The 2012 Indoor Football League season was the fourth season of the
Indoor Football League (IFL). The league lost nine of its previous teams but gained three new teams. The three new teams were the
Cedar Rapids Titans,
New Mexico Stars and the
Everett Raptors. The season kicked off on February 19, 2012, when the
Chicago Slaughter beat the
Bloomington Edge 50–34. For the 2012 season, the IFL switched to a two-conference format with no divisions,[1] due, in large part, to the loss of all the Texas-based teams (except the
Allen Wranglers) to the newly formed
Lone Star Football League. The Wranglers brought attention to the league for offering a US$500,000 contract to unemployed wide receiver
Terrell Owens to become the team's part-owner and wide receiver. Owens accepted the contract.
ESPN3 carried Owens's debut game against the
Wichita Wild. The front office of the league saw changes as well, as Commissioner Tommy Benizio resigned.[2] The league appointed assistant commissioner Robert Loving as the interim Commissioner.[2]