ArenaBowl XXIII NAPA Auto Parts ArenaBowl XXIII was an arena football game between the National Conference champion , Spokane Shock and the American Conference Champion , Tampa Bay Storm . The Spokane Shock won the game successfully defending ArenaCup X of the former af2 which formed the new Arena Football League ( while legally a new entity , the majority of the new league consists of the former af2 ) . The game was played on August 20 , 2010 , and was held at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena in Spokane , Washington , the first non - neutral site since 2004 ( ArenaBowl XVIII ) . The game was shown live on the NFL Network , as well as a tape delay on Eurosport 2 . The corporate sponsor was NAPA Auto Parts . Background . Tampa Bay Storm . " See : 2010 Tampa Bay Storm season " Looking for their sixth championship in franchise history , and first since ArenaBowl XVII in 2003 , the Tampa Bay Storm succeeded in their first season back since 2008 . Led by quarterback Brett Dietz , who threw for 5 , 054 yards and 106 touchdowns in the regular season ( both franchise records ) , they finished 11 – 5 , 2nd in the South division , and 3rd in the American Conference . Spokane Shock . " See : 2010 Spokane Shock season " The Spokane Shock , fresh off their ArenaCup X victory in what would be the last arenafootball2 season , earned their spot in the postseason by going 13 – 3 in the regular season , the AFL ' s best record in 2010 , which gave them home field advantage throughout the entire playoffs . It ' s the Shock ' s first ArenaBowl in franchise history , having three previous ArenaCup appearances in af2 . Broadcasting . ArenaBowl XXIII was televised on the NFL Network and Eurosport 2 . It was available in 48 countries worldwide . Radio broadcasts were available in the local markets of Tampa Bay and Spokane only . NFL Network . NFL Network delivered live coverage outside of the United States to these countries : < br > Eurosport 2 . The AFL had a taped delayed broadcast available in the following countries : < br > Radio . These were the radio broadcasting groups present : < br > Playoffs . This was the 2010 playoff grid to determine ArenaBowl Champion : In the opening round of the playoffs , Spokane defeated the Arizona Rattlers 57 – 49 , while the Storm took care of the Tulsa Talons 68 – 38 . In the National Conference Championship game , Spokane edged out the Milwaukee Iron 60 – 57 . In another close contest , the Storm knocked off rival Orlando 63 – 62 in the first playoff meeting of The War on I - 4 since 2003 , winning the American Conference Championship and punching their ticket to ArenaBowl XXIII . Game Summary . First Half . The Tampa Bay Storm received the opening kickoff , driving 45 yards in 11 plays to take a 7 - 0 lead on a three - yard run by Eric Ortiz . But this would be the only time in the game the Storm would lead by more than one point . Spokane scored the next three touchdowns to take a 20 - 7 lead . Huey Whittaker caught the first one from Kyle Rowley , and Markee White grabbed the next two , both from four yards out . Tampa Bay finally answered with 5 : 49 left in the first half , another rushing score by Ortiz to make the score 20 - 14 . After Markee White ' s third receiving touchdown gave the Shock a 27 - 14 lead , Tampa Bay scored consecutive touchdowns to take a 28 - 27 lead . But Spokane got the last points of the half . White ' s fourth touchdown from Rowley made it 34 - 28 . Tampa had a chance to add three points as the first half expired , but Garrett Rivas ' s field goal was blocked . Second Half . The Storm took its final lead of the game 35 - 34 to open the third quarter on Ortiz ' s third rushing touchdown . But Spokane would score the next three touchdowns . The Shock led 48 - 35 at the end of the third quarter and expanded it to 55 - 35 at the beginning of the final quarter . In the fourth quarter , the Shock just wanted to keep the clock running and force the Storm to play catch up . Both teams traded touchdowns through the entire quarter , and Tampa Bay could not make up the deficit . The Storm got the game ' s last score with 44 seconds left , making it 69 - 57 , the closest it got all quarter . Game Notes . Spokane Shock quarterback Kyle Rowley was named the games MVP . He went 24 for 32 with 237 yards . He threw nine touchdown passes without an interception and added another touchdown on the run . Spokane did not have a 100 yard receiver but Markee White caught nine passes for 99 yards and four scores . Huey Whittaker had four touchdown receptions as well to go along with eight catches for 82 yards . The Shocks ' Mervin Brookins and Travis Williams each recorded an interception . For Tampa Bay , quarterback Brett Dietz threw for 306 yards on 29 of 40 passing . He had four touchdown passes and two interceptions . The Storm ' s Hank Edwards led the game with 11 catches for 132 yards . He caught two of Dietz ' s scoring passes . Tyrone Timmons also had eight receptions for 107 yards and a score . Attendance . The announced attendance for ArenaBowl XXIII was 11 , 017 . The game was a sellout , at 102 % capacity given Spokane Arena ' s 10 , 771 capacity . However , it was the second lowest attended ArenaBowl in league history , second only to ArenaBowl XIX in 2005 . That game between the Georgia Force and Colorado Crush was the AFL ' s first neutral site ArenaBowl with 10 , 822 fans at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas , Nevada .