After a hiatus of nearly four years, the Cedar Rapids River Kings indoor football team will join a newly-relaunched league for the 2024 football season.
The American Indoor Football (AIF) league announced earlier this month that the River Kings, along with the Council Bluffs-based River City Rage, will be joining the league, which has four announced teams thus far.
As with previous indoor football endeavors in Cedar Rapids, the River Kings will be playing their home games at the Alliant Energy PowerHouse in downtown Cedar Rapids.
“I am excited to bring the Cedar Rapids River Kings and the River City Rage into the American Indoor Football league,” Dominic Montero, who owns both franchises, said in a release. “Football has always been a passion of mine, and I chose Cedar Rapids and Council Bluffs because these cities possess a rich football tradition and a fan base that is hungry for exciting indoor football action. I am committed to building competitive teams and creating a thrilling game-day experience for our fans.”
The River Kings originally joined the Indoor Football League (IFL) in 2011 as an expansion team, then known as the Cedar Rapids Titans. The Titans began IFL play for the 2012 season and played their first two seasons at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena before moving to the then-US Cellular Center, where they played until 2018, with former Iowa wide receiver Marvin McNutt serving stints as the team’s head coach and general manager.
In January 2018, the team was sold to California businessman Roy Choi, who said he intended at the time to keep the team in Cedar Rapids.
However, in August 2018, then-general manager Ryan Eucker announced that the team would be changing its name, and after a rebranding contest, the team unveiled its new identity in September 2018 as the Cedar Rapids River Kings.
The River Kings played a full 14-game schedule in 2018 and 2019, but played just a single game in 2020 before the league canceled its remaining season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The league didn’t play in the 2021, 2022 or 2023 seasons.
Mr. Montero brings a wealth of experience to his new role as owner of the River Kings and the River City Rage. A graduate of Valley Forge Military College and Peru State, Montero’s playing career includes stints with the Salina Liberty and the Bismarck Bucks. He then served as general manager and offensive line coach of the Topeka Tropics in the 2022 season, and thereafter, he took on the role of president and assistant coach for the Omaha Beef.
“The Cedar Rapids River Kings and the River City Rage possess great talent, dedicated fan bases, and a commitment to sportsmanship,” league commissioner John Morris. “Dominic’s dedication to the sport and his community-oriented approach has set a high standard for others to follow. I am excited to witness their journey in the 2024 season.”
Two other teams have been announced for the league thus far – the Corpus Christi Tritons of Corpus Christi, Texas, and an as-yet unnamed team to be based in Wheeling, West Virginia.
Both teams will be actively preparing for their debut, including player acquisitions, coaching staff appointments and community engagement initiatives.
League officials say they plan to announce additional teams as the league finalizes its roster for the 2024 season, including teams from various regions across the United States. A league schedule hasn’t yet been announced.
“Known for its fast-paced and exhilarating gameplay, the AIF features talented athletes competing in a dynamic indoor setting,” a statement from the American Indoor Football league reads. “The AIF fosters relationships with local organizations and businesses, creating a shared passion for the sport within the regions it represents.”
