SFL releases updates to divisional alignment
With London inactive for Season 21, the league will operate with the other 27 teams under the same divisional structure when the season begins July 28. The North Division will have only three teams (Canton, Queen City and Motor City) and an alteration in playoff structure will account for the smaller division:
- If the division winner from the North has the same record as the 12th-best record at the end of the regular season, the North Division winner will clinch an automatic playoff berth.
- If the division winner from the North has a worse record than the 12th-best record at the end of the regular season, the North Division winner will not be granted a divisional automatic berth.
- If any other division winner has the same or worse record as the North Division winner and both have a worse record than the 12th-best record at the end of the season, neither division winner will clinch an automatic berth.
For all other divisions, the division winner will continue to clinch an automatic berth to the playoffs, regardless of record. The London franchise will compete in the North Division once the team is ready to take the field in Season 22.
The Season 21 Schedule will be released later this month. As part of the division rotational schedule adopted in Season 19 when the league expanded to 28 teams, the following divisions will play each other in Season 21 to complete the rotation cycle (all teams play each other once every three seasons).
Pacific: South and West
South: Pacific and Central
West: Pacific and Central
Central: South and West
*East: North and Atlantic
**North: East and Atlantic
*Atlantic: East and North
*The East and the Atlantic will play a 5th divisional game, rather than playing a North Division team twice.
In the Atlantic, Baltimore (1st place) will play Carolina twice (2nd place) and in addition will play DC twice (3rd place). Carolina in addition will play Charleston (4th place) twice.
In the East, Atlanta (1st place) will play Louisiana (2nd place) and in addition will play Florida twice (3rd place). Louisiana in addition will play Jacksonville (4th place) twice.
**The North Division will all play each other in the division twice.