Topic summary

Cleveland Gladiators

Cleveland Gladiators
General informationFounded1997Folded2019HeadquarteredQuicken Loans Arena
in Cleveland, OhioColorsRed, black, white
MascotRudiClevelandGladiators.comPersonnelOwnerDan GilbertHead coachRon SeleskyPresidentKerry BubolzTeam history
  • New Jersey Red Dogs (1997–2000)
  • New Jersey Gladiators (2001–2002)
  • Las Vegas Gladiators (2003–2007)
  • Cleveland Gladiators (2008–2017)
Home fieldsLeague / conference affiliationsArena Football League (1997–2017)
  • American Conference (2004–2007, 2011–2015)
  • National Conference (1997–2003, 2008–2010, 2016)
    • Western (2004–2008)
    • Midwest Division (2010)
    • Eastern (1997–2003, 2008, 2011–2015)
ChampionshipsConference championships: 1
Division championships: 3
Playoff appearances (10)1997, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017

The Cleveland Gladiators were an arena football team based in Cleveland, Ohio, and members of the Arena Football League (AFL). The Gladiators played their home games at Quicken Loans Arena, which they shared with the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association and the Cleveland Monsters of the American Hockey League. The franchise was originally based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and then later in Las Vegas, Nevada, before relocating to Cleveland for the 2008 AFL season. The Gladiators qualified for the playoffs eight times in their history, reaching the ArenaBowl in 2014.

The Gladiators announced that they would not play the 2018 and 2019 seasons due to renovations on Quicken Loans Arena that required it to close during the NBA offseason and were granted a two-season hiatus. Before the team could return in 2020, the league filed for bankruptcy and ceased operations.