Streaks and Droughts often get a lot of attention in major sports leagues. Whether it be consecutive trips to the conference championships, playoff droughts, or playoff losing streaks (looking at you, Bengals), it is always interesting to see what sort of league trends emerge. This article will look at the longest streaks and droughts for making the playoffs, winning a playoff game, Ultimus appearances, and Ultimus wins.
Ultimus Wins
Longest Streak: 3 Wins
Arizona Outlaws - S1-S3
Orange County Otters - S4-S6
Orange County Otters - S17-S19
Longest Active Streak: 1 Win
Yellowknife Wraiths
Longest Drought: 21 Seasons
Colorado Yeti - S1-S21
Philadelphia Liberty - S8-S28
Longest Active Drought: 21 Seasons
Philadelphia Liberty
Active Drought for Each Team:
Philadelphia Liberty: 21 Seasons
Chicago Butchers: 13 Seasons (their entire existence)
Baltimore Hawks: 13 Seasons
Arizona Outlaws: 12 Seasons
Orange County Otters: 9 Seasons
Austin Copperheads: 8 Seasons
Honolulu Hahalua: 7 Seasons (their entire existence)
New Orleans Second Line: 7 Seasons
Colorado Yeti: 6 Seasons
Berlin Fire Salamanders: 4 Seasons (their entire existence)
New York Silverbacks: 4 Seasons (their entire existence)
San Jose Sabercats: 3 Seasons
Sarasota Sailfish: 1 Season
Yellowknife Wraiths: 0 Seasons
Ultimus Appearances
Longest Streak: 4 Appearances
Orange County Otters: S4-S7
New Orleans Second Line: S8-S11
Baltimore Hawks: S9-S12
Yellowknife Wraiths: S18-S21
Longest Active Streaks: 1 Appearance
Yellowknife Wraiths
Austin Copperheads
Longest Drought: 13 Seasons
San Jose Sabercats: S1-S13
Chicago Butchers: S16-S28 (their entire existence)
Longest Active Drought: 13 Seasons
Chicago Butchers
Active Drought For Each Team:
Chicago Butchers: 13 Seasons (their entire existence)
Arizona Outlaws: 12 Seasons
Philadelphia Liberty: 12 Seasons
Baltimore Hawks: 11 Seasons
Honolulu Hahalua: 7 Seasons (their entire existence)
Orange County Otters: 6 Seasons
Berlin Fire Salamanders: 4 Seasons (their entire existence)
New York Silverbacks: 4 Seasons (their entire existence)
Colorado Yeti: 3 Seasons
San Jose Sabercats: 3 Seasons
Sarasota Sailfish: 1 Season
New Orleans Second Line: 1 Season
Austin Copperheads: 0 Seasons
Yellowknife Wraiths: 0 Seasons
At Least One Playoff Win In a Season
Longest Streak: 4 Seasons
Orange County Otters: S4-S7
New Orleans Second Line: S8-S11
Baltimore Hawks: S9-S12
Yellowknife Wraiths: S18-S21
Colorado Yeti: S22-S25
Longest Active Streak: 1 Season
Yellowknife Wraiths
Austin Copperheads
Longest Drought: 13 Seasons
San Jose Sabercats: S1-S13
Honorable Mentions: 12 Seasons
Arizona Outlaws: S4-S15
Philadelphia Liberty: S17-S28
Longest Active Drought: 12 Seasons
Philadelphia Liberty: S17-S28
Active Droughts For Each Team:
Philadelphia Liberty: 12 Seasons
Arizona Outlaws: 10 Seasons
Baltimore Hawks: 9 Seasons
Honolulu Hahalua: 7 Seasons (their entire existence)
Berlin Fire Salamanders: 4 Seasons (their entire existence)
New York Silverbacks: 4 Seasons (their entire existence)
Orange County Otters: 4 Seasons
San Jose Sabercats: 3 Seasons
Chicago Butchers: 3 Seasons
Colorado Yeti: 1 Season
New Orleans Second Line: 1 Season
Sarasota Sailfish: 1 Season
Austin Copperheads: 0 Seasons
Yellowknife Wraiths: 0 Seasons
Playoff Appearances
Longest Streak: 27 Seasons
Orange County Otters: S1-S27
Honorable Mentions: 8 Seasons
Colorado Yeti: S19-S26
Yellowknife Wraiths: S16-S24
Longest Active Streak: 5 Seasons
Sarasota Sailfish
Longest Drought: 8 Seasons
Arizona Outlaws: S8-S15
Longest Active Drought: 7 Seasons
Baltimore Hawks
Active Droughts For Each Team
Baltimore Hawks: 7 Seasons
Philadelphia Liberty: 5 Seasons
San Jose Sabercats: 3 Seasons
Orange County Otters: 2 Seasons
Colorado Yeti: 1 Season
New Orleans Second Line: 1 Season
Chicago Butchers: 1 Season
Honolulu Hahalua: 1 Season
Remaining Six Teams: 0 Seasons
S29 Outlook:
As we go into the playoffs next week, a few teams might be looking to break long droughts. Arizona is looking for its first playoff win in over a decade, while New York and Berlin hope to bag their first playoff wins ever. Arizona (12 Seasons) and Orange County (6 Seasons) have the longest Ultimus appearance droughts of all the teams still in contention, and OCO stretches their drought to nine seasons when you consider Ultimus win droughts. Meanwhile, Chicago, Baltimore, Philly, Austin, and Honolulu have already been eliminated and will see their long Ultimus win droughts grow a year longer.
One Last Fascinating Tidbit
During my research I noticed some very interesting years: S20 through S22. These seasons marked three consecutive playoffs which contained the exact same six playoff participants. In the NSFC, Colorado, Yellowknife, and Baltimore were at the top, and in the ASFC, Orange County, New Orleans and Austin. If you consider just the ASFC teams, that trio of AUS, OCO, and NOLA tacks on consecutive appearances on either side of that stretch, dominating the ASFC for 5 consecutive seasons from S19-S23.
Thanks for reading, and good luck to all those in the playoffs next week! Happy Streaking!
Ultimus Wins
Longest Streak: 3 Wins
Arizona Outlaws - S1-S3
Orange County Otters - S4-S6
Orange County Otters - S17-S19
Longest Active Streak: 1 Win
Yellowknife Wraiths
Longest Drought: 21 Seasons
Colorado Yeti - S1-S21
Philadelphia Liberty - S8-S28
Longest Active Drought: 21 Seasons
Philadelphia Liberty
Active Drought for Each Team:
Philadelphia Liberty: 21 Seasons
Chicago Butchers: 13 Seasons (their entire existence)
Baltimore Hawks: 13 Seasons
Arizona Outlaws: 12 Seasons
Orange County Otters: 9 Seasons
Austin Copperheads: 8 Seasons
Honolulu Hahalua: 7 Seasons (their entire existence)
New Orleans Second Line: 7 Seasons
Colorado Yeti: 6 Seasons
Berlin Fire Salamanders: 4 Seasons (their entire existence)
New York Silverbacks: 4 Seasons (their entire existence)
San Jose Sabercats: 3 Seasons
Sarasota Sailfish: 1 Season
Yellowknife Wraiths: 0 Seasons
Ultimus Appearances
Longest Streak: 4 Appearances
Orange County Otters: S4-S7
New Orleans Second Line: S8-S11
Baltimore Hawks: S9-S12
Yellowknife Wraiths: S18-S21
Longest Active Streaks: 1 Appearance
Yellowknife Wraiths
Austin Copperheads
Longest Drought: 13 Seasons
San Jose Sabercats: S1-S13
Chicago Butchers: S16-S28 (their entire existence)
Longest Active Drought: 13 Seasons
Chicago Butchers
Active Drought For Each Team:
Chicago Butchers: 13 Seasons (their entire existence)
Arizona Outlaws: 12 Seasons
Philadelphia Liberty: 12 Seasons
Baltimore Hawks: 11 Seasons
Honolulu Hahalua: 7 Seasons (their entire existence)
Orange County Otters: 6 Seasons
Berlin Fire Salamanders: 4 Seasons (their entire existence)
New York Silverbacks: 4 Seasons (their entire existence)
Colorado Yeti: 3 Seasons
San Jose Sabercats: 3 Seasons
Sarasota Sailfish: 1 Season
New Orleans Second Line: 1 Season
Austin Copperheads: 0 Seasons
Yellowknife Wraiths: 0 Seasons
At Least One Playoff Win In a Season
Longest Streak: 4 Seasons
Orange County Otters: S4-S7
New Orleans Second Line: S8-S11
Baltimore Hawks: S9-S12
Yellowknife Wraiths: S18-S21
Colorado Yeti: S22-S25
Longest Active Streak: 1 Season
Yellowknife Wraiths
Austin Copperheads
Longest Drought: 13 Seasons
San Jose Sabercats: S1-S13
Honorable Mentions: 12 Seasons
Arizona Outlaws: S4-S15
Philadelphia Liberty: S17-S28
Longest Active Drought: 12 Seasons
Philadelphia Liberty: S17-S28
Active Droughts For Each Team:
Philadelphia Liberty: 12 Seasons
Arizona Outlaws: 10 Seasons
Baltimore Hawks: 9 Seasons
Honolulu Hahalua: 7 Seasons (their entire existence)
Berlin Fire Salamanders: 4 Seasons (their entire existence)
New York Silverbacks: 4 Seasons (their entire existence)
Orange County Otters: 4 Seasons
San Jose Sabercats: 3 Seasons
Chicago Butchers: 3 Seasons
Colorado Yeti: 1 Season
New Orleans Second Line: 1 Season
Sarasota Sailfish: 1 Season
Austin Copperheads: 0 Seasons
Yellowknife Wraiths: 0 Seasons
Playoff Appearances
Longest Streak: 27 Seasons
Orange County Otters: S1-S27
Honorable Mentions: 8 Seasons
Colorado Yeti: S19-S26
Yellowknife Wraiths: S16-S24
Longest Active Streak: 5 Seasons
Sarasota Sailfish
Longest Drought: 8 Seasons
Arizona Outlaws: S8-S15
Longest Active Drought: 7 Seasons
Baltimore Hawks
Active Droughts For Each Team
Baltimore Hawks: 7 Seasons
Philadelphia Liberty: 5 Seasons
San Jose Sabercats: 3 Seasons
Orange County Otters: 2 Seasons
Colorado Yeti: 1 Season
New Orleans Second Line: 1 Season
Chicago Butchers: 1 Season
Honolulu Hahalua: 1 Season
Remaining Six Teams: 0 Seasons
S29 Outlook:
As we go into the playoffs next week, a few teams might be looking to break long droughts. Arizona is looking for its first playoff win in over a decade, while New York and Berlin hope to bag their first playoff wins ever. Arizona (12 Seasons) and Orange County (6 Seasons) have the longest Ultimus appearance droughts of all the teams still in contention, and OCO stretches their drought to nine seasons when you consider Ultimus win droughts. Meanwhile, Chicago, Baltimore, Philly, Austin, and Honolulu have already been eliminated and will see their long Ultimus win droughts grow a year longer.
One Last Fascinating Tidbit
During my research I noticed some very interesting years: S20 through S22. These seasons marked three consecutive playoffs which contained the exact same six playoff participants. In the NSFC, Colorado, Yellowknife, and Baltimore were at the top, and in the ASFC, Orange County, New Orleans and Austin. If you consider just the ASFC teams, that trio of AUS, OCO, and NOLA tacks on consecutive appearances on either side of that stretch, dominating the ASFC for 5 consecutive seasons from S19-S23.
Thanks for reading, and good luck to all those in the playoffs next week! Happy Streaking!