History of the Arena Football League in Denver
In 1987, businessman and then-owner of the Denver Nuggets Sidney Shlenker announced the forming of the Denver Dynamite. The franchise played in the inaugural four-team "demonstration" season of 1987. the Dynamite tied for the best record in the league with the Pittsburgh Gladiators, going 4-2.
Denver Dynamite (1987, 1989-1991)
On August 1, 1987 the team participated in ArenaBowl I, which they won 45-16 over the Gladiators. and wide receiver Gary Mullen (Mullen won ArenaBowl I MVP). After winning the ArenaBowl, Head Coach Tim Marcum was named the league's first ever Coach of the Year. The team struggled to earn money during the 1989 season due to only hosting one home game.
With the same coaching staff in place from 1989, the Dynamite got off to a hot 4-1 start during the 1990 season. The Dynamite would finish the season with a record of 4-4, good enough to clinch the 3rd seed. The team lost 25-26 to the semi-finals to the Dallas Texans. The attendance had been steadily rising during the season, with the final home game's attendance listed at 10,587. This was later found to be skewed as around 3,000 people were admitted for free. again clinching the 3rd seed for the playoffs. The team lost to the relocated Gladiators, who became the Tampa Bay Storm, in the semi-finals. After the season, the franchise filed for bankruptcy after being sued by their public relations firm. In June 2002, it was announced that John Elway (Co-Owner and Chief Executive Officer), with Stan Kroenke, owner of the Avalanche, the Nuggets, the Rapids, Pepsi Center, & the Altitude Sports network and the majority Broncos owner Pat Bowlen would be bringing an arena football team to Denver. The Crush competed in the Central Division of the American Conference. After a bad inaugural season in 2003, in which they finished 2-14, the Crush rebounded to go 11-5 and make the playoffs in their second year. On June 12, 2005 they won ArenaBowl XIX (19) in Thomas & Mack Center over the Georgia Force 51-48, in only their third year of existence.
In their fourth year the Crush ended up 11-5, with the American Conference Central title for the second year in a row. In the Divisional Round however, the Crush lost in an upset to the fifth-seeded (and eventual ArenaBowl champion) Chicago Rush 63-46.
The team's mascot was an anthropomorphic bull named "Crusher."
On July 15, 2015, the Indoor Football League franchise previously known as the Colorado Ice announced that they would change their name to the Colorado Crush, but would have no ties to the former AFL franchise. According to team owner Tom Wigley, the trademark of the Crush name expired the year before meaning that the original Crush ownership no longer had a say in the use of the name.
Denver Dynamite (1987, 1989-1991)
On August 1, 1987 the team participated in ArenaBowl I, which they won 45-16 over the Gladiators. and wide receiver Gary Mullen (Mullen won ArenaBowl I MVP). After winning the ArenaBowl, Head Coach Tim Marcum was named the league's first ever Coach of the Year. The team struggled to earn money during the 1989 season due to only hosting one home game.
With the same coaching staff in place from 1989, the Dynamite got off to a hot 4-1 start during the 1990 season. The Dynamite would finish the season with a record of 4-4, good enough to clinch the 3rd seed. The team lost 25-26 to the semi-finals to the Dallas Texans. The attendance had been steadily rising during the season, with the final home game's attendance listed at 10,587. This was later found to be skewed as around 3,000 people were admitted for free. again clinching the 3rd seed for the playoffs. The team lost to the relocated Gladiators, who became the Tampa Bay Storm, in the semi-finals. After the season, the franchise filed for bankruptcy after being sued by their public relations firm. In June 2002, it was announced that John Elway (Co-Owner and Chief Executive Officer), with Stan Kroenke, owner of the Avalanche, the Nuggets, the Rapids, Pepsi Center, & the Altitude Sports network and the majority Broncos owner Pat Bowlen would be bringing an arena football team to Denver. The Crush competed in the Central Division of the American Conference. After a bad inaugural season in 2003, in which they finished 2-14, the Crush rebounded to go 11-5 and make the playoffs in their second year. On June 12, 2005 they won ArenaBowl XIX (19) in Thomas & Mack Center over the Georgia Force 51-48, in only their third year of existence.
In their fourth year the Crush ended up 11-5, with the American Conference Central title for the second year in a row. In the Divisional Round however, the Crush lost in an upset to the fifth-seeded (and eventual ArenaBowl champion) Chicago Rush 63-46.
The team's mascot was an anthropomorphic bull named "Crusher."
On July 15, 2015, the Indoor Football League franchise previously known as the Colorado Ice announced that they would change their name to the Colorado Crush, but would have no ties to the former AFL franchise. According to team owner Tom Wigley, the trademark of the Crush name expired the year before meaning that the original Crush ownership no longer had a say in the use of the name.
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