In their first seventeen seasons, the Lions have won five league championships: in 2010, 2015, 2016, 2023, and 2024.
History
Columbus Lions logo 2006–2022
Initial seasons (2007–2016)
The Lions were founded in 2006. They began play in the short-lived World Indoor Football League (WIFL) in 2007. The Lions' inaugural game on February 26, 2007, was marred by tragedy when opposing defensive back Javon Camon of the Daytona Beach Thunder was killed after a hard but clean hit by Lions fullback Cedric Ware during the fourth quarter.[5][6] The Lions finished with the best regular season record, but lost the championship to the Augusta Colts. For the Lions' inaugural season, head coach Jason Gibson won the league's Coach of the Year Award.
The WIFL collapsed after the season and the Lions moved to the American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) where they played two seasons in 2008 and 2009, winning their division in 2009. They would then join the Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL) and play from 2010 to 2011. They won the SIFL championship in 2010 defeating the Louisiana Swashbucklers in President's Cup II,.[7] The SIFL split into two separate leagues before the 2012 season, with the Lions going to the Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL). In 2015, they defeated the Richmond Raiders in PIFL Cup IV.
Following the Lions' 2015 championship, the Lions moved back to American Indoor Football (AIF), formerly the AIFA, for the 2016 season.[8] The Lions completed the regular season 8–0 and won the 2016 AIF Championship over the West Michigan Ironmen.[9] One week after winning the championship, the Lions announced they were leaving the AIF for the 2017 season.[10]
National Arena League (2017–2021)
Columbus playing the Louisiana Swashbucklers on April 14, 2012. Note the pink numbers in support of cancer awareness.[11]
In July 2016, Lions' owners Skip Seda and his father, Keke Seda, announced the formation of a new league called the Arena Developmental League to begin play in spring 2017.[12] They named former Canadian Football League, Arena Football League, and AF2 coach John Gregory as the league's commissioner. In November 2016, the Jacksonville Sharks joined and the Sedas yielded control over the new league for it to become the National Arena League.
The Lions appeared in the NAL playoffs in every season they participated. They, and the NAL, would not play in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They made three appearances in the NAL Championship Game, losing to the Jacksonville Sharks 27–21 in 2017, the Carolina Cobras 66–8 in 2018, and the Albany Empire 79–62 in 2021.
New ownership (2022–present)
On August 30, 2022, the Lions announced new ownership led by Jeff Levack, who also has ownership stake in the Orlando Predators and Albany Empire. He was a part of two staffs that helped the Empire win three championships in four years.[13] On September 13, 2022, they introduced new branding for the team designed by former player and designer, Mike Jones. They also announced arena football veteran player and coach Chris McKinney as the second head coach in team history after Gibson had left and became head coach of the Jacksonville Sharks.[14] On December 22, the National Arena League had announced that the membership of the Lions had been discontinued.[15] One day later, the Lions announced they have joined the regional American Indoor Football Alliance.[16] They played only home games, going 6–0,[17] and defeated the Mississippi Raiders 55–10 in the league championship.[18]
On August 4, 2023, the Lions announced their return to relaunched American Indoor Football for the 2024 season.[19]
Return home to the NAL (2025-beyond)
In 2024, the Lions announced they were returning home to the league they helped start, the National Arena League.
^Matthew Hester (April 10, 2012). "Kicker Trey Crum Returns to Lions". www.proifl.com. Professional Indoor Football League. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
