| ArenaBowl | |
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 The logo for ArenaBowl IX, the highest-attended ArenaBowl in AFL history. | |
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Debut Date: |
August 1st, 1987 |
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Highest Attendance: |
ArenaBowl IX (25,087) |
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Lowest Attendance: |
ArenaBowl XXXI (8,183) |
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Latest Winner: |
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The ArenaBowl is the championship game of the Arena Football League. Initially, the ArenaBowl was a game created to pit the two teams with the best record against one another, when the AFL only consisted of four teams. In the years that followed, it has become the ultimate game between two teams that survived the playoff format, which has changed sporadically throughout AFL history. The ArenaBowl was hosted by the team with the best regular season record or higher-seed in the playoffs from 1987 to 2004, 2010 and 2011, and 2014 to 2017. For the period between 2005 and 2008, and the 2012-2013 seasons, the ArenaBowl was played at a neutral site. For the 2018 season, it was announced that the team with the highest average attendance would host the ArenaBowl.
The ArenaBowl is traditionally played during the month of August, but has been played as early as June (2003-06) and as late as September (1994-95).
The First AFL Dynasties (1987-1993)[]
The debut ArenaBowl game in 1987 took place between the two teams with the best regular season record—the Denver Dynamite and Pittsburgh Gladiators. The game ended in a blowout, with the Dynamite overpowering the Gladiators 45-16. This final score would be the largest margin of defeat for a losing ArenaBowl contestant for the next twelve years, and the game featured prominent figures—namely Tim Marcum—that would serve as pedestals of efficiency for the early days of the AFL.
Jay Gruden taking a snap from under center in ArenaBowl V.
Among the first seven ArenaBowl games, four were won by teams coached by Tim Marcum; one with the Denver Dynamite, and three with the Detroit Drive, the first AFL dynasty and winningest football team in league history. Between ArenaBowls II and VII, the Drive appeared in all six games, winning four of the match-ups (one Drive team was coached by hall of fame coach Perry Moss). In both losses, the Drive fell to the Tampa Bay Storm, the team that was originally the Pittsburgh Gladiators, who appeared in and lost ArenaBowls I and III. Taking this into account, the first seven ArenaBowl games featured either one of or both the Detroit Drive or Pittsburgh Gladiators-turned-Tampa Bay Storm franchises.
In 1994, the Detroit Drive became the Massachusetts Marauders, then folded from the league after said season. This would leave the Tampa Bay Storm to continue their dominance within the league, appearing in three of the next five ArenaBowls, winning two of them. However, after the demise of the Detroit Drive, a new wave of would-be dynasties would appear as the league further expanded its total number of teams.
Rise of New Franchises (1992-2000)[]
It began with a familiar name: Perry Moss. Beginning in 1992, with ArenaBowl VI, the Orlando Predators became a consistent fixture within the ArenaBowl game, appearing in three ArenaBowls between then and 1995. Despite losing all three games, the Predators's success would give rise to multiple opportunities to bring home the Foster Trophy (named after AFL founder Jim Foster), and between 1998 and 2000, the Predators made three-straight ArenaBowl appearances, winning two of them. By 2000, the Predators were tied with the Detroit Drive for most ArenaBowl appearances by a franchise with six, behind only the Tampa Bay Storm (seven) for first place.
Coach Danny White talking with quarterback Donnie Davis during ArenaBowl XI.
Two other noteworthy franchises during this era were the Arizona Rattlers and Iowa Barnstormers, the latter peaking and fizzling out rather quickly. The Rattlers didn't have the staying power of previously-discussed franchises within the ArenaBowl, but when they did make it, they won. Appearing in ArenaBowls VIII and XI, they won against the Orlando Predators and Iowa Barnstormers, the second by three scores. Only six years into their existence, the Rattlers were 2-0 in ArenaBowl match-ups. The prevalent rise of the Iowa Barnstormers was brought on by the signing of future NFL Hall of Famer Kurt Warner, who started for the franchise their first three years, instrumenting a high-velocity offense that seemed unstoppable. In consecutive years, the Barnstormers used the might of their power to reach ArenaBowls X and XI, but lost each contest to the Tampa Bay Storm and Arizona Rattlers, scoring less than forty points in each game. Whether the team was just a flash in the pan or otherwise, their small window of dominance was one that was rare for a franchise so young.
Within the first seven ArenaBowls, the two true dynasties consisted of the Detroit Drive and Tampa Bay Storm. The next six ArenaBowls onward—and to some extent prior—the Tampa Bay Storm continued their winning ways while newcomers in the Orlando Predators, Arizona Rattlers, and Iowa Barnstormers threatened to take the top spot. Of the first thirteen ArenaBowl games, all of them featured at least one of these teams; nine ArenaBowls featured two of them.
Parity and Modern Dynasties (2000-2008)[]
The winner of the first ArenaBowl game was the Denver Dynamite, but they weren't the only outliers to appear in an ArenaBowl game. In ArenaBowl II, the Detroit Drive faced the Chicago Bruisers in a low-scoring affair. ArenaBowl IV: The Dallas Texans get hammered by, again, the Detroit Drive. Many years later, in ArenaBowl XIII, the Albany Firebirds defeat the Orlando Predators to achieve their first and only ArenaBowl title in franchise history. The Firebirds's victory would serve as a predecessor for the emerging prevalence of newcomer franchises making it to the big game, though not before other franchises find their footing and assert their power in a new era of arena football.
The turn of the 21st century would see the rise of the San Jose SaberCats as an AFL superpower, appearing in four ArenaBowls between 2002 and 2008, winning three of them (two against their eventual division rival Arizona Rattlers). With them, the storied franchises of the past gained additional hardware for their trophy cases, with the Tampa Bay Storm winning ArenaBowl XVII and the Orlando Predators winning ArenaBowl XIV, along with an appearance in ArenaBowl XX. While never winning an ArenaBowl during the course of the 2000's, the Arizona Rattlers appeared in three-straight ArenaBowl games between 2002 and 2004, losing against the SaberCats twice and the Tampa Bay Storm.
Wide receiver Bobby Sippio hurdling over defensive back Kenny McEntyre in ArenaBowl XX.
What the ArenaBowl match-ups of the 2000's brought more than the previous decade were teams of destiny that could only manage ArenaBowl victories or appearances in very short time-spans. For example, the participants of ArenaBowl XV were the Nashville Kats and Grand Rapids Rampage, the former losing the previous ArenaBowl against the Orlando Predators in their first appearance in the championship game, and the latter having never won a playoff game before or since that year in the league. These surprise teams would be a semi-regular occurrence during the course of the 2000's, with six teams making the ArenaBowl for the first time during the debut decade of the 21st century. (With the AFL suspending operations for the 2009 season, this decade only includes nine total seasons.)
Like ArenaBowl XV, ArenaBowl XIX featured two teams that were not normally associated with the giants of the AFL. A battle between the Colorado Crush and the Georgia Force, the Crush came out victorious in a 48-51 struggle that saw Crush head coach Mike Dailey win his second ArenaBowl title as head coach, with his first with the Firebirds six years prior. Other noteworthy ArenaBowl participants during this decade include the Columbus Destroyers, who had never posted a winning season in franchise history (the team was 7-9 in ArenaBowl XXI), the Philadelphia Soul, and the Chicago Rush, whose victory in ArenaBowl XX was only one of two times in AFL history that a team with a losing record won an ArenaBowl title (7-9).
Rattlers' Venom and a Declining League (2010-Present)[]
After resuming operations following a 2009 blackout, the AFL incorporated a number of af2 teams into the league to make up for a number of franchises that had chosen to stay inactive. With many new faces within the AFL, chances were likely that the teams that made up ArenaBowl match cards would include first-timers. While this would prove true near the beginning, a specific franchise would find the formula for success at just the right time, leading to years of domination reminiscent of the Detroit Drive of old.
The Arizona Rattlers's record in ArenaBowls by the 2010 season was 2-3; commendable as it is to even reach the title game five times, the franchise hadn't won the game since 1997, despite three additional appearances thereafter. From 2010 to 2016, the Arizona Rattlers had the most successful seven-season stretch in franchise history, and among the most dominant dynasties in AFL history. In that span, the Rattlers appeared in five ArenaBowl games, winning three consecutive ArenaBowl titles between 2012 and 2014, tying an AFL record with the Detroit Drive. By the time the franchise moved out of the AFL following the 2016 season, they had the most ArenaBowl appearances by a franchise in AFL history with ten—until 2017, when the Tampa Bay Storm tied that record.
An extra point attempt during ArenaBowl XXIV.
The new decade started with an anomaly: ArenaBowl XXIII was won by the Spokane Shock, a team that had just assimilated into the AFL from the af2 that same year. They defeated the Tampa Bay Storm to do it. Spokane would not reach the title game again, paving the way for new teams to take the lead. Outside the Arizona Rattlers, the teams that would make their mark on AFL history during the 2010's include the Jacksonville Sharks, Philadelphia Soul, and the Cleveland Gladiators in another anomaly season. The Jacksonville Sharks were one of two teams to beat the Arizona Rattlers in an ArenaBowl during this decade, with Aaron Garcia winning ArenaBowl XXIV in the final seconds for the Sharks. They would also appear in ArenaBowl XXVIII in a losing effort against the San Jose SaberCats. 2014 saw the generally mediocre Cleveland Gladiators rise to the top of the rankings with an AFL-record 17-1 regular season record. Accumulating into the franchise's first and only ArenaBowl appearance, they were defeated by the Arizona Rattlers in the most lopsided victory in ArenaBowl history, 72-32.
By 2015, the AFL's total number of teams were beginning to fall dramatically. From fourteen in 2015 to four in 2018, there was little stopping teams traditionally powerful in retaining that power and blazing through the season unhinged, much like in the early days of the league's inception. A small sample size of opposing teams gave rise to the dominance of the Philadelphia Soul, who upset the Arizona Rattlers in ArenaBowl XXIX. The following year, Philadelphia went 15-1 in the regular season and beat the Tampa Bay Storm in ArenaBowl XXX, earning back-to-back ArenaBowl championships. However, these winning ways were anything but sudden; the Soul had made back-to-back ArenaBowl appearances in 2012 and 2013, losing both times to the Arizona Rattlers. For a time, it seemed inevitable that Philadelphia would take the torch passed on by the Arizona Rattlers as the league's premiere franchise.
Only four teams made up the dwindling AFL in 2018. The reigning ArenaBowl champion Philadelphia Soul was primed to win it all from the onset once again, with two second-year teams and an expansion team being their only competition. But while the league did what it could to remain relevant in the face of a potential shutdown, the events that would transpire proved completely off-the-grid. ArenaBowl XXXI would take place between the two second-year teams, the Baltimore Brigade and Washington Valor. Both teams were owned by the same person, and the Valor entered the game with a 2-10 regular season record. In the end, the records didn't mean anything, as the Valor proved victorious in the end, marking the second time in AFL history that a team with a losing record won the ArenaBowl Championship Game. It is also, by far, the lowest winning percentage (.167) for a team that won an ArenaBowl title.
ArenaBowl Statistics[]
History:[]
| Game | Date | Score | Winning Team | Losing Team | Site | MVP | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ArenaBowl I | August 1, 1987 | 45-16 | Denver Dynamite | Pittsburgh Gladiators | Pittsburgh Civic Center | Gary Mullen | 13,232 |
| ArenaBowl II | July 30, 1988 | 24-13 | Detroit Drive | Chicago Bruisers | Allstate Arena | Steve Griffin | 15,018 |
| ArenaBowl III | August 18, 1989 | 26-39 | Detroit Drive | Pittsburgh Gladiators | Joe Louis Arena | George LaFrance | 12,046 |
| ArenaBowl IV | August 11, 1990 | 27-51 | Detroit Drive | Dallas Texans | Joe Louis Arena | Art Schlichter | 19,902 |
| ArenaBowl V | August 17, 1991 | 48-42 | Tampa Bay Storm | Detroit Drive | Joe Louis Arena | Stevie Thomas | 20,357 |
| ArenaBowl VI | August 22, 1992 | 56-38 | Detroit Drive | Orlando Predators | Amway Arena | George LaFrance | 13,680 |
| ArenaBowl VII | August 21, 1993 | 51-31 | Tampa Bay Storm | Detroit Drive | Joe Louis Arena | Jay Gruden | 12,989 |
| ArenaBowl VIII | September 2, 1994 | 36-31 | Arizona Rattlers | Orlando Predators | Amway Arena | Sherdrick Bonner | 14,368 |
| ArenaBowl IX | September 1, 1995 | 35-48 | Tampa Bay Storm | Orlando Predators | Tropicana Field | George LaFrance | 25,087 |
| ArenaBowl X | August 26, 1996 | 42-38 | Tampa Bay Storm | Iowa Barnstormers | Veterans Memorial Auditorium | Stevie Thomas | 11,411 |
| ArenaBowl XI | August 25, 1997 | 33-55 | Arizona Rattlers | Iowa Barnstormers | Talking Stick Resort Arena | Donnie Davis | 17,436 |
| ArenaBowl XII | August 23, 1998 | 62-31 | Orlando Predators | Tampa Bay Storm | Amalie Arena | Rick Hamilton | 17,222 |
| ArenaBowl XIII | August 21, 1999 | 48-59 | Albany Firebirds | Orlando Predators | Times Union Center | Eddie Brown | 13,652 |
| ArenaBowl XIV | August 20, 2000 | 38-41 | Orlando Predators | Nashville Kats | Amway Arena | Connell Maynor | 15,989 |
| ArenaBowl XV | August 19, 2001 | 42-64 | Grand Rapids Rampage | Nashville Kats | Van Andel Arena | Terrill Shaw | 11,217 |
| ArenaBowl XVI | August 18, 2002 | 14-52 | San Jose SaberCats | Arizona Rattlers | SAP Center | John Dutton | 16,942 |
| ArenaBowl XVII | June 22, 2003 | 29-43 | Tampa Bay Storm | Arizona Rattlers | Amalie Arena | Lawrence Samuels | 20,469 |
| ArenaBowl XVIII | June 27, 2004 | 69-62 | San Jose SaberCats | Arizona Rattlers | Talking Stick Resort Arena | Mark Grieb | 17,391 |
| ArenaBowl XIX | June 12, 2005 | 48-51 | Colorado Crush | Georgia Force | Thomas & Mack Center | Willis Marshall | 10,822 |
| ArenaBowl XX | June 11, 2006 | 69-61 | Chicago Rush | Orlando Predators | Thomas & Mack Center | Matt D'Orazio | 13,476 |
| ArenaBowl XXI | July 29, 2007 | 33-55 | San Jose SaberCats | Columbus Destroyers | Smoothie King Center | Mark Grieb | 17,056 |
| ArenaBowl XXII | July 27, 2008 | 56-59 | Philadelphia Soul | San Jose SaberCats | Smoothie King Center | Matt D'Orazio | 17,244 |
| ArenaBowl XXIII | August 20, 2010 | 57-69 | Spokane Shock | Tampa Bay Storm | Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena | Kyle Rowley | 11,017 |
| ArenaBowl XXIV | August 12, 2011 | 73-70 | Jacksonville Sharks | Arizona Rattlers | Talking Stick Resort Arena | Aaron Garcia | 14,320 |
| ArenaBowl XXV | August 10, 2012 | 72-54 | Arizona Rattlers | Philadelphia Soul | Smoothie King Center | Nick Davila | 13,648 |
| ArenaBowl XXVI | August 17, 2013 | 39-48 | Arizona Rattlers | Philadelphia Soul | Amway Center | Rod Windsor | 12,039 |
| ArenaBowl XXVII | August 23, 2014 | 72-32 | Arizona Rattlers | Cleveland Gladiators | Quicken Loans Arena | Nick Davila | 18,410 |
| ArenaBowl XXVIII | August 29, 2015 | 47-68 | San Jose SaberCats | Jacksonville Sharks | Stockton Arena | Reggie Gray | 9,115 |
| ArenaBowl XXIX | August 26, 2016 | 56-42 | Philadelphia Soul | Arizona Rattlers | Gila River Arena | Shaun Kauleinamoku | 13,390 |
| ArenaBowl XXX | August 26, 2017 | 40-44 | Philadelphia Soul | Tampa Bay Storm | Wells Fargo Center | Darius Prince | 13,648 |
| ArenaBowl XXXI | July 28, 2018 | 69-55 | Washington Valor | Baltimore Brigade | Royal Farms Arena | Arvell Nelson | 8,183 |
By Franchise:[]
| Team | W | L | % | Last Appearance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Rattlers | 5 | 5 | .500 | 2016 |
| Tampa Bay Storm | 5 | 5 | .500 | 2017 |
| Orlando Predators | 2 | 7 | .286 | 2006 |
| Detroit Drive | 4 | 2 | .667 | 1993 |
| San Jose SaberCats | 4 | 1 | .800 | 2015 |
| Philadelphia Soul | 3 | 2 | .600 | 2017 |
| Jacksonville Sharks | 1 | 1 | .500 | 2015 |
| Iowa Barnstormers | 0 | 2 | .000 | 1997 |
| Nashville Kats | 0 | 2 | .000 | 2001 |
| Chicago Rush | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 2006 |
| Colorado Crush | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 2005 |
| Denver Dynamite | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 1987 |
| Grand Rapids Rampage | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 2001 |
| Albany Firebirds | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 1999 |
| Spokane Shock | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 2010 |
| Washington Valor | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 2018 |
| Baltimore Brigade | 0 | 1 | .000 | 2018 |
| Chicago Bruisers | 0 | 1 | .000 | 1988 |
| Cleveland Gladiators | 0 | 1 | .000 | 2014 |
| Columbus Destroyers | 0 | 1 | .000 | 2007 |
| Dallas Texans | 0 | 1 | .000 | 1990 |
| Georgia Force | 0 | 1 | .000 | 2005 |
Coaching Record:[]
| Coach | G | W | L | % | Team(s) | Appearance(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darren Arbet | 5 | 4 | 1 | .800 | San Jose SaberCats | 2002, 2004, 2007-08, 2015 |
| Fran Curci | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | Tampa Bay Storm | 1991 |
| Mike Dailey | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | Albany Firebirds, Colorado Crush | 1999, 2005 |
| Clint Dolezel | 3 | 2 | 1 | .667 | Philadelphia Soul | 2013, 2016-17 |
| John Gregory | 2 | 0 | 2 | .000 | Iowa Barnstormers | 1996-97 |
| Jay Gruden | 4 | 2 | 2 | .500 | Orlando Predators | 1998-2000, 2006 |
| Kevin Guy | 5 | 3 | 2 | .600 | Arizona Rattlers | 2011-14, 2016 |
| Joe Haering | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 | Pittsburgh Gladiators | 1987 |
| Mike Hohensee | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | Chicago Rush | 2006 |
| Darrel Jackson | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 | Pittsburgh Gladiators | 1989 |
| Ron James | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 | Tampa Bay Storm | 2017 |
| Doug Kay | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 | Columbus Destroyers | 2007 |
| Rob Keefe | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | Spokane Shock | 2010 |
| Lary Kuharich | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | Tampa Bay Storm | 1993 |
| Tim Marcum | 11 | 7 | 4 | .636 | Denver Dynamite, Detroit Drive, Tampa Bay Storm | 1987-89, 1991-93, 1995-96, 1998, 2003, 2010 |
| Benji McDowell | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | Washington Valor | 2018 |
| Les Moss | 2 | 1 | 1 | .500 | Jacksonville Sharks | 2011, 2015 |
| Perry Moss | 5 | 1 | 4 | .200 | Chicago Bruisers, Detroit Drive, Orlando Predators | 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994-95 |
| Bret Munsey | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | Philadelphia Soul | 2008 |
| Doug Plank | 2 | 0 | 2 | .000 | Georgia Force, Philadelphia Soul | 2005, 2012 |
| Omarr Smith | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 | Baltimore Brigade | 2018 |
| Pat Sperduto | 2 | 0 | 2 | .000 | Nashville Kats | 2000-01 |
| Ernie Stautner | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 | Dallas Texans | 1990 |
| Steve Thonn | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 | Cleveland Gladiators | 2014 |
| Michael Trigg | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | Grand Rapids Rampage | 2001 |
| Danny White | 5 | 2 | 3 | .400 | Arizona Rattlers | 1994, 1997, 2002-04 |