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.

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)

Division lineups

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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

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Season Team Record Playoff Results
Western Division
1992 Dallas Texans 5–5 Won Quarterfinals (Firebirds) 48–45
Lost Semifinals (at Drive) 14–57
American Conference
1995 San Jose SaberCats 8–4 Lost Quarterfinals (Predators) 37–55
1996 Arizona Rattlers 11–3 Won Quarterfinals (Predators) 65–48
Lost Semifinals (at Storm) 54–55
1997 Arizona Rattlers 12–2 Won Quarterfinals (Mustangs) 46–29
Won Semifinals (Storm) 49–46 (OT)
Won ArenaBowl XI (Barnstormers) 55–33
1998 Arizona Rattlers 10–4 Won Quarterfinals (Thunderbears) 50–36
Lost Semifinals (Predators) 33–38
1999 Arizona Rattlers 10–4 Won Quarterfinals (Kats) 34–30
Lost Semifinals (at Firebirds) 47–73
2000 San Jose SaberCats 12–2 Won Quarterfinals (Wranglers) 63–40
Lost Semifinals (Kats) 42–51
2001 San Jose SaberCats 10–4 Won Quarterfinals (Rattlers) 68–49
Lost Semifinals (at Kats) 47–71
2002 San Jose SaberCats 13–1 Won Quarterfinals (Storm) 55–48
Won Semifinals (Predators) 52–40
Won ArenaBowl XVI (Rattlers) 52–14
2003 San Jose SaberCats 12–4 Won Quarterfinals (Force) 69–48
Lost Semifinals (Rattlers) 49–66
2004 Arizona Rattlers 11–5 Won Quarterfinals (Avengers) 59–42
Won Semifinals (Crush) 45–41
Lost ArenaBowl XVIII (SaberCats) 62–69
2005 Los Angeles Avengers 10–6 Lost AC Semifinals (Rush) 45–52
2006 San Jose SaberCats 10–6 Won AC Divisional Playoffs (Rattlers) 62–48
Lost AC Championship (Rush) 56–59
2007 San Jose SaberCats 13–3 Won AC Divisional Playoffs (Crush) 76–67
Won AC Championship (Rush) 61–49
Won ArenaBowl XXI (vs. Destroyers) 55–33
2008 San Jose SaberCats 11–5 Won AC Divisional Playoffs (Crush) 64–51
Won AC Championship (Rampage) 81–55
Lost ArenaBowl XXII (vs. Soul) 56–59
National Conference
2010 Spokane Shock 13–3 Won NC Semifinals (Rattlers) 57–49
Won NC Championship (Iron) 60–57
Won ArenaBowl XXIII (Storm) 69–57
2011 Arizona Rattlers 16–2 Won NC Semifinals (Shock) 62–33
Won NC Championship (Rush) 54–48
Lost ArenaBowl XXIV (Sharks) 70–73
2012 Arizona Rattlers 13–5 Won NC Semifinals (SaberCats) 51–48
Won NC Championship (Blaze) 75–69
Won ArenaBowl XXV (vs. Soul) 72–54
2013 Arizona Rattlers 15–3 Won NC Semifinals (SaberCats) 59–49
Won NC Championship (Shock) 65–57
Won ArenaBowl XXVI (vs. Soul) 48–39
2014 Arizona Rattlers 15–3 Won NC Semifinals (Shock) 55–28
Won NC Championship (SaberCats) 72–56
Won ArenaBowl XXVII (at Gladiators) 72–32
2015 Arizona Rattlers 14–4 Won NC Semifinals (Shock) 72–41
Lost NC Championship (at SaberCats) 67–70

Wild Card qualifiers

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Season Team Record Playoff Results
Western Division
1992 Sacramento Attack 4–6 Lost Quarterfinals (at Drive) 23–48
American Conference
1995 Arizona Rattlers 7–5 Lost Quarterfinals (Barnstormers) 52–56
1996 Anaheim Piranhas 9–5 Lost Quarterfinals (at Storm) 16–30
1997 San Jose SaberCats 8–6 Lost Quarterfinals (at Barnstormers) 59–68
1998 San Jose SaberCats 7–7 Lost Quarterfinals (at Storm) 46–65
2000 Arizona Rattlers 12–2 Won Wild Card Round (Destroyers) 41–34
Won Quarterfinals (at Firebirds) 53–50
Lost Semifinals (at Predators) 44–56
Oklahoma Wranglers 7–7 Won Wild Card Round (at Sea Wolves) 52–38
Lost Quarterfinals (at SaberCats) 40–63
2001 Arizona Rattlers 8–6 Won Wild Card Round (Fury) 52–44
Lost Quarterfinals (at SaberCats) 49–68
2002 Arizona Rattlers 11–3 Won Quarterfinals (Cobras) 61–59
Won Semifinals (Rush) 46–35
Lost ArenaBowl XVI (at SaberCats) 14–52
Los Angeles Avengers 8–6 Lost Wild Card Round (Storm) 41–66
Dallas Desperados 7–7 Won Wild Card Round (Firebirds) 47–46
Lost Quarterfinals (at Rush) 47–60
2003 Los Angeles Avengers 11–5 Lost Quarterfinals (Rattlers) 63–70
Arizona Rattlers 10–6 Won 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
2004 San Jose SaberCats 11–5 Won Quarterfinals (Storm) 56–52
Won Semifinals (Rush) 49–35
Won ArenaBowl XVIII (at Rattlers) 69–62
Los Angeles Avengers 9–7 Lost Quarterfinals (at Rattlers) 42–59
2005 San Jose SaberCats 9–7 Lost AC Semifinals (at Crush) 48–56
2006 Arizona Rattlers 8–8 Won AC Wild Card Playoffs (Blaze) 57–34
Lost AC Divisional Playoffs (at SaberCats) 48–62
Utah Blaze 7–9 Lost AC Wild Card Playoffs (at Rattlers) 34–57
2007 Los Angeles Avengers 9–7 Won AC Wild Card Playoffs (Blaze) 64–42
Lost AC Divisional Playoffs (at Rush) 20–52
Utah Blaze 8–8 Lost AC Wild Card Playoffs (at Avengers) 42–64
2008 Arizona Rattlers 8–8 Lost AC Wild Card Playoffs (Rampage) 41–48
Utah Blaze 6–10 Lost AC Wild Card Playoffs (Crush) 44–49
National Conference
2010 Arizona Rattlers 10–6 Lost NC Semifinals (at Shock) 49–57
2011 Spokane Shock 9–9 Lost NC Semifinals (at Rattlers) 33–62
2012 San Jose SaberCats 12–6 Lost NC Semifinals (at Rattlers) 48–51
Utah Blaze 12–6 Won NC Semifinals (at Talons) 35–34
Lost NC Championship (at Rattlers) 69–75
2013 Spokane Shock 14–4 Won NC Semifinals (at Rush) 69–47
Lost NC Championship (at Rattlers) 57–65
San Jose SaberCats 13–5 Lost NC Semifinals (at Rattlers) 49–59

References

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  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.