Alabama Outlawz Explained

Alabama Outlawz
Helmet:Alabama Outlawz Helmet Logo 2017.png
Founded:2013
Folded:2017
City:Birmingham, Alabama
Colors:Lime, black, silver
Coach:Donnell Robinson
Owner:David Warren
League:
Team History:
  • Alabama Outlawz (2014–2015, 2017)
No League Champs:0
No Conf Champs:0
No Div Champs:0
No Playoff Appearances:0
Arena Years:
  • Bill Harris Arena (2014–2015)
  • Shelby County Exhibition Center (2017) – never played

The Alabama Outlawz were a professional indoor football team that resumed play in Arena Pro Football. They last played in the 2017 season at the Shelby County Exhibition Center in Columbiana, Alabama. They previously played in X-League Indoor Football while based in Birmingham, Alabama, with home games at Bill Harris Arena.

Franchise history

It was announced in November 2013 that the Alabama Outlawz would be joining X-League Indoor Football for its inaugural 2014 season, playing their home games in Bill Harris Arena at the Birmingham CrossPlex. Lee Ellison, who was 37 years old when the Outlawz were founded in 2013, remained the owner of the franchise.[1]

The Outlawz finished the 2014 season with a record of 5–3–1. The Outlawz had the number one offense under offensive coordinator Mike Bonner.[2] They won the first game ever played in the X-League.[3] The one tie was a result of the final game being canceled and declared a 7–7 tie as the Outlawz and their opponents, the Georgia Rampage, were both out of X-Bowl contention. The league deemed it financially responsible to consider the game a tie and use the operation cost to prepare for the 2015 season.[4]

In 2015, the Outlawz finished with a 2–6 record and ninth out of ten teams in the X-League. Several teams folded or left the league towards the end of the season. The X-League planned a merger with another league but the plans fell through in late 2015 and the X-League folded. The Outlawz were unable to find suitable league to join in time for the 2016 season and announced they would take the season off.

In late 2016, the Outlawz (now calling itself the Birmingham Outlawz) announced it was one of the three inaugural members of a new National Arena Football League to begin play in spring 2017. Around the time of the new league's announcement, the Outlawz ownership posted its announcement on social media but accidentally used the logo of the North American Football League. The National Arena Football League quickly rebranded in October 2016 as Arena Pro Football.[5] The Outlawz failed to secure a lease for the 2017 season in Birmingham causing the team to play out of the Shelby County Exhibition Center in nearby Columbiana. The team then reverted to its Alabama Outlawz moniker. The new owner of the team was announced as David Warren and the head coach would be Darnell Robinson.[6] After three away games, all losses, the Outlawz canceled their first home game scheduled for April 15 due to the lack of dashers on the sidelines which are needed for safety. By April 26, the Outlawz canceled all remaining games for the season, which were all scheduled home games.

Statistics and records

Season-by-season results

League ChampionsConference ChampionsDivision ChampionsPlayoff BerthLeague Leader
SeasonLeagueRegular seasonPostseason results
Finish Wins Losses Ties
20144 3 1
2015X-League 9th 2 6 0
20175th 0 5 0
Totals6 14 1 All-time record (2014–2017)

Head coaches' records

NameTermRegular seasonPlayoffsAwards
W L T Win% W L
Lee Ellison2014–201569100
Donell Robinson201705000

2014 season results

Date Kickoff Opponent Results Game site
Final score Team record
March 37:00 p.m.at Georgia RampageW 44–431–0Northwest Georgia Trade and Convention Center
April 48:00 p.m.St. Louis AttackL 39–581–1Bill Harris Arena
April 118:00 p.m.Savannah SteamW 82–82–1Bill Harris Arena
April 197:00 p.m.at Florida Marine RaidersW 44–383–1Lakeland Center
April 258:00 p.m.Chattahoochee Vipers (NL)W 65–354–1Bill Harris Arena
May 28:35 p.m.at St. Louis AttackL 65–764–2Family Arena
May 98:00 p.m.Florida Marine RaidersL 38–444–3Bill Harris Arena
May 177:35 p.m.at Savannah SteamW 55-255–3Santander Arena
May 238:00 p.m.Georgia RampageT 7–75–3–1Bill Harris Arena

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: New spring indoor football team launching in Birmingham in March 2014 . al.com . November 11, 2013 . December 27, 2014 . Crenshawv Jr., Solomon.
  2. Web site: 2014 Alabama Outlawz . birminghamprosports.com . December 27, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141227224945/http://www.birminghamprosports.com/alabamaoutlawzgames.htm . December 27, 2014 .
  3. Web site: Team Overview . birminghamprosports.com . December 27, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141227213217/http://www.birminghamprosports.com/alabamaoutlawzmain.htm . December 27, 2014 .
  4. Web site: Team and League History . birminghamprosports.com . December 27, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141227224712/http://www.birminghamprosports.com/alabamaoutlawzhistory.htm . December 27, 2014 .
  5. Web site: Weekly Sports League & Franchise Report . OurSports Central . October 31, 2016.
  6. Web site: Professional football coming to Columbiana . . January 13, 2017.