East Division (AFL)

East
Conference American Conference
League Arena Football League
Sport Arena Football
Formerly Eastern Division, as a member of the National Conference
Founded 1995
Inaugural season 1995
No. of teams
  Cleveland Gladiators
  Philadelphia Soul
Most recent champion(s) Philadelphia Soul (4th title)
Most titles Albany Firebirds (5 titles)

The American Conference - East Division is a division of the Arena Football League's American Conference. There are currently three teams that reside in the division: Cleveland Gladiators of Cleveland, New Orleans VooDoo of New Orleans and the Philadelphia Soul of Philadelphia. It was first formed in 1995 as part of the National Conference when expansion brought up the current divisions.

Since the division's enfranchisement in 1995, the division has represented in 5 ArenaBowls and won 2 of them, with the most recent during the 2008 Arena Football League season by the Philadelphia Soul. The most recent appearance in the ArenaBowl by an East team was the Soul in ArenaBowl XXVI.

Division lineups

1995 and 1996

Creation of the Eastern Division as part of National Conference. Albany moved in from American Conference. Connecticut Coyotes enfranchised.

1997

Charlotte and Connecticut folded. Nashville, New Jersey, and New York are enfranchised.

1998

Nashville moved to National Conference's Southern Division.

1999 and 2000

Buffalo Destroyers enfranchised. New York moved to Hartford, Connecticut as New England Sea Wolves.

2001

As Indiana Firebirds, Albany moved to Indianapolis, Indiana as part of the American Conference's Central Division. Carolina moved in from Southern Division. Iowa Barnstormers moved to Uniondale, New York as New York Dragons. New England moved to Toronto as the Phantoms. New Jersey Red Dogs renamed the Gladiators.

2002

Carolina moved back to Southern Division.

2003

Detroit moved in from Central Division. New Jersey moved to Las Vegas. Toronto Phantoms folded.

2004

Buffalo moved to Columbus, Ohio. Dallas moved in from Central Division. Detroit moved back to Central Division as well. Las Vegas moved to American Conference's Western Division. Philadelphia Soul enfranchised.

2005–2007

Carolina Cobras folded.

2008

Las Vegas moved back from Western Division as Cleveland Gladiators. After the 2008 season, Columbus, Dallas, and New York folded while Philadelphia is suspended and the AFL is put on a one-year hiatus. Also, the Cleveland Gladiators joined the Central Division (now part of the National Conference) for the 2010 season when that division was known as the Midwest Division.

2010

The Eastern Division moved to the American Conference as Southwest Division for this season. Dallas Vigilantes enfranchised while the other three teams come from the defunct af2.

2011 and 2012

The Southwest Division changed its name back to Eastern Division. Bossier-Shreveport moved to New Orleans as the VooDoo. Cleveland Gladiators and Milwaukee Iron (renamed Mustangs) moved in from the Central Division (known as Midwest in 2010). Dallas and Tulsa moved to Central Division. Oklahoma City folded. Philadelphia Soul returned. Pittsburgh Power enfranchised.

2013

Milwaukee Mustangs suspended operations.

2014

Iowa joined the East Division after the League's expansion into Los Angeles and Portland, and the removal of the Utah Blaze and Chicago Rush.

2015

Iowa left to play in the Indoor Football League and Pittsburgh folded because of low attendance.

After 2015 Both conferences no longer have divisions. Philadelphia remains in the American Conference, but Cleveland moves to the National Conference. New Orleans folded due to lack of ownership.

Division champions

Season Team Record Playoff Results
1995 Albany Firebirds 7-5 Won AFL Quarterfinals, Lost AFL Semifinals
1996 Albany Firebirds 10-4 Won AFL Quarterfinals, Lost AFL Semifinals
1997 Nashville Kats 10–4 Lost AFL Quarterfinals
1998 Albany Firebirds 10–4 Lost AFL Quarterfinals
1999 Albany Firebirds 11–3 Won AFL Quarterfinals, Won AFL Semifinals, Won ArenaBowl XIII
2000 Albany Firebirds 9-5 Lost AFL Quarterfinals
2001 New York Dragons 8-6 Lost Wild Card
2002 New Jersey Gladiators 9–5 Lost AFL Quarterfinals
2003 New York Dragons 8-8 Won Wild Card, Lost AFL Quarterfinals
2004 New York Dragons† 9-7
2005 New York Dragons 10–6 Lost NC Semifinals
2006 Dallas Desperados 13-3 Won NC Semifinals, Lost NC Championship
2007 Dallas Desperados 15-1 Lost NC Semifinals
2008 Philadelphia Soul 13-3 Won NC Divisional, Won NC Championship, Won ArenaBowl XXII
2010 Tulsa Talons 10-6 Lost AC Semifinals
2011 Cleveland Gladiators[1] 10-8 Lost AC Semifinals
2012 Philadelphia Soul[2] 15-3 Won AC Semifinals, Won AC Championship, Lost ArenaBowl XXV
2013 Philadelphia Soul[3] 12–6 Won AC Semifinals, Won AC Championship, Lost ArenaBowl XXVI
2014 Cleveland Gladiators[4] 17-1 Won AC Semifinals, Won AC Championship, Lost ArenaBowl XXVII
2015 Philadelphia Soul 15-3 Won AC Semifinals, Lost AC Championship

Wild Card qualifiers

Season Team Record Playoff Results
1997 New Jersey Red Dogs9-5 Lost AFL Quarterfinals
1998 New Jersey Red Dogs8–6–0 Won AFL Quarterfinals, Lost AFL Semifinals
2000 New England Sea Wolves
Buffalo Destroyers 		8–6
5-9 		Lost Wild Card
Lost Wild Card
2001 Toronto Phantoms
Carolina Cobras 		8-6
7-7 		Won Wild Card, Lost AFL Quarterfinals
Lost Wild Card
2002 Buffalo Destroyers6-8 Lost Wild Card
2003 Detroit Fury
Las Vegas Gladiators 		8-8
8-8 		Won Wild Card, Lost AFL Quarterfinals
Lost Wild Card
2006 New York Dragons
Philadelphia Soul 		10–6
9-7 		Lost NC Wild Card
Won NC Wild Card, Lost NC Semifinals
2007 Philadelphia Soul
Columbus 		8-8
7-9 		Won NC Wild Card, Lost NC Semifinals
Won Wild Card, Won NC Semifinals, Won NC Championship, Lost ArenaBowl XXI
2008 Dallas Desperados
Cleveland Gladiators
New York Dragons 		12-4
9-7
8-8 		Lost NC Wild Card
Won NC Wild Card, Won NC Divisional, Lost NC Championship
Won Wild Card, Lost NC Divisional

References

  1. ↑ Dennis Manoloff (July 15, 2011). "Cleveland Gladiators clinch division, playoff spot with win over Pittsburgh Power". www.cleveland.com. Northeast Ohio Media Group LLC. Retrieved October 14, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Philadelphia Soul clinch home-field advantage". www.mcall.com. The Morning Call. June 19, 2012. Retrieved October 14, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Soul win fourth straight, clinch East Division". www.csnphilly.com. Comcast Sportsnet Philly L.P. June 29, 2013. Retrieved October 14, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Cleveland Gladiators to host first-round playoff game". www.cleveland.com. Northeast Ohio Media Group LLC. July 16, 2014. Retrieved July 18, 2014.

External links

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