 Otis Merrill 14 J. C. Neal Kickers 19 Kenny Spencer		Injured reserve  2 Beau Bell LB 95 Tonio Celotto DL  5 Matt Estrada DB  8 Aaron Garcia QB  9 Samora Goodson WR 42 Joe Mortensen FB 99 Nigel Nicholas DL  6 Romeo Pellum DB 22 Wesley Pendleton DB 52 Dominie Pittman DL  3 Raymond Radway WR 18 DeMarco Sampson WR 16 Michale Spicer DL Refuse to report 74 Isaac Leatiota OL Other League Exempt 60 Chad Anderson OL 11 L. J. Castile WR -- Chris Summers WR League Suspension 33 Lou Alexander OL 72 Zach Allen OL 57 Johan Asiata OL -- Shawn Asiata FB  4 Terrence Austin WR 95 Colin Bryant DL -- Damien Edwards 92 Elhadji Ndiaye DL 92 Brian Price DL 60 Jason Shirley OL 75 Cameron Stephenson OL -- Jeremiah Tofaeono OL 33 Roderick Tomlin OL 33 David Veikune DL Inactive reserve -- Greg Brown DB Recallable reassignment Currently vacant Rookies in italics Roster updated August 14, 2014 21 Active, 30 Inactive → More rosters

All-Arena players

The following KISS players have been named to All-Arena Teams:

• WR Donovan Morgan
• LB Beau Bell

Notable coaches

Head coaches

Name	Term	Regular Season				Playoffs		Awards
		W	L	T	Win%	W	L
Bob McMillen	2014–present	3	15	0	.167	0	0

Staff

Los Angeles Kiss staff
	Front Office Co-Owner – Gene Simmons Co-Owner – Paul Stanley Co-Owner – Doc McGhee Co-Owner – Brett Bouchy President – Schuyler Hoversten			Head Coach Head Coach – Bob McMillen Offensive Coaches currently vacant Defensive Coaches Defensive Coordinator - Walt Housman

Season-by-season records

Season	League	Conference	Division	Regular season			Postseason results
				Finish	Wins	Losses
Los Angeles Kiss
2014	AFL	National	West	3rd	3	15
Total					3	15	(includes only regular season)
					0	0	(includes only the postseason)
					3	15	(includes both regular season and postseason)

External links

• Official website

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