Predators Clinch Top Four Seed, Home Playoff Game

(photo credit: stadiumjourney.com)

The Orlando Predators have secured their spot in the 2016 Arena Football League Playoffs, and are guaranteed to host a first round playoff game.

Beating the Jacksonville Sharks 44-34 last week moved Orlando to a league best record of 10-2 on the season. With the win, Orlando sits atop the American Conference, and has the number one overall ranking in the AFL. Additionally, Orlando holds a tiebreaker advantage over the Cleveland Gladiators, Los Angeles KISS and Jacksonville, which means they cannot fall lower than the number four overall seed in the playoff rankings.

The Arizona Rattlers are currently in the number two seed because they have the best record in the National Conference. The Philadelphia Soul and Cleveland Gladiators are ranked number three and four respectively. The regular season Conference Champions will be the number one and two seeds, with the remaining teams filling out the seeds according to record, regardless of conference. In the new format all eight teams will qualify for the postseason.

This season the AFL moved to eight teams playing an 18 week-regular season, with every team receiving a Week 14 bye in observation of Independence Day. This will also be the first eight-team postseason tournament to determine the Arena Bowl XXIX champion.

“We felt this was a perfect opportunity to try a different approach to the postseason,” AFL Commissioner Scott Butera said in a press release, “We felt that a reduced number of teams and regular season games provided us the chance to try a different structure that has been discussed on the Rules and Competition Committee for a while. It will provide exciting and interesting postseason matchups that we haven’t historically seen.”