Arena Football League Timeline & Abbreviations

start with the 1987 season teams: 
Chicago BruisersPittsburgh Gladiators
Denver DynamiteWashington Commandos
 
1988New England Steamrollers suspended play
1988Washington Commandos suspended play
1988Denver Dynamite suspended play
1988Detroit Drive began play
1988Los Angeles Cobras began play
1988New York Knights began play
  
1989Washington Commandos became Maryland Commandos
1989Denver Dynamite began play
1989Los Angeles Cobras disbanded
1989New York Knights disbanded
  
1990Chicago Bruisers disbanded
1990Albany Firebirds began play
1990Dallas Texans began play
1990Maryland Commandos became Washington Commandos
  
1991Washington Commandos disbanded
1991Orlando Predators began play
1991Columbus Thunderbolts began play
1991Pittsburgh Gladiators became Tampa Bay Storm
1991New Orleans Night began play
  
1992Split into three divisions
1992Denver Dynamite disbanded
1992San Antonio Force began play
1992Arizona Rattlers began play
1992Sacramento Attack began play
1992Columbus Thunderbolts became Cleveland Thunderbolts
1992Cincinnati Rockers began play
  
1993San Antonio Force disbanded
1993New Orleans Night disbanded
1993Split into two conferences
1993Sacramento Attack became Miami Hooters
  
1994Las Vegas Sting began play
1994Milwaukee Mustangs began play
1994Ft Worth Cavalry began play
1994Cincinnati Rockers disbanded
1994Dallas Texans disbanded
1994Detroit Drive became Massachusetts Marauders
  
1995Ft Worth Cavalry disbanded
1995Cleveland Thunderbolts disbanded
1995Split into four divisions
1995St Louis Stampede began play
1995San Jose SaberCats began play
1995Iowa Barnstormers began play
1995Memphis Pharaohs began play
1995Massachusetts Marauders disbanded
1995Connecticut Coyotes began play
  
1996Las Vegas Sting became Anaheim Pirahnas
1996Minnesota Fighting Pike began play
1996Texas Terror began play
1996Miami Hooters became Florida Bobcats
  
1997Minnesota Fighting Pike disbanded
1997New York CityHawks began play
1997New Jersey Red Dogs began play
1997Nashville Kats (1st) began play
1997Connecticut Coyotes disbanded
1997St Louis Stampede disbanded
1997Memphis Pharaohs became Portland Forest Dragons
  
1998Anaheim Pirahnas disbanded
1998Grand Rapids Rampage began play
1998Texas Terror became Houston ThunderBears
  
1999New York CityHawks became New England Sea Wolves
1999Buffalo Destroyers began play
  
2000Portland Forest Dragons became Oklahoma Wranglers
2000Carolina Cobras began play
2000Los Angeles Avengers began play
  
2001Albany Firebirds became Indiana Firebirds
2001New Jersey Red Dogs became New Jersey Gladiators
2001New England Sea Wolves became Toronto Phantoms
2001Iowa Barnstormers became New York Dragons
2001Detroit Fury began play
2001Chicago Rush began play
  
2002Milwaukee Mustangs disbanded
2002Dallas Desperados began play
2002Oklahoma Wranglers disbanded
2002Houston ThunderBears disbanded
2002Nashville Kats (1st) became Georgia Force
2002Florida Bobcats disbanded
  
2003Toronto Phantoms disbanded
2003New Jersey Gladiators became Las Vegas Gladiators
2003Colorado Crush began play
  
2004Philadelphia Soul began play
2004New Orleans VooDoo began play
2004Buffalo Destroyers became Columbus Destroyers
2004Austin Wranglers began play
  
2005Nashville Kats began play
2005Carolina Cobras disbanded
2005Indiana Firebirds disbanded
2005Detroit Fury disbanded
  
2006New Orleans VooDoo disbanded
2006Utah Blaze began play
2006Kansas City Brigade began play
  
2007New Orleans VooDoo began play again
  
2008Las Vegas Gladiators became Cleveland Gladiators
2008Austin Wranglers moved to af2
2008Nashville Kats disbanded
  
2009AFL disbanded
  
AFL began again in 2010, with teams: 
Alabama VipersChicago Rush
Jacksonville SharksCleveland Gladiators
Orlando PredatorsIowa Barnstormers
Tampa Bay StormMilwaukee Iron
  
Bossier-Shreveport Battle WingsArizona Rattlers
Dallas VigilantesSpokane Shock
Oklahoma City Yard DawgzUtah Blaze
Tulsa Talons 
  
2011Alabama Vipers suspended play
2011Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings suspended play
2011Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz suspended play
2011Kansas City Brigade became Kansas City Command
2011Milwaukee Iron became Milwaukee Mustangs
2011Pittsburgh Power began play
2011Georgia Force resumed play
2011New Orleans VooDoo resumed play
2011Philadelphia Soul resumed play
2011San Jose SaberCats resumed play
  
2012Dallas Vigilantes suspended play
2012Tulsa Talons became San Antonio Talons
  
2013Georgia Force disbanded
2013Kansas City Command disbanded
2013Milwaukee Mustangs disbanded
  
Albany AlbAlbany Firebirds (1990 - 2000)
Alabama AlaAlabama Vipers (2010)
Anaheim AnaAnaheim Piranhas (1996 - 1997)
Arizona AriArizona Rattlers (1992 - present)
Austin AusAustin Wranglers (2004 - 2007)
Boss-Shreve BShBossier-Shreveport Battle Wings (2010)
Buffalo BufBuffalo Destroyers (1999 - 2003)
Carolina CarCarolina Cobras (2000 - 2004)
Charlotte ChaCharlotte Rage (1992 - 1996)
Chi Bruisers ChBChicago Bruisers (1987 - 1989)
Chicago ChiChicago Rush (2001 - present)
Cincinnati CinCincinnati Rockers (1992 - 1993)
Cleveland CleCleveland Gladiators (2008 - present)
Cle ThunboltsClTCleveland Thunderbolts (1992 - 1994)
Colorado ColColorado Crush (2003 - 2008)
Columbus CbsColumbus Destroyers (2004 - 2008)
Cbs ThunboltsCbTColumbus Thunderbolts (1991)
Connecticut ConConnecticut Coyotes (1995 - 1996)
Dal DesperadosDlDDallas Desperados (2002 - 2008)
Dallas DalDallas Vigilantes (2010 - 2011)
Dal Texans DlTDallas Texans (1990 - 1993)
Denver DenDenver Dynamite (1987, 1989 - 1991)
Detroit DetDetroit Drive (1988 - 1993)
Det Fury DtFDetroit Fury (2001 - 2004)
Florida FloFlorida Bobcats (1996 - 2001)
Ft Worth FtWFt Worth Cavalry (1994)
Georgia GeoGeorgia Force (2002-2008, 2011-2012)
Grand Rapids GR Grand Rapids Rampage (1998 - 2008)
Houston HouHouston ThunderBears (1998 - 2001)
Indiana IndIndiana Firebirds (2001 - 2004)
Iowa IowIowa Barnstormers (1995-2000, 2010 - present)
Jacksonville JacJacksonville Sharks (2010 - present)
Kansas City KC Kansas City Brigade/Command (2006 - 2012)
Las Vegas LV Las Vegas Gladiators (2003 - 2007)
LV Sting LVSLas Vegas Sting (1994 - 1995)
Los Angeles LA Los Angeles Avengers (2000 - 2008)
LA Cobras LACLos Angeles Cobras (1988)
Maryland MarMaryland Commandos (1989)
MassachusettsMasMassachusetts Marauders (1994)
Memphis MemMemphis Pharaohs (1995 - 1996)
Miami MiaMiami Hooters (1993 - 1995)
Milwaukee MilMilwaukee Mustangs (1994-2001, 2011-2012)
Mil Iron MiIMilwaukee Iron (2010)
Minnesota MinMinnesota Fighting Pike (1996)
Nas Kats NsKNashville Kats (1st) (1997 - 2001)
Nashville NshNashville Kats (2005 - 2007)
New England NE New England Sea Wolves (1999 - 2000)
NE StmrollersNESNew England Steamrollers (1988)
New Jersey NJ New Jersey Gladiators (2001 - 2002)
NJ Red Dogs NJRNew Jersey Red Dogs (1997 - 2000)
NO Night NONNew Orleans Night (1991 - 1992)
New Orleans NO New Orleans VooDoo (2004-2005, 2007-2008, 2011 - present)
NY CityHawks NYCNew York CityHawks (1997 - 1998)
New York NY New York Dragons (2001 - 2008)
NY Knights NYKNew York Knights (1988)
Oklahoma OklOklahoma Wranglers (2000 - 2001)
Oklahoma CityOkCOklahoma City Yard Dawgz (2010)
Orlando OrlOrlando Predators (1991 - present)
Philadelphia PhiPhiladelphia Soul (2004 - 2008, 2011 - present)
Pit GladiatorsPiGPittsburgh Gladiators (1987 - 1990)
PittsburghPitPittsburgh Power (2011 - present)
Portland PorPortland Forest Dragons (1997 - 1999)
Sacramento SacSacramento Attack (1992)
SA Force SAF San Antonio Force (1992)
San Antonio TulSan Antonio Talons (2012 - present)
San Jose SJ San Jose SaberCats (1995 - 2008, 2011 - present)
Spokane SpoSpokane Shock (2010 - present)
St Louis StLSt Louis Stampede (1995 - 1996)
Tampa Bay TB Tampa Bay Storm (1991 - present)
Texas TexTexas Terror (1996 - 1997)
Toronto TorToronto Phantoms (2001 - 2002)
Tulsa TulTulsa Talons (2010 - 2011)
Utah UtaUtah Blaze (2006 - present)
Washington WshWashington Commandos (1987, 1990)