Each year the IFL does everything they can to try and improve the length of travel each team has to endure in an attempt to save money. With the West Coast of the IFL now put in action, it would appear travel costs will be cut down substantially for some teams this season. Unfortunately, some teams were luckier than others and will have a little more money leftover following the season. Today we’re going to calculate every team’s total distance traveled, who their farthest and shortest trips will be to, who they’re visiting most often, and more. Let’s get into it. Note that the calculations for total miles were made from one team’s arena to the other and back. We did this assuming teams would come home following the game and not stay on the road for consecutive weeks.
QUAD CITY: 7,192 Miles
Quad City will travel the least of any team in 2020. Their farthest trip will be out to face the Rattlers. That is the only trip the team will take over 1,000 miles. They are the only franchise that will not have to take multiple 1,000 mile trips this year. They also will tie Cedar Rapids for the shortest trip any team will take this season with a grand total of 88 miles. The Steamwheelers longest road trip will be two games.
SIOUX FALLS: 8,336 Miles
Sioux Falls will travel the second least in 2020, their longest road trip will be out to Spokane which will be a common theme in this article. The Storm will only make two trips of over 1,000 miles and will exit the Dakotas for their shortest trip of the season when they matchup with the Barnstormers in one of the most anticipated matchups of the year.
TUCSON: 9,082 Miles
Ownership took a risk last year placing a franchise on the West Coast of a league which until the Rattlers joined in 2017, dominated the Central United States. In year two that risk is already paid off as the ‘Skulls will travel the third least of any team in 2020. They will make two short drives to Gila River Arena to face off against the afformentioned Rattlers and two more drives of just over 400 miles to face the new look Strike Force. Their longest trip will be their first of the season when they travel 1,558 miles to face the River Kings. Tucson is the only team in the IFL that will face more than one opponent on the road on multiple occasions.
IOWA: 9,304 Miles
It pays to be in Iowa. At least in terms of travel costs, the Barnstormers travel only 127 miles for their shortest trek of the season against the River Kings. Iowa will make two 669 mile trips to Bismarck to take on the Bucks and will have to travel to Oakland as one of two trips of over 1,000 miles.
CEDAR RAPIDS: 9,988 Miles
The final team to crack the sub 10,000 mile mark will be the Cedar Rapids River Kings. Cedar Rapids is one of six teams who will spend three consecutive weeks on the road in 2020. Their longest trip will be out to face fellow Choi-owned franchise, the Oakland Panthers.
DUKE CITY: 11,122 Miles
Duke City got picked on a bit in their first year of being an IFL franchise. They’re just one of two franchises that will make three trips of over 1,000 miles this season, the longest being a 1,151 mile journey to Moline, Illinois to take on Quad City. Their shortest trip is almost 500 miles to Tucson.
GREEN BAY: 12,178 Miles
Despite travelling only 302 miles to Cedar Rapids twice, Green Bay’s mileage in 2020 is a bit skewed thanks to their longest trip of the year, a 2,227 mile voyage to Oakland to take on the Panthers. The 2,000+ mile distance is the longest any team will have to travel in 2020 to play an opponent.
OAKLAND: 13,346
Remember how Green Bay’s numbers were skewed because of that long trip to Oakland? The Panthers weren’t spared of that trip, they’ll visit the Blizzard in late April for their longest trek of the year. The San Diego and Oakland rivalry has plenty of potential as the Panthers travel just 482 miles to meet the Strike Force in the Panthers’ shortest trip of the season.
BISMARCK: 13,572 Miles
We’re now in the top 5 and man, did Bismarck get the short end of the stick. Arguably the team that needed to save some money on travel the most winds up with the fifth highest mileage number of any team in the league in 2020. Their longest will be to Oakland (1,580) on May 2nd. The Dakota rivalry helps the indoor deer as they’ll enjoy a smooth 404 mile ride to Sioux Falls. Even with many regional opponents the Bucks will make three 1,000+ mile journeys in 2020.
ARIZONA: 14,104 Miles
Like we talked about with Tucson, the Rattlers have the luxury of only travelling a little over 100 miles to the Tucson Convention Center for their shortest trip of the year. Their longest trip of the season could be one of the most entertaining and intriguing games of the season, when they take on the Steamwheelers 1,586 miles away from home. The Rattlers are one of three teams who will travel over 1,000 miles four times.
SAN DIEGO: 14,568 Miles
The Strike Force struggled on and off the field in 2019 and will spend 2020 with the third most mileage of any team in the IFL. Even though both teams are on the West Coast, they’ll travel over 1,000 miles twice to play the Shock, make their longest trip of the year to Bismarck, and add another 1,000 mile trip to Frisco on top of that.
FRISCO: 16,036
Frisco could be a dangerous expansion team in 2020 but they’ll deal with some serious jet lag. Their closest opponent is over 600 miles away in the form of Duke City, while they’ll travel nearly 2,000 miles to take on the Shock in May. Fortunately they’ll get a little taste of everything the IFL has to offer as they won’t visit the same city twice in their inaugural IFL season.
SPOKANE: 19,442
Dear God, so much for that West Coast connection cutting down on travel. The numbers for Spokane are staggering. Their SHORTEST trip is 955 miles to Bismarck. Their other six road games (they only have seven) are all over 1,000 miles. Fortunately the longest road trip they’ll face is only two games but the Shock better download some good podcasts for the trip, may we suggest the IFL Network Podcast? Now available on Spotify, Apple Music, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to Podcasts.
The IFL Network 