Tampa Tornadoes

{{Infobox indoor American football team

| name = Tampa Tornadoes

| current =

| logo = TampaTornadoes2025.png

| helmet =

| founded = 2017

| city = Leto High School
in Tampa, Florida

| misc = https://tbtornadoes.com/

| uniform =

| colors = red, light grey, icetine
{{Color box|#800000|border=darkgray}} {{Color box|#6a6a6a|border=darkgray}} {{Color box|#FCF55F|border=darkgray}}

| owner = Alton Walker
David J. Daniels, Jr.
Luther Lee
Marcus Dupree

| coach = D.J. Daniels

| chairman =

| president = Alton Walker

| general manager = David J. Daniels, Jr.

| mascot =

| nicknames =

| league =

American Arena League (2020–2021)
South Division (2020)
East Division (2021)
American Indoor Football Alliance (2022–2023)
International Football Alliance (2025–present)

| team_history =

Tampa Bay Tornadoes (2020–2021)
Tampa Bay Cyclones (2022)
Capital City Cyclones (2023)
Tampa Tornadoes (2025–present)

| no_league_champs = 0

| league_champs =

| no_conf_champs = 0

| conf_champs =

| no_div_champs = 0

| div_champs =

| no_playoff_appearances =

| playoff_appearances =

| arena_years =

RP Funding Center (2021–2022)
Traveling Team (2022-2024)

}}

The Tampa Tornadoes are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. They are an inaugural member of the International Football Alliance.

The team was founded in 2017 as the indoor football team the Tampa Bay Tornadoes and later joined American Arena League (AAL) for the 2020 season, but did not play due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The team was announced to have joined the National Arena League for the 2021 season; however, the team was terminated from the league after failing to provide letters of credit. Following the dismissal from the National Arena League, the team rejoined the AAL and began play in 2021 as a member of the East division, but did not finish the season. They then left the AAL for a newly formed league called the American Indoor Football Alliance for the 2022 season. The team succeeded the region's previous arena football team, the Tampa Bay Storm, that ceased operations in 2017.

The team "relocated" to Tallahassee after the 2022 season as the Capital City Cyclones, but played as a traveling team from that point until 2024 when they became an 11-man developmental team and rebranded as the Tampa Tornadoes.

History

File:Tampa Bay Tornadoes Logo.png

Following the dissolvement of the Tampa Bay Storm in 2017, after playing for thirty years and being the only remaining charter member from the Arena Football League's inaugural season,{{cite web |url=https://www.tampabay.com/blogs/lightning/2017/12/21/tampa-bay-storm-suspending-operations/ |title=Tampa Bay Storm suspending operations |website=Tampabay.com |date=December 21, 2017}} the Tampa Bay Tornado advertised themselves as the successor to the former team. In 2019, the Tornadoes were an expansion team in the South Division of the American Arena League (AAL) for the 2020 season{{Cite web |url=https://www.americanarenaleague.com/ |title=AAL homepage |website=AAL |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805212558/https://www.americanarenaleague.com/ |archive-date=August 5, 2020}} with Arena Football Hall of Famer and former Storm player Stevie Thomas serving as the team's first head coach and home games at Expo Hall in Tampa, Florida.{{cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/TampaBayTornadoes/posts/648972668978286 |title=Hi all, here is an updated Tornadoes 2020 Season schedule with updated team names. - Trace |website=Tampa Tornadoes Facebook |date=January 10, 2020}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPSsEP4I6sw |title=The Tampa Bay Tornadoes 2020 season schedule |website=Tampa Bay Tornadoes YouTube |date=January 8, 2020}} The 2020 season was then cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

=Tampa Bay Tornadoes/Cyclones (2020–2022)=

In July 2020, they were approved to join the National Arena League (NAL) for the 2021 season, where they were to play against former Tampa Bay Storm rivals, Jacksonville Sharks and a relaunched Orlando Predators.{{cite web |url=http://www.nationalarenaleague.com/news/headline-news/?article_id=58 |title=Expansion Alert: Tampa Bay Tornadoes Joins The NAL |website=National Arena League |date=July 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724191607/http://www.nationalarenaleague.com/news/headline-news/?article_id=58 |archive-date=2020-07-24 }} The team was terminated from the NAL after not providing letters of credit, although the Tornadoes had notified the league about their intentions to withdraw and rejoin the AAL.{{cite web |url=http://www.usforacle.com/2020/07/12/podcast-preview-alton-walker-covid-was-a-curse-and-a-blessing/ |title=Podcast Preview: Alton Walker: 'COVID was a curse and a blessing' |date=July 12, 2020 |website=usforacle.com}}{{cite web |url=https://www.nationalarenaleague.com/news/updated-tampa-louisville-memberships-terminated |title=Tampa & Louisville Memberships Terminated |website=National Arena League |date=October 30, 2020 |access-date=May 6, 2021}} Shortly after, the team rejoined the AAL for the 2021 season, but were instead playing home games in Lakeland, Florida, at the RP Funding Center.{{cite web |url=https://www.fox13news.com/sports/tampa-bay-tornadoes-hope-to-ride-winds-of-bay-area-arena-football-success |title=Tampa Bay Tornadoes hope to ride winds of Bay Area arena football success |website=Fox 13 Tampa Bay |date=April 2, 2021}} The team did not finish the 2021 season and have since joined the American Indoor Football Alliance (AIFA), along with other former AAL teams.{{cite web |url=https://www.goaifa.com/news/tampa-bay-tornadoes-joins-the-aifa|title=TAMPA BAY TORNADOES JOINS THE AIFA! |website=goaifa.com |date=July 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183547/https://www.goaifa.com/news/tampa-bay-tornadoes-joins-the-aifa |archive-date=July 9, 2021}} The team appears to have been rebranded as the Tampa Bay Cyclones prior to the 2022 season.{{cite web |url=https://www.goaifa.com/news/tampa-bay-tornadoes-joins-the-aifa |title=TAMPA BAY CYCLONES JOINS THE AIFA! |website=AIFA |date=July 5, 2021 |access-date=February 3, 2022 |archive-date=December 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211213051836/https://www.goaifa.com/news/tampa-bay-tornadoes-joins-the-aifa |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.goaifa.com/stats#/1432/teams?division_id=14304 |title=AIFA teams |access-date=February 3, 2022 |website=AIFA |archive-date=February 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220203185758/https://www.goaifa.com/stats#/1432/teams?division_id=14304 |url-status=dead }}

=Capital City Cyclones (2023)=

On October 20, 2022, the Cyclones and the AIFA announced their intentions to relocate to Tallahassee, Florida.{{Cite web |url=https://www.goaifa.com/news-h/1305-the-aifa-has-approved-the-request-of-the-tampa-bay-cyclones-to-relocate-to-tallahassee-fl.html |title=The AIFA has approved the request of the Tampa Bay Cyclones to relocate to Tallahassee, FL. |date=October 20, 2022 |access-date=April 7, 2023 |website=AIFA}}{{Cite web |url=https://capitalcitycyclones.com/news-h/1304-the-aifa-has-approved-the-request-of-the-tampa-bay-cyclones-to-relocate-to-tallahassee-fl.html |title=The AIFA has approved the request of the Tampa Bay Cyclones to relocate to Tallahassee, FL. |date=October 20, 2022 |access-date=April 7, 2023 |website=Capital City Cyclones}} The team subsequently rebranded as the Capital City Cyclones, but played no home games in the 2023 season.{{cite web |url=https://capitalcitycyclones.com/schedules.html |title=Schedule For Capital City Cyclones |website=Capital City Cyclones |access-date=August 7, 2023}}

On August 26, 2023, Jeffery Singletary, speaking on behalf of Cyclones owner Alton Walker, announced that the Cyclones would be joining the Arena Football League.{{Cite web | url=https://twitter.com/HuddleTouch_CEO/status/1695358726205583677 | title=The New Arena Football League: Capital City Cyclones | author=Jeffery Singletary | website=twitter.com}} The AFL had announced a team from Tallahassee in July.{{Cite web |title=16 ORG. LOCATIONS REVEALED Chicago, Philly Get Teams |date=18 July 2023 |url=https://www.tmz.com/2023/07/18/arena-football-league-afl-team-locations-revealed-philadelphia-chicago/ |access-date=2023-07-18 |language=en-CA}} The Cyclones wouldn't join the AFL, but instead was announced as one of the inaugural teams in the International Football Alliance (an outdoor developmental league) as the Tampa Bay Tornadoes.{{Cite web|title=Meet The Teams|url=https://www.ifa.football/about|website=International Football Alliance}}

File:Capital_City_Cyclones.png

Statistics and records

=Season-by-season results=

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" \| Division !colspan="4" \| Regular season !rowspan="2" \| Postseason results
Finish	Wins	Losses	Ties
2020 \| AAL \|\| South \|\|style="text-align:left" colspan=5\|Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2021 \| AAL \|\| East \| {{abbr\|DNF\|Did not finish}} \|\| 3 \|\| 1 \|\| 0 \|\|style="text-align:left"\|
2022 \| colspan=2; align=center\|AIFA \| ??? \|\| ? \|\| ? \|\| 0 \|\|style="text-align:left"\|
2023 \| colspan=2; align=center\|AIFA \| ??? \|\| ? \|\| ? \|\| 0 \|\|style="text-align:left"\|
2024 \| IFA \|\|style="text-align:left" colspan=5\|IFA season pushed to 2025.
2025 \| colspan=2; align=center\|IFA \| \|\| 0 \|\| 0 \|\| 0 \|\|style="text-align:left"\|

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size: 95%;"

rowspan="2" | Season

!rowspan="2" | League

!rowspan="2" | Division

!colspan="4" | Regular season

!rowspan="2" | Postseason results

Finish

Wins

Losses

Ties

2020

| AAL || South ||style="text-align:left" colspan=5|Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2021

| AAL || East

| {{abbr|DNF|Did not finish}} || 3 || 1 || 0 ||style="text-align:left"|

2022

| colspan=2; align=center|AIFA

| ??? || ? || ? || 0 ||style="text-align:left"|

2023

| colspan=2; align=center|AIFA

| ??? || ? || ? || 0 ||style="text-align:left"|

2024

| IFA ||style="text-align:left" colspan=5|IFA season pushed to 2025.

2025

| colspan=2; align=center|IFA

| || 0 || 0 || 0 ||style="text-align:left"|

=Head coach records=

Note: Statistics are correct through week six of the 2021 AAL season.

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
rowspan="2" style="width:140px;"\|Name ! rowspan="2" \| Term ! colspan="4" \| Regular season ! colspan="2" \| Playoffs ! rowspan="2" \| Awards
W	L	T	Win%	W	L
Stevie Thomas	2020–present	3	1	0	{{winperc\|4\|1}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

rowspan="2" style="width:140px;"|Name

! rowspan="2" | Term

! colspan="4" | Regular season

! colspan="2" | Playoffs

! rowspan="2" | Awards

Win%

Stevie Thomas

2020–present

2021 season

{{Infobox NFL season

| team = Tampa Bay Tornadoes

| year = 2021

| record = 3–1

| league_place = Did not finish

| coach = Stevie Thomas

| general manager = Alton Walker

| stadium = RP Funding Center

| playoffs =

| no_prevseason = true

| no_nextseason = true

}}

The 2021 Tampa Bay Tornadoes season was the team's inaugural season. Prior to the season, the Tornadoes were originally scheduled to play at the St. Louis Bandits (March 27), Georgia Cobras (April 3), at the Spokane Shock (May 8), and Northern Arizona Wranglers (August 8); however, these games were not played during the course of the season. The Tornadoes withdrew from the rest of the season near the end of May.

===Schedule===

class="wikitable" \|+ 2021 Tampa Bay Tornadoes schedule{{cite web \| url=https://www.americanarenaleague.com/schedule \| title=American Arena League 2021 Schedule \| publisher=Americanarenaleague.com \| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504010102/https://www.americanarenaleague.com/schedule\| archive-date=May 4, 2021}}{{cite web \| url=https://thetampabaytornadoes.com/ \| title=Tampa Bay Tornadoes 2021 Schedule \| publisher=Tampa Bay Tornadoes \| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504013427/https://thetampabaytornadoes.com/ \| archive-date=May 4, 2021}}
Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Game site
style="background: #ddffdd;" \|align=center\| 1 \| March 13 \| Carolina Predators \|align=center\| W 48–20 \|align=center\| 1–0 \| RP Funding Center
style="background: #ddffdd;" \|align=center\| 2 \| March 21 \| Georgia-Lina Lions \|align=center\| W 45–21 \|align=center\| 2–0 \| RP Funding Center
style="background: #ffdddd;" \|align=center\| 3 \| April 10 \| Charlotte Thunder \|align=center\| L 46–9 \|align=center\| 2–1 \| RP Funding Center
style="background: ;" \|align=center\| 4 \| {{strikethrough\|April 17}} \| {{strikethrough\|at Mississippi Raiders}} \|colspan=2; align=center\| Cancelled \| {{strikethrough\|Forrest County Multipurpose Center}}
align=center\| 5 \| colspan="6"; align=center \| Bye
style="background: #ddffdd;" \|align=center\| 6 \| May 2 \| Mississippi Raiders \|align=center\| W 49–34 \|align=center\| 3–1 \| RP Funding Center
style="background: ;" \|align=center\| 7 \| {{strikethrough\|May 15}} \| {{strikethrough\|Arlington Lonhorns}} \| colspan=2; align=center\|Cancelled \| {{strikethrough\|RP Funding Center}}
align=center\| 8 \| colspan="6"; align=center \| Bye
style="background: ;" \|align=center\| 9 \| {{strikethrough\|May 29}} \| {{strikethrough\|at Charlotte Thunder}} \| colspan=2; align=center\|Cancelled \| {{strikethrough\|Bojangles Coliseum}}
style="background: ;" \|align=center\| 10 \| {{strikethrough\|June 5}} \| {{strikethrough\|Pennsylvania Union}} \| colspan=2; align=center\|Cancelled \| {{strikethrough\|RP Funding Center}}

class="wikitable"

|+ 2021 Tampa Bay Tornadoes schedule{{cite web | url=https://www.americanarenaleague.com/schedule | title=American Arena League 2021 Schedule | publisher=Americanarenaleague.com | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504010102/https://www.americanarenaleague.com/schedule| archive-date=May 4, 2021}}{{cite web | url=https://thetampabaytornadoes.com/ | title=Tampa Bay Tornadoes 2021 Schedule | publisher=Tampa Bay Tornadoes | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504013427/https://thetampabaytornadoes.com/ | archive-date=May 4, 2021}}

Week

Date

Opponent

Result

Record

Game site

style="background: #ddffdd;"

|align=center| 1

| March 13

| Carolina Predators

|align=center| W 48–20

|align=center| 1–0