The Gridiron Developmental Football League (GDFL) is a low-level american football minor league based in Memphis, Tennessee, using the franchise model. , the league has 64 teams. The GDFL plays a playoff format similar to NCAA tournament, as 16 teams make the playoffs (14 automatic division winners qualifiers), with the two finalists meet in the Gridiron Bowl. The league also has an All-Star game called Hype Bowl, where the best players from the Impact Conference meets their counterparts from Xtreme Conference, and played annually before the championship game. Teams' typical payroll budget changes between franchises, while salary payment also varies per players and per skillset – as some are getting paid, others aren't getting paid at all and some are getting only "gas money". The league have partnering agreements with the Elite Football League of India (EFLI) and the (FDNFA) for player development. History Origins The league was first conceived in 2009 and formed in 2010, with Charles Thompson as the founder and first president, and with representatives of several regional semi-pro football teams, that had a plan to form a 32 team pro minor league. Inaugural Teams Memphis Blast, Arkansas Pirates, Carolina Warriors, Mississippi Raiders, Huntsville Hurricanes, Derby City Thunder, Hopkinsville Marauders, River City Raptors, Kentucky Wolverines, Ohio Browns, Columbus Gladiators, Tristate Sharks, Goshen Rampage, North Carolina Bengals, Lumberton Razorbacks, Carolina Cougars, Carolina Lions, Carolina Warhawks, Carolina Warriors, Port City Snipers, Beaufort Broncos, Palmetto Havoc, Palmetto State Spartans, CSRA Cobras, Georgia Crush, Rock Hill Scorpions, Lake Norman Fear, Ashville Grizzlies. 2019–present In September 2019 the GDFL reached an agreement with Labelle Developmental Football League (formerly Labelle Community Football League) to absorb the league teams under the Gridiron Developmental Football League umbrella, and to launch "GDFL West Coast". On later date, it was announced that the West Coast Football Alliance teams will become GDFL members, and the Colorado Football Association also confirmed that their league teams are joining the GDFL. On October the league and Developmental Football International (DFI) announced joint-venture agreement, that "would strengthen the American developmental football landscape through stability, commercial growth and the professional development of club football in four main regions throughout the United States", with attempt to mirror the United Soccer League. As with almost all other sports leagues, the GDFL first postponed and then suspended operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023 the league announced that the Watertown Red & Black - the oldest