Duke City Gladiators
{{short description|American indoor football team}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}{{Infobox indoor American football team
| name = Duke City Gladiators
| current = 2024 Indoor Football League season
| logo = Duke_City_Gladiators_Logo.svg
| helmet = Duke City Gladiators Helmet Logo 2017.png
| founded = 2015
| city = Rio Rancho Events Center
in Rio Rancho, New Mexico
| misc = {{url|dukecitygladiators.com}}
| uniform = Duke City Gladiators 2021 Home and Away Uniform Colors.jpg
| colors = Silver, black, turquoise, white
{{color box|gray}} {{color box|black}} {{color box|#00c0c0}} {{color box|white}}
| general manager = Vacant
| coach = Vacant
| league =
Champions Indoor Football (2015–2019)
- Southern Division (2016)
- South Conference (2017–2019)
Indoor Football League (2020–present)
- Western Conference (2022–present)
| team_history =
- Duke City Gladiators (2015–present)
| no_league_champs = 2
| league_champs =
- 2018, 2019
| no_conf_champs = 2
| conf_champs =
- 2018, 2019
| no_div_champs = 0
| div_champs =
| no_playoff_appearances = 5
| playoff_appearances =
- {{CIF Year|2017}}, {{CIF Year|2018}}, 2019, {{IFL Year|2021}}, {{IFL Year|2022}}
| arena_years =
- Tingley Coliseum (2015–2019)
- Rio Rancho Events Center (2021-present)
}}
The Duke City Gladiators are an inactive professional indoor football team based in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, a suburb of Albuquerque, New Mexico. They began play in March 2015 as members of the Champions Indoor Football (CIF) league. The Gladiators played at Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque from 2015 to 2019, {{cite news |first=Bob |last=Christ |newspaper=Albuquerque Journal |location=Albuquerque, New Mexico |title=Gladiators plan to call Tingley home in maiden season |url=http://www.abqjournal.com/545775/sports/gladiators-plan-to-call-tingley-home-in-maiden-season.html |date=February 23, 2015 |access-date=March 4, 2015}}{{cite news |first=Bob |last=Christ |newspaper=Albuquerque Journal |location=Albuquerque, New Mexico |title=Tingley getting ready for Gladiators' home debut |url=http://www.abqjournal.com/560323/sports/tingley-getting-ready-for-gladiators-home-debut.html |date=March 26, 2015 |access-date=March 26, 2015}} but are playing the 2021 season at Rio Rancho Events Center in nearby Rio Rancho due to availability during the COVID-19 pandemic. The team played the entire 2022 Indoor Football League season at Rio Rancho Events Center. After winning back-to-back CIF championships in 2018 and 2019, the Gladiators left the CIF for the Indoor Football League (IFL) in the 2020 season. They went dormant for the 2025 season, but plan on returning for 2026.
History
File:Duke City Gladiators CIF logo.png
The team was formed in February 2015 by an ownership group called Duke City Sports Entertainment Group, Inc. a New Mexico corporation consisting of several investors, which also included Gladiators founder and general manager Matt Caward, along with co-founder and head coach Dominic Bramante, and director of media relations Andres Trujillo.{{Cite news|url=https://www.1millioncups.com/presentations/duke-city-gladiators-professional-indoor-football-13162|title=Duke City Gladiators Professional Indoor Football presents to Albuquerque, NM, entrepreneurs {{!}} 1MillionCups.com|work=1MillionCups.com|access-date=2018-08-26}}{{Cite news|url=https://alibi.com/business/50729/Duke-City-Gladiators.html|title=This is Albuquerque: Duke City Gladiators|work=alibi|access-date=2018-08-26|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.newmexico.org/listing/duke-city-gladiators-professional-indoor-football/250/|title=Duke City Gladiators Professional Indoor Football|website=www.newmexico.org|language=en-us|access-date=2018-08-26}}{{cite news |first=Bob |last=Christ |newspaper=Albuquerque Journal |location=Albuquerque, New Mexico |title=Owner of Gladiators made things happen in a hurry |url=http://www.abqjournal.com/546384/sports/owner-of-gladiators-made-things-happen-in-a-hurry.html |date=February 25, 2015 |access-date=March 4, 2015}} The Gladiators joined Champions Indoor Football (CIF) in the league's inaugural season after the Rio Rancho-based New Mexico Stars cancelled their entry into the league shortly before the season began.{{cite news |first=Bob |last=Christ |newspaper=Albuquerque Journal |location=Albuquerque, New Mexico |title=NM Stars owners pull plug on season |url=http://www.abqjournal.com/545100/sports/nm-stars-owners-pull-plug-on-season.html |date=February 22, 2015 |access-date=February 26, 2015}}{{cite web |first=Darlene |last=Jones |publisher=Champions Indoor Football |title=New Mexico Stars will not play the CIF 2015 season |url=http://gocif.net/news/639-the-champions-indoor-football-cif-regret-to-announce-that-the-new-mexico-stars-stars-will-not-play-the-cif-2015-season.html |date=February 22, 2015 |access-date=February 26, 2015}}{{cite news |first=Bob |last=Christ |newspaper=Albuquerque Journal |location=Albuquerque, New Mexico |title=Arena of the absurd: Local indoor football has had funny bounces |url=http://www.abqjournal.com/589357/sports/arena-of-the-absurd.html |date=May 23, 2015 |access-date=May 25, 2015}} (In April 2015, the Stars announced that they would instead join the North American Indoor Football for 2016.){{cite news |first=Bob |last=Christ |newspaper=Albuquerque Journal |location=Albuquerque, New Mexico |title=Stars announce plans to play in upstart indoor league in 2016 |url=http://www.abqjournal.com/571398/sports/stars-announce-plans-to-play-in-upstart-indoor-league-in-2016.html |date=April 18, 2015 |access-date=April 19, 2015}} The Gladiators had originally looked to join the X-League Indoor Football but geographical and financial considerations as well as the sudden availability of the CIF franchise slot led the team to change directions.{{cite news |first=Gary |last=Herron |newspaper=Rio Rancho Observer |publisher=RR Community Publishing LLC |location=Rio Rancho, NM |title=New football team comes to Albuquerque |url=http://www.rrobserver.com/sports/article_1dfeedda-bc82-11e4-94ae-fbd97d6d98c9.html |date=February 25, 2015 |access-date=March 4, 2015}}{{cite news |first=Bob |last=Christ |newspaper=Albuquerque Journal |location=Albuquerque, New Mexico |title=Gladiators will compete in Champions League |url=http://www.abqjournal.com/548895/sports/gladiators-will-compete-in-champions-league.html |date=March 3, 2015 |access-date=March 4, 2015}}
In 2015, the Gladiators played an abbreviated 11-game CIF schedule in 2015, as a direct replacement for the New Mexico Stars, but with some modifications and non-league games because of prior scheduling maneuvers and arena availability.{{cite web |publisher=Champions Indoor Football |via=Our Sports Central |title=CIF Enjoys Relief and Balance with Replacement Team in New Mexico |url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=4933886 |date=March 4, 2015 |access-date=March 7, 2015}} The team opened training camp on March 15.{{cite news |first=Amy |last=Walker |publisher=KRQE-TV |location=Albuquerque, New Mexico |title=Duke City Gladiators begin spring training |url=http://krqe.com/2015/03/19/albuquerque-has-its-own-professional-indoor-football-team/ |date=March 19, 2015 |access-date=March 25, 2015 |archive-date=April 2, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402104215/http://krqe.com/2015/03/19/albuquerque-has-its-own-professional-indoor-football-team/ |url-status=dead }} Their first indoor practice session was March 24. Regular season promotions included Hispanic Heritage Night on March 28 and Public Service Day on April 26.{{cite news |first=Van |last=Tate |publisher=KRQE-TV |location=Albuquerque, New Mexico |title=Gladiators ready for home opener |url=http://krqe.com/2015/03/25/gladiators-ready-for-home-opener/ |date=March 25, 2015 |access-date=March 25, 2015}}
The Gladiators won the 2018 CIF championship. In February 2019, it was announced the Gladiators had been sold to Gina Prieskorn-Thomas, one of the former co-owners of the Gladiators.{{cite web |url=https://www.dukecitygladiators.com/single-post/NewOwnership |title=Professional Arena Football Team, Under New Ownership, Prepares to Bring Championship Trophy Back to Albuquerque |publisher=Duke City Gladiators |date=February 6, 2019 }}{{Dead link|date=February 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The team then won its second CIF championship. After the season, the CIF granted the Gladiators petition to be released them from their commitment to play the 2020 season.{{cite web |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/duke-city-gladiators-leaving-the-cif/n-5526571 |title=Duke City Gladiators Leaving the CIF |website=OurSports Central |date=July 25, 2019}} The team joined the Indoor Football League on August 20, 2019.{{Cite web |url=https://goifl.com/sports/fball/2019-20/releases/20190820ma6svb |title=Duke City Gladiators Join IFL |date=August 20, 2019 |website=Indoor Football League |access-date=August 20, 2019 |archive-date=August 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190820200405/https://goifl.com/sports/fball/2019-20/releases/20190820ma6svb |url-status=dead }} Head coach Dominic Bramante, who had been with the team since its inaugural season, was not retained during the offseason after his contract had ended.{{cite web |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/1362177/bramante-will-not-return-as-gladiators-head-coach.html |title=Bramante will not return as Gladiators head coach |website=Albuquerque Journal |date=September 4, 2019}} The Gladiators then hired Pig Brown as head coach from the Nebraska Danger.{{Cite web |url=https://www.krqe.com/sports/local-sports/duke-city-gladiators-select-new-head-coach/ |title=Duke City Gladiators select new head coach |website=KRQE |date=September 11, 2019}} The day they were to play their first IFL game on March 12, 2020, the league postponed all games due to venues instituting social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web |url=https://goifl.com/sports/fball/2019-20/releases/20200312pomgbr |title=IFL To Postpone Games |website=IFL |date=March 12, 2020 }}{{Dead link|date=March 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The IFL eventually cancelled the entire season in April, but the Gladiators stated they would play exhibition games for their 2020 season once they were allowed to use the venues again.{{cite web |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/1444204/duke-city-hopes-to-play-exhibition-games.html |title=Indoor football: Duke City still hopes to play exhibition games |website=Albuquerque Journal |date=April 15, 2020}} By May, plans for exhibition games were ended and the team split with head coach Pig Brown without ever coaching a game.{{cite web |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/1458440/gladiators-split-with-coach-look-toward-2021.html |title=Gladiators split with Brown, who never coached a game |website=Albuquerque Journal |date=May 21, 2020}} Assistant coach Martino Theus was promoted to head coach in July 2020 while preparing for a 2021 season.{{cite web |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/1480277/gladiators-promote-theus-to-head-coach-for-2021-campaign.html |title=Gladiators promote Theus to head coach for 2021 campaign |website=Albuquerque Journal |date=July 28, 2020}}
To start the 2021 season, the Gladiators had to move at least the first three home games to the nearby Rio Rancho Events Center in Rio Rancho as Tingley Coliseum was being used as a COVID-19 vaccination clinic.{{Cite web |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/2395307/duke-city-gladiators-to-face-tucson-in-home-opener.html |title=Duke City Gladiators to face Tucson in home opener |website=Albuquerque Journal |date=May 29, 2021}} They subsequently would play the rest of the season in Rio Rancho. Head coach Martino Theus was replaced at the end of June 2021 after a 2–4 record by former Gladiator quarterback Robert Kent Jr.{{Cite web |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/2405304/former-gladiator-player-takes-over-as-coach.html |title=Former Gladiator player takes over as coach |website=Albuquerque Journal |date=June 30, 2021}}
On January 9, 2025, the Gladiators changed ownership with new owners Michael Fietz and Bob Pitre taking control of the team from previous owner Gina Prieskorn-Thomas effective immediately.{{cite web |url=https://goifl.com/news/2025/1/9/football-duke-city-gladiators-announce-new-ownership-group-and-plans-for-the-future.aspx |title=DUKE CITY GLADIATORS ANNOUNCE NEW OWNERSHIP GROUP AND PLANS FOR THE FUTURE |quote=Our New Owners! |date=January 9, 2025 |access-date=January 11, 2025 |website=Indoor Football League}}
Roster
| class="toccolours" style="text-align: left;"
|+ colspan="7" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Duke City Gladiators|border=2}};text-align:center;" | Duke City Gladiators roster |
| style="font-size: 95%;vertical-align:top;" |
Quarterbacks {{NFLplayer |
| -|Jayru Campbell|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Taz Wilson|link=no}}
Running backs {{NFLplayer |
| -|Jeff Carr|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Tamar Hart|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Quaderman Sloan|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Justin Stockton|link=no}}
Wide receivers {{NFLplayer |
| -|Devond Blair|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Mike Carter Jr.|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Devanaire Concliffe|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Greg Dent|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Travier Fields-Jackson|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Laquvionte Gonzales|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Tyrone Laughinghouse|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Goarny Sloan|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Jordus Smith|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Shavarus Smith|link=no}}
| style="width: 25px;" | | style="font-size: 95%;vertical-align:top;" | Offensive linemen {{NFLplayer |
| -|Tyrese Bobbitt|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Colby Byrd|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Netori Johnson|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Zech Thomas|link=no}}
Defensive linemen {{NFLplayer |
| -|Dave Calderon|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Malik McDowell|link=yes}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Javari Nichols|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Jay Washington|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Kolby Wyatt|link=no}}
| style="width: 25px;" | | style="font-size: 95%;vertical-align:top;" | Linebackers {{NFLplayer |
| -|Jayson Serda|link=no}}
Defensive backs {{NFLplayer |
| -|Kyle Black|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Malik Brown|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Jadarius Byrd|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Trevon Claybourne|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Aaron Jackson|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Kereon Merell|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Alex Noble|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Kam Prewitt|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Greg Thomas|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Kentrell Price|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Jordan Semanant|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Tyler Watson|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer |
| -|Jemal Williams|link=no}}
Special teams {{NFLplayer|22|Ernesto Lacayo|link=yes}} | style="width: 25px;" | | style="font-size: 95%;vertical-align:top;" | Reserve lists
Rookies in italics [https://dukecitygladiators.com/sports/football/roster/2022?&sort=position Roster] updated November 10, 2023 40 Active, 0 Inactive → More rosters |
Season-by-season results
{{update section|date=October 2023}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:75%;" |
| style="background:#fcc;"|League Champions
| style="background:#dfd;"|Conference Champions | style="background:#d0e7ff;"|Division Champions | style="background:#96cdcd;"|Playoff berth | style="background:#c8a2c8;"|League leader |
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size: 95%;" | |||
| rowspan="2" | Season
!rowspan="2" | League !rowspan="2" | Conference !rowspan="2" | Division !colspan="4" | Regular season !rowspan="2" | Postseason results | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Finish | Wins | Losses | Ties |
| 2015
| CIF || || | 5th || 7 || 4 || 0 || align=left | | |||
| 2016
| CIF || || Southern | 4th || 6 || 6 || 0 || align=left | | |||
| 2017
| CIF || South || |bgcolor=#96cdcd| 4th || 7 || 5 || 0 || align=left | Lost Conference Semifinal (Amarillo) 41–70 | |||
| 2018
|bgcolor=#fcc| CIF ||bgcolor=#dfd| South || |bgcolor=#96cdcd| 1st || 10 || 2 || 0 || align=left |Won Conference Semifinal (Wichita) 44–39 | |||
| 2019
|bgcolor=#fcc| CIF ||bgcolor=#dfd| South || |bgcolor=#96cdcd| 1st || 9 || 3 || 0 || align=left |Won Conference Championship (Amarillo) 70–62 | |||
| 2020
| IFL || || |colspan=8; align=left |Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | |||
| 2021
| IFL || || |bgcolor=#96cdcd| 4th || 7 || 7 || 0 || align=left |Won First round (Iowa) 34–33 | |||
| 2022
| IFL || Western || |bgcolor=#96cdcd| 4th || 8 || 8 || 0 || align=left |Lost First round (Arizona) 53-14 | |||
| 2023
| IFL || Western || | 6th || 5 || 10 || 0 || | |||
| 2024
| IFL || Western || | 7th || 3 || 13 || 0 || align=left | | |||
| rowspan="3" colspan="5"|Totals
! 62 | 58 | 0 | All-time regular season record (2015–2021) |
| 6 | 3 | — | All-time postseason record (2015–2021) |
| 68 | 61 | 0 | All-time regular season and postseason record (2015–2021) |
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [http://www.dukecitygladiators.com/ Duke City Gladiators official website]
{{Indoor Football League navbox}}
{{CIF}}
{{New Mexico Sports}}
Category:American football teams in New Mexico
Category:Champions Indoor Football teams
Category:Sports in Albuquerque, New Mexico