2013 Arena Football League season
The 2013 Arena Football League season was the twenty-sixth season in the history of the league. The regular season began on March 23, 2013 with a five-game slate, the first of which to kickoff being between the Utah Blaze and the Pittsburgh Power, and ended on July 27, 2013 with the Utah Blaze and Cleveland Gladiators as the last game to kickoff.[1][2] The Arizona Rattlers defeated the Philadelphia Soul by a 48–39 score in ArenaBowl XXVI to conclude the league's playoffs.[3]
League business
Teams
The league dropped to 14 teams during the offseason. The Kansas City Command ceased operations on August 23, 2012,[4] as well as the Georgia Force on October 14, 2012.[5] The Milwaukee Mustangs suspended operations for 2013, eyeing a return to play in the 2014 season.[6]
Television
It was announced on November 13, 2012 that the league had reached an agreement with CBS Sports Network to air 19 regular season games, as well as two playoff games. The network is scheduled to air the league's "game of the week" each Saturday. The main CBS network will televise ArenaBowl XXVI on August 17, 2013.[3]
Regular season standings
Eight teams qualify for the playoffs: four teams from each conference, of which two are division champions and the other two have the best records of the teams remaining.[7]
- Green indicates clinched playoff berth
- Blue indicates division champion
- Gray indicates division champion and conference's best record
Tie-breakers
- a Cleveland finished in second place in the East Division based on their greater point differential in head-to-head competition with Pittsburgh.
- b Jacksonville clinched the American Conference's No. 1 seed based on their win over Philadelphia.
- c Orlando clinched the American Conference's No. 3 seed based on a greater conference record than Tampa Bay.
- d Chicago clinched the Central Division based on their greater point differential in games against common opponents with San Antonio.
Playoffs
| Conference Semifinals
| | | Conference Championship
| | | ArenaBowl XXVI
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | |
| 1
| Jacksonville
| 69
| |
|
| 4
| Tampa Bay
| 62
| |
| | 1
| Jacksonville
| 59
| |
| American Conference
|
| | 2
| Philadelphia
| 75
| |
| 2
| Philadelphia
| 59
| |
| |
| 3
| Orlando
| 55
| |
| | A2
| Philadelphia
| 39
| |
|
|
| | N1
| Arizona
| 48
| |
| 1
| Arizona
| 59
| | |
| |
| 4
| San Jose
| 49
| |
| | 1
| Arizona
| 65
| |
| National Conference
|
| | 3
| Spokane
| 57
| |
| 2
| Chicago
| 47
| |
| |
| 3
| Spokane
| 69
| |
|
|
- Note: Due to "arena conflicts," the Chicago Rush did not host the playoff game.[8]
Conference semifinals
Conference championships
ArenaBowl XXVI
Main article:
ArenaBowl XXVI
| Date |
Kickoff |
Away |
Home |
Final score |
Game site |
Recap |
| August 17 |
1:00 p.m. EDT |
Philadelphia Soul |
Arizona Rattlers |
Arizona, 48–39 |
Amway Center |
[15] |
References
- ↑ "AFL Announces 2013 Schedule". Arena Football League. November 13, 2012. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
- ↑ "2013 AFL Schedule" (PDF). Arena Football League. November 13, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
- 1 2 "AFL, CBS Sports Network Sign Two-Year TV Agreement". Arena Football League. November 13, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
- ↑ "Kansas City Command bows out; new team forms in new league – Kansas City Business Journal". Bizjournals.com. August 23, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
- ↑ "Force Fold". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. October 14, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
- ↑ "Milwaukee's AFL franchise announces that it will go dormant for the 2013 season". Milwaukee Mustangs. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
- ↑ "Playoff Qualification, Selection of Teams". Arenafootball.com. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
- ↑ "Week 19 AFL Playoff Scenarios (Updated 7/26, 4:15 PM)". Arenafan.com. July 21, 2013. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
- ↑ "Shock hold off the Rush in 69-47 win". Spokane Shock. Arenafan.com. August 2, 2013. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
- ↑ "Sharks Cap Incredible Comeback with 69-62 Win Over Storm". Jacksonville Sharks. Arenafan.com. August 4, 2013. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
- ↑ "Soul defeat Predators to advance, 59-55". Philadelphia Soul. Arenafan.com. August 4, 2013. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
- ↑ "SaberCats Fall 59-49 to Rattlers in Close One in the Desert". San Jose SaberCats. Arenafan.com. August 4, 2013. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
- ↑ "Sharks Fall to Soul in Conference Championship, 75-59". Jacksonville Sharks. Arenafan.com. August 10, 2013. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
- ↑ "Shock fall to the defending champs 65-57". Spokane Shock. Arenafan.com. August 11, 2013. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
- ↑ Jeff Sims (August 17, 2013). "Rattlers Repeat as ArenaBowl Champs". Arenafan.com. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
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| | American Conference | National Conference | |
| East Division | South Division | | | |
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| Central Division | West Division | | | |
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