af2 Unveils 2003 League Schedule

January 16, 2003 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release

CHICAGO - New teams in Cincinnati, Ohio and Green Bay, Wisconsin highlight af2's fourth season, which kicks off in late March and features an 18-week, 216-game schedule with 27 teams, the League office announced today. Each club plays eight games at home and eight on the road. A few highlights of the 2003 schedule:

· Season four kicks off with the defending ArenaCup champion Peoria Pirates hosting the reigning Central Division champion Tulsa Talons on Friday, March 28. Other Week 1 games of note include a re-match of 2002 playoff combatants Bakersfield and San Diego at the San Diego Sports Arena on Saturday, March 29 and a battle of af2's northern-most team against its southern-most club, as the Hawaiian Islanders brace for the first-year Green Bay Blizzard on Sunday, March 30.

· The expansion Blizzard and Cincinnati Swarm play their first-ever home games in Week 4 on Saturday, April 19 as Green Bay hosts the Wichita Stealth and the Swarm try to contain the Charleston Swamp Foxes. The fellow first-year clubs hook-up for their inaugural head-to-head meeting the following Saturday at Green Bay.

· In what turned out to be an intense series between two powerhouse teams, the defending Northeast Division champion Albany Conquest renews its heated inter-division rivalry with the Richmond Speed with back-to-back Week 2 (at RIC, Saturday, April 5) and 3 (at ALB, Friday, April 11) matchups. Last season Albany shocked a 7-0 Speed club, handing them its first defeat (33-30 at RIC on 6/1/02) of the season. Richmond turned the tables a few weeks later with a 66-59 shootout win at Albany.

· The Arkansas Twisters head to Tulsa in Week 10 (May 31) for the eighth all-time meeting between the two teams, but it is the Week 14 (June 28) tilt in Little Rock that has the Talons worried. Last time the Talons visited ALLTELL Arena, the Twisters erupted for a history-making 102 points en route to a 39-point victory. Despite the lopsided loss, the Talons hold a 5-2 edge in the all-time series, including a 2-1 advantage in 2002, highlighted by their 34-32 first round playoff win.

· The conference may have changed, but the rivalry remains as hot as ever between the Birmingham Steeldogs and Tennessee Valley Vipers. Now battling in the American Conference's South Division, these two teams meet at Birmingham in Week 13 (Saturday, June 21) and at Huntsville on Saturday, June 28. The Vipers own the regular season series, sporting a perfect 6-0 mark, but Steeldogs have bragging rights in the postseason with the only playoff win in the history of the now four-year-old series.

About af2

Entering its fourth season, af2 serves as a grassroots, developmental indoor football league for players, coaches and officials with 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, which kicks off its 17th season and first with NBC on Sunday, February 2, 2003. NBC will provide the AFL with unprecedented exposure by televising up to 70 games, including all playoff contests and ArenaBowl XVII on June 22. 2003 week-by-week schedule:

2003 week-by-week schedule:


Week 1
Friday, March 28
Tulsa at Peoria 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 29
Cincinnati at Louisville 7:30 p.m.
Arkansas at Wichita 8:30 p.m.
Bakersfield at San Diego 10:00 p.m.
Sunday, March 30
Green Bay at Hawaii 12:00 a.m. (7:00 p.m. local)
Byes: Albany, Birmingham, Bossier City, Cape Fear, Charleston,
Columbus, Florida, Greensboro, Macon, Memphis, Mohegan, Norfolk, Quad City, Richmond, Rochester, Tennessee Valley, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

Week 2
Friday, April 4
Cincinnati at Birmingham 8:30 p.m.
Peoria at Bossier City 8:30 p.m.
Hawaii at Quad City 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 5
Charleston at Norfolk 7:00 p.m.
Albany at Richmond 7:00 p.m.
Memphis at Columbus 7:00 p.m.
Louisville at Cape Fear 7:30 p.m.
Tennessee Valley at Florida 7:30 p.m.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Greensboro 7:30 p.m.
Green Bay at Macon 7:30 p.m.
Rochester at Mohegan 7:30 p.m.
Byes: Arkansas, Bakersfield, San Diego, Tulsa, Wichita

Week 3
Friday, April 11
Mohegan at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 7:00 p.m.
Richmond at Albany 7:30 p.m.
Greensboro at Macon 7:30 p.m.
Quad City at Tennessee Valley 8:30 p.m.
Bossier City at Birmingham 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 12
Rochester at Columbus 7:00 p.m.
Charleston at Florida 7:30 p.m.
San Diego at Arkansas 8:00 p.m.
Bakersfield at Memphis 8:00 p.m.
Wichita at Tulsa 8:30 p.m.
Byes: Cape Fear, Cincinnati, Green Bay, Hawaii,
Louisville, Norfolk, Peoria

Week 4
Friday, April 18
Albany at Mohegan 7:30 p.m.
Norfolk at Rochester 7:30 p.m.
Cape Fear at Bossier City 8:30 p.m.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Quad City 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 19
Charleston at Cincinnati 7:30 p.m.
Greensboro at Florida 7:30 p.m.
Tennessee Valley at Louisville 7:30 p.m.
Birmingham at Macon 7:30 p.m.
Columbus at Peoria 8:00 p.m.
Wichita at Green Bay 8:30 p.m.
Memphis at Tulsa 8:30 p.m.
Arkansas at San Diego 10:00 p.m.
Hawaii at Bakersfield 10:00 p.m.
Byes: Richmond


Week 5
Friday, April 25
Peoria at Louisville 7:30 p.m.
Bossier City at Arkansas 8:30 p.m.
San Diego at Hawaii 2:00 a.m. (8:00 p.m. local)
Saturday, April 26
Norfolk at Richmond 7:00 p.m.
Rochester at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 7:00 p.m.
Macon at Cape Fear 7:30 p.m.
Birmingham at Charleston 7:30 p.m.
Mohegan at Greensboro 7:30 p.m.
Florida at Memphis 8:00 p.m.
Tulsa at Wichita 8:30 p.m.
Cincinnati at Green Bay 8:30 p.m.
Quad City at Bakersfield 10:00 p.m.
Byes: Albany, Columbus, Tennessee Valley

Week 6
Friday, May 2
Louisville at Cincinnati 7:30 p.m.
Richmond at Greensboro 7:30 p.m.
Peoria at Quad City 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 3
Charleston at Columbus 7:00 p.m.
Albany at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 7:00 p.m.
Cape Fear at Norfolk 7:00 p.m.
Mohegan at Rochester 7:30 p.m.
Birmingham at Florida 7:30 p.m.
Arkansas at Macon 7:30 p.m.
Tulsa at Memphis 8:00 p.m.
Bossier City at Tennessee Valley 8:30 p.m.
Hawaii at Wichita 8:30 p.m.
San Diego at Bakersfield 10:00 p.m.
Byes: Green Bay

Week 7
Friday, May 9
Tennessee Valley at Bossier City 8:30 p.m.
Bakersfield at Hawaii 2:00 a.m. (8:00 p.m. local)
Saturday, May 10
Albany at Cincinnati 2:00 p.m.
Macon at Columbus 7:00 p.m.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Norfolk 7:00 p.m.
Rochester at Richmond 7:00 p.m.
Greensboro at Cape Fear 7:30 p.m.
Florida at Charleston 7:30 p.m.
Memphis at Arkansas 8:00 p.m.
Louisville at Birmingham 8:30 p.m.
Peoria at Green Bay 8:30 p.m.
San Diego at Tulsa 8:30 p.m.
Quad City at Wichita 8:30 p.m.
Byes: Mohegan

Week 8
Wichita at Hawaii TBA
Friday, May 16
Richmond at Mohegan 7:30 p.m.
Green Bay at Quad City 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 17
Norfolk at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 7:00 p.m.
Cape Fear at Charleston 7:30 p.m.
Albany at Rochester 7:30 p.m.
Columbus at Florida 7:30 p.m.
Louisville at Memphis 8:00 p.m.
Greensboro at Peoria 8:00 p.m.
Macon at Tennessee Valley 8:30 p.m.
Bossier City at Tulsa 8:30 p.m.
Cincinnati at San Diego 10:00 p.m.
Arkansas at Bakersfield 10:00 p.m.
Byes: Birmingham

Week 9
Friday, May 23
Greensboro at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 7:00 p.m.
Birmingham at Albany 7:30 p.m.
Quad City at Louisville 7:30 p.m.
Norfolk at Mohegan 7:30 p.m.
Richmond at Rochester 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 24
Hawaii at Cincinnati 2:00 p.m.
Wichita at Peoria 8:00 p.m.
Columbus at Bossier City 8:30 p.m.
Bakersfield at Green Bay 8:30 p.m.
Cape Fear at Tennessee Valley 8:30 p.m.
Tulsa at San Diego 10:00 p.m.
Byes: Arkansas, Charleston, Florida, Macon, Memphis

Week 10
Louisville at Hawaii TBA
Friday, May 30
Charleston at Greensboro 7:30 p.m.
Bossier City at Memphis 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 31
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Richmond 7:00 p.m.
Mohegan at Norfolk 7:00 p.m.
Tennessee Valley at Columbus 7:00 p.m.
Quad City at Cincinnati 7:30 p.m.
Cape Fear at Florida 7:30 p.m.
Rochester at Albany 7:30 p.m.
Macon at Birmingham 8:30 p.m.
Arkansas at Tulsa 8:30 p.m.
Green Bay at Wichita 8:30 p.m.
San Diego at Bakersfield 10:00 p.m.
Byes: Peoria

Week 11
Friday, June 6
Columbus at Birmingham 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 7
Mohegan at Rochester 7:30 p.m.
Albany at Greensboro 7:30 p.m.
Bakersfield at Louisville 7:30 p.m.
Bossier City at Macon 7:30 p.m.
Richmond at Cape Fear 7:30 p.m.
Norfolk at Charleston 7:30 p.m.
Memphis at Florida 7:30 p.m.
Hawaii at Arkansas 8:00 p.m.
San Diego at Green Bay 8:30 p.m.
Cincinnati at Quad City 8:30 p.m.
Wichita at Tennessee Valley 8:30 p.m.
Peoria at Tulsa 8:30 p.m.
Byes: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

Week 12
Friday, June 13
Cape Fear at Rochester 7:30 p.m.
Arkansas at Bossier City 8:30 p.m.
Peoria at Hawaii 2:00 a.m. (8:00 p.m. local)
Saturday, June 14
Green Bay at Cincinnati 2:00 p.m.
Charleston at Richmond 7:00 p.m.
Florida at Macon 7:30 p.m.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Mohegan 7:30 p.m.
Norfolk at Albany 7:30 p.m.
Birmingham at Memphis 8:00 p.m.
Columbus at Tennessee Valley 8:30 p.m.
Louisville at Quad City 8:30 p.m.
Wichita at San Diego 10:00 p.m.
Tulsa at Bakersfield 10:00 p.m.
Bye: Greensboro

Week 13
Friday, June 20
Rochester at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 21
Bossier City at Columbus 7:00 p.m.
Cape Fear at Richmond 7:00 p.m.
Albany at Norfolk 7:00 p.m.
Macon at Charleston 7:30 p.m.
Florida at Greensboro 7:30 p.m.
Memphis at Louisville 7:30 p.m.
Cincinnati at Mohegan 7:30 p.m.
Green Bay at Peoria 8:00 p.m.
Wichita at Arkansas 8:00 p.m.
Bakersfield at Tulsa 8:30 p.m.
Tennessee Valley at Birmingham 8:30 p.m.
Hawaii at San Diego 10:00 p.m.
Byes: Quad City

Week 14
Quad City at Hawaii TBA
Friday, June 27
Richmond at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 7:00 p.m.
Memphis at Bossier City 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 28
Mohegan at Albany 7:30 p.m.
Charleston at Cape Fear 7:30 p.m.
Norfolk at Greensboro 7:30 p.m.
Columbus at Rochester 7:30 p.m.
Macon at Florida 7:30 p.m.
Tulsa at Arkansas 8:00 p.m.
Louisville at Green Bay 8:30 p.m.
Birmingham at Tennessee Valley 8:30 p.m.
San Diego at Wichita 8:30 p.m.
Peoria at Bakersfield 10:00 p.m.
Bye: Cincinnati

Week 15
Thursday, July 3
Rochester at Cincinnati 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 5
Richmond at Norfolk 7:00 p.m.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Albany 7:30 p.m.
Bossier City at Mohegan 7:30 p.m.
Columbus at Macon 7:30 p.m.
Florida at Cape Fear 7:30 p.m.
Greensboro at Charleston 7:30 p.m.
Tennessee Valley at Memphis 8:00 p.m.
Louisville at Peoria 8:00 p.m.
Birmingham at Arkansas 8:00 p.m.
Quad City at Green Bay 8:30 p.m.
Bye: Bakersfield, Hawaii, San Diego, Tulsa, Wichita

Week 16
Friday, July 11
Mohegan at Richmond 7:00 p.m.
Albany at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 7:00 p.m.
Charleston at Bossier City 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 12
Macon at Norfolk 7:00 p.m.
Birmingham at Columbus 7:00 p.m.
Cape Fear at Greensboro 7:30 p.m.
Green Bay at Louisville 7:30 p.m.
Arkansas at Memphis 8:00 p.m.
Cincinnati at Peoria 8:00 p.m.
San Diego at Quad City 8:30 p.m.
Florida at Tennessee Valley 8:30 p.m.
Hawaii at Tulsa 8:30 p.m.
Wichita at Bakersfield 10:00 p.m.
Byes: Rochester

Week 17
Friday, July 18
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Mohegan 7:30 p.m.
Greensboro at Richmond 8:00 p.m.
Hawaii at San Diego 10:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 19
Rochester at Albany 7:30 p.m.
Norfolk at Cape Fear 7:30 p.m.
Tulsa at Louisville 7:30 p.m.
Columbus at Charleston 7:30 p.m.
Peoria at Cincinnati 7:30 p.m.
Macon at Arkansas 8:00 p.m.
Florida at Birmingham 8:30 p.m.
Memphis at Green Bay 8:30 p.m.
Tennessee Valley at Quad City 8:30 p.m.
Bakersfield at Wichita 8:30 p.m.
Byes: Bossier City

Week 18
Friday, July 25
Tulsa at Bossier City 8:30 p.m.
Green Bay at San Diego 10:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 26
Greensboro at Norfolk 7:00 p.m.
Florida at Columbus 7:00 p.m.
Tennessee Valley at Macon 7:30 p.m.
Memphis at Cape Fear 7:30 p.m.
Richmond at Charleston 7:30 p.m.
Mohegan at Albany 7:30 p.m.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Rochester 7:30 p.m.
Quad City at Peoria 8:00 p.m.
Arkansas at Birmingham 8:30 p.m.
Cincinnati at Wichita 8:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 27
Bakersfield at Hawaii 1:00 a.m. (7:00 p.m. local)
Byes: Louisville

*ALL TIMES EASTERN, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED
*ALL GAMES, DATES AND TIMES SUBJECT TO CHANGE
*THE PLAYOFF SCHEDULE WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT A LATER DATE

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