Hudson Valley Fort

The Hudson Valley Fort was a team in the Fall Experimental Football League (FXFL). The team played the 2015 season at Dutchess Stadium in Fishkill, New York.

Hudson Valley Fort
Founded2015
Folded2016
LeagueFall Experimental Football League (2015–2016)
Team historyHudson Valley Fort (2015–2016)
Based inFishkill, New York
StadiumDutchess Stadium
ColorsLight Blue, Black, Silver, White
                   
OwnerFall Experimental Football League
Hudson Valley Renegades
Head coachJohn Jenkins
General managerJohn Jenkins
Championships0
Conference titles0
Division titles0
Playoff berths0

History

After the 2014 season, the FXFL announced that three of its four teams would begin sharing operations with teams in the New York–Penn League, a low-end minor league baseball circuit in the northeastern United States.[1] One of those teams, the Brooklyn Bolts, already fit that description, but the other three did not. Initially, it was assumed that the two other teams would be the Blacktips (a traveling team that had been unable to play in its originally announced home state of Florida) and the Boston Brawlers, who had the worst attendance, and that the Bolts and Omaha Mammoths (who had by far the league's best attendance and were also an on-field success) would remain in their cities.[2] Indeed, the Brawlers would relocate to Ohio and become the Mahoning Valley Brawlers that offseason, later being forced out of the league before the 2015 season began. However, in a somewhat surprise move, the league decided to keep the Blacktips and fold the Mammoths, claiming that the team would have had to sell even more tickets than they did to offset the travel costs.[3]

The Hudson Valley Fort were announced as members of the league on August 6, 2015. As with the Bolts and Brawlers, the Fort was operated as a joint venture with the local NYPL franchise, the Hudson Valley Renegades.[4] On September 23, the Fort announced via Facebook that former Blacktips head coach, John Jenkins, would be the new general manager and head coach for 2015. Jenkins and several players quit the team midseason due to lack of payment, water and access to trainers; Robert Gordon replaced Jenkins for what would be the team's final game.[5] The league canceled the Fort's final game against the Blacktips, with the league citing the NFL trade deadline and independent observers noting that Dutchess Stadium had major safety concerns in its football configuration[6] and that the Blacktips were largely a paper team consisting of whoever the league could sign for any particular game.[7]

On the field, the Fort played only three games, all blowout losses to the Brooklyn Bolts. Two of the contests were held at Dutchess Stadium, the first drawing an alleged (and patriotic) 1,776 fans; the second game's attendance was not recorded, but was believed to be no more than a few hundred. (Only two other games were played in the FXFL that season, the others being the Bolts against the traveling Blacktips team.)

As the owner of Dutchess Stadium, Dutchess County held veto power over whether the Fort would return for the 2016 season, had the league survived. The county only offered the league a one-year "pilot" lease on the stadium; county executive Marcus Molinaro would have reviewed the results of the 2015 season before deciding if they would offer another lease.[8] The league never returned for the 2016 season, rendering the decision moot.[9]

Schedule
DateVisitorScoreHomeScoreAttendance
Saturday, October 3[10][11]Hudson Valley—Mahoning Valley—canceled
Saturday, October 10[10]Brooklyn45Hudson Valley231,776[12]
Saturday, October 17Hudson Valley9Brooklyn34—
Friday, October 23[upper-alpha 1]Brooklyn30Hudson Valley6—
Friday, November 6Blacktips—Hudson Valley—canceled
  1. The original schedule had Brooklyn hosting Mahoning Valley on this date instead of this game.
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References
  1. Krispinsky, Chad (July 13, 2015). "FXFL franchise coming to the valley". LIN Television Corporation. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  2. "FXFL satisfied with mini-season".
  3. Kaipust, Rich (July 19, 2015). FXFL's Omaha Mammoths football team not returning for second season. Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  4. Haynes, Stephen (August 6, 2015). "County brings pro football to Dutchess hoping fans follow". Poughkeepsie Journal. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  5. Hanrahan, Tom (October 18, 2015). "Partridge keeps firing away in FXFL". St. Joseph News Press. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  6. Haynes, Stephen (November 4, 2015). "Hudson Valley Fort's season finale canceled". Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  7. Ex-Buc Josh Freeman tries to restart career in fledgling league. The New York Times. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  8. Thomaselli, Rich. HUDSON VALLEY FORT: FXFL commissioner says issues have been resolved; County Exec Molinaro will “review and observe” before deciding on second season. Hudson Valley Sports Report. Retrieved November 21, 2015
  9. Daniel S. Weiss (August 30, 2016). "The Experiment Has Failed; FXFL Ceases Operations". Brooklyn Baseball Banter. Archived from the original on August 31, 2016. Retrieved August 30, 2016.
  10. Haynes, Stephen (August 6, 2015). "County brings pro football to Dutchess hoping fans follow". Poughkeepsie Journal. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  11. "Brawlers will be part of FXFL". Vindy.com. The Vindicator. July 16, 2015. Archived from the original on July 17, 2015. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
  12. Martelli, A.J. (11 October 2015). "Fort opener yields positive atmosphere despite result". Poughkeepsie Journal.
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