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IFL 2021 Schedule Update

DES MOINES - The Indoor Football League (IFL) today announced changes to the 2021 season schedule after the League’s Board of Directors voted to push back the season in an effort to provide each of its member teams the best opportunity for a successful season. The IFL Kickoff Weekend is now slated for the weekend of May 14, 2021.

The Iowa Barnstormers 2021 season will begin on the road during IFL Kickoff Weekend on Saturday, May 15 at the Sioux Falls Storm. The Barnstormers will return home to Wells Fargo Arena for the first time in over a year for their home opener on Saturday, May 22 against the Duke City Gladiators. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

“I’m trying to best meet the varying needs of all of our member teams, we determined as a league that delaying the start of the season is in the best interest of the IFL,” said league Commissioner Todd Tryon. “With a national footprint that stretches from the East Coast to the West Coast and from North Dakota all the way down to Texas, this season calls for us to be flexible and to consider the unique restrictions, or lack thereof, of each of our 12 markets.”

“We view this as a positive step as we have been able to put together a schedule that will allow each team the best opportunity for success in its own local market, while also allowing for additional time for our country as a whole to make greater strides in our collective efforts against the COVID pandemic. At the same time, we realize there will continue to be issues related to COVID and we have spent many hours developing plans on how we will deal with in-season situations that may arise.”

The IFL has developed a comprehensive system of COVID protocols and procedures that places the safety of the league’s fans, players, coaches, team and league staff, and partners at the forefront, including roster modifications, team testing procedures, limits on how teams interact within large group settings, and more.

In addition to the Iowa Barnstormers home opener on Saturday, May 22 against the Duke City Gladiators, the updated home schedule features the Bismarck Bucks (May 28, August 7), Sioux Falls Storm (June 19), Louisville Xtreme (July 17, August 14), and the Green Bay Blizzard (July 24).

The Barnstormers will be traveling a total of seven times with the new schedule. In addition to kicking off the season with a visit to the Sioux Falls Storm (May 15), the Barnstormers will travel to the Tucson Sugar Skulls (June 5), Bismarck Bucks (June 12), Green Bay Blizzard (June 25), Frisco Fighters (July 9), Louisville Xtreme (July 31), and will close out the regular season at Massachusetts Pirates (August 21).

Fans will notice that the updated schedule features 14 games, including seven home and seven away, instead of the previous 16 game layout. Barnstormers Season Ticket Holders will receive the seven regular home games plus the first post-season home game in their season ticket package.

Once again this season, all home games will be played at Wells Fargo Arena in downtown Des Moines, Iowa.

"We are excited to be back in action," said Iowa Barnstormers President Jeff Lamberti. "We appreciate our fans patience and support throughout this trying year and hope the Des Moines community will embrace our return in a safe manner."

The Iowa Barnstormers are working closely with the facility regarding seating regulations for the 2021 season due to Covid-19 restrictions. The health and safety of fans, players, and staff is the organization’s top priority. Information regarding Season Tickets and Single Game Tickets will be available soon.

The full 2021 Iowa Barnstormers schedule can be found here: