Philadelphia Yellow Jackets

Philadelphia Yellow Jackets
Established 2015
Folded 2016
Played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
philadelphiayellowjackets.com
League/conference affiliations
American Indoor Football (2016)
  • Northern (2016)
Current uniform
Team colorsSky blue, gold, white
     
Personnel
Owner(s)Joe Krause
Head coachMike Brown
Team history
  • Philadelphia Yellow Jackets (2016)
Championships
League championships (0)
Conference championships (0)
Division championships (0)
Home arena(s)

The Philadelphia Yellow Jackets were a professional indoor football team and a member of the American Indoor Football league that played half a season in 2016 before folding due to financial issues.

In addition to being Philadelphia's second arena/indoor team (after the Philadelphia Soul currently playing in the Arena Football League), the Yellow Jackets were named in honor of (and their visual identity is designed after) Philadelphia's first National Football League team, the Frankford Yellow Jackets. The original Yellow Jackets played in the NFL from 1924 until 1931 (and notably won the 1926 NFL championship).

History

On June 11, 2015, the AIF announced the Yellow Jackets would be joining for the 2016 season. The "P-Y-J" are owned by Joe Krause, owner of the Indoor Gridiron League.[1] The Yellow Jackets played their home games at the Class of 1923 Arena on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania the majority of their first season until May 11, 2016, when the university voided their contract for lack of payment leading to cancelling their last three games. Owner Joe Krause released a statement on the team's Facebook account accusing the university of breach of contract while he was dealing with his wife's recovery from a stroke.[2]

They did reschedule their last "home" game to be at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, however, this game was also never played. The team was removed from the AIF after the 2016 season.

2016 season

Season record

Season League Division Regular season Postseason results
Finish Wins Losses Ties
2016 AIF Northern folded 4 1 0

Key:   Win   Tie   Loss   Bye

Preseason

All start times were local to home team

Week Day Date Kickoff Opponent Results Location
Score Record
1 Saturday March 5 7:05pm at Lehigh Valley Steelhawks L 28-41[3] 0-1 PPL Center

Regular season

All start times were local to home team

Week Day Date Kickoff Opponent Results Location
Score Record
1 BYE
2 BYE
3 BYE
4 BYE
5 Saturday March 26 7:05pm at Winston Wildcats W 55–9[4] 1–0 LJVM Coliseum Annex
6 Saturday April 2 7:05pm at Central Penn Capitals W 40–36 2–0 Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center
7 BYE
8 Saturday April 16 7:05pm Central Penn Capitals W 79–26 3–0 Class of 1923 Arena
9 Saturday April 23 7:05pm at Lehigh Valley Steelhawks L 33–52[5] 3–1 PPL Center
10 Saturday April 30 7:05pm Triangle Torch Rescheduled for May 28 Class of 1923 Arena
11 Saturday May 8 4:05pm at Triangle Torch W 59–42 4–1 Dorton Arena
12 Saturday May 14 7:05pm Maryland Eagles Cancelled[a] Class of 1923 Arena
12 Saturday May 14 7:05pm at Winston Wildcats L 0–2[b] 4–2
13 Saturday May 21 7:05pm Winston Wildcats L 0–2[a] 4–3 Class of 1923 Arena
14 Saturday May 28 7:05pm Triangle Torch Cancelled Class of 1923 Arena
Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center
  1. ^ a b Game canceled or forfeited due to the Yellow Jackets loss of a home arena.
  2. ^ Game was never scheduled to be played but was credited as forfeit loss to the Wildcats one week after the non-played game with the Eagles with no explanation given by the AIF.

Standings

2016 AIF Northern standings
Team W L PCT
y – West Michigan Ironmen 6 1 .857
x – River City Raiders 6 1 .857
x – Lehigh Valley Steelhawks 6 2 .750
Philadelphia Yellow Jackets 4 3 .571
Central Penn Capitals 4 4 .500
Chicago Blitz 3 3 .500
Triangle Torch 3 4 .429
Winston Wildcats 3 5 .375
Maryland Eagles 0 2 .000
Northern Kentucky Nightmare 0 5 .000

References

  1. ^ "AIF Comes to Philadelphia". American Indoor Football. June 11, 2015. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  2. ^ "Krause's Facebook statement". Philadelphia Yellow Jackets Official Facebook. May 12, 2016.
  3. ^ "Steelhawks Open with Home Win in AIF Debut". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. March 6, 2016. Retrieved March 15, 2016.
  4. ^ "Winston-Salem Wildcats Play First Home Game Of Inaugural Season". www.wfmynews2.com. Tegna. March 26, 2016. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  5. ^ Keith Groller (April 24, 2016). "Steelhawks stay unbeaten by passing their way past Philadelphia, 52-33". www.mcall.com. Allentown Morning Call. Retrieved April 28, 2016.