West
ConferenceNational Conference
LeagueArena Football League
SportArena Football
Founded1992 (as the Western Division, as a member of the American Conference)
Most recent
champion(s)
Arizona Rattlers (10th title)
Most titlesArizona Rattlers (10 titles)

The Western Division was one of four divisions that previously made up the Arena Football League. The Western Division was formed in 1992 when the AFL first split into three divisions. The League used only conferences in 1993 and 1994, but returned to division play in 1995. Because the number of active AFL teams has decreased greatly in recent years, the league no longer uses divisions.

Division lineups

1992[1]

Creation of the Western Division. Arizona, Sacramento, and San Antonio are enfranchised. San Antonio folded in 1993 as the AFL realigned into the American/National conference format, suspending the Western Division (for two years) as well. Also in the 1993 season, Sacramento Attack joined the National Conference as they move to Miami, Florida as the Hooters.

1995[2]

The Western Division returned as an American Conference division. San Jose SaberCats enfranchised.

1996

Las Vegas moved to Anaheim as the Piranhas. Minnesota Fighting Pike enfranchised.

1997

  • Anaheim Piranhas
  • Arizona Rattlers
  • San Jose SaberCats

Minnesota folded.

1998–1999

  • Arizona Rattlers
  • Portland Forest Dragons
  • San Jose SaberCats

Anaheim folded. Portland moved in from the American Conference's Central Division.

2000

Los Angeles Avengers enfranchised. Portland moved to Oklahoma City as Oklahoma Wranglers.

2001

  • Arizona Rattlers
  • Houston Thunderbears
  • Los Angeles Avengers
  • Oklahoma Wranglers
  • San Jose SaberCats

Houston moved in from the Central Division.

2002

Dallas Desperados enfranchised. Houston and Oklahoma folded.

2003

  • Arizona Rattlers
  • Colorado Crush
  • Los Angeles Avengers
  • San Jose SaberCats

Colorado Crush enfranchised. Dallas moved to Central Division

2004–2005

Colorado moved to Central Division. Las Vegas moved in from National Conference's Eastern Division.

2006–2007

  • Arizona Rattlers
  • Las Vegas Gladiators
  • Los Angeles Avengers
  • San Jose SaberCats
  • Utah Blaze

Utah Blaze enfranchised.

2008

  • Arizona Rattlers
  • Los Angeles Avengers
  • San Jose SaberCats
  • Utah Blaze

Las Vegas moved to Cleveland, rejoining the Eastern Division. In 2009, the AFL was put on a one-year hiatus as Los Angeles Avengers folded, San Jose suspended, and Utah played for the AIFA's 2009 season.

2010

The Western Division moved to the National Conference. Spokane moved in from the now-defunct AF2. Utah moved back from AIFA.

2011–2013

  • Arizona Rattlers
  • San Jose SaberCats
  • Spokane Shock
  • Utah Blaze

San Jose returned.

2014

Los Angeles Kiss enfranchised, Utah folded, San Jose and Spokane moved to the Pacific Division.

2015

Las Vegas Outlaws enfranchised, San Antonio went dormant.

Divisions were discontinued after the 2015 season.

Division Champions

SeasonTeamRecordPlayoff Results
Western Division
1992Dallas Texans5–5Won Quarterfinals (Firebirds) 48–45
Lost Semifinals (at Drive) 14–57
American Conference
1995San Jose SaberCats8–4Lost Quarterfinals (Predators) 37–55
1996Arizona Rattlers11–3Won Quarterfinals (Predators) 65–48
Lost Semifinals (at Storm) 54–55
1997Arizona Rattlers12–2Won Quarterfinals (Mustangs) 46–29
Won Semifinals (Storm) 49–46 (OT)
Won ArenaBowl XI (Barnstormers) 55–33
1998Arizona Rattlers10–4Won Quarterfinals (Thunderbears) 50–36
Lost Semifinals (Predators) 33–38
1999Arizona Rattlers10–4Won Quarterfinals (Kats) 34–30
Lost Semifinals (at Firebirds) 47–73
2000San Jose SaberCats12–2Won Quarterfinals (Wranglers) 63–40
Lost Semifinals (Kats) 42–51
2001San Jose SaberCats10–4Won Quarterfinals (Rattlers) 68–49
Lost Semifinals (at Kats) 47–71
2002San Jose SaberCats13–1Won Quarterfinals (Storm) 55–48
Won Semifinals (Predators) 52–40
Won ArenaBowl XVI (Rattlers) 52–14
2003San Jose SaberCats12–4Won Quarterfinals (Force) 69–48
Lost Semifinals (Rattlers) 49–66
2004Arizona Rattlers11–5Won Quarterfinals (Avengers) 59–42
Won Semifinals (Crush) 45–41
Lost ArenaBowl XVIII (SaberCats) 62–69
2005Los Angeles Avengers10–6Lost AC Semifinals (Rush) 45–52
2006San Jose SaberCats10–6Won AC Divisional Playoffs (Rattlers) 62–48
Lost AC Championship (Rush) 56–59
2007San Jose SaberCats13–3Won AC Divisional Playoffs (Crush) 76–67
Won AC Championship (Rush) 61–49
Won ArenaBowl XXI (vs. Destroyers) 55–33
2008San Jose SaberCats11–5Won AC Divisional Playoffs (Crush) 64–51
Won AC Championship (Rampage) 81–55
Lost ArenaBowl XXII (vs. Soul) 56–59
National Conference
2010Spokane Shock13–3Won NC Semifinals (Rattlers) 57–49
Won NC Championship (Iron) 60–57
Won ArenaBowl XXIII (Storm) 69–57
2011Arizona Rattlers16–2Won NC Semifinals (Shock) 62–33
Won NC Championship (Rush) 54–48
Lost ArenaBowl XXIV (Sharks) 70–73
2012Arizona Rattlers13–5Won NC Semifinals (SaberCats) 51–48
Won NC Championship (Blaze) 75–69
Won ArenaBowl XXV (vs. Soul) 72–54
2013Arizona Rattlers15–3Won NC Semifinals (SaberCats) 59–49
Won NC Championship (Shock) 65–57
Won ArenaBowl XXVI (vs. Soul) 48–39
2014Arizona Rattlers15–3Won NC Semifinals (Shock) 55–28
Won NC Championship (SaberCats) 72–56
Won ArenaBowl XXVII (at Gladiators) 72–32
2015Arizona Rattlers14–4Won NC Semifinals (Shock) 72–41
Lost NC Championship (at SaberCats) 67–70

Wild Card qualifiers

SeasonTeamRecordPlayoff Results
Western Division
1992Sacramento Attack4–6Lost Quarterfinals (at Drive) 23–48
American Conference
1995Arizona Rattlers7–5Lost Quarterfinals (Barnstormers) 52–56
1996Anaheim Piranhas9–5Lost Quarterfinals (at Storm) 16–30
1997San Jose SaberCats8–6Lost Quarterfinals (at Barnstormers) 59–68
1998San Jose SaberCats7–7Lost Quarterfinals (at Storm) 46–65
2000Arizona Rattlers12–2Won Wild Card Round (Destroyers) 41–34
Won Quarterfinals (at Firebirds) 53–50
Lost Semifinals (at Predators) 44–56
Oklahoma Wranglers7–7Won Wild Card Round (at Sea Wolves) 52–38
Lost Quarterfinals (at SaberCats) 40–63
2001Arizona Rattlers8–6Won Wild Card Round (Fury) 52–44
Lost Quarterfinals (at SaberCats) 49–68
2002Arizona Rattlers11–3Won Quarterfinals (Cobras) 61–59
Won Semifinals (Rush) 46–35
Lost ArenaBowl XVI (at SaberCats) 14–52
Los Angeles Avengers8–6Lost Wild Card Round (Storm) 41–66
Dallas Desperados7–7Won Wild Card Round (Firebirds) 47–46
Lost Quarterfinals (at Rush) 47–60
2003Los Angeles Avengers11–5Lost Quarterfinals (Rattlers) 63–70
Arizona Rattlers10–6Won Wild Card Round (Gladiators) 69–26
Won Quarterfinals (at Avengers) 70–63
Won Semifinals (at SaberCats) 66–49
Lost ArenaBowl XVII (at Storm) 29–43
2004San Jose SaberCats11–5Won Quarterfinals (Storm) 56–52
Won Semifinals (Rush) 49–35
Won ArenaBowl XVIII (at Rattlers) 69–62
Los Angeles Avengers9–7Lost Quarterfinals (at Rattlers) 42–59
2005San Jose SaberCats9–7Lost AC Semifinals (at Crush) 48–56
2006Arizona Rattlers8–8Won AC Wild Card Playoffs (Blaze) 57–34
Lost AC Divisional Playoffs (at SaberCats) 48–62
Utah Blaze7–9Lost AC Wild Card Playoffs (at Rattlers) 34–57
2007Los Angeles Avengers9–7Won AC Wild Card Playoffs (Blaze) 64–42
Lost AC Divisional Playoffs (at Rush) 20–52
Utah Blaze8–8Lost AC Wild Card Playoffs (at Avengers) 42–64
2008Arizona Rattlers8–8Lost AC Wild Card Playoffs (Rampage) 41–48
Utah Blaze6–10Lost AC Wild Card Playoffs (Crush) 44–49
National Conference
2010Arizona Rattlers10–6Lost NC Semifinals (at Shock) 49–57
2011Spokane Shock9–9Lost NC Semifinals (at Rattlers) 33–62
2012San Jose SaberCats12–6Lost NC Semifinals (at Rattlers) 48–51
Utah Blaze12–6Won NC Semifinals (at Talons) 35–34
Lost NC Championship (at Rattlers) 69–75
2013Spokane Shock14–4Won NC Semifinals (at Rush) 69–47
Lost NC Championship (at Rattlers) 57–65
San Jose SaberCats13–5Lost NC Semifinals (at Rattlers) 49–59

References

  1. "1992 Season - Pro Football Archives". www.profootballarchives.com. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
  2. "1995 Season - Pro Football Archives". www.profootballarchives.com. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
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