Massachusetts Marauders

In 1987, Mike Ilitch began negotiations with the Arena Football League (AFL), to join for the 1988 season.^[1] The Drive began play in 1988 as a member of the AFL.^[2] Under head coach Tim Marcum, the Drive finished the regular season 9–3 after starting the season 2–3.^[3][4] Two of the Drive's losses came at the hands of the Chicago Bruisers, who finished the season with one loss. The Drive would get a chance at revenge when they advanced to ArenaBowl II against the Bruisers,^[5] and they were able to defeat the Bruisers 24–13.^[6]

With the AFL suspending operations prior to the 1989 season,^[7] the league was revived and decided to play a short season, but that forced the Drive to begin the 1989 season by replacing quarterback Rich Ingold, who didn't want to take the pay cut of the short season.^[8] The Drive won ArenaBowl III 39–26 over the Pittsburgh Gladiators.^[9]

Head Coach Tim Marcum stepped away from the Drive in 1990 to join the University of Florida's football staff, and was replaced by Perry Moss.^[10] The Drive bolstered their offense by signing quarterback Art Schlichter^[11] (Who would become the AFL's MVP in 1990). Moss lead the Drive to a 6–2 regular season record and they remained a dominant force, leading the going to ArenaBowl IV, where they defeated the Dallas Texans 51–27.^[12]

Marcum returned to coach the Drive in 1991. The Drive traded Schlichter to the expansion Cincinnati Rockers, partly because the league believed that since he'd grown up in the area and starred at Ohio State, he'd lend the new franchise needed credibility.^[13][14] However, another factor was the compulsive gambling that had derailed his NFL career almost a decade earlier. Despite Ilitch's efforts to keep Schlichter on the straight and narrow, by the end of 1991 it was no longer safe for Schlichter to stay in Detroit.^[15]

The Drive didn't miss a beat, finishing with the best record in the league for the fourth season in a row. However, despite hosting ArenaBowl '91, they were defeated by the Tampa Bay Storm, ending their three-year reign as league champions.

In 1992, the Drive played in the Northern Division. The Drive won ArenaBowl VI, claiming their fourth title in five seasons.

Following the 1992 season, Ilitch purchased the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball and Vitto was transferred to the Tigers front office. Marcum assumed GM duties for 1993 and led the team to its final Arena Bowl. Ilitch sold the Drive so that they would not compete with the Tigers for attendance.^[16] Ilitch still claims that he only kept the Drive because they were constant contenders.^{[citation needed]}

The Drive had, arguably, the best management team in the league. Owner Mike Ilitch, General Manager Gary Vitto, and Head Coach Tim Marcum are all in the AFL Hall of Fame.

The new owners moved the team to Worcester, Massachusetts as the Massachusetts Marauders, playing their home games at the Worcester Centrum, but folded after going 8–4 and making the semifinals in their first and only season. Whereas the Drive averaged over 14,000 fans a game during their six seasons in Detroit, the Marauders averaged less than 7,400 a game.Nearly three years after the Marauders folded, Dan DeVos won their assets in bankruptcy court and used them to launch the Grand Rapids Rampage, who played until 2008.

Detroit later received a second Arena Football team, the Detroit Fury. The Fury played from 2001 to 2004 in The Palace of Auburn Hills and were co-owned by William Davidson, owner of the Detroit Pistons and William Clay Ford, Jr., son of the owner of the Detroit Lions. The Fury were never as successful as the Drive, compiling a 22–41 record and averaging 8,152 fans per game before they folded in 2004.

While the Drive's history was relatively brief, they had an inarguable importance in the history of Arena Football, with ArenaBowl trips every year of their existence, and creating the first dynasty in the Arena Football League.

The following Drive/Marauders players were named to All-Arena Teams:

• QB Art Schlichter (2)
• FB/LB Walter Holman (1), Lynn Bradford (1), Alvin Rettig (3), Broderick Sargent (1), Tony Burse (1)
• WR/DB Dwayne Dixon (1), George LaFrance (2), Gary Mullen (2), Michael Clark (1)
• WR/LB Niu Sale (1)
• OL/DL Jon Roehlk (2), Reggie Mathis (1), Greg Orton (1), John Corker (1), Flint Fleming (2), Danny Lockett (2), Ralph Jarvis (1)
• DS Nate Miller (1), Tate Randle (2), Rod McSwain (1), Riley Ware (1)
• OS/KR Gary Mullen (1), George LaFrance (1)
• K Novo Bojovic (2)

The Drive and Marauders both appeared on the game EA Sports Arena Football as hidden bonus teams.

• Detroit Drive at ArenaFan.com
• Massachusetts Marauders at ArenaFan.com