Mayas CDMX
{{short description|Mexican American football team}}
{{Infobox American football team
| name = Mayas CDMX
| current =
| uniform = LFA Mayas CDMX uniforme 2019.png
| uniformsize = 230px
| helmet =
| logo = LFA logo Mayas.png
| founded = {{start date and age|2015}}
| folded = 2020
| location = Mexico City, Mexico
| field = Estadio Wilfrido Massieu
| league = {{nowrap|Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional}}
2016–2019
| division = Central Division
| colours = Navy and White
{{color box|#002747}} {{color box|white}}
| nickname = Imperio Azul (Blue Empire)
| coach = Francisco Chaparro
| manager =
| owner =
| div_champ_type = Division Championships
| div_champs= 1 2017
| league_champ_type = Tazón México
championships
| league_champs = 2: 2016 (I), 2017 (II)
| mascot =
| website = [https://lfa.mx/mayas/ Official page]
}}
The Mayas, also called Mayas LFA or Mayas Puebla, were an American football team based in Mexico City (CDMX), Mexico. The Mayas competed in the Central Division of the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional, the top American football league in Mexico. The Mayas played their home games at the Estadio Wilfrido Massieu.
Mayas was the most successful team in the LFA until it folded in 2020, winning the championship twice in 2016 and 2017, and qualifying for playoffs every season as of 2019.
History
=Club origins=
The club was founded on 4 November 2015 as one of the charter members of the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional, alongside Condors, Eagles and Raptors.{{cite news|title=Presentaron la Liga de Futbol Americano Profesional en México|url=http://adndeportivo.com/presentaron-la-liga-de-futbol-americano-profesional-en-mexico/|newspaper=ADN Deportivo|date=January 12, 2016|accessdate=November 26, 2018|language=es|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181127025413/http://adndeportivo.com/presentaron-la-liga-de-futbol-americano-profesional-en-mexico/|archive-date=November 27, 2018|url-status=dead}} The team picked navy blue and white as their colours. Originally, the team nickname was supposed to be Mexicas after coming first in a poll among fans, nevertheless, the name Mexicas was already registered, therefore, the team had to pick the name that finished second in the poll: Mayas.{{cite news|title=Los 5 datos importantes a seguir de los Mayas de la LFA|url=https://sipse.com/deportes/los-5-datos-importantes-a-seguir-de-los-mayas-de-la-lfa-218080.html|website=Sipse.com|date=15 August 2016|access-date=16 April 2019|language=es}} The name Mayas, refers to the Maya people.
=Ernesto Alfaro era (2016–2018)=
On their first season, the team finished with a 4–2 regular season record, qualifying for the Tazón México I, where they defeated the Raptors 29–13, winning the league's inaugural championship.{{cite news |title=Mayas 1er campeón del Tazón México|agency=LFA|url=http://lfa.mx/2016/04/mayas-1er-campeon-del-tazon-mexico/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161106133402/http://lfa.mx/2016/04/mayas-1er-campeon-del-tazon-mexico/|date=April 11, 2016|archive-date=November 6, 2016|language=es}}
For the 2017 season, Mayas finished as the best team in the league with a 6–1 regular season record. They defeated the Eagles 40–18 at the divisional game and became two-time champions of the LFA after winning the Tazón México II 24–18 to the Dinos.{{cite news|title=Mayas, bicampeón de la LFA. Se impuso 18-24 ante los Dinos de Saltillos|url=https://lfa.mx/mayas-bicampeon-de-la-lfa-se-impuso-18-24-ante-los-dinos-de-saltillo/|agency=LFA|date=April 23, 2017|accessdate=November 26, 2018|language=es}}
On their third season, Mayas qualified for playoffs for third time in a row after finishing with a 5–2 regular season record and as leaders of the Central Division and best team in the league. Despite this, the team lost in the divisional game 17–27 against Mexicas.{{cite news|title=Mexicas se lleva triunfo y enfrentará a Raptors en Tazón México III|url=http://www.milenio.com/deportes/mexicas-triunfo-enfrentara-raptors-tazon-mexico-iii|newspaper=Milenio|date=April 15, 2018|accessdate=November 26, 2018|language=es}}
In April 2018, after losing the divisional game against Mexicas, head coach Ernesto Alfaro announced his departure from the team. As head coach of the Mayas, Alfaro won two Tazón México championships and managed to qualify for the playoffs during his three seasons in charge of the team with a 18–6 overall record.{{cite web|title=Ernesto Alfaro anuncia su retiro como head coach de Mayas|url=https://maximoavance.com/2018/04/ernesto-alfaro-anuncia-su-retiro-como-head-coach-de-mayas/|date=15 April 2018|access-date=19 April 2019|website=Máximo Avance|language=es}}
=Francisco Chaparro era (2019–)=
In 2019, the team again qualified for playoffs, making it to postseason for fourth time in a row, after defeating Artilleros 25–20 at the Estadio Templo del Dolor in the last game of the season.{{cite news|title=Artilleros cae con Mayas y dice adiós a la temporada|url=https://www.milenio.com/deportes/artilleros-cae-con-mayas-y-dice-adios-a-la-temporada|newspaper=Milenio|date=14 April 2019|access-date=16 April 2019}}
==Hiatus==
Mayas had moved to Puebla, Mexico after their first 4 season in Mexico city. The team had intended to be in hiatus for the 2020 season prior to the pandemic in Mexico. In 2021, it was confirmed by the commissioner that the Mayas will remain on hiatus until the team acquires investors.
Stadiums
File:Estadio Wilfrido Massieu.jpg, current home field of the Mayas.]]
| class="wikitable floatright" style="text-align:center"
| colspan="2" style="background:#002747; color:white; text-align: center; border:2px solid 002747;"|Mayas CDMX stadiums | |
| style="background:white; color:#002747; text-align: center; border:2px solid 002747;"|Stadium
! style="background:white; color:#002747; text-align: center; border:2px solid 002747;"|Tenure | |
|---|---|
| Estadio Jesús Martínez "Palillo" | 2016–2018 |
| Estadio Wilfrido Massieu | 2019–present |
In 2016, for the inaugural season of the LFA, all of the four founding teams (Condors, Eagles, Raptors and Mayas) played all their matches at the Estadio Jesús Martínez "Palillo", in the Magdalena Mixhuca Sports City.{{cite news|title=Estadio "Palillo" Martínez, el adiós al inmueble que vio nacer a la LFA|url=https://maximoavance.com/2019/02/estadio-palillo-martinez-el-adios-al-inmueble-que-vio-nacer-a-la-lfa/|publisher=Máximo Avance|date=17 February 2019|access-date=6 March 2019|language=es}}
While other teams left for new stadiums the next season (the Raptors moved to the Estadio José Ortega Martínez in Naucalpan, for instance), the Mayas stayed at the "Palillo" Martínez stadium for the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
Previous to the 2019 season, it was announced that the Mayas would move to the Estadio Wilfrido Massieu in the main campus of the Instituto Politécnico Nacional in northern Mexico City. The stadium is normally used by the IPN's college football teams.{{cite web|title=Viene la nueva era en el Imperio Azul|url=https://lfa.mx/viene-la-nueva-era-en-el-imperio-azul/|website=LFA.mx|date=4 January 2019|access-date=6 March 2019|language=es}}
Though it has not been officially stated by the league, one of the probable causes of the Mayas leaving the "Palillo" Martínez stadium, is the fact that the stadium has been designated as a shelter for Central American migrants by Mexico City's government.{{cite news|title=Debido a migrantes, el equipo Condors cambiará de sede a Santa Fe|url=https://www.20minutos.com.mx/deportes/noticia/debido-a-migrantes-el-equipo-condors-cambiara-de-sede-a-santa-fe-482428/0/|publisher=20 Minutos|date=19 February 2019|access-date=25 February 2019|language=es}}
With a capacity of 13,000 spectators, the Estadio Wilfrido Massieu is currently the largest venue in the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional.{{cite news|title=Reabrirán estadio Wilfrido Massieu|url=https://www.excelsior.com.mx/adrenalina/2015/09/12/1045326|newspaper=Excélsior|date=12 September 2015|access-date=6 March 2019|language=es}}
Staff
| class="toccolours" style="text-align: left;" |
| colspan="7" style="background:#002747; color:white; text-align: center; border:2px solid 002747;"|CDMX Mayas staff |
|---|
| colspan=7 align="right" | |
| valign="top"|
| style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" | Front office and support staff
|width="35"| |valign="top"| | style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" | Head coach
Offensive coaches
Defensive coaches
|
Roster
| class="toccolours" style="text-align: left;" |
| colspan="7" style="background:#002747; color:white; text-align: center; border:2px solid #002747;"|Mayas CDMX roster |
|---|
style="font-size: 95%;vertical-align:top;" | Quarterbacks
Running backs
Receivers
Tight ends
| style="width: 25px;" | | style="font-size: 95%;vertical-align:top;" |Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
| style="width: 25px;" | | style="font-size: 95%;vertical-align:top;" |Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
[https://lfa.mx/mayas Roster] updated 2019-03-09 |
Season-by-season
| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center; width:65em" |
| rowspan="2" | Season
! rowspan="2" | Head coach ! colspan="4" | Regular season ! colspan="4" | Postseason |
|---|
| Won
! Lost ! Win % ! Finish ! Won ! Lost ! Win % ! Result |
| style="background:#FFD604;"
! 2016 | Ernesto Alfaro | 4 | 2 | .666 | 1st {{small|(League)}} | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | {{small|Won Tazón México I (vs Raptors) 29–13}} |
| style="background:#FFD604;"
! 2017 | Ernesto Alfaro | 6 | 1 | .857 | 1st {{small|(Central)}} | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | {{small|Won Central Division Championship (Eagles) 48–18 |
| 2018
| Ernesto Alfaro | 5 | 2 | .714 | 1st {{small|(Central)}} | 0 | 1 | .000 | {{small|Lost Central Division Championship (Mexicas) 27–17}} |
| 2019
| Francisco Chaparro | 5 | 3 | .625 | 2nd {{small|(Central)}} | 0 | 1 | .000 | {{small|Lost Central Division Championship at (Condors) 18–13}} |
Awards
- Tazón México
- Champions (2): (2016, 2017)
- Central Division
- Champions (1): (2017)
Notable players
- {{flagicon|MEX}} Ramiro Pruneda – OT (2017–2019)
- {{flagicon|MEX}} Diego Viamontes – WR (2018–2019)
References
{{reflist}}
Category:American football teams in Mexico
Category:2015 establishments in Mexico
Category:American football teams established in 2015
Category:Sports clubs and teams in Mexico City
{{Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional}}