| Conference | National Conference |
|---|---|
| League | Arena Football League |
| Sport | Arena football |
| Founded | 1992 (as the Western Division, as a member of the American Conference) |
| Most recent champion | Arizona Rattlers (10th title) |
| Most titles | Arizona Rattlers (10 titles) |
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.
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
Minnesota folded.
1998–1999
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
Houston moved in from the Central Division.
2002
Dallas Desperados enfranchised. Houston and Oklahoma folded.
2003
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
Utah Blaze enfranchised.
2008
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
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.
| 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 |
| 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 | |