War On I-4

{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; clear: right; margin: 0 0 1em 1em; width: 23em;" ! colspan="2" style="text-align: center; background-color: LightSteelBlue;" | Orlando Predators–Tampa Bay Storm ! style="background: #E0E7EF;" colspan="2" | Regular-season history ! style="background: #E0E7EF;" colspan="2" | Postseason history ! style="background: #E0E7EF;" colspan="2" | Playoff and Championship success The War On I-4 is the nickname for the rivalry between the Tampa Bay Storm and the Orlando Predators in the Arena Football League. The teams have met at least twice and up to four times a season since 1991, and both have consistently been at the top of the league standings. The rivalry has been compared to the Yankees – Red Sox rivalry in Major League Baseball.
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 * style="vertical-align: top;" | First meeting || June 1, 1991 Florida Suncoast Dome St. Petersburg, Florida
 * style="vertical-align: top;" | First result || Predators 51, Storm 38
 * style="vertical-align: top;" | Last meeting || June 15, 2012 Amway Center Orlando, Florida
 * style="vertical-align: top;" | Last result || Storm 55, Predators 31
 * style="vertical-align: top;" | Next meeting || April 19, 2013 Amway Center Orlando, Florida
 * style="vertical-align: top;" | Rivalry status || 50 meetings
 * style="vertical-align: top;" | Largest victory || Predators 52, Storm 13 (2006)
 * style="vertical-align: top;" | Smallest victory || Predators 44, Storm 43 (2000) Storm 63, Predators 62 (2010)
 * style="vertical-align: top;" | Current streak || Predators W1
 * style="vertical-align: top;" | All-Time series || Tied 25–25
 * style="vertical-align: top;" | Rivalry status || 50 meetings
 * style="vertical-align: top;" | Largest victory || Predators 52, Storm 13 (2006)
 * style="vertical-align: top;" | Smallest victory || Predators 44, Storm 43 (2000) Storm 63, Predators 62 (2010)
 * style="vertical-align: top;" | Current streak || Predators W1
 * style="vertical-align: top;" | All-Time series || Tied 25–25
 * style="vertical-align: top;" | Smallest victory || Predators 44, Storm 43 (2000) Storm 63, Predators 62 (2010)
 * style="vertical-align: top;" | Current streak || Predators W1
 * style="vertical-align: top;" | All-Time series || Tied 25–25
 * style="vertical-align: top;" | All-Time series || Tied 25–25
 * style="vertical-align: top;" | All-Time series || Tied 25–25
 * Last Meeting || August 14, 2010
 * Last Result || Storm 63, Predators 62
 * style="vertical-align: top;" | All-Time postseason series || Tied 4–4
 * Last Result || Storm 63, Predators 62
 * style="vertical-align: top;" | All-Time postseason series || Tied 4–4
 * style="vertical-align: top;" | All-Time postseason series || Tied 4–4
 * style="vertical-align: top;" | ArenaBowl Wins || Storm: V (1991), VII (1993), IX (1995), X (1996), XVII (2003) Predators: XII (1998), XIV (2000)
 * style="vertical-align: top;" | ArenaBowl Appearances || Storm: I (1987), III (1989) V (1991) VII (1993), IX (1995), X (1996), XII (1998), XVII (2003), XXIII (2010) Predators: VI (1992), VIII (1994), IX (1995), XII (1998), XIII (1999), XIV (2000), XX (2006)
 * style="vertical-align: top;" | ArenaBowl Appearances || Storm: I (1987), III (1989) V (1991) VII (1993), IX (1995), X (1996), XII (1998), XVII (2003), XXIII (2010) Predators: VI (1992), VIII (1994), IX (1995), XII (1998), XIII (1999), XIV (2000), XX (2006)
 * style="vertical-align: top;" | ArenaBowl Appearances || Storm: I (1987), III (1989) V (1991) VII (1993), IX (1995), X (1996), XII (1998), XVII (2003), XXIII (2010) Predators: VI (1992), VIII (1994), IX (1995), XII (1998), XIII (1999), XIV (2000), XX (2006)

Although the Tampa Bay and Orlando markets, separated by an 80-mile stretch of Interstate 4, have teams in each of the major professional sports leagues of the United States and Canada, none of the Big Four leagues have a team in both cities. Orlando has the Magic of the NBA while Tampa Bay hosts the Rays in MLB, Buccaneers in the NFL and Lightning in the NHL. Despite each market being of relatively large size in its own respective right, few leagues (especially those that have had long histories) have attempted to place teams in both cities; this has created few opportunities for the two nearby cities to form rivalries. The Arena Football League was an aberration in this regard when it approved the Orlando Predators as an expansion team in 1991, then allowed for the Pittsburgh Gladiators, a charter AFL team, to relocate to the Tampa Bay area and become the Tampa Bay Storm. The Storm and Predators became instant rivals.

Currently the games are played either at the Predators' home, Amway Center, or the Storm's home, Tampa Bay Times Forum (previously known as the "Ice Palace" and "St. Pete Times Forum"). Games hosted by the Storm before the 1997 season were held at what is now Tropicana Field, but was known as "Florida Suncoast Dome" before 1994 and "Thunderdome" thereafter. Games hosted by the Predators until the end of the 2010 season were at Hummer Field at the Amway Arena (originally the "Orlando Arena," later "TD Waterhouse Center").

The overall record in both regular and postseason combined currently has the two teams tied the series 25–25. The sides have met eight times in the AFL playoffs, with each team winning four times, and twice in the ArenaBowl, with each team winning once. Their most recent playoff meeting was on August 14, 2010 in the American Conference Championship game, in which Tampa Bay won 63–62 as a long field goal attempt by the Predators fell short as time expired.

The games between the teams are notable for featuring some of the highest attendances in AFL history. The ArenaBowl IX title match of September 1, 1995 drew an Arena Bowl record crowd of 25,087 to Thunderdome to see the Storm defeat the Predators by 48–35. Both teams are known to organize bus trips for supporters down Interstate 4 (hence the War on I-4) to the other city to see their squad play.

The series also has the top overall attendance record in league history when Orlando defeated Tampa Bay 46–45 in front of 28,745 at the Florida Suncoast Dome in week 6 of the 1993 AFL season.

In 2010, the rivalry resumed after a year off caused by the Arena Football League suspending operations in 2009.

Game-by-game results
Winner in bold.