SFC INSIDER: Atlantic Division ZGCP Scenarios

In roughly a week’s time, SFC Insider will be back on the ground in the Mid-Atlantic. This time, it’s for the namesake tournament: “The MidAtlantic,” which has two home bases: Cape May, New Jersey and Ocean City, Maryland. 

All of the clubs will be based in Ocean City once again for what has been nearly a month of action between the penultimate SFC stop, the HUK Big Fish Classic and then the White Marlin Open in the lead up to this weekend. Extra stakes are on the line this week, with two berths into the Zane Grey Championship Playoffs hanging in the balance. SFC Insider is here to break down the playoff picture:

First thing’s first, let’s share who is out of the playoff race:

ELIMINATED FROM PLAYOFF CONTENTION

South Florida Sails
New York Granders
North Carolina Flare
South Carolina Outcast

Each club had their moments. New York Granders taking third at the Walker’s Cay Open, North Carolina Flare finishing in second at the Charleston Billfish Cup. South Carolina Outcast won the opening event of the 2025 season, the Fort Lauderdale Billfish Open. However, three clubs have separated themselves from the rest.

PLAYOFF CONTENDERS

Lights Out New England Angling Club
The current division point leaders (15,400) understandably have the clearest path to Cabo San Lucas. They hold the advantage in all tie break scenarios with the most wins in the division (2) most blue marlin released in the season (4) and most white marlin released by a mile. 

LIGHTS OUT ADVANCE TO THE ZANE GREY CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYOFFS BY:

- Placing 6th or better in the MidAtlantic
- Placing 7th in the MidAtlantic, with East Coast Remix not winning 
- Placing 7th in the MidAtlantic with East Coast Remix winning, based on tiebreaker(s)

New Jersey Sea Birds Angling Club
Currently in second place in the points standings (15,100) and only trailing Lights Out by 300 points, the Sea Birds only relinquished the points lead after the HUK Big Fish Classic. The Sea Birds nearly led from wire to wire, taking the points lead after winning the Walker’s Cay Open in May. 

SEA BIRDS ADVANCE TO THE ZANE GREY CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYOFFS BY:

- Placing 5th or better in the MidAtlantic
- Placing 6th in the MidAtlantic, as long as Remix does not win the tournament

East Coast Remix Angling Cub
Sitting third in the points (13,900) East Coast Remix needed to finish higher than third in the two events since their win in the Charleston Billfish Cup. Unfortunately for them, both Lights Out New England and the New Jersey Sea Birds have finished ahead of them, allowing the points gap to widen. For Remix to make the playoffs, they need to win the MidAtlantic and still need a lot of help

REMIX ADVANCE TO THE ZANE GREY CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYOFFS BY:

- Winning the MidAtlantic and having the New Jersey Sea Birds finish 6th or lower
- Winning the MidAtlantic with Lights Out New England finishing 7th, based on tiebreakers

This one is pretty straightforward, but the Gulf division? That’s a whole other animal. Stay tuned for those coming next week.