East Division (AFL)

The East Division was a division of the Arena Football League's American Conference. It was first formed in 1995 as part of the National Conference when expansion led to the creation of divisions.

East
FormerlyEastern Division, as a member of the National Conference
ConferenceAmerican Conference
LeagueArena Football League
SportArena Football
Founded1995
Inaugural season1995
Most recent
champion(s)		Philadelphia Soul (4th title)
Most titlesAlbany Firebirds (5 titles)

Since the division's enfranchisement in 1995, as the Eastern Division of the National Conference, the division sent representatives to five ArenaBowls (most recently the Philadelphia Soul in 2013's ArenaBowl XXVI), with two wins (most recently the Philadelphia Soul in 2008's ArenaBowl XXII).

Division lineups

1995–1996

Eastern Division in the 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

  • Albany Firebirds
  • New Jersey Red Dogs
  • New York Cityhawks

Nashville moved to National Conference's Southern Division.

1999–2000

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

  • Buffalo Destroyers
  • New Jersey Gladiators
  • New York Dragons
  • Toronto Phantoms

Carolina moved back to Southern Division.

2003

  • Buffalo Destroyers
  • Detroit Fury
  • Las Vegas Gladiators
  • New York Dragons

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

  • Columbus Destroyers
  • Dallas Desperados
  • New York Dragons
  • Philadelphia Soul

Carolina Cobras folded.

2008

  • Cleveland Gladiators
  • Columbus Destroyers
  • Dallas Desperados
  • New York Dragons
  • Philadelphia Soul

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.

2011–2012

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

  • Cleveland Gladiators
  • Philadelphia Soul
  • Pittsburgh Power

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.

Due to the reduced number of participating teams, all AFL conferences and divisions were discontinued after the 2015 season.

Division champions
SeasonTeamRecordPlayoff Results
National Conference
Eastern Division
1995Albany Firebirds7–5Won Quarterfinals (at Stampede) 51–49
Lost Semifinals (at Storm) 49–56
1996Albany Firebirds10–4Won Quarterfinals (Mustangs) 70–58
Lost Semifinals (at Barnstormers) 55–62
1997Nashville Kats10–4Lost Quarterfinals (Storm) 49–52
1998Albany Firebirds10–4Lost Quarterfinals (Red Dogs) 59–66
1999Albany Firebirds11–3Won Quarterfinals (Rampage) 55–45
Won Semifinals (Rattlers) 73–47
Won ArenaBowl XIII (Predators) 59–48
2000Albany Firebirds9–5Lost Quarterfinals (Rattlers) 50–53
2001Toronto Phantoms8–6Won Wild Card Round (Dragons) 64–57
Lost Quarterfinals (at Kats) 38–45
2002New Jersey Gladiators9–5Lost Quarterfinals (Predators) 46–49
2003New York Dragons8–8Won Wild Card Round (Rush) 48–45
Lost Quarterfinals (at Predators) 62–69
2004New York Dragons†9–7Did not qualify
2005New York Dragons10–6Lost NC Semifinals (Predators) 42–47
2006Dallas Desperados13–3Won NC Divisional Playoffs (Force) 62–27
Lost NC Championship (Predators) 28–45
2007Dallas Desperados15–1Lost NC Divisional Playoffs (Destroyers) 59–66
2008Philadelphia Soul13–3Won NC Divisional Playoffs (Dragons) 49–48
Won NC Championship (Gladiators) 70–35
Won ArenaBowl XXII (vs. SaberCats) 59–56
American Conference
Southwest Division
2010Tulsa Talons10–6Lost AC Semifinals (Storm) 38–68
East Division
2011Cleveland Gladiators[1]10–8Lost AC Semifinals (Force) 41–50
2012Philadelphia Soul[2]15–3Won AC Semifinals (VooDoo) 66–53
Won AC Championship (Sharks) 89–34
Lost ArenaBowl XXV (vs. Rattlers) 54–72
2013Philadelphia Soul[3]12–6Won AC Semifinals (Predators) 59–55
Won AC Championship (at Sharks) 75–59
Lost ArenaBowl XXVI (vs. Rattlers) 38–49
2014Cleveland Gladiators[4]17–1Won AC Semifinals (Soul) 39–37
Won AC Championship (Predators) 56–46
Lost ArenaBowl XXVII (Rattlers) 32–72
2015Philadelphia Soul15–3Won AC Semifinals (Gladiators) 47–35
Lost AC Championship (Sharks) 56–61
  • † – Despite winning the division in 2004, the New York Dragons failed to qualify for the playoffs.

Wild Card qualifiers
SeasonTeamRecordPlayoff Results
National Conference
Eastern Division
1997New Jersey Red Dogs9-5Lost Quarterfinals (at Predators) 37–45
1998New Jersey Red Dogs8–6Won Quarterfinals (at Firebirds) 66–59
Lost Semifinals (at Storm) 23–49
2000New England Sea Wolves8–6Lost Wild Card Round (Wranglers) 38–52
Buffalo Destroyers5–9Lost Wild Card Round (at Rattlers) 34–41
2001New York Dragons8–6Lost Wild Card Round (at Phantoms) 57–64
Carolina Cobras7–7Lost Wild Card Round (at Firebirds) 41–58
2002Buffalo Destroyers6–8Lost Wild Card Round (at Predators) 27–32
2003Detroit Fury8–8Won Wild Card Round (at Rampage) 55–54
Lost Quarterfinals (at Storm) 48–52
Las Vegas Gladiators8–8Lost Wild Card Round (at Rattlers) 26–69
2006New York Dragons10–6Lost NC Wild Card Playoffs (Force) 69–72
Philadelphia Soul9–7Won NC Wild Card Playoffs (at Wranglers) 52–35
Lost NC Divisional Playoffs (at Predators) 27–31
2007Philadelphia Soul8–8Won NC Wild Card Playoffs (Predators) 41–26
Lost NC Divisional Playoffs (at Force) 39–65
Columbus Destroyers7–9Won Wild Card Playoffs (at Storm) 56–55
Won NC Divisional Playoffs (at Desperados) 66–59
Won NC Championship (at Force) 66–56
Lost ArenaBowl XXI (vs. SaberCats) 33–55
2008Dallas Desperados12-4Lost NC Wild Card Playoffs (Dragons) 63–77
Cleveland Gladiators9–7Won NC Wild Card Playoffs (Predators) 69–66
Won NC Divisional Playoffs (at Force) 73–70
Lost NC Championship (at Soul) 35–70
New York Dragons8–8Won Wild Card Playoffs (at Desperados) 77–63
Lost NC Divisional Playoffs (at Soul) 48–49
American Conference
2014Pittsburgh Power15–3Lost AC Semifinals (at Predators) 48–56
Philadelphia Soul9–9Lost AC Semifinals (at Gladiators) 37–39
2015Cleveland Gladiators8–10Lost AC Semifinals (at Soul) 35–47

Season results
Denotes team that won the ArenaBowl
Denotes team that won a Conference Championship, but lost ArenaBowl
Denotes team that qualified for the Playoffs
SeasonTeam (record)
1st2nd3rd4th5th
1995 Albany (7–5) Charlotte (5–7) Connecticut (1–11)
1996 Albany (10–4) Charlotte (5–9) Connecticut (2–12)
1997 Nashville (10–4) New Jersey (9–5) Albany (6–8) New York (2–12)
1998 Albany (10–4) New Jersey (8–6) New York (3–11)
1999 Albany (10–4) New Jersey (6–8) New England (5–9) Buffalo (1–13)
2000 Albany (9–5) New England (8–6) Buffalo (5–9) New Jersey (4–10)
2001 Toronto (8–6) New York (8–6) Carolina (7–7) Buffalo (6–8) New Jersey (2–12)
  • 2002: Carolina left to rejoin the Southern Division.
2002 New Jersey (9–5) Buffalo (6–8) Toronto (5–9) New York (3–11)
2003 New York (8–8) Detroit (8–8) Las Vegas (8–8) Buffalo (5–11)
2004 New York (9–7) Carolina (6–10) Dallas (6–10) Columbus (6–10) Philadelphia (5–11)
  • 2005: Carolina folded.
2005 New York (10–6) Dallas (8–7–1) Philadelphia (6–10) Columbus (2–14)
2006 Dallas (13–3) New York (10–6) Philadelphia (9–7) Columbus (8–8)
2007 Dallas (15–1) Philadelphia (8–8) Columbus (7–9) New York (5–11)
  • 2008: Las Vegas, who relocated and became the Cleveland Gladiators, rejoined from the American Conference's Western Division. 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, Cleveland joined the Central Division (now part of the National Conference) for the 2010 season when that division was known as the Midwest Division.
2008 Philadelphia (13–3) Dallas (12–4) Cleveland (9–7) New York (8–8) Columbus (3–13)
2010 Tulsa (10–6) Oklahoma City (6–10) Dallas (3–13) Bossier–Shreveport (3–13)
  • 2011: The Southwest Division changed its name back to Eastern Division. Bossier-Shreveport who relocated and became the New Orleans VooDoo, left to join the Southern Division. Cleveland rejoined from the National Conference's Central Division (known as Midwest in 2010). Milwaukee Iron, who were renamed the Milwaukee Mustangs, also joined from the Central Division. Dallas and Tulsa left to join the Central Division. Oklahoma City folded. Philadelphia Soul returned. Pittsburgh Power enfranchised.
2011 Cleveland (10–8) Pittsburgh (9–9) Milwaukee (7–11) Philadelphia (6–12)
2012 Philadelphia (15–3) Cleveland (8–10) Milwaukee (5–13) Pittsburgh (5–13)
  • 2013: Milwaukee suspended operations.
2013 Philadelphia (12–6) Cleveland (4–14) Pittsburgh (4–14)
  • 2014: Iowa joined from the National Conference's Central Division.
2014 Cleveland (17–1) Pittsburgh (15–3) Philadelphia (9–9) Iowa (6–12)
  • 2015: Iowa left to play in the IFL and Pittsburgh folded because of low attendance. New Orleans rejoined from the Southern Division.
2015 Philadelphia (15–3) Cleveland (8–10) New Orleans (3–14–1)

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. Archived from the original on July 4, 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.
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