West Virginia Roughriders Explained

West Virginia Roughriders
Helmet:Richmond Roughriders Helmet 2018.png
Founded:2016
Folded:2022
City:Wheeling, West Virginia
at the WesBanco Arena
Misc:WestVirginiaRoughriders.com
Colors:Black, lime green, silver, white
Coach:Mook Zimmerman
Owner:Gregg Fornario
Mike Kacor
Jim Jones
General Manager:Marty Medovic
League:
Team History:
  • Richmond Roughriders (2017–2018)
  • West Virginia Roughriders (2019–2022)
No League Champs:2
League Champs:
  • APF: 2017
  • AAL: 2019
No Conf Champs:0
No Div Champs:1
Div Champs:
  • AAL Northern: 2019
No Playoff Appearances:3
Playoff Appearances:
  • APF: 2017
  • AAL: 2018, 2019
Arena Years:

The West Virginia Roughriders were a professional indoor football team based in Wheeling, West Virginia. They were founded in 2016 as the Richmond Roughriders and played at the Richmond Coliseum in 2017 and 2018.

They were members the Arena Pro Football (APF) league in 2017. The Roughriders initially announced they were joining the National Arena League (NAL) for the 2018 season but then later joined the American Arena League (AAL). After the one season in the AAL, the owner announced he was creating his own league, Professional Arena Football, and left the AAL but the new league never gained traction and the team returned to the AAL. Concurrently, the Roughriders also moved to Wheeling due to arena issues in Richmond.[1] They again announced they were not returning to the AAL for the 2020 season and joined the NAL two years after initially backing out. However, the 2020 season was cancelled due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the team opted to go dormant for the 2021 season, and then left the NAL prior to the 2022 season.

History

Richmond Roughriders (2017–2018)

The Roughriders were first formed in October 2016 as members of Arena Pro Football's inaugural season.[2] The team would go undefeated in the 2017 season in the unstable APF. The Roughriders defeated the Florida Tarpons 71–61 to capture the APF's only championship.[3]

At the end of the first season, the APF was announced to have merged with the Can-Am Indoor Football League for the 2018 season to create the American Arena League (AAL). The new league initially announced the Roughriders as members in the league,[4] but ownership claimed they were still exploring their options and never committed to the AAL.[5] On July 20, 2017, the National Arena League announced it had conditionally approved a team from Richmond as members for the 2018 season[6] with the Roughriders confirming that they were finalizing their NAL expansion requirements.[7] However, on September 13, 2017, the team announced that they were instead joining the American Arena League citing that the AAL would be a better fit for them.[8]

In December 2017, rapper Jim Jones became part owner of the team along with the original owners Gregg Fornario and Mike Kacor.[9] Jones immediately made the news by publicly offering the then-currently unemployed and controversial former NFL quarterbacks Colin Kaepernick and Johnny Manziel a position on the team.[10] On January 26, 2018, the team announced the signing of controversial former NFL defensive lineman Greg Hardy.[11] The signing gained significant media attention,[12] mostly criticizing the move in response the on-going Me Too movement, heightened attention to the treatment of women, and Hardy's 2014 domestic violence charge.[13]

In the 2018 season, the Roughriders continued to have success and went 7–1 for the season and first-place finish, only losing to the Georgia Doom. After the Atlanta Havoc lost their final game of the season, also to the Doom, the Roughriders earned home field advantage for the playoffs. They defeated the Carolina Energy 57–43 in a semifinal game before facing the Havoc. The Roughriders led the game through the first half, but the Havoc came back to win the inaugural AAL championship game 58–50. After the end of the season, the Roughriders home, the Richmond Coliseum, was scheduled for demolition and to be replaced by a new venue. The team claimed any new arena would be priced out of their affordability and the Roughriders could not return to Richmond for a 2019 season. Majority owner and general manager Gregg Fornario stated they were looking into venues in Hershey, Reading, and Wilkes-Barre in Pennsylvania, Norfolk in Virginia, and Atlantic City in New Jersey.[14] [15]

West Virginia Roughriders (2019–2021)

On August 15, 2018, Roughriders' owner Gregg Fornario announced his intentions of creating a new league called Northern Arena Football (NAF).[16] His Roughriders team was not initially planning on leaving the AAL with the NAF only having teams north of the Maryland-Pennsylvania border.[17] However, by August 28, Fornario had rebranded the new league as Professional Arena Football (PAF) with multiple divisions, Northern Arena Football and Southern Arena Football,[18] and the Roughriders were announced as part of Professional Arena Football on August 30, leaving the AAL.[19] The league was also announced to have the New England Cavalry and Marion Mambas as members.[20] By November 2018, no new teams had been accepted by the PAF and Fornario decided to not launch the league in 2019.

After the loss of the Richmond Coliseum, the Roughriders also settled on a lease to use WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, West Virginia, becoming the West Virginia Roughriders.[21] However, Fornario's plans to launch the new league fell through and the team rejoined the AAL for the 2019 season as part of a new Northern Division.[22] The Northern Division consisted of the Burgh Defenders, Jersey Flight, and New England Bobcats. The Flight nearly folded at the start of the season and delayed their season starting date, the Bobcats folded midseason, and the Defenders lost their arena, leading to the Roughriders playing eight of their ten games at home. The team then went undefeated for a 10–0 record and eight wins against AAL opponents. They defeated the Flight in the divisional playoff championship before facing the West Michigan Ironmen, the Midwest Division champion. The Roughriders then advanced to their third straight league championship game, again at home, and beat the Carolina Energy 55–29 to win their first AAL championship.

Following the season, Fornario again announced he was removing the Roughriders from the AAL due to differences with league operations.[23] On October 24, 2019, the Roughriders were official added to the National Arena League (NAL), two years after Fornario had decided to join the AAL instead of the NAL.[24] The 2020 NAL was then cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and head coach Mook Zimmerman decided to retire in August 2020.[25] At the end of the month, team owner Fornario announced the team was for sale.[26] On October 30, 2020, the NAL announced the Roughriders would be dormant for at least the 2021 season.[27] By December 2020, Fornario signed an agreement to sell the franchise to HMG Sports,[28] the group that attempted to launch the Baltimore Lightning in the NAL for the 2021 season before having their membership terminated three weeks later for not providing a letter of credit and an arena lease.[29] [30] The sale apparently never completed.

In October 2021, Fornario stated that he was disputing terms of the team's membership contract with the NAL.[31] The Roughriders then stated they will not return to the NAL and will look into other options.[32] Fornario tweeted that he was in discussions with selling the team to the ownership group that operated the NAL's Albany Empire led by Ron Trideco to keep the team in the NAL,[33] but were eventually removed from the list of 2022 NAL teams[34] [35] and were not included in the schedule.[36] On January 12, 2022, The team announced on their Facebook page that, due to renovations to WesBanco Arena that would force the closure of the venue from June 1 to September 1, the Roughriders would not be playing the 2022 season and options to buy the team were put on hold.[37] On October 24, 2022, head coach Mook Zimmerman signed with the IFL's Massachusetts Pirates as a linebackers and defensive lineman coach.[38]

Statistics

Season-by-season results

As of the 2019 season:

League ChampionsDivision ChampionsPlayoff berthLeague leader
SeasonLeagueDivisionRegular seasonPostseason results
Finish Wins Losses Ties
2017bgcolor=#fcc N/Abgcolor=#96cdcd 1st 4 0 0 align=left Won APF Championship (Tarpons) 74–61
2018N/Abgcolor=#96cdcd 1st 7 1 0 align=left Won Semifinal (Carolina) 57–43
Lost AAL Championship (Atlanta) 50–58
2019bgcolor=#fcc AAL bgcolor=#d0e7ff Northernbgcolor=#96cdcd 1st 10 0 0 align=left Won Division final (Jersey) 57–13
Won Semifinal (West Michigan) 45–6
Won AAL Championship (Carolina) 55–29
2020 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
Totals21 1 0 All-time regular season record (2017–2019)
5 1 All-time postseason record (2017–2019)
26 2 0 All-time regular season and postseason record (2017–2019)

2017 APF season

Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site Notes
1April 8Alabama OutlawzW 84–41–0Richmond Coliseum
2April 15at River City RaidersW 54–392–0Family Arena
3April 22Savannah Coastal OutlawsW 94–143–0Richmond Coliseum
4April 29Carolina Cowboys W 92–0Richmond ColiseumNon-league game
5May 6Florida TarponsW 55–344–0Richmond Coliseum
6Bye
7May 20Atlanta Furious (EIF)W 82–14Richmond ColiseumNon-league game
8May 27Triangle Torch (SIF)W 69–40Richmond ColiseumNon-league game
9June 10Florida TarponsW 74–61Richmond ColiseumChampionship game

2018 AAL season

Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site Notes
1March 17at High Country GrizzliesW 34–191–0George M. Holmes Convocation Center
2Bye
3March 31Carolina EnergyW 52–382–0Richmond Coliseum
4April 7Cape Fear HeroesW 76–323–0Richmond Coliseum
5April 14at Florida TarponsW 58–204–0RP Funding Center
6April 20at Jersey FlightW 56–505–0CURE Insurance Arena
7April 28New England CavalryW 61–14Richmond ColiseumNon-league game
8May 5Peach State CatsW 82–22Richmond ColiseumNon-league game
9May 12at Georgia DoomL 44–565–1Macon Coliseum
10May 19East Carolina TorchW 68–336–1Richmond Coliseum
11May 26Jersey FlightW 74–65Richmond ColiseumNon-league game
12June 2High Country GrizzliesW 70–627–1Richmond Coliseum
13Bye
June 16Carolina EnergyW 57–43Richmond ColiseumSemifinal
June 30Atlanta HavocL 50–58Richmond ColiseumChampionship game

2019 AAL season

Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site Notes
1March 23Burgh DefendersW 95–181–0WesBanco Arena
2Bye
3April 6at Cape Fear HeroesW 54–152–0Crown Coliseum
4April 15High Point Wildcats W 51–303–0WesBanco ArenaNon-league game
5April 19at West Michigan IronmenW 33–284–0L.C. Walker Arena
6April 26New England BobcatsW 41–225–0WesBanco Arena
7May 4Burgh DefendersW 74–06–0WesBanco Arena
8Forfeit win7–0
9May 18Jersey FlightW 53–168–0WesBanco Arena
10May 27New England Cavalry W 28–249–0WesBanco ArenaNon-league game
11May 31Carolina CowboyzW 54–010–0WesBanco Arena
June 8Jersey FlightW 57–13WesBanco ArenaDivision playoff game
June 15West Michigan IronmenW 45–6WesBanco ArenaSemifinal playoff game
June 29Carolina EnergyW 55–29WesBanco ArenaChampionship game

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 'It was a total honor': Richmond Roughriders find new home in West Virginia . . September 24, 2018.
  2. Web site: Weekly Sports League & Franchise Report . OurSports Central . October 31, 2016.
  3. Web site: Roughriders Clinch Arena Pro Football Title on Last Play . Richmond Roughriders . June 21, 2017.
  4. Web site: American Arena League Announces First 10 Teams . Stephen Ur . InsideTheArena.org . June 20, 2017 . June 22, 2017 . August 11, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170811224531/https://insidethearena.org/2017/06/20/american-arena-league-announces-first-10-teams/ . dead.
  5. Web site: Richmond Roughriders mulling over next move after perfect first year . Developmental Football USA . June 20, 2017.
  6. Web site: NAL Announces Teams for 2018 Play - Northeast Bolstered by Expansion . NAL . July 20, 2017 . July 21, 2017 . August 14, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170814104332/http://www.nationalarenaleague.com/news-m/308-nal-announces-teams-for-2018-play-northeast-bolstered-by-expansion.html . dead.
  7. Web site: Richmond Roughriders officially announce NAL Expansion . Brandon Russell . Last Word On Sports . July 21, 2017.
  8. Web site: American Arena League Adds Third Championship Team . . September 13, 2017.
  9. Web site: Jim Jones Now Part Owner of AAL's Richmond Roughriders . American Arena League . December 7, 2017 . December 7, 2017 . December 28, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171228221125/http://americanarenaleague.com/index.php/teams/richmond-roughriders/52-richmond-roughriders/172/jim-jones-now-part-owner-of-aal-richmond-roughriders . dead.
  10. Web site: Rapper Jim Jones to Kaepernick, Manziel: Join my arena football team . . December 7, 2017.
  11. Web site: Richmond Roughriders Announce the Signing of Former Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys Pro Bowl Defensive Lineman Greg Hardy . . January 26, 2018.
  12. Web site: Richmond Roughriders sign former NFL Pro Bowler Greg Hardy . . January 26, 2018.
  13. Web site: WOODY: Roughriders decision to sign Greg Hardy completely inappropriate . . January 29, 2018.
  14. Web site: Roughriders likely to leave Richmond; 'Our arena got taken away from us' . . July 19, 2018.
  15. Web site: Roughriders plan to leave Richmond . Mark Davis . NBC12.com . July 18, 2018.
  16. Web site: Northern Arena Football, a new league coming in 2019 . ArenaFootballTalk.com . August 15, 2018.
  17. Web site: Roughriders owner looking at Winston-Salem, will open new indoor football league . . August 9, 2018.
  18. Web site: What to Watch For in 2019 Arena Football Season . https://web.archive.org/web/20180830174317/https://insidethearena.co/f/what-to-watch-for-in-2019-arena-football-season . InsideTheArena.com . August 29, 2018 . August 30, 2018.
  19. Web site: Roughriders Join Professional Arena Football . Facebook.com . August 30, 2018.
  20. Web site: Professional Arena Football website . https://web.archive.org/web/20180930231710/http://www.professionalarenafootball.com/ . ProfessionalArenaFootball.com . September 30, 2018 . September 30, 2018.
  21. Web site: Richmond Roughriders relocate to West Virginia . . September 24, 2018.
  22. Web site: Roughriders Return to the American Arena League for 2019 . West Virginia Roughriders . December 10, 2018.
  23. Web site: West Virginia Roughriders Not to Return to AAL in 2020 . Inside the Arena . August 2, 2019 . August 3, 2019 . August 3, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190803215621/https://insidethearena.co/f/west-virginia-roughriders-not-to-return-to-aal-in-2020 . dead.
  24. Web site: NAL Expands North, West Virginia to Join League in 2020 . OurSports Central . October 24, 2019.
  25. Web site: West Virginia Roughriders coach walks away on top . . August 4, 2020.
  26. Web site: W.Va. Roughriders Officially Up For Sale . . August 27, 2020.
  27. Web site: Tampa and Louisville Memberships Terminated . National Arena League . October 30, 2020 . October 30, 2020.
  28. Web site: Roughriders Move Closer to Being Sold . The Intelligencer and Wheeling News Register . December 2, 2020.
  29. Web site: Expansion Alert: The Baltimore Lightning Joins The NAL . https://web.archive.org/web/20200806162013/https://www.nationalarenaleague.com/news/headline-news/?article_id=60 . National Arena League . August 1, 2020 . August 6, 2020.
  30. Web site: Baltimore Lightning Update on 2021 Season . NAL . August 19, 2020.
  31. Web site: Update: We can't seem to get on the same page with the NAL on our league contract. Also do not agree with their new rules and salary cap. We will be looking into other options as well as investor opportunities. We will be making our final decision on November 1st. Thankyou #Ridermafia . West Virginia Roughriders Facebook . October 12, 2021.
  32. Web site: Are you playing in the NAL??? Well here is the truth........... Roughriders paid 25k league fee and signed a 3 yr contract '20, '21, '22 . So this season would be yr 1 or yr 3 matter how you look at it. But as you know Covid took away both '20, & '21 season but because the league decided to play last yr and we (smartly) chose not to due low capacity guide lines for state covid rules in Wesbanco Arena the league forfeited our 25k smh and told us if we want to play we owe another (25k) unreal.... Whos gonna do that??? Shady right? Well i learned all Arena leagues are just that some hide it better and arent exposed. But in this case thats robbery smh So i know time is ticking but we officially will not be playing in the NAL and will look at other options that make sense. At this time its not we will be playing at all but are on the phones trying to make something happen. And will be looking for not just Professionalism, but territory, travel etc. Look to make a final decision by mid November. Thanks for your patience, WVR #Ridermafia . West Virginia Roughriders Facebook . October 24, 2021.
  33. WVRoughriders . 1453406588643991554 . Update; We are in talks with TX4 group for purchase of team. TX4 group also has ownership of Albany Empire & Orlando Predators. Ownership would keep team in Wheeling and play in NAL. Will keep fans posted as we move into further Negotiations. #Ridermafia . October 27, 2021.
  34. Web site: About the NAL . December 21, 2021 . NAL.
  35. Web site: About the NAL . https://web.archive.org/web/20211202110332/https://www.nationalarenaleague.com/about-the-nal . December 2, 2021 . NAL.
  36. Web site: NAL ANNOUNCES IT'S 2022 SCHEDULE . NAL . December 21, 2021.
  37. Web site: 2022-01-12 . No 2022 season for the West Virginia Roughriders in Wheeling . 2022-10-27 . WTRF.
  38. Web site: Pirates Hire Mook Zimmerman As LB & DL Coach & John Keller As OL/Strength & Conditioning Coach For 2023 Season, Presented By Phoenix Communications, Inc. . 2022-10-27 . Massachusetts Pirates . 22 October 2022.