The 2021 Fan Controlled Football season is the first season of the Fan Controlled Football (FCF), a professional indoor football league.
The FCF, which sees itself as "Esports and traditional sports colliding together" is unique because the league leans heavily on fan interaction to make important decisions, such as play-calling, drafts, rules, team names and seasonal awards. Voting is done through a mobile app, a concept the owners first tested in the Indoor Football League when they owned the Salt Lake Screaming Eagles, and later giving up ownership of the team when they started the FCF.
The Fan Controlled Football League's (FCFL) first season's initial start date was set for 2018 but was postponed. It was then slated to start in summer 2020 in Las Vegas with eight teams, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The league shortened its name to Fan Controlled Football (FCF) and announced it would play with four teams in February 2021 in a bubble environment at the Infinite Energy Arena in Duluth, Georgia. FCF thus became the third different high-profile professional football league to play in the weeks immediately following the Super Bowl in as many years, following the Alliance of American Football in 2019 and the XFL in 2020; FCF was the first of those to complete its inaugural season as scheduled.
The league began play on February 13, 2021, with four teams competing in a 12-game-format over six weeks. The league uses Internet streaming as its main television platform and is streamed on Twitch and VENN on Saturdays, with reruns on FTF; the league championship is carried on the digital subchannel network LX. The FCF saw a steady increase in its viewership through its first five weeks, from 735,000 in the first week to 2.1 million in the playoffs.
Following a four-game season where the Beasts took home the regular season championship, the playoffs concluded with the #1 seed Beasts losing to the #4 seed Glacier Boyz in an upset and #2 seed Wild Aces easily defeating the #3 seed Zappers. The Wild Aces beat the Glacier Boyz 46–40 in the final, and were named the People's Championship, as voted by the fans, on March 20, 2021.
Players were paid weekly minimum of $400 to $750 plus room and board, while coaches got paid $3,500 per month with housing and meal plan.
Teams
The 2021 season was originally said to have eight teams, which was reduced to four due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All teams have no geographic location that they are based in, similar to ESports teams. All teams share position coaches, doctors and trainers, marketing staffs and practice squad.
2021 Beasts season
The Beasts won their first franchise game 48–44 against the Zappers and former Heisman winner Johnny Manziel on February 13, 2021.
On March 5, 2021, to load up for the Playoffs, The Beasts signed Robert Turbin, a former teammate of team owner, Marshawn Lynch.
The Beasts finished the regular season 3–1, securing the #1 seed in the playoffs, but ultimately ended up losing to the #4 seed Glacier Boyz 38–20 in the semi-finals, Finishing the 2021 Fan Controlled Football season 3–2.
2021 Glacier Boyz season
2021 Wild Aces season
The Wild Aces won their first franchise game, 30–22, against the Glacier Boyz on February 13, 2021. The Aces finished the season 2–2 and earned 2nd place in the league's regular season standings. Their week two franchise-tagged super back Ladarius Galloway was given the regular season Offensive MVP and Joseph Putu was given the Defensive MVP. They ultimately ended up winning against the No. 3 seeded Zappers, 32–6, in the semi-finals, advancing to The People's Championship.
Right before the game, it was revealed that former Baylor and XFL defensive end Shawn Oakman had signed with the Wild Aces. The Wild Aces won the People's Championship v1.0 game against the No. 4 seeded Glacier Boyz, 46–40, finishing the 2021 Fan Controlled Football season, 4–2, and earning their first championship in franchise history. Dual-threat quarterback Ed Crouch was named People's Championship Gatorade MVP. Crouch went 4 for 9 with 72 yards and 1 passing touchdown. He also rushed 6 times for 53 yards and added a rushing touchdown. His rushing touchdown came on the last play of the game where he faked a run to Galloway and outran a defender to touch the pilon with no time left on the clock.
Final roster
2021 Zappers season
On December 30, 2020, It was announced that former Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel had signed with the Zappers.
The Zappers lost their first franchise game 48–44 against the Beasts on February 13, 2021.