History of the Arena Football League in Cleveland

The city has been home to several additional professional sports franchises, including a women's basketball team, multiple soccer teams, and a past incarnation of the Cleveland Browns now known as the Baltimore Ravens. Cleveland has also been home to several ice hockey franchises, beginning in 1937 with the AHL member Cleveland Barons.[1] The original Barons, although having been the most successful team in AHL history at that point, moved to Jacksonville, Florida, where they subsequently folded after one season.[2] The salient cause of the Baron's move came from Nick Mileti's short-lived WHA franchise, the Cleveland Crusaders, which shared the old Cleveland Arena with the Barons in beginning in 1972.[3] The new league ultimately created a financial disparity that the Barons could not compete with.[4] Local philanthropist George Gund III facilitated the relocation of the NHL's California Golden Seals to Cleveland in 1976 and renamed them the Barons. However, this latest incarnation was short lived, with the team merging with the Minnesota North Stars following the 1977–78 season. In 1992, the Cleveland Lumberjacks, of the also now-defunct IHL, began play and lasted until 2001. Later in 2001, a third incarnation of the Barons was established, this time having returned to the AHL. The Barons moved to Worcester, Massachusetts following the 2006 season.

Cleveland Thunderbolts (1991–1994)

The Thunderbolts operated in the Cleveland area for three seasons, playing their home games in the suburban Richfield Coliseum, a considerable distance from downtown Cleveland, sharing it with the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association and the Cleveland Crunch of the National Professional Soccer League. The team qualified for the playoffs in the 1992 season, but was relocated to Columbus after the 1994 campaign.

Early in the T-Bolts short existence in Cleveland, John Kuczek was implicated in a federal securities fraud case in Florida. Prior to the team's second season in 1993, Kuczek divested himself of ownership in the club and placed it in a trust for his grandchildren. Son Jeff continued as the front office leader of the organization. Kuczek was ultimately convicted on one count of the indictment. The day before he was due to begin serving his sentence in February 1995, he committed suicide in a Salem, Ohio hotel room.[5]

Cleveland Gladiators (2008–2017)

On October 16, 2007, it was announced in a press conference that the Las Vegas Gladiators would be relocating to Cleveland, Ohio. This would be the second arena football team to play be in the Cleveland area; the Cleveland Thunderbolts played at the Richfield Coliseum in Richfield, Ohio, for three seasons from 1992–1994. Former Cleveland Browns Quarterback Bernie Kosar was announced as the public face of the team, as well as the President of Football Operations and minority owner. The Gladiators would play their home games at Quicken Loans Arena, the home of the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers and the AHL's Lake Erie Monsters.[6] The team also moved back to the Eastern Division of the National Conference for the first time since 2003. The team would still be known as the Gladiators and continue to retain the team colors of red, silver, and black.[7]

In September 2017, it was announced that Quicken Loans Arena would be undergoing significant renovations during the 2018 and 2019 basketball offseason so as not to conflict with its primary tenant, the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers.[8] However, as the AFL season runs into the basketball offseason, the Gladiators had to take a two-year leave of absence beginning in November 2017 with hopes to return for the 2020 season.[9]

When the renovations were completed, the league suspended all city-based team operations for at least the 2020 season putting the Gladiators' plans on hold.[10] The AFL filed for bankruptcy November 27, 2019, and ceased operations.

See also

References
  1. "Cleveland Barons (1976–1978)". Sports E-cyclopedia. Retrieved August 1, 2007.
  2. "Encyclopedia Of Cleveland History". Case Western Reserve University. Retrieved March 28, 2011.
  3. "Encyclopedia of Cleveland History:CLEVELAND CRUSADERS". Ech.case.edu. 1997-06-20. Retrieved 2012-08-24.
  4. "Encyclopedia of Cleveland History:CLEVELAND BARONS". Ech.case.edu. 2008-09-23. Retrieved 2012-08-24.
  5. "John Kuczek, insurance man, arena football owner". Pittsburgh Power-Gazette. February 6, 1995. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
  6. "Cleveland to compete in Arena Football League". www.arenafan.com. ArenaFan. October 16, 2007. Archived from the original on January 12, 2008.
  7. Mike Starkey (November 28, 2007). "Cleveland Arena Football team to be named Gladiators". www.cleveland.com. Cleveland Live LLC. Archived from the original on June 8, 2011.
  8. "Cleveland Cavs announce Quicken Loans transformation will go forward". Cleveland.com. September 6, 2017. Archived from the original on November 6, 2017.
  9. "Cleveland Gladiators to take 2-year hiatus during Q renovations". WKYC. November 28, 2017.
  10. "Cleveland Gladiators remain on hiatus, are monitoring Arena Football League's uncertain future". Crain's Cleveland. October 29, 2019.
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