Schedule . . .

[cdmiller]

I hate to tinkel on the parade,but I don't get this schedule at all.Why in the world stretch out a six team league with a 16 week schedule ??Why not a 12 week season with each team playing each other road/home and a couple of bye weeks ?With this hit and miss schedule it will be very hard to build a strong fan base with some teams going over a month without home games.Folks are really gonna have to do their homework to keep up with their teams.I realize the league is built for short travel,but without a strong home fan group who's gonna travel ?
Just a thought.

[dagr8_1_4ever]

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Hopefully things will get much better next year if the league gets to the 12 teams it promised this year.
With the FORCE having to make two trips to La. at 12 and 13 hours and one to Texas at 15 hours the close travel didn't end up happening.
If it can move to 2 six team divisions next year where the longest travel is 6 to 7 hours it will greatly help the league grow.
The quality of at least 4 teams looks like the league will be strong especially if Albany comes up with the quality of team that town is used to.
That will make picking up a few additional teams next year easier and allow the league to be more picky about who they want to let in.

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[tony-o]

Not seeing what you're getting at here. It's a 12 game season spread over 16 weeks, which isn't more than a normal schedule. It is home-and-home for the most part, with an extra home or away against the teams that they will hopefully develop rivalries with. Nothing like the WIFL or AIFA West the past few years, where teams played 4 or 5 games against each other. And every once in a while, no matter how big the league or how long the schedule, you will get month-long breaks. This has more to do with arena scheduling issues than the league. I think it's happened every year with the Lions due to the Cottonmouths and the SPHL playoffs, it really hasn't affected attendance.

[dagr8_1_4ever]

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Charlotte, Fayetteville, Florence, Augusta, and Columbia have all had teams in the last couple of years. Boy it would be great to see some or all of those teams get into the SIFL to make the South Division one to brag about.

2011 holds lots of options but first we must focus on 2010 and the season that is just seven weeks away. Presonally I am looking forward to the Championship Game in the Bi-Lo Center this year. It will only be fitting for the team with the most travel coming thier way this year.

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[cdmiller]

Dont get me wrong,I'll be at all the Force games with a smile on my face.I would just like a more coherent schedule instead of one with so much time between home games and so many bye weeks.
Guess we'll get a better flowing one when we get more teams.

[dagr8_1_4ever]

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I think the bye weeks are nice but should be spread out better over the course of the season. Nobody should have two back to back bye weeks. With so few players, getting some rest weeks for minor injures is a good thing. Some of the teams were so short on dates they can't help the long time between home dates. If it can be helped two road trips in a row should be the max to keep the fans interested. Things aren't the best but it is a good start and hopefully it will continue to get better each year.

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[mace]

I agree with you about if there were actually 16 games, there are 16 weeks. And the reason for the 2 weeks of byes for Albany is so that they can "get it together". I looked at it for over an hour trying to understand the thought process and its not as bad as it looks.

Lets try not to have the Diablo mentality when it comes to the SIFL, this league is doing well. The IFL isn't as great as they would like for us all to believe. They have teams that are falling out, teams that have tried to come to the SIFL and denied, and teams that are so full of controversy that it makes OJ look like an alter boy. And lets not even start to talk about the AFL or the AF2. This is good quality, affordable family entertainment that is real easy to get behind. When you start over analyzing it like its the NFL, kind of lose's its appeal.

I know for one that I am ready to get back into the Smugglers Den(Louisiana) on Saturday, March 20th, to see what our new head coach Shadrack McAfee has in store for the league.

BUCKLE UP!!

Mace

[cdmiller]

Hey dgr8,any info on what ticket prices are going to be.The Force site has a number to call for season tickets,but no info on prices.They had great prices last year and would be a good idea to keep em that way.

[dagr8_1_4ever]

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Not sure what the new management is waiting on but they are sure keeping everything close to the vest at this point.

Hopefully they will update the website soon so fans can start getting ready for FORCE football which is less than two months away.

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