The Topeka Tropics were a professional indoor football based in Topeka, Kansas, and played their home games at the Stormont Vail Events Center. The team originally folded after its inaugural 2022 season, but was renewed under new ownership before the 2023 season. The Tropics are the third indoor football team to be based in Topeka following the Topeka Knights/Kings (1999–2000) and the Kansas Koyotes (2003–2014).
| Topeka Tropics | |
|---|---|
| Established 2021 Folded 2024 Played in Stormont Vail Events Center in Topeka, Kansas TopekaTropics.com | |
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| League/conference affiliations | |
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Current uniform | |
| Team colors | Teal, orange, and tan |
| Personnel | |
| Owner(s) | TCB Consulting LLC - Trevor Burdett, Chad Logan, Josh Barr |
| Team history | |
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| Championships | |
| League championships (0) | |
| Conference championships (0) | |
| Division championships (0) | |
| Home arena(s) | |
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History
editOn August 9, 2021, Champions Indoor Football (CIF) announced an expansion team to be based in Topeka for the 2022 season with Sioux City Bandits' owner J. R. Bond serving as the team's owner.[1] After a name-the-team contest was held, the Tropics name, logo, and color scheme were unveiled on September 8. Although Topeka does not have a tropical climate and is roughly 790 miles from the closest sea (the Gulf of Mexico), Bond chose the unusual name to symbolize how unconventional the Tropics organization would be both on and off the field.[2] On October 5, the Tropics announced former Arena Football League player Tyus Jackson as its inaugural head coach.[3] The team did not win a regular season game, posting a record of 0–10 in their first season. On August 25, 2022, the Tropics announced that they would cease operations and not return for a second season;[4] however, this decision was reversed later that same year after new local ownership was found.[5][6]
In July 2023, the Tropics announced they were leaving the CIF for a new league along with the Omaha Beef and Sioux City Bandits.[7] The joined the National Arena League (NAL) for the 2024 season on September 14.[8] They also announced Kerry Locklin as their new head coach.[9] By February 2024, the NAL revoked the Tropics' franchise for failure to pay league dues and the team's prospective owner for the 2024 season backed out of an agreement to buy the team, prompting management to release an open letter begging the Topeka business community to buy the team.[10] This was ultimately unsuccessful, and on February 28, 2024, the league terminated the Tropics membership.[11] Co-owner Trevor Burdett and coach Tyus Jackson joined the Iowa Rampage of the Arena Football League, a league that absorbed the remnants of CIF.[12]
Season-by-season results
edit| League champions | Playoff berth | League leader |
| Season | League | Regular season | Postseason results | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finish | Wins | Losses | |||
| 2022 | CIF | 8th | 0 | 10 | Did not qualify |
| 2023 | CIF | 7th | 1 | 9 | Did not qualify |
| Totals | 1 | 19 | All-time regular season record | ||
| 0 | 0 | All-time postseason record | |||
| 1 | 19 | All-time regular season and postseason record | |||
Head coaches
edit| Name | Tenure | Regular season | Playoffs | Awards | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | Win% | W | L | |||
| Tyus Jackson | 2022–2023 | 1 | 19 | .050 | 0 | 0 | |
References
edit- ^ "Champions Indoor Football League Adds New Team for 2022". August 9, 2021. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
- ^ Campbell, Marleah (September 8, 2021). "Topeka's new indoor football team reveals name". WIBW-TV. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
- ^ "Topeka Tropics Owner J.R. Bond has announced the hiring of Tyus Jackson as the team's inaugural head coach". Topeka Tropics Facebook. October 5, 2021.
- ^ "Tropics not returning to Topeka for 2023 season". August 25, 2022.
- ^ Lovergine, Vince (September 28, 2022). "Topeka Tropics to return in 2023". www.wibw.com. WIBW-TV. Archived from the original on September 28, 2022. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
- ^ "TROPICS STAY IN TOPEKA". Topeka Tropics. February 2, 2023.
- ^ "Sioux City Bandits leaving the Champions Indoor Football League". KTIV. July 26, 2023.
- ^ "NATIONAL ARENA LEAGUE EXPANSION CONTINUES IN KANSAS". NAL. September 14, 2023.
- ^ "Former NFL coach joins Topeka Tropics". KSNT. September 15, 2023.
- ^ Self, Matthew (February 22, 2024). "Topeka Tropics put out 'heartfelt call' for investors after owner backs out". KSNT via Yahoo! News. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
- ^ "NAL BOARD TERMINATES TOPEKA TROPICS MEMBERSHIP". National Arena League. February 28, 2024. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
- ^ Iowa Rampage (January 23, 2024). "Jackon Takes The Helm As Head Coach For The Iowa Rampage". Retrieved March 1, 2024.