AFL 2001

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
AMERICAN CONFERENCE
Central Division
*Grand Rapids Rampage	14	11	3	0	801	776	.786
*Indiana Firebirds	14	9	5	0	814	717	.643
*Detroit Fury	14	7	7	0	639	666	.500
*Chicago Rush	14	7	7	0	684	699	.500
Milwaukee Mustangs	14	3	11	0	596	768	.214
Western Division
*San Jose Sabercats	14	10	4	0	831	673	.714
*Arizona Rattlers	14	8	6	0	748	644	.571
Los Angeles Avengers	14	5	9	0	564	716	.357
Oklahoma Wranglers	14	5	9	0	630	759	.357
Houston Thunderbears	14	3	11	0	683	803	.214
NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Eastern Division
*Toronto Phantoms	14	8	6	0	694	706	.571
*New York Dragons	14	8	6	0	898	828	.571
*Carolina Cobras	14	7	7	0	786	685	.500
Buffalo Destroyers	14	6	8	0	649	739	.429
New Jersey Gladiators	14	2	12	0	543	695	.143
Southern Division
*Nashville Kats	14	10	4	0	724	550	.714
*Tampa Bay Storm	14	10	4	0	760	613	.714
*Orlando Predators	14	8	6	0	675	627	.571
Florida Bobcats	14	6	8	0	660	717	.429

Date	Home Team		Away Team
	First Round
2001	Chicago Rush	41	Orlando Predators	26
2001	Toronto Phantoms	64	New York Dragons	57
2001	Arizona Rattlers	52	Detroit Fury	44
2001	Indiana Firebirds	58	Carolina Cobras	41
	Quarter-Finals
2001	Nashville Kats	45	Toronto Phantoms	38
2001	San Jose Sabercats	68	Arizona Rattlers	49
2001	Grand Rapids Rampage	53	Chicago Rush	21
2001	Indiana Firebirds	68	Tampa Bay Storm	31
	Semi-Finals
2001	Nashville Kats	71	San Jose Sabercats	68
2001	Grand Rapids Rampage	83	Indiana Firebirds	70
	Arena Bowl XV
2001	Grand Rapids Rampage	64	Nashville Kats	42

AFL 2002

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
AMERICAN CONFERENCE
Central Division
*Chicago Rush	14	9	5	0	747	671	.643
*Grand Rapids Rampage	14	8	6	0	756	759	.571
*Indiana Firebirds	14	7	7	0	669	646	.500
Detroit Fury	14	1	13	0	550	740	.071
Western Division
*San Jose Sabercats	14	13	1	0	878	660	.929
*Arizona Rattlers	14	11	3	0	729	624	.786
*Los Angeles Avengers	14	8	6	0	731	694	.571
*Dallas Vigilantes	14	7	7	0	742	755	.500
NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Eastern Conference
*New Jersey Gladiators	14	9	5	0	714	662	.643
*Buffalo Destroyers	14	6	8	0	627	675	.429
Toronto Phantoms	14	5	9	0	644	656	.357
New York Dragons	14	3	11	0	666	804	.214
Southern Division
*Orlando Predators	14	7	7	0	637	669	.500
*Carolina Cobras	14	6	8	0	624	665	.429
*Tampa Bay Storm	14	6	8	0	666	715	.429
Georgia Force	14	6	8	0	703	688	.429

Date	Home Team		Away Team
	First Round
2002	Orlando Predators	32	Buffalo Destroyers	27
2002	Tampa Bay Storm	66	Los Angeles Avengers	41
2002	Dallas Vigilantes	47	Indiana Firebirds	46
2002	Carolina Cobras	72	Grand Rapids Rampage	64
	Quarter-Finals
2002	Orlando Predators	49	New Jersey Gladiators	46
2002	San Jose Sabercats	55	Tampa Bay Storm	48
2002	Arizona Rattlers	61	Carolina Cobras	59
2002	Chicago Rush	60	Dallas Vigilantes	47
	Semi-Finals
2002	San Jose Sabercats	52	Orlando Predators	40
2002	Arizona Rattlers	46	Chicago Rush	35
	Arena Bowl XVI
2002	San Jose Sabercats	52	Arizona Rattlers	14

AFL 2003

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
AMERICAN CONFERENCE
Central Division
*Dallas Vigilantes	16	10	6	0	910	875	.625
*Grand Rapids Rampage	16	8	8	0	925	848	.500
*Chicago Rush	16	8	8	0	785	752	.500
Indiana Firebirds	16	6	10	0	774	831	.375
Western Division
*San Jose Sabercats	16	12	4	0	966	781	.750
*Los Angeles Avengers	16	11	5	0	924	802	.688
*Arizona Rattlers	16	10	6	0	917	842	.625
Colorado Crush	16	2	14	0	748	958	.125
NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Eastern Division
*New York Dragons	16	8	8	0	857	825	.500
*Detroit Fury	16	8	8	0	799	819	.500
*Las Vegas Outlaws	16	8	8	0	756	821	.500
Buffalo Destroyers	16	5	11	0	554	751	.313
Southern Division
*Tampa Bay Storm	16	12	4	0	849	689	.750
*Orlando Predators	16	12	4	0	805	670	.750
*Georgia Force	16	8	8	0	731	701	.500
Carolina Cobras	16	0	16	0	551	886	.000

Date	Home Team		Away Team
	First Round
2003	Georgia Force	55	Dallas Vigilantes	49
2003	Detroit Fury	48	Grand Rapids Rampage	54
2003	New York Dragons	48	Chicago Rush	45
2003	Arizona Rattlers	69	Las Vegas Outlaws	26
	Quarter-Finals
2003	Tampa Bay Storm	52	Detroit Fury	48
2003	San Jose Sabercats	69	Georgia Force	48
2003	Orlando Predators	69	New York Dragons	62
2003	Arizona Rattlers	70	Los Angeles Avengers	63
	Semi-Finals
2003	Tampa Bay Storm	60	Orlando Predators	50
2003	Arizona Rattlers	66	San Jose Sabercats	49
	Arena Bowl XVII
2003	Tampa Bay Storm	43	Arizona Rattlers	29

AFL 2004

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
AMERICAN CONFERENCE
Central Division
*Chicago Rush	16	11	5	0	847	727	.688
*Colorado Crush	16	11	5	0	793	744	.688
Indiana Firebirds	16	8	8	0	801	743	.500
Detroit Fury	16	5	11	0	761	854	.313
Grand Rapids Rampage	16	1	15	0	581	871	.063
Western Division
*Arizona Rattlers	16	11	5	0	836	738	.688
*San Jose Sabercats	16	11	5	0	885	754	.688
*Los Angeles Avengers	16	9	7	0	904	811	.563
Las Vegas Gladiators	16	8	8	0	868	791	.500
NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Eastern Division
*New York Dragons	16	9	7	0	849	770	.563
Carolina Cobras	16	6	10	0	735	868	.375
Columbus Destroyers	16	6	10	0	791	862	.375
Dallas Vigilantes	16	6	10	0	782	655	.375
Philadelphia Soul	16	5	11	0	737	796	.313
Southern Division
*New Orleans Voodoo	16	11	5	0	723	721	.688
*Orlando Predators	16	10	6	0	777	690	.625
*Tampa Bay Storm	16	9	7	0	815	799	.563
Austin Wranglers	16	8	8	0	764	793	.500
Georgia Force	16	7	9	0	710	772	.438

Date	Home Team		Away Team
	Quarter-Finals
2004	San Jose Sabercats	56	Tampa Bay Storm	52
2004	Chicago Rush	59	Orlando Predators	49
2004	Colorado Crush	47	New Orleans Voodoo	44
2004	Arizona Rattlers	59	Los Angeles Avengers	42
	Semi-Finals
2004	San Jose Sabercats	49	Chicago Rush	35
2004	Arizona Rattlers	45	Colorado Crush	41
	Arena Bowl XVIII
2004	San Jose Sabercats	69	Arizona Rattlers	62

AFL 2005

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
AMERICAN CONFERENCE
Central Division
*Colorado Crush	16	10	6	0	873	871	.625
*Chicago Rush	16	9	7	0	788	764	.563
Nashville Kats	16	6	9	1	688	715	.406
Grand Rapids Rampage	16	4	12	0	761	932	.250
Western Division
*Los Angeles Avengers	16	10	6	0	861	813	.625
*San Jose Sabercats	16	9	7	0	945	821	.563
Las Vegas Gladiators	16	8	8	0	790	781	.500
Arizona Rattlers	16	7	9	0	816	793	.438
NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Eastern Division
*New York Dragons	16	10	6	0	862	798	.625
Dallas Vigilantes	16	8	7	1	888	825	.531
Philadelphia Soul	16	6	10	0	852	905	.375
Columbus Destroyers	16	2	14	0	718	908	.125
Southern Division
*Georgia Force	16	11	5	0	818	745	.688
*Orlando Predators	16	10	6	0	800	755	.625
*Tampa Bay Storm	16	10	6	0	836	779	.625
New Orleans Voodoo	16	9	7	0	835	787	.563
Austin Wranglers	16	6	10	0	774	890	.375

Date	Home Team		Away Team
	Quarter-Finals
2005	Colorado Crush	56	San Jose Sabercats	46
2005	Georgia Force	62	Tampa Bay Storm	46
2005	Orlando Predators	47	New York Dragons	42
2005	Chicago Rush	52	Los Angeles Avengers	45
	Semi-Finals
2005	Georgia Force	60	Orlando Predators	58
2005	Colorado Crush	49	Chicago Rush	43 ot
	Arena Bowl XIX
2005	Colorado Crush	51	Georgia Force	48

AFL 2006

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
AMERICAN CONFERENCE
Central Division
*Colorado Crush	16	11	5	0	903	833	.688
*Nashville Kats	16	8	8	0	818	799	.500
*Chicago Rush	16	7	9	0	825	834	.438
Grand Rapids Rampage	16	5	11	0	722	875	.313
Western Division
*San Jose Sabercats	16	10	6	0	898	849	.625
*Arizona Rattlers	16	8	8	0	774	756	.500
*Utah Blaze	16	7	9	0	871	904	.438
Las Vegas Gladiators	16	5	11	0	769	895	.313
Los Angeles Avengers	16	5	11	0	809	906	.313
NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Eastern Division
*Dallas Vigilantes	16	13	3	0	929	710	.813
*New York Dragons	16	10	6	0	848	887	.625
*Philadelphia Soul	16	9	7	0	777	747	.563
Columbus Destroyers	16	8	8	0	724	717	.500
Southern Division
*Orlando Predators	16	10	6	0	816	760	.625
*Austin Wranglers	16	10	6	0	816	757	.625
Georgia Force	16	8	8	0	855	735	.500
Tampa Bay Storm	16	7	9	0	810	862	.438
Kansas City Brigade	16	3	13	0	704	842	.188

Date	Home Team		Away Team
	Wildcard Round
2006	Arizona Rattlers	57	Utah Blaze	34
2006	Philadelphia Soul	52	Austin Wranglers	35
2006	Chicago Rush	55	Nashville Kats	47
2006	Georgia Force	72	New York Dragons	69
	Divisional Round
2006	Dallas Vigilantes	62	Georgia Force	27
2006	San Jose Sabercats	62	Arizona Rattlers	48
2006	Chicago Rush	63	Colorado Crush	46
2006	Orlando Pedators	31	Philadelphia Soul	27
	Conference Championship
2006	Chicago Rush	59	San Jose Sabercats	56
2006	Orlando Predators	45	Dallas Vigilantes	28
	Arena Bowl XX
2006	Chicago Rush	69	Orlando Predators	61

AFL 2007

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
AMERICAN CONFERENCE
Central Division
*Chicago Rush	16	12	4	0	869	719	.750
*Kansas City Brigade	16	10	6	0	840	776	.625
*Colorado Crush	16	8	8	0	793	858	.500
Nashville Kats	16	7	9	0	851	876	.438
Grand Rapids Rampage	16	4	12	0	835	1014	.250
Western Division
*San Jose Sabercats	16	13	3	0	1012	761	.813
*Los Angeles Avengers	16	9	7	0	843	848	.563
*Utah Blaze	16	8	8	0	955	933	.500
Arizona Rattlers	16	4	12	0	846	915	.250
Las Vegas Gladiators	16	2	14	0	701	986	.125
NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Eastern Division
*Dallas Vigilantes	16	15	1	0	1016	806	.938
*Philadelphia Soul	16	8	8	0	900	835	.500
*Columbus Destroyers	16	7	9	0	802	793	.438
New York Dragons	16	5	11	0	787	967	.313
Southern Division
*Georgia Force	16	14	2	0	1007	836	.875
*Tampa Bay Storm	16	9	7	0	809	825	.563
*Orlando Predators	16	8	8	0	814	766	.500
New Orleans Voodoo	16	5	11	0	833	928	.313
Austin Wranglers	16	4	12	0	879	950	.250

Date	Home Team		Away Team
	Wildcard Round
2007	Philadelphia Soul	41	Orlando Predators	26
2007	Columbus Destroyers	56	Tampa Bay Storm	55
2007	Colorado Crush	49	Kansas City Brigade	42
2007	Los Angeles Avengers	64	Utah Blaze	42
	Divisional Round
2007	San Jose Sabercats	76	Colorado Crush	67
2007	Columbus Destroyers	66	Dallas Vigilantes	59
2007	Georgia Force	65	Philadelphia Soul	39
2007	Chicago Rush	52	Los Angeles Avengers	20
	Conference Championships
2007	Columbus Detroyers	66	Georgia Force	56
2007	San Jose Sabercats	61	Chicago Rush	49
	Arena Bowl XXI
2007	San Jose Sabercats	55	Columbus Destroyers	33

AFL 2008

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
AMERICAN CONFERENCE
Central Division
*Chicago Rush	16	11	5	0	926	765	.688
*Colorado Crush	16	6	10	0	847	909	.375
*Grand Rapids Rampage	16	6	10	0	952	968	.375
Kansas City Brigade	16	3	13	0	752	923	.188
Western Division
*San Jose Sabercts	16	11	5	0	945	875	.688
*Arizona Rattlers	16	8	8	0	842	907	.500
*Utah Blaze	16	6	10	0	941	959	.375
Los Angeles Avengers	16	5	11	0	847	1004	.313
NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Eastern Division
*Philadelphia Soul	16	13	3	0	992	810	.813
*Dallas Vigilantes	16	12	4	0	861	798	.750
*Cleveland Gladiators	16	9	7	0	901	895	.563
*New York Dragons	16	8	8	0	822	819	.500
Columbus Destroyers	16	3	13	0	750	893	.188
Southern Division
*Georgia Force	16	10	6	0	927	848	.625
*Orlando Predators	16	9	7	0	881	898	.563
New Orleans Voodoo	16	8	8	0	893	835	.500
Tampa Bay Storm	16	8	8	0	903	876	.500

Date	Home Team		Away Team
	Wildcard Round
2008	Dallas Vigilantes	63	New York Dragons	77
2008	Utah Blaze	44	Colorado Crush	49
2008	Arizona Rattlers	41	Grand Rapids Rampage	48
2008	Cleveland Gladiators	69	Orlando Predators	66
	Divisional Round
2008	San Jose Sabercats	64	Colorado Crush	51
2008	Philadelphia Soul	49	New York Dragons	48
2008	Chicago Rush	41	Grand Rapids Rampage	58
2008	Georgia Force	70	Cleveland Gladiators	73
	Conference Championships
2008	Philadelphia Soul	70	Cleveland Gladiators	35
2008	San Jose Sabercats	81	Grand Rapids Rampage	55
	Arena Bowl XXI
2008	Philadelphia Soul	59	San Jose Sabercats	56

About the AFL

The Arena Football League was the original Indoor or Arena American Football League, established in 1986. After the court ruling in 1998 that its patent (awarded in 1989) only referred to the rebound nets either side of the goalposts, everything else was football, and not under copyright, as it was already in the common sphere.

This opened the door to rival Indoor Leagues, and in an attempt to see them off Arena Football League created Arena Football 2, an official Minor League. This was an over-expansion and coupled with the debts from the court case related to the patent, it incurred a legacy debt that left the League in no position to continue after 2019.

About Arena / Indoor Football

Indoor Football, also known as Arena Football was developed in 1986 as an 8v8 form of Indoor American Football. After an initial few seasons where the game was developed with a 4 team league, a full seasons League with eventually over a dozen teams was developed in the 1990 which was considered by the Wall Street Journal to be a fifth major.

The Arena Football League over-expanded in the 2000s with a Minor League, and its importance (and number of teams) waned since it first experienced financial diffulties  in 2009, and it ceased operations after the 2019 season due to the legacy debt incurred.

There is now, however, Indoor Football Leagues all over America, all of which would now be considered Minor League or Semi-Pro (AAA, AA, or even A)

Indoor Football is played on a 50-yard field with two 8-yard endzones, and teams have 5 downs (attempts) to reach the endzone or the ball is turned over. 3 of those downs must be passing plays, making Indoor Football highly explosive and high scoring.

The main difference between Arena Football & Indoor Football is the rebound nets either side of the goalposts in Arena Football, which is the only part of the original patent given to the Arena Football League in 1989, that a subsequent ruling in 1998 ruled was copyright, the rest being Football already in other leagues.

References:

Sources:

[1] Arena Football League (2016) 2016 Record and Factbook pp. 83-99.

Images

[2] Arena Football League (2019) Arena Football League Reveals New Logo [Internet] Available from: https://snagfilms-a.akamaihd.net/0000015a-a977-d135-adda-fb7fb65f0000/images/c3/b8/20eb27b6418aa78b71d4679d2988/1545950679236_1545950297199_viewliftarticle_16x9images_16x9Images.png [Accessed 17 September 2019]

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Todd Zboyan, Tim Leadingham. Bart Barden & Sam Thompson.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 20 February 2020

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2020

You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Resereved.