SPORTS

Rattlers will play in Glendale if they host ArenaBowl

Richard Obert
azcentral sports

The Rattlers still have a lot of work in front of them, and they'll need help from a team in Philadelphia.

A general view of Gila River Arena prior to the game between the Arizona Coyotes and the Los Angeles Kings.

But they've made arrangements with Glendale's Gila River Arena to play the ArenaBowl there if the Rattlers wind up in position to play host on Aug. 26.

It would be the first time since the franchise began playing in the Arena Football League in 1992 that a home game would be played somewhere other than their downtown Phoenix home, now called Talking Stick Resort Arena.

Because the WNBA's Mercury have a home game on Aug. 26, the Rattlers needed to find an alternative location in case they host. ESPN is locked into a Friday night, Aug. 26, and can't move the date. The Mercury is also owed by the NBA's Suns.

Rattlers coach and General Manager Kevin Guy said that the Glendale arena configures similar to the Phoenix arena with the end zones being the same size. Gila River Arena is where the NHL's Coyotes play their home games.

MORE:Complete Arizona Rattlers coverage

The Rattlers (12-3) enter their final regular-season game on Sunday at home against the Cleveland Gladiators tied with the Philadelphia Soul and the Orlando Predators for the top seed in the eight-team AFL.

They hold the tie-breaker over the Soul. The Predators, however, hold the tie-breaker edge over the Rattlers.

The Predators finish the regular season on July 30 at home against the Soul.

Because the owners voted on Tuesday to change the playoff format with conferences battling it out for the right to go to the ArenaBowl, the Soul and Predators could meet again in the second round.

The Rattlers open the playoffs at home on Aug. 6 against the Portland Steel. They would play the LA Kiss-Gladiators winner in the second round.

The Rattlers have to win out and hope for the Soul to beat the Predators to host the ArenaBowl.

The Rattlers have hosted three ArenaBowls in their history in their downtown Phoenix arena, in 1997, 2004 and 2011.

To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-460-1710. Follow him at twitter.com/azc_obert.