By Tristen Critchfield
The learning curve has been steep and the growing pains have been severe for the New Mexico Chupacabras in their inaugural season.
After the Duke City Gladiators went dormant for the 2025 Indoor Football League campaign, professional football was revived in Albuquerque under new ownership this year. Optimism was high when the Chupacabras’ rebrand was announced last August, but the results on the field haven’t quite matched those positive vibes. Heading into the final three games of the season, the Chupacabras were next to last in the IFL’s Western Conference at 2-11.
Following a 1-10 start that included an eight-game losing streak, Kyle Moore-Brown stepped down as head coach. He was replaced by former University of New Mexico assistant Jerome Haywood. The Chupacabras defeated the Northern Arizona Wranglers by a 35-32 count in their first game with Haywood at the helm.
“I can tell you this is not for the faint of heart,” said co-owner Mike Fietz. “…A first-year team offers so many additional challenges. It’s hard.”
Despite those struggles, Fietz can see a foundation coming together.
“I think I’m encouraged that there’s so many of our players that are excited about staying in Albuquerque. They want to be here…That’s when you know you’ve made an impact is when you have players that say they want to come back.
“…When you start a new team, there is zero culture… I think we’ve built that code, we’ve been building on that culture. We had some bad culture guys when we started, but now when you look at the makeup of our team right now, we’ve got tremendous young men. They’re the ones that will create that culture.”
When the Gladiators shut down for the 2025 season, then-owner Gina Prieskorn-Thomas cited flagging attendance in Rio Rancho as one of several reasons for the hiatus. For the most part, Fietz has been pleased with the return to Albuquerque, and he praised the efforts of Tingley Coliseum general manager Dan Mourning during the current campaign. While Fietz said attendance has increased each week, there is still room for improvement in that regard.
“This has been the most challenging endeavor I’ve ever been involved in,” Fietz said. “There are just so many moving parts. I’m so proud of the product that we’ve put on the field, and the entertainment value that we’ve brought to the city and our citizens. Our biggest challenge is getting more people to see it, but the people that have, the response has been incredible.”
In the past, Fietz has stated that the ultimate goal is for the Chupacabras to have a new arena. That hasn’t changed, and there is hope that indoor football can be a part of the plan for the upgrades that have been approved for the New Mexico State Fairgrounds. The New Mexico United have already been prominently linked to a new stadium planned for that location.
“Quite frankly, the fairgrounds make a lot of sense,” Fietz said. “It’s creating an entertainment district in the middle of our city. I think that that area is in dire need of redevelopment.
“To use the Field of Dreams quote, ‘If you build it they’ll come.’ I am 100% confident that a first-class facility will do wonders for only us, but for the state.”
Up Next:
Saturday, July 5
New Mexico Chupacabras vs. Vegas Knight Hawks, 2:30 p.m.
Where: Tingley Coliseum
More info: chupacabras.net