Bismarck Bucks
The Bismarck Bucks are an indoor American football team based in Bismarck, North Dakota. The Bucks joined Champions Indoor Football (CIF) as an expansion team in 2016, and began play for the 2017 season.[2] The team moved to the Indoor Football League (IFL) beginning with the 2019 season.[3] The team plays its home games at the Bismarck Event Center in Bismarck.
Bismarck Bucks | ||
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Established 2016 Play in Bismarck Event Center in Bismarck, North Dakota www.bismarckbucks.com | ||
League/conference affiliations | ||
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Team colors | Orange, black and gold | |
Mascot | TAG | |
Personnel | ||
Owner(s) | BEK Communications[1] | |
General manager | Heidi Ripplinger | |
Head coach | Rod Miller | |
Team history | ||
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Championships | ||
League championships (0) | ||
Conference championships (0) | ||
Division championships (0) | ||
Playoff appearances (2) | ||
Home arena(s) | ||
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The Bucks are the third indoor football team to play in Bismarck, following the Bismarck Blaze who played in the original Indoor Football League for its second and final season of 2000, as well as the Bismarck Roughriders who played in the National Indoor Football League from 2002 until 2003.
History
On September 28, 2016, it was announced that Bismarck had been granted a team in the CIF to begin play for the 2017 season and owned by the Sallberg family under the corporate name Dakota Pro Football LLC.[1] Richard Davis was announced as the team's first head coach and general manager, with former University of Mary wide receiver Elby Pope signed as the team's first player.[4]
Following a name-the-team contest, the Bismarck Bucks name, logo and colors were announced on the November 1 episode of KXMB-TV news/talk program Good Day Dakota.[5]
During the Bucks' second season, head coach and general manager Richard Davis was relieved of duties after several workplace grievances had been filed against him and his wife Judy Davis, another Bucks' employee. He was replaced by former Wichita Force and then Bucks' offensive coordinator Paco Martinez on an interim basis.[6]
On October 5, 2018, the Bucks announced that they had joined the Indoor Football League for the 2019 season, following the Quad City Steamwheelers from the CIF.[3] At the beginning of the 2019 season, the majority ownership of Dakota Pro Football LLC was sold to BEK Communications by the Sallberg family.[1]
Current roster
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
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Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
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Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
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Reserve lists
Rookies in italics |
Season-by-season results
League Champions | Conference Champions | Division Champions | Playoff berth | League leader |
Season | League | Conference | Division | Regular season | Postseason results | |||
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Finish | Wins | Losses | Ties | |||||
2017 | CIF | North | 4th | 5 | 7 | 0 | Lost Conference Semifinal (Sioux City) 43–82 | |
2018 | CIF | North | 4th | 5 | 7 | 0 | Lost Conference Semifinal (Salina) 51–81 | |
2019 | IFL | 8th | 2 | 12 | 0 | |||
2020 | IFL | — | 0 | 1 | 0 | Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | ||
Totals | 12 | 27 | 0 | All-time regular season record (2017–2020) | ||||
0 | 2 | — | All-time postseason record (2017–2020) | |||||
12 | 29 | 0 | All-time regular season and postseason record (2017–2020) |
References
- "BEK Communications takes over as majority owner of the Bismarck Bucks". KXMB-TV. March 20, 2019.
- Mark Wishnia (September 26, 2016). "Bismarck is Getting an Indoor Football Team". www.cool987fm.com. Loudwire Network.
- Kosirowski, Ken (October 5, 2018). "Bismarck Bucks moving to IFL, hire new general manager, head coach". MyNDNow.com. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
- Thomas, Steve (September 28, 2016). "Football returns to Event Center". BismarckTribune.com. The Bismarck Tribune. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
- "Bismarck Bucks, the indoor pro football team gets set for winter". MyMDNow.com. KXMB-TV. November 1, 2016. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
- "Bismarck Bucks fire head coach after workplace grievance filed". KXMD-TV. April 19, 2018.