2023 Season

2023 brought the first major structural changes to Sixth City. The Montreal Generals were sold in the offseason and became the Sarnia SeaSnakes, making them the first franchise in league history to change hands and rebrand. The playoff format was also overhauled, shrinking to only 7 teams and abolishing the conference-specific brackets that had shaped the first two postseasons. For the first time, SCC and HCC teams could meet before the championship game, and the top best teams, regardless of conference, became more likely to meet in the title game.

In this new playoff format, it was finally Bikini Bottom’s year. After claiming back-to-back HCC conference titles in 2021 and 2022 only to come up short in the postseason both times, the Stars defeated both of the first two reigning champions en route to their first ever Sixth City championship, toppling the Toronto Hogs in the title game. It was a long-awaited accomplishment for a franchise that had been knocking on the door since day one, and it set the stage for the dynasty aspirations that would define Bikini Bottom in the seasons to come.