Rapid City Marshals cease operations, owners cite ‘unfulfilled promises’
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Photo courtesy of Rapid City Marshals Facebook page
RAPID CITY, S.D. — The Rapid City Marshals are now the sixth team in the Arena Football League to shut down this season.
The Marshals shared on its social media accounts Friday that it will be ceasing operations. The news comes as the team were faced with an extremely limited roster and used replacement players in their 76-20 loss against the Washington Wolfpack Thursday night.
Andrew Lind of KOTA reported the team was cut by the owners on Wednesday.
“We understand the struggles and frustrations our players have faced with us and with the league,” Co-owner Wes Johnson said regarding Friday’s announcement. “As an ownership group, we feel that the league put us in a terrible position. We hoped we’d be able to find a way to survive, but unfortunately that is not the case.”
Prior to Thursday’s game, players took a stand against the team and the league by forfeiting their home game on May 11 over claims they were not being paid.
The solidarity ultimately marked the beginning of the end for the franchise.
“This difficult choice follows a recent incident where players refused to take the field and a subsequent last-minute game cancellation, eroding trust between the players and the organization. Coupled with unmet financial obligations, this has become an insurmountable obstacle, leaving the Rapid City Marshals with no viable alternative but to cease operations.” the team shared in the release.
The Marshals are also the third team to have folded with an ownership group in place – the Iowa Rampage and the Minnesota Myth were the other two teams.
“This decision stems from a lack of leadership from previous Arena Football League (AFL) league officials and their unfulfilled promises rendering it impossible for the team to sustain its operations.” the release stated.
This remains a developing story and this post will be updated with more details as it becomes available.
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[…] contest marked the swan song of the Marshals’ season, as the team ceased operations on May 24. Owners claim the Arena Football League under former commissioner Lee Hutton lacked leadership and […]