The 2014 Arena Football League season was the twenty-seventh season in the history of the league. The regular season began on March 14, 2014 and ended on July 26, 2014.
League business
Teams
The city of Anaheim, California was awarded an expansion team on August 15, 2013. The team, named the Los Angeles Kiss, is the first AFL team to call Los Angeles home since the Los Angeles Avengers in 2008. Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, members of the rock band Kiss, are the owners of the expansion franchise.[1]
Two teams that competed in 2013 suspended operations, (Chicago Rush & Utah Blaze) and their rosters were dispersed throughout the league during a dispersal draft on September 6, 2013.[2]
The Milwaukee Mustangs sold their league membership to Terry Emmert, who then started a new franchise in Portland, Oregon named the Portland Thunder.[3]
Television
On December 17, 2013 it was announced that ESPN had agreed to a multi-year deal in televising several games, including the ArenaBowl. Additionally, at least 75 games during the season are to be aired on ESPN3, the network's online streaming service. ESPN had previously aired games as recent as the 2008 season, prior to the league's hiatus that resulted in the canceled 2009 season.[4]
Realignment
With teams expanding, relocating and suspending operations, the AFL announced the divisional alignment for 2014 on October 29, 2013. The two conferences will have an even number of teams, and will be placed in two divisions.[5]
| Conference |
Division |
Teams |
| American |
East |
Cleveland Gladiators, Iowa Barnstormers, Philadelphia Soul, Pittsburgh Power |
| South |
Jacksonville Sharks, New Orleans VooDoo, Orlando Predators, Tampa Bay Storm |
| National |
Pacific |
Portland Thunder, San Jose SaberCats, Spokane Shock |
| West |
Arizona Rattlers, Los Angeles Kiss, San Antonio Talons |
Regular season standings
Eight teams qualify for the playoffs: four teams from each conference, of which two are division champions and the other two have the best records of the teams remaining.[6]
- Green indicates clinched playoff berth
- Blue indicates division champion
- Gray indicates division champion and conference's best record
Tie-breakers
- a San Antonio finished in second place in the West Division based on their greater point differential in head-to-head competition with Los Angeles.
Playoffs
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Conference Semifinals |
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Conference Championship |
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ArenaBowl XXVII |
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1 |
Cleveland |
39 |
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4 |
Philadelphia |
37 |
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1 |
Cleveland |
56 |
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American Conference |
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2 |
Orlando |
46 |
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2 |
Orlando |
56 |
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3 |
Pittsburgh |
48 |
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A1 |
Cleveland |
32 |
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N1 |
Arizona |
72 |
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1 |
Arizona |
52 |
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4 |
Portland |
48 |
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1 |
Arizona |
72 |
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National Conference |
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2 |
San Jose |
56 |
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2 |
San Jose |
55 |
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3 |
Spokane |
28 |
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Conference semifinals
Conference finals
| Conference |
Date |
Kickoff |
Away |
Score |
Home |
Game site |
Recap |
| American |
August 10 |
3:00 p.m. EDT |
Orlando Predators |
46-56 |
Cleveland Gladiators |
Quicken Loans Arena |
[11] |
| National |
August 10 |
8:00 p.m. EDT |
San Jose SaberCats |
56-72 |
Arizona Rattlers |
US Airways Center |
[12] |
ArenaBowl XXVII
| Date |
Kickoff |
Away |
Score |
Home |
Game site |
Recap |
| August 23 |
8:00 p.m. EDT |
Arizona Rattlers |
72–32 |
Cleveland Gladiators |
Quicken Loans Arena |
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References
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| American Conference |
National Conference |
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| East Division |
South Division |
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| Pacific Division |
West Division |
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