# ArenaBowl XXV

ArenaBowl XXV was the 25th edition of the championship in the Arena Football League. The National Conference champion, Arizona Rattlers, defeated the American Conference champion, Philadelphia Soul, 72–54. The game was played on August 10, 2012. It was the first ArenaBowl at a neutral site since ArenaBowl XXII in 2008, also played in New Orleans. ArenaBowl XXV was played at the New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana, home of the New Orleans VooDoo.

## Venue

ArenaBowl XXV was played at the New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was the first ArenaBowl at a neutral site since 2008. From 2005 to 2008, the ArenaBowl were hosted at neutral sites (Las Vegas and New Orleans). In 2010 and 2011, the games went to the highest seed in the game, which were Spokane, Washington and Phoenix, Arizona. The last two ArenaBowls at a neutral site (ArenaBowl XXI and ArenaBowl XXII) were also played in New Orleans in 2007 and 2008.

## Television

ArenaBowl XXV was televised on NFL Network after the AFL and NFL Network agreed on a third straight contract to carry games. The game was pushed back to a kickoff at 10:30 pm ET. NFL Network bumped the ArenaBowl back and instead broadcast Tim Tebow's preseason debut with the New York Jets, who faced the Cincinnati Bengals in the preseason.

## Background
### Arizona Rattlers

In the previous season, the Rattlers lost ArenaBowl XXIV to the Jacksonville Sharks on the final play of the game. In 2012, they won a tightly contested West division with a 13–5 record for their third consecutive division title. They defeated division rivals San Jose and Utah, respectively, to win the National Conference championship. They returned to the ArenaBowl for the seventh time in their franchise's history, looking for their first league championship since ArenaBowl XI in 1997.
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result |
| 1 | March 10 | at San Jose | L 70–71 (OT) |
| 2 | March 17 | Milwaukee | W 71–65 |
| 3 | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| 4 | March 29 | at Kansas City | W 56–28 |
| 5 | April 6 | Spokane | W 57–53 |
| 6 | April 14 | at Iowa | L 54–56 |
| 7 | April 22 | San Antonio | W 68–34 |
| 8 | April 29 | at Georgia | W 60–27 |
| 9 | May 5 | San Jose | L 70–77 |
| 10 | May 12 | Chicago | W 77–43 |
| 11 | May 19 | at Utah | W 86–70 |
| 12 | May 26 | at New Orleans | W 69–45 |
| 13 | June 2 | Pittsburgh | W 55–45 |
| 14 | June 9 | Iowa | W 55–48 |
| 15 | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| 16 | June 22 | Milwaukee | W 52–37 |
| 17 | June 29 | at Spokane | W 61–35 |
| 18 | July 6 | Utah | L 49–62 |
| 19 | July 14 | San Antonio | L 61–62 |
| 20 | July 21 | Kansas City | W 47–22 |
| – | July 28 | San Jose | W 51–48 |
| – | August 4 | Utah | W 75–68 |

### Philadelphia Soul

After missing the playoffs in the prior season, the Soul compiled a league-best 15–3 record. They averaged 68.2 points per game, the most by one team in a single season. They beat the New Orleans VooDoo in the conference semifinals, then blew out the defending champion Jacksonville Sharks in the American Conference championship 89–34, the most one-sided victory in AFL postseason history. For Philadelphia, it was their second ArenaBowl appearance in franchise history, and their second in three seasons of play. Their prior ArenaBowl appearance occurred in 2008 when they won ArenaBowl XXII against the San Jose SaberCats 59–56. Following that season, the league suspended operations, and the Soul would not field a team again until 2011.
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result |
| 1 | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| 2 | March 18 | at New Orleans | W 63–62 |
| 3 | March 23 | at Pittsburgh | W 84–59 |
| 4 | April 1 | Cleveland | L 62–68 |
| 5 | April 7 | at Georgia | W 92–42 |
| 6 | April 15 | San Jose | W 61–55 |
| 7 | April 20 | Tampa Bay | W 83–48 |
| 8 | April 28 | at Orlando | W 69–53 |
| 9 | May 5 | Milwaukee | L 63–64 |
| 10 | May 12 | Jacksonville | W 56–38 |
| 11 | May 18 | at Spokane | L 47–65 |
| 12 | May 27 | at Cleveland | W 55–33 |
| 13 | June 2 | Orlando | W 79–48 |
| 14 | June 8 | at Milwaukee | W 69–62 |
| 15 | June 16 | at Jacksonville | W 62–27 |
| 16 | June 24 | Pittsburgh | W 69–34 |
| 17 | June 30 | at Tampa Bay | W 83–79 |
| 18 | July 8 | Spokane | W 62–48 |
| 19 | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| 20 | July 22 | Utah | W 69–34 |
| – | July 28 | New Orleans | W 66–53 |
| – | August 3 | Jacksonville | W 89–34 |

## Box score

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Rattlers (NC) | 14 | 13 | 27 | 18 | 72 |
| Soul (AC) | 6 | 7 | 21 | 20 | 54 |
at New Orleans Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana
* Date: August 10, 2012
* Game time: 10:30 p.m. EDT
* Game attendance: 13,648
* Referee: Joe Pester
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | Rattlers | Soul |
| 1 | 7:57 | 6 plays | 22 yards | 4:02 | ARI | Maurice Purify 4-yard touchdown reception from Nick Davila, Chris Gould kick good | 7 | 0 |
| 1 | 3:07 | 6 plays | 45 yards | 4:03 | PHI | Derrick Ross 7-yard touchdown run, Fabrizio Scaccia kick no good | 7 | 6 |
| 1 | 0:40 | 3 plays | 36 yards | 1:44 | ARI | Kerry Reed 14-yard touchdown reception from Nick Davila, Chris Gould kick good | 14 | 6 |
| 2 | 12:10 | 1 play | 29 yards | 0:18 | ARI | Maurice Purify 29-yard touchdown reception from Nick Davila, Chris Gould kick good | 21 | 6 |
| 2 | 7:28 | 4 plays | 7 yards | 2:17 | ARI | 30-yard field goal by Chris Gould | 24 | 6 |
| 2 | 5:31 | 3 plays | 40 yards | 1:30 | PHI | Jeff Hughley 26-yard touchdown reception from Dan Raudabaugh, Fabrizio Scaccia kick good | 24 | 13 |
| 2 | 0:00 | 11 plays | 7 yards | 4:47 | ARI | 20-yard field goal by Chris Gould | 27 | 13 |
| 3 | 13:55 | 2 plays | 43 yards | 0:55 | ARI | Maurice Purify 38-yard touchdown reception from Nick Davila, Chris Gould kick good | 34 | 13 |
| 3 | 10:00 | 5 plays | 48 yards | 2:58 | PHI | Derrick Ross 31-yard touchdown reception from Dan Raudabaugh, Fabrizio Scaccia kick no good | 34 | 19 |
| 3 | 8:28 | 2 plays | 33 yards | 1:03 | ARI | Maurice Purify 29-yard touchdown reception from Nick Davila, Chris Gould kick good | 41 | 19 |
| 3 | 4:23 | 4 plays | 37 yards | 3:20 | PHI | Larry Brackins 10-yard touchdown reception from Dan Raudabaugh, Fabrizio Scaccia kick good | 41 | 26 |
| 3 | 3:27 | 1 play | 10 yards | 1:33 | ARI | Markee White 10-yard touchdown reception from Nick Davila, Chris Gould kick good | 48 | 26 |
| 3 | 2:04 | 1 play | 6 yards | 0:39 | ARI | Maurice Purify 29-yard touchdown reception from Nick Davila, Chris Gould kick no good (blocked) | 54 | 26 |
| 3 | 0:11 | 2 plays | 27 yards | 0:53 | PHI | Emery Sammons 21-yard touchdown reception from Dan Raudabaugh, 2-point pass good | 54 | 34 |
| 4 | 14:25 | 1 play | 13 yards | 0:30 | ARI | Maurice Purify 13-yard touchdown reception from Nick Davila, Chris Gould kick no good | 60 | 34 |
| 4 | 12:05 | 3 plays | 38 yards | 1:33 | PHI | Larry Brackins 12-yard touchdown reception from Dan Raudabaugh, 2-point pass good | 60 | 42 |
| 4 | 8:54 | 4 plays | 12 yards | 2:27 | ARI | Odie Armstrong 2-yard touchdown run, Chris Gould kick no good | 66 | 42 |
| 4 | 5:23 | 5 plays | 37 yards | 2:34 | PHI | Larry Brackins 8-yard touchdown reception from Dan Raudabaugh, 2-point pass no good | 66 | 48 |
| 4 | 3:35 | 2 plays | 19 yards | 1:08 | ARI | Maurice Purify 13-yard touchdown reception from Nick Davila, Chris Gould kick no good | 72 | 48 |
| 4 | 0:42 | 7 plays | 40 yards | 1:57 | PHI | Larry Brackins 3-yard touchdown reception from Dan Raudabaugh, 2-point pass no good | 72 | 54 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 72 | 54 |