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East Division (AFL)

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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
First 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

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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

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Season Team Record Playoff Results
National Conference
Eastern Division
1995 Albany Firebirds 7–5 Won Quarterfinals (at Stampede) 51–49
Lost Semifinals (at Storm) 49–56
1996 Albany Firebirds 10–4 Won Quarterfinals (Mustangs) 70–58
Lost Semifinals (at Barnstormers) 55–62
1997 Nashville Kats 10–4 Lost Quarterfinals (Storm) 49–52
1998 Albany Firebirds 10–4 Lost Quarterfinals (Red Dogs) 59–66
1999 Albany Firebirds 11–3 Won Quarterfinals (Rampage) 55–45
Won Semifinals (Rattlers) 73–47
Won ArenaBowl XIII (Predators) 59–48
2000 Albany Firebirds 9–5 Lost Quarterfinals (Rattlers) 50–53
2001 Toronto Phantoms 8–6 Won Wild Card Round (Dragons) 64–57
Lost Quarterfinals (at Kats) 38–45
2002 New Jersey Gladiators 9–5 Lost Quarterfinals (Predators) 46–49
2003 New York Dragons 8–8 Won Wild Card Round (Rush) 48–45
Lost Quarterfinals (at Predators) 62–69
2004 New York Dragons† 9–7 Did not qualify
2005 New York Dragons 10–6 Lost NC Semifinals (Predators) 42–47
2006 Dallas Desperados 13–3 Won NC Divisional Playoffs (Force) 62–27
Lost NC Championship (Predators) 28–45
2007 Dallas Desperados 15–1 Lost NC Divisional Playoffs (Destroyers) 59–66
2008 Philadelphia Soul 13–3 Won NC Divisional Playoffs (Dragons) 49–48
Won NC Championship (Gladiators) 70–35
Won ArenaBowl XXII (vs. SaberCats) 59–56
American Conference
Southwest Division
2010 Tulsa Talons 10–6 Lost AC Semifinals (Storm) 38–68
East Division
2011 Cleveland Gladiators[1] 10–8 Lost AC Semifinals (Force) 41–50
2012 Philadelphia Soul[2] 15–3 Won AC Semifinals (VooDoo) 66–53
Won AC Championship (Sharks) 89–34
Lost ArenaBowl XXV (vs. Rattlers) 54–72
2013 Philadelphia Soul[3] 12–6 Won AC Semifinals (Predators) 59–55
Won AC Championship (at Sharks) 75–59
Lost ArenaBowl XXVI (vs. Rattlers) 38–49
2014 Cleveland Gladiators[4] 17–1 Won AC Semifinals (Soul) 39–37
Won AC Championship (Predators) 56–46
Lost ArenaBowl XXVII (Rattlers) 32–72
2015 Philadelphia Soul 15–3 Won 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

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Season Team Record Playoff Results
National Conference
Eastern Division
1997 New Jersey Red Dogs 9-5 Lost Quarterfinals (at Predators) 37–45
1998 New Jersey Red Dogs 8–6 Won Quarterfinals (at Firebirds) 66–59
Lost Semifinals (at Storm) 23–49
2000 New England Sea Wolves 8–6 Lost Wild Card Round (Wranglers) 38–52
Buffalo Destroyers 5–9 Lost Wild Card Round (at Rattlers) 34–41
2001 New York Dragons 8–6 Lost Wild Card Round (at Phantoms) 57–64
Carolina Cobras 7–7 Lost Wild Card Round (at Firebirds) 41–58
2002 Buffalo Destroyers 6–8 Lost Wild Card Round (at Predators) 27–32
2003 Detroit Fury 8–8 Won Wild Card Round (at Rampage) 55–54
Lost Quarterfinals (at Storm) 48–52
Las Vegas Gladiators 8–8 Lost Wild Card Round (at Rattlers) 26–69
2006 New York Dragons 10–6 Lost NC Wild Card Playoffs (Force) 69–72
Philadelphia Soul 9–7 Won NC Wild Card Playoffs (at Wranglers) 52–35
Lost NC Divisional Playoffs (at Predators) 27–31
2007 Philadelphia Soul 8–8 Won NC Wild Card Playoffs (Predators) 41–26
Lost NC Divisional Playoffs (at Force) 39–65
Columbus Destroyers 7–9 Won 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
2008 Dallas Desperados 12-4 Lost NC Wild Card Playoffs (Dragons) 63–77
Cleveland Gladiators 9–7 Won NC Wild Card Playoffs (Predators) 69–66
Won NC Divisional Playoffs (at Force) 73–70
Lost NC Championship (at Soul) 35–70
New York Dragons 8–8 Won Wild Card Playoffs (at Desperados) 77–63
Lost NC Divisional Playoffs (at Soul) 48–49
American Conference
2014 Pittsburgh Power 15–3 Lost AC Semifinals (at Predators) 48–56
Philadelphia Soul 9–9 Lost AC Semifinals (at Gladiators) 37–39
2015 Cleveland Gladiators 8–10 Lost AC Semifinals (at Soul) 35–47

Season results

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Denotes team that won the ArenaBowl
Denotes team that won a Conference Championship, but lost ArenaBowl
Denotes team that qualified for the Playoffs
Season Team (record)
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
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

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  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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