War on I-4
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War On I-4 is the nickname for the rivalry between the Tampa Bay Storm and the Orlando Predators in the Arena Football League. The teams have met at least twice and up to four times a season since 1991, and both have consistently been at the top of the league standings.
Currently the games are played either at the Predators' home, Amway Arena (previously known as "TD Waterhouse Centre" and "Orlando Arena", and referred to as "The Jungle" during Predators games); or the Storm's home, St. Pete Times Forum (previously known as the "Ice Palace"). Games hosted by the Storm before the 1997 season were held at what is now Tropicana Field, but was known as "Florida Suncoast Dome" before 1994 and "Thunderdome" thereafter.
The overall record in both regular and postseason has Orlando on top with a 22–19 record. The sides have met five times in the AFL playoffs, with Orlando holding a 3–2 lead, and twice in the ArenaBowl, with each team winning once.
In the 2005 season, the Predators won the first game in Orlando by a score of 61–46 on February 11, but Tampa Bay took the second meeting 54–42 in the St. Pete Times Forum on April 9.
In 2006, Orlando won the first meeting in overtime on February 19, with the score of 67–64. The second game of the year was held on April 22, Orlando won with a score of 52–13. It marked the first time since 2001 that one of the teams swept the other during regular season play. It also marked the first time that Orlando's home game outsold Tampa's home game in the series. The first matchup that year had 14,692 in the St. Pete Times Forum, while the second held 15,920 for game two at "The Jungle".
The games between the teams are notable for featuring some of the highest attendances in AFL history. The ArenaBowl IX title match of September 1, 1995 drew an Arena Bowl record crowd of 25,087 to Thunderdome to see the Storm defeat the Preds' by 48–35. Both teams are known to organize bus trips for supporters down the I-4 (hence the War on I-4) to the other city to see their squad play.
The series also has the top overall attendance record in league history when Orlando defeated Tampa 46–45 in front of 28,745 at the Florida Suncoast Dome in week 6 of the 1993 AFL season.
[edit] Game by game (1991-2001)
Winner in bold.
| Season | Date | Home Team | Score | Away Team | Venue | Comp. | Atten. | Record (ORL-TB) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | June 1 | Tampa Bay Storm | 38–51 | Orlando Predators | Florida Suncoast Dome | Week 1 | 10354 | 1–0 |
| 1991 | July 27 | Orlando Predators | 16–26 | Tampa Bay Storm | Orlando Arena | Week 9 | 13680 | 1–1 |
| 1992 | May 29 | Orlando Predators | 32–39 | Tampa Bay Storm | Orlando Arena | Week 1 | 11312 | 1–2 |
| 1992 | July 2 | Tampa Bay Storm | 33–48 | Orlando Predators | Florida Suncoast Dome | Week 6 | 20091 | 2–2 |
| 1992 | August 15 | Orlando Predators | 24–21 (OT) | Tampa Bay Storm | Orlando Arena | AFL Semifinal | 13680 | 3–2 |
| 1993 | May 21 | Orlando Predators | 46–34 | Tampa Bay Storm | Orlando Arena | Week 2 | 13680 | 4–2 |
| 1993 | June 19 | Tampa Bay Storm | 45–46 | Orlando Predators | Florida Suncoast Dome | Week 6 | 28745 | 5–2 |
| 1993 | August 14 | Orlando Predators | 52–55 | Tampa Bay Storm | Orlando Arena | AFL Semifinal | 13680 | 5–3 |
| 1994 | July 1 | Orlando Predators | 61–40 | Tampa Bay Storm | Orlando Arena | Week 7 | 14015 | 6–3 |
| 1994 | August 13 | Tampa Bay Storm | 40–39 | Orlando Predators | ThunderDome | Week 13 | 20819 | 6–4 |
| 1995 | July 14 | Orlando Predators | 34–51 | Tampa Bay Storm | Orlando Arena | Week 10 | 15638 | 6–5 |
| 1995 | July 29 | Tampa Bay Storm | 44–20 | Orlando Predators | ThunderDome | Week 12 | 24055 | 6–6 |
| 1995 | September 1 | Tampa Bay Storm | 48–35 | Orlando Predators | ThunderDome | ArenaBowl IX | 25087 | 6–7 |
| 1996 | May 18 | Tampa Bay Storm | 63–42 | Orlando Predators | ThunderDome | Week 4 | 16444 | 6–8 |
| 1996 | July 19 | Orlando Predators | 40–39 | Tampa Bay Storm | Orlando Arena | Week 13 | 16236 | 7–8 |
| 1997 | May 17 | Tampa Bay Storm | 17–43 | Orlando Predators | Ice Palace | Week 3 | 14179 | 8–8 |
| 1997 | June 27 | Orlando Predators | 54–30 | Tampa Bay Storm | Orlando Arena | Week 9 | 16529 | 9–8 |
| 1998 | June 12 | Orlando Predators | 34–42 | Tampa Bay Storm | Orlando Arena | Week 7 | 15948 | 9–9 |
| 1998 | June 27 | Tampa Bay Storm | 56–30 | Orlando Predators | Ice Palace | Week 9 | 14125 | 9–10 |
| 1998 | August 23 | Tampa Bay Storm | 31–62 | Orlando Predators | Ice Palace | ArenaBowl XII | 17222 | 10–10 |
| 1999 | June 12 | Orlando Predators | 37–63 | Tampa Bay Storm | Orlando Arena | Week 8 | 15101 | 10–11 |
| 1999 | July 11 | Tampa Bay Storm | 47–28 | Orlando Predators | Ice Palace | Week 12 | 11777 | 10–12 |
| 1999 | August 7 | Tampa Bay Storm | 19–41 | Orlando Predators | Ice Palace | AFL Round 1 | 10706 | 11–12 |
| 2000 | May 12 | Orlando Predators | 44–43 | Tampa Bay Storm | TD Waterhouse Centre | Week 5 | 13342 | 12–12 |
| 2000 | July 1 | Tampa Bay Storm | 50–36 | Orlando Predators | Ice Palace | Week 12 | 14047 | 12–13 |
| 2000 | August 3 | Orlando Predators | 34–24 | Tampa Bay Storm | TD Waterhouse Centre | AFL Quarterfinal | 13122 | 13–13 |
| 2001 | June 10 | Orlando Predators | 57–45 | Tampa Bay Storm | TD Waterhouse Centre | Week 9 | 13691 | 14–13 |
| 2001 | July 1 | Tampa Bay Storm | 38–46 | Orlando Predators | Ice Palace | Week 12 | 17634 | 15–13 |
