Photo by Kim North The Dave Bruney Football Complex, pictured, will be the home of the Ohio Valley Ironmen during their upcoming season.

WHEELING – The Ohio Valley Ironmen are back for another summer of professional, outdoor football with some significant changes.

First of all, the Ironmen are in a new league – the Continental Football League – and, secondly, they have a new home stadium and, thirdly, they will play their home games on Sunday nights at 7.

The team announced Thursday afternoon that it will play the 2026 season at Martins Ferry’s Purple Rider Stadium which is located inside the Dave Bruney Football Complex.

“It’s a great opportunity for us. We are more centered in the Ohio Valley now,” Ironmen general manager/head coach Manny Matsakis said. “It’s a great stadium with a lot of history. There’s not a track between the field and the bleachers, so the fans are right on top of the action.

“I think it will lend itself to some wonderful Sunday nights.”

The Ironmen, in their return last summer, played at John Marshall High School’s Monarch Stadium in Moundsville.

Matsakis said the change from Saturday to Sunday should be beneficial for all involved.

“People can go and do whatever they do on the weekend and still have time on Sunday night to come and watch the Ohio Valley Ironmen,” he noted. “It’s exciting. I want to give a big shout out to Jim Fogle at Martins Ferry for making this happen. Everyone over there was very excited when we told them of the decision.

“The beauty of the stadium is that it is accessible from any direction,” Matsakis added. “It is easy for people from Steubenville to get there. It is easy for people from St. Clairsville to get there and it’s easy for people from Marshall County to get to.”

“We just thought it was a good idea for our community,” Martins Ferry Schools Superintendent Jim Fogle said. “It will give the people something to do and Martins Ferry has a rich tradition in football. We think it is a win-win situation.

“We think it will be good for the students and community members to watch.”

Fogle also said that the Martins Ferry school district is also going to partner with the Ironmen for some other things.”

The Ironmen will open the season on May 30 at the Michigan Arrows before their home opener against the Indianapolis Capitols on June 7.

Other sites looked at included Harding Stadium in Steubenville, St. Clairsville’s Red Devil Stadium, Wheeling Island Stadium and Monarch Stadium.

More information on the Ohio Valley Ironmen will appear in the weekend editions of the Sunday News-Register and The Times Leader.