QC Steamwheelers to honor champions and arena football founder

Saturday night’s QC Steamwheelers game against the Frisco Fighters will honor the team’s championship past, along with the man who invented the game of Arena Football.

Saturday’s game (7:05 p.m. at the TaxSlayer Center, Moline) is coined “Champions Night,” sponsored by Bally’s Casino, and will highlight 30-plus players and coaches from the back-to-back AF2 Champions on hand to sign autographs and interact with fans attending the game, according to a team release.

Part of the evening’s festivities will be honoring Arena Football inventor and former Steamwheelers owner, Jim Foster, as a banner in his name will be hung from the rafters of the TaxSlayer Center, 1201 River Drive, Moline. Foster was recently featured in the Hollywood film “American Underdog” — about the life of NFL Hall of Fame quarterback and former Iowa Barnstormer of the Arena Football League, Kurt Warner.

“We are excited to honor the back-to-back AF2 champions as well as Jim Foster during our
Champions Night promotion,” current Steamwheelers owner Doug Bland said in the release.

The event was originally scheduled for 2020 (the 20-year anniversary of the Steamwheelers Championships), but it was canceled due to COVID-19.

“We would not be here today playing the game our fans love if it wasn’t for Jim Foster, who invented this amazing sport,” Bland said.

Fans attending Saturday night’s game will see the modern-day Steamwheelers take on the Frisco Fighters. The first 3,000 fans will receive a FREE collectible poster, featuring both the current Steamwheelers and the Championship Team.

Tickets to see the Steamwheelers at the TaxSlayer Center start at just $12.50, available HERE. Single-game tickets are also available for purchase at or at the TaxSlayer Box Office, open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, and all day on Saturday leading up to the game.