af2 sets 2004 regular season schedule

February 3, 2004 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release

CHICAGO - af2's Fifth Anniversary season features an 18-week, 200-game schedule with 25 teams competing across the country, the League office announced today.

"While it took longer than expected, this schedule hits the mark in balance and competitiveness," said af2 Executive Director Jay Marcus. "We appreciate the understanding of our fans during this scheduling process and feel their patience has been rewarded with an excellent schedule that emphasizes their favorite regional rivalries. We are proud and committed to bring our fans another successful year of Arena Football."

Each team plays eight games at home and eight on the road, with two bye weeks scheduled. All teams play their division opponents twice (home/away) except for teams in the Northeast, Southwest and West divisions. Teams in the Northeast and Southwest face each other three times each, while teams in the West play four game sets. In the American Conference South Division, the Florida Firecats will face Macon and Columbus three times each, but only two of those contests will count towards any tie-breaker situation.

A few highlights of the 2004 schedule:

· Dubbed "Kickoff Weekend", the 2004 season starts with two games on Saturday, March 27 as the Birmingham Steeldogs head to Louisiana to play the Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings, and the Central Valley Coyotes host their first home game, welcoming the Hawaiian Islanders to town.

· Texas is officially welcomed into af2 in Week 1 as the expansion Laredo Law face the first-year Rio Grande Valley Dorados on Saturday, April 3 at 8:30 p.m. Already intense rivals in hockey, the anticipation for this matchup has been building since the teams were announced back in December.

· While the Tulsa Talons are defending af2 champions, they now have another title to defend, as new in-state rival Oklahoma City comes calling in 2004. The first of three meetings between these intra-state foes takes place in Week 1 on Saturday, April 3 at 8:30 p.m. when the expansion Yard Dawgz visit the Talons.

· In Week 2, the Albany Conquest and Cape Fear Wildcats play as division foes for the first time when they meet on Saturday, April 10 in Fayetteville. Both teams come into the 2004 season as back-to-back division champions, but now they must battle each other for the same division title.

· Also in Week 2, the Manchester Wolves play their first game in New Hampshire when they host the Quad City Steamwheelers on Saturday, April 10 at 7:30 p.m.

· In Week 6, Midwest foes Peoria and Quad City renew pleasantries on Friday, May 7. No matter the standings, these two opponents always play close with the game seemingly on the line until the final seconds. Last season the Steamwheelers swept the season series with the Pirates, giving them a 4-2 advantage in the all-time series.

· In each of the last two seasons the Florida Firecats and Macon Knights have knocked each other out of the postseason. These past two ArenaCup runner-ups meet for the first of three regular season meetings in Macon during Week 5 on Saturday, May 1 at 7:30 p.m.

· Even though they are no longer in the same division, the rivalry remains as heated as ever between the Tennessee Valley Vipers and the Birmingham Steeldogs. Scheduled for two regular season meetings in 2004, the first takes place in Birmingham during Week 9 on May 29 at 8:30 p.m.

· Revenge has been on the mind of the Quad City Steamwheelers since last August when the Twisters upset the top-seeded Steamwheelers 63-61 in the final seconds for a trip to the National Conference Championship game. In Week 15 the Steamwheelers get their shot to even the score when they travel to Arkansas to face Twisters on Friday, June 25 at 8:30 p.m.

About af2

Entering its fifth anniversary season in late March, af2 serves as a grassroots, developmental arena football league for players, coaches and officials with 25 teams in small- to mid-size markets throughout the United States. af2 operates under the same Mission Statement and Fans' Bill of Rights as the AFL. Several former af2 coaches have joined AFL teams and more than 175 players have advanced to the AFL over the past four years.

2004 DIVISION ALIGNMENT

AMERICAN CONFERENCE

Northeast
Albany Conquest
Cape Fear Wildcats
Manchester Wolves
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers

South
Birmingham Steeldogs
Columbus Wardogs
Florida Firecats
Macon Knights

Mid-South
Arkansas Twisters
Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings
Memphis Xplorers
Tennessee Valley Vipers


NATIONAL CONFERENCE

Midwest
Green Bay Blizzard
Louisville Fire
Peoria Pirates
Quad City Steamwheelers

Southwest
Laredo Law
Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz
Rio Grande Valley Dorados
Tulsa Talons
Wichita Stealth

West
Bakersfield Blitz
Central Valley Coyotes
Hawaiian Islanders
San Diego Riptide

2004 week-by-week schedule:

KICKOFF WEEKEND
Saturday, March 27, 2004
Birmingham at Bossier-Shreveport 8:00 p.m.
Hawaii at Central Valley 10:30 p.m.

Week 1
Saturday, April 3, 2004
San Diego at Arkansas 8:00 p.m.
Peoria at Wichita 8:00 p.m.
Manchester at Quad City 8:30 p.m.
Laredo at Rio Grande Valley 8:30 p.m.
Bakersfield at Tennessee Valley 8:30 p.m.
Oklahoma City at Tulsa 8:30 p.m.
Albany Bye
Cape Fear Bye
Columbus Bye
Florida Bye
Green Bay Bye
Louisville Bye
Macon Bye
Memphis Bye
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Bye

Week 2
Friday, April 9, 2004
Arkansas at Peoria 8:00 p.m.
Green Bay at San Diego 10:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 10, 2004
Columbus at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 7:00 p.m.
Quad City at Manchester 7:30 p.m.
Albany at Cape Fear 7:30 p.m.
Bossier-Shreveport at Florida 7:30 p.m.
Hawaii at Louisville 7:30 p.m.
Tulsa at Macon 7:30 p.m.
Laredo at Wichita 8:00 p.m.
Rio Grande Valley at Oklahoma City 8:30 p.m.
Memphis at Birmingham 8:30 p.m.
Bakersfield at Central Valley 10:30 p.m.
Tennessee Valley Bye

Week 3
Friday, April 16, 2004
Manchester at Albany 7:30 p.m.
Macon at Louisville 7:30 p.m.
Wichita at Peoria 8:00 p.m.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Green Bay 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 17, 2004
Cape Fear at Columbus 7:30 p.m.
Birmingham at Arkansas 8:00 p.m.
Florida at Memphis 8:00 p.m.
Tennessee Valley at Quad City 8:30 p.m.
San Diego at Bakersfield 10:00 p.m.
BOS-SHR at Hawaii 12:30 a.m. (6:30 p.m. local)
Central Valley Bye
Laredo Bye
Oklahoma City Bye
Rio Grande Valley Bye
Tulsa Bye

Week 4
Friday, April 23, 2004
Memphis at Bossier-Shreveport 8:00 p.m.
Columbus at Birmingham 8:30 p.m.
Tennessee Valley at Laredo 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 24, 2004
Louisville at Albany 7:00 p.m.
Quad City at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 7:00 p.m.
Cape Fear at Florida 7:30 p.m.
Manchester at Macon 7:30 p.m.
Green Bay at Wichita 8:00 p.m.
Oklahoma City at Rio Grande Valley 8:30 p.m.
Peoria at Tulsa 8:30 p.m.
Central Valley at San Diego 10:00 p.m.
BAK at Hawaii 12:30 a.m. (6:30 p.m. local)
Arkansas Bye

Week 5
Friday, April 30, 2004
Albany at Manchester 7:30 p.m.
Hawaii at Bossier-Shreveport 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 1, 2004
Louisville at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 7:00 p.m.
Columbus at Cape Fear 7:30 p.m.
Florida at Macon 7:30 p.m.
Rio Grande Valley at Laredo 8:30 p.m.
Green Bay at Quad City 8:30 p.m.
Memphis at Tennessee Valley 8:30 p.m.
Tulsa at Oklahoma City 8:30 p.m.
Arkansas at Bakersfield 10:00 p.m.
Peoria at Central Valley 10:30 p.m.
Birmingham Bye
San Diego Bye
Wichita Bye

Week 6
Friday, May 7, 2004
Quad City at Peoria 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 8, 2004
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Albany 7:00 p.m.
Manchester at Cape Fear 7:30 p.m.
Florida at Columbus 7:30 p.m.
Tennessee Valley at Arkansas 8:00 p.m.
Louisville at Memphis 8:00 p.m.
Central Valley at Green Bay 8:30 p.m.
Macon at Birmingham 8:30 p.m.
Wichita at Rio Grande Valley 8:30 p.m.
Bossier-Shreveport at Tulsa 8:30 p.m.
Laredo at Oklahoma City 8:30 p.m.
Hawaii at San Diego 10:00 p.m.
Bakersfield Bye

Week 7
Friday, May 14, 2004
Oklahoma City at Green Bay 8:30 p.m.
Florida at Birmingham 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 15, 2004
Albany at Louisville 7:30 p.m.
Columbus at Macon 7:30 p.m.
Arkansas at Memphis 8:00 p.m.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Peoria 8:00 p.m.
Tulsa at Laredo 8:30 p.m.
Wichita at Quad City 8:30 p.m.
BOS-SHR at Tennessee Valley 8:30 p.m.
San Diego at Bakersfield 10:00 p.m.
Rio Grande Valley at Central Valley 10:30 p.m.
Cape Fear Bye
Hawaii Bye
Manchester Bye

Week 8
Friday, May 21, 2004
Birmingham at Manchester 7:30 p.m.
Columbus at Bossier-Shreveport 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 22, 2004
Macon at Albany 7:00 p.m.
Cape Fear at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 7:00 p.m.
Tulsa at Arkansas 8:00 p.m.
Louisville at Green Bay 8:30 p.m.
Laredo at Rio Grande Valley 8:30 p.m.
Florida at Tennessee Valley 8:30 p.m.
Wichita at Oklahoma City 8:30 p.m.
Memphis at Bakersfield 10:00 p.m.
Quad City at San Diego 10:00 p.m.
CEN VAL at Hawaii 12:30 a.m. (6:30 p.m. local)
Peoria Bye

Week 9
Friday, May 28, 2004
Green Bay at Manchester 7:30 p.m.
Rio Grande Valley at Tulsa 8:30 p.m.
San Diego at Hawaii 12:30 a.m. (6:30 p.m. local)
Saturday, May 29, 2004
Macon at Cape Fear 7:30 p.m.
Bossier-Shreveport at Columbus 7:30 p.m.
Memphis at Florida 7:30 p.m.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Louisville 7:30 p.m.
Albany at Peoria 8:00 p.m.
Laredo at Wichita 8:00 p.m.
Tennessee Valley at Birmingham 8:30 p.m.
Arkansas at Oklahoma City 8:30 p.m.
Bakersfield at Central Valley 10:30 p.m.
Quad City Bye

Week 10
Friday, June 4, 2004
Florida at Macon 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 5, 2004
Manchester at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 7:00 p.m.
Birmingham at Columbus 7:30 p.m.
Quad City at Louisville 7:30 p.m.
Bossier-Shreveport at Memphis 8:00 p.m.
Peoria at Green Bay 8:30 p.m.
Oklahoma City at Laredo 8:30 p.m.
Arkansas at Tennessee Valley 8:30 p.m.
Wichita at Tulsa 8:30 p.m.
Hawaii at Bakersfield 10:00 p.m.
San Diego at Central Valley 10:30 p.m.
Sunday, June 6, 2004
Cape Fear at Albany 2:00 p.m.
Rio Grande Valley Bye

Week 11
Friday, June 11, 2004
Albany at Arkansas 8:30 p.m.
Bossier-Shreveport at Laredo 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 12, 2004
Manchester at Cape Fear 7:30 p.m.
Columbus at Florida 7:30 p.m.
Tennessee Valley at Macon 7:30 p.m.
Bakersfield at Memphis 8:00 p.m.
Louisville at Peoria 8:00 p.m.
Oklahoma City at Wichita 8:00 p.m.
Green Bay at Birmingham 8:30 p.m.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Quad City 8:30 p.m.
Tulsa at Rio Grande Valley 8:30 p.m.
CEN VAL at Hawaii 12:30 a.m. (6:30 p.m. local)
San Diego Bye

Week 12
Friday, June 18, 2004
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Albany 7:30 p.m.
Memphis at Manchester 7:30 p.m.
RGV at Bossier-Shreveport 8:00 p.m.
Quad City at Green Bay 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 19, 2004
Florida at Cape Fear 7:30 p.m.
Macon at Columbus 7:30 p.m.
Peoria at Louisville 7:30 p.m.
Tulsa at Wichita 8:00 p.m.
Birmingham at Tennessee Valley 8:30 p.m.
Laredo at Oklahoma City 8:30 p.m.
Central Valley at Bakersfield 10:00 p.m.
San Diego at Hawaii 12:30 a.m. (6:30 p.m. local)
Arkansas Bye

Week 13
Friday, June 25, 2004
Green Bay at Albany 7:30 p.m.
Louisville at Manchester 7:30 p.m.
Quad City at Arkansas 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 26, 2004
Cape Fear at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 7:00 p.m.
Oklahoma City at Columbus 7:30 p.m.
Macon at Florida 7:30 p.m.
Tennessee Valley at Memphis 8:00 p.m.
Rio Grande Valley at Birmingham 8:30 p.m.
Bakersfield at San Diego 10:00 p.m.
Bossier-Shreveport Bye
Central Valley Bye
Hawaii Bye
Laredo Bye
Peoria Bye
Tulsa Bye
Wichita Bye

Week 14
Friday, July 2, 2004
Arkansas at Bossier-Shreveport 8:00 p.m.
Peoria at Quad City 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 3, 2004
Cape Fear at Memphis 8:00 p.m.
Tulsa at Laredo 8:30 p.m.
Wichita at Rio Grande Valley 8:30 p.m.
Central Valley at Oklahoma City 8:30 p.m.
Hawaii at San Diego 10:00 p.m.
Albany Bye
Bakersfield Bye
Birmingham Bye
Columbus Bye
Florida Bye
Green Bay Bye
Louisville Bye
Macon Bye
Manchester Bye
Tennessee Valley Bye
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Bye

Week 15
Friday, July 9, 2004
Peoria at Bossier-Shreveport 8:00 p.m.
Albany at Green Bay 8:30 p.m.
Arkansas at Laredo 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 10, 2004
Manchester at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 7:00 p.m.
Birmingham at Florida 7:30 p.m.
Columbus at Louisville 7:30 p.m.
Cape Fear at Macon 7:30 p.m.
Oklahoma City at Rio Grande Valley 8:30 p.m.
Quad City at Tennessee Valley 8:30 p.m.
Wichita at Tulsa 8:30 p.m.
BAK at Hawaii 12:30 a.m. (6:30 p.m. local)
San Diego at Central Valley 10:30 p.m.
Memphis Bye

Week 16
Friday, July 16, 2004
Cape Fear at Manchester 7:30 p.m.
Memphis at Arkansas 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 17, 2004
Albany at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 7:00 p.m.
Laredo at Florida 7:30 p.m.
Columbus at Peoria 8:00 p.m.
Oklahoma City at Wichita 8:00 p.m.
San Diego at Green Bay 8:30 p.m.
Birmingham at Quad City 8:30 p.m.
Macon at Tennessee Valley 8:30 p.m.
Rio Grande Valley at Tulsa 8:30 p.m.
Central Valley at Bakersfield 10:00 p.m.
Louisville at Hawaii 12:30 a.m. (6:30 p.m. local)
Bossier-Shreveport Bye

Week 17
Friday, July 23, 2004
Manchester at Albany 7:30 p.m.
Tennessee Valley at BOS-SHR 8:00 p.m.
Tulsa at Oklahoma City 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 24, 2004
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Cape Fear 7:30 p.m.
Green Bay at Louisville 7:30 p.m.
Macon at Memphis 8:00 p.m.
Wichita at Laredo 8:30 p.m.
Peoria at Birmingham 8:30 p.m.
Arkansas at Rio Grande Valley 8:30 p.m.
Bakersfield at San Diego 10:00 p.m.
Hawaii at Central Valley 10:30 p.m.
Monday, July 26, 2004
Florida at Columbus 7:30 p.m.
Quad City Bye

Week 18
Friday, July 30, 2004
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Manchester 7:30 p.m.
Central Valley at San Diego 10:00 p.m.
Saturday, July 31, 2004
Albany at Cape Fear 7:30 p.m.
Memphis at Columbus 7:30 p.m.
Tennessee Valley at Florida 7:30 p.m.
Birmingham at Macon 7:30 p.m.
Bossier-Shreveport at Arkansas 8:00 p.m.
Green Bay at Peoria 8:00 p.m.
Rio Grande Valley at Wichita 8:00 p.m.
Louisville at Quad City 8:30 p.m.
Laredo at Tulsa 8:30 p.m.
Hawaii at Bakersfield 10:00 p.m.
Oklahoma City Bye

*ALL TIMES EASTERN, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED
*ALL GAMES, DATES AND TIMES SUBJECT TO CHANGE

For more information, visit the official af2 website at www.af2.com

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