Dan Gilbert is already the majority owner of both the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Lake Erie Monsters, the city's AHL team, and now it looks as though he might soon be adding another professional Cleveland sports team to his stable - the Cleveland Gladiators, an Arena Football League franchise.

The Gladiators were first formed in 2007 when Jim Ferraro, an attorney and partner at Kelley & Ferraro LLP, partnered with former Cleveland Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar to bring the Las Vegas Gladiators to Cleveland. The team, which was also previously known as the New Jersey Gladiators and the New Jersey Red Dogs, has been under the ownership of Ferraro since 2000.

In 2008, the Gladiators reached the conference final. However, over the winter issues arose over the league's salary structure and the 2009 season was cancelled when the league announced that it was suspending operations and filing bankruptcy.

The AFL was purchased in December 2009 by a group headed up by Jerry Kurz, former president of af2, a lower arena football league. The league reopened for the 2010 season.

The Cleveland Gladiators are trying to make your professional football dreams come true. The team is hosting an open tryout at The Word Church in Warrensville Heights on December 4th. The franchise says two players will be selected to join the team in mini camp.

Here are the full details from the Gladiators website.

WHERE: Gladiators Practice Facility
MultiPlex Events & Sports Center
at THE WORD Church
18909 South Miles Road
Warrensville Heights, OH 44128

WHEN: Sunday, December 4, 2011
Registration – 8:00 am – 8:55 am
Workout – 9:00 am SHARP

FEE: $70 Pre-registered; $80 Walk-Up
Both Fees are NON-REFUNDABLE

TO PRE-REGISTER
► $70.00 – Non-refundable
► ONLINE ONLY at www.clevelandgladiators.com
► Must be paid with Credit Card
► Please download, fill out and bring the forms below with you to the tryout.
► Deadline to pre-register is Wednesday, November 30 at 3:00 PM

DAY OF THE EVENT
► $80.00 – Non-refundable, CASH or MONEY ORDER ONLY
► Personal Checks or Credit Card will not be accepted
► Please download, fill out and bring the forms below with you to the tryout.
► Registration will end Promptly at 8:55 AM

INFORMATION
► Head Coach Steve Thonn and his staff will be on hand to evaluate all participants

The Cleveland Gladiators are offering $14.00 Club Level seats for the their contest against Philadelphia Soul on Saturday to help celebrate the Cavaliers good fortune in the NBA Lottery last night. The Cavs will select first (1) and fourth (4) overall in the draft, hence the $14 price point.

The Gladiators and Soul are set for a 7:00 kickoff at Quicken Loans Arena this weekend.

For a moment, it looked like the Cleveland Gladiators season was starting exactly how you would it to with a huge 61-55 road win over the defending Arena League champs Spokane Shock. Before the contest was finished, however, so was their star quarterback's John Dutton who tore his Achilles' tendon.

The Gladiators turned to untested Mount Union product Kurt Rocco in the games waning minutes. Rocco is a stark contrast to Dutton who has won multiple titles in Arena League play.

The Cleveland Gladiators season starts tonight on the road. The team will have its hands full traveling to the West Coast to visit the Spokane Shock who won the league title last season. Gladiators head coach Steve Thonn expressed optimism about his teams chances this season after watching the team practice the past few weeks.

"I’m really pleased with how well the guys did in camp,”
Gladiators head coach Steve Thonn said in a press release. “This is never an easy process, and it was especially difficult with all of the talent we had this year. It’s so hard to have to sit a guy down and tell him that he didn’t make it, but on the other hand, I’m excited about the group we have moving forward into the start of the season.”

With the prospects of an NFL lockout looming closer than ever, you may need to get your fix of football in other areas. There is some good news to report, the Cleveland Gladiators season is only 3 weeks away and the team has kicked off their pre-season camp today.

The Gladiators boast one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the Arena League in John Dutton. The veteran signal caller is the winner of two ArenaBowl Championships.

The team kicks off their 2011 season in Spokane and have their first home game April 2nd when the Chicago Rush comes to town. Here is the entire 2011 season.

The Cleveland Gladiators and Arena Football are back in action after a one year absence starting Saturday Night at the Quicken Loans Arena. The Gladiators play host the Arizona Rattlers with kickoff set for 7 O'clock.

The Gladiators will look to continue their winning ways at the Q after going 7-2 on their home turf last season.Cleveland's Arena team is stacked with talent including one of the all-time great quarterbacks in league history with John Dutton under center. Dutton ranks seventh in AFL history with 563 touchdown passes.

Here is all the information you will need if you plan on going down to the Q and cheering on your Gladiators on Saturday night.

CLEVELAND GLADIATORS VS. ARIZONA RATTLERS
KICKOFF: ............................................................7:00 PM
NATIONAL ANTHEM: ......................... SHANE JONES (GUITAR)
COIN TOSS: ....................CLEVELAND.COM CONTEST WINNER
HALFTIME: ...................................... ALL AROUND PANTHERS
GIVEAWAYS: ............................... 2010 MAGNET SCHEDULES
FIRST 10,000 FANS COURTESY OF CORPORATE MOVERS
TV: ...........................................NIFTYTV (FREE INTERNET)
HOME RADIO: ........................................WJMO 1300 AM
PRAISECLEVELAND.COM

The Cleveland Gladiators of the AF-1 Arena Football League have signed former Cleveland Browns receiver Steve Sanders to a deal that will allow him to earn a roster spot for the upcoming season.

Signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Browns in 2006, Sanders was an East High and Bowling Green standout. In his tenure with the BG Falcons, Sanders registered 156 receptions, 2,324 receiving yards and 25 total touchdowns.

The Cleveland Gladiators have announced that training camp for the 2010 Arena Football League season is set to open on Monday, March 15 at the team’s practice facility - MultiPlex Events & Sports Center in Warrensville Heights, Ohio. The Gladiators season opener is Saturday, April 3 versus the Arizona Rattlers at Quicken Loans Arena.

In addition to the start of training camp, the team is also pleased to announce that on Thursday, March 25, fans are invited to an Open House at The Q. The Open House is FREE TO THE PUBLIC and doors open at 6:00 pm. Fans will be treated to an intrasquad scrimmage, season ticket Select-A-Seat, performances by the Goddesses and Kickoff Crew, as well as the normal postgame autograph session on the field.

Training camp will begin on Monday, March 15 and continue until Friday, March 26. The two-week schedule features 13 practice sessions and one intrasquad scrimmage, all subject to change. The MultiPlex Events & Sports Center is located at 18909 S. Miles Rd, Warrensville Heights, Ohio, at the same location as The WORD Church.

Cleveland Gladiators have announced this Saturday, March 6th at 9:30 am, single game tickets for all eight home games will go on sale to the general public for the 2010 Arena Football League season. The Gladiators are set to open the eight-game home schedule on Saturday, April 3 versus the Arizona Rattlers at “The Q,” where the first 10,000 fans will receive a Gladiators magnet schedule sponsored by Corporate Movers.

After the four consecutive games away from The Q, the Gladiators return on May 15, hosting the Tulsa Talons, May 29 versus the Chicago Rush and Friday, June 6 versus the Utah Blaze. The Gladiators finish with four of the final six games at home, hosting the Iowa Barnstormers on June 19, the Spokane Shock on July 10, the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz on July 17 and the Milwaukee Iron on July 31.

“It is an exciting time to be back,” Gladiators owner Jim Ferrerro said. “We knew Arena Football would return to Cleveland in 2010 and it did just that. We cannot wait to open the season against the Rattlers at The Q and once again give the best fans in arena football a great entertainment experience in 2010.”