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AFL I Arena Football League (1987-2008)

AFRTS to Distribute AFL Games

June 7, 2002 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release


NEW YORK and March Air Reserve Base (ARB), CA (June 7, 2002) -- The American Forces Radio and Television Service Broadcast Center (AFRTS-BC) and the Arena Football League have agreed to distribute the AFL's national broadcast schedule of regular season and post-season games, including ArenaBowl XVI, to the U.S. Armed Forces stationed overseas.

Game coverage on the American Forces Network Sports channel (AFN Sports) will begin this Sunday, June 9 with "The New TNN: The National Network" coverage of the Tampa Bay Storm at Orlando Predators game (4:30 p.m. ET/PT). The AFN Sports channel will carry the entire seven game regular-season package from The New TNN, along with post-season action via The New TNN, ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC.

"We are grateful to the AFL for its generosity in permitting AFRTS to provide our men and women in uniform stationed overseas game coverage from the 2002 season," said Air Force Colonel RAY SHEPHERD, the AFRTS-BC Commander. "Anytime we can bring them home for a couple of hours of exciting sports coverage enhances the morale and well-being of every soldier, sailor, airman and Marine serving far from home and on the high seas."

"Our hearts go out to the men and women of the armed services who put their lives on the line every day defending our nation and our freedom," said Arena Football League Commissioner DAVID BAKER. "I'm thrilled to think that the fast-paced excitement of the Arena Football League can play even a small role in improving the morale of our service men and women during this critical time."

Serving since 1942, AFRTS provides six television channels of entertainment, news and sports programming under the AFN brand to approximately 800,000 U.S. Armed Forces personnel, Department of Defense civilian employees and their family members stationed overseas is 177 countries and aboard U.S. Navy ships-at-sea. In the words of Colonel Shepherd, "with the support and understanding of the collective broadcast industry, we bring them home from wherever they are stationed around the globe."

The following is the AFL's national broadcast schedule of regular season and post-season games*:

REGULAR SEASON
Sunday, June 9, 4:30 PM ET/PT -- Tampa Bay Storm at Orlando Predators -- TNN
Sunday, June 16, 4:30 PM ET/PT -- Dallas Desperados at Arizona Rattlers -- TNN
Sunday, June 23, 2:00 PM ET/PT -- Georgia Force at Grand Rapids Rampage -- TNN
Sunday, June 30, 4:30 PM ET/PT -- New York Dragons at Chicago Rush -- TNN
Sunday, July 7, 2:00 PM ET/PT -- Orlando Predators at Tampa Bay Storm -- TNN
Sunday, July 14, 4:30 PM ET/PT -- Los Angeles Avengers at Indiana Firebirds -- TNN
Sunday, July 21, 2:00 PM ET/PT -- San Jose SaberCats at Carolina Cobras -- TNN

FIRST ROUND
Saturday, July 27, 2:00 p.m. ET/PT -- TNN
Saturday, July 27, 4:30 p.m. ET/PT -- TNN
Saturday, July 27, 7:30 p.m. ET -- ESPN2
Sunday, July 28, 3:30 p.m. ET -- ESPN

QUARTERFINALS
Saturday, August 3, 12:30 p.m. ET/PT -- TNN
Saturday, August 3, 3:00 p.m. ET -- ESPN2
Sunday, August 4, 12:30 p.m. ET -- ESPN
Sunday, August 4, 3:00 p.m. ET/PT -- TNN

SEMIFINALS
Saturday, August 10, 3:00 p.m. ET -- ABC Sports
Sunday, August 11, 3:30 p.m. ET -- ESPN2

ARENABOWL XVI
Sunday, August 18, 3:00 P.M. ET -- ABC Sports

About Arena Football League The Arena Football League consists of 23 teams (16 active for 2002 season), including eight in the 10 largest U.S. media markets. An additional seven expansion teams have already been approved to begin to play over the next three years. The AFL and NBC Sports have reached a network broadcast agreement that begins in February 2003.

Current AFL ownership includes: Jerry Jones, Jerry Jones Jr., and Stephen Jones, Dallas Desperados (NFL's Dallas Cowboys ownership); William Ford Jr., Detroit Fury (NFL's Detroit Lions); K.S. "Bud" Adams, Jr., Nashville Kats (NFL's Tennessee Titans); Tom Benson New Orleans Voodoo (NFL's New Orleans Saints); Jerry Colangelo, Arizona Rattlers, (NBA's Phoenix Suns and MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks); Dan DeVos, Grand Rapids Rampage (NBA's Orlando Magic); Charles Wang, New York Dragons (NHL's New York Islanders); Rogers Communications, Toronto Phantoms (ownership, MLB's Toronto Blue Jays).

Additionally, four other NFL owners have applied or been approved for ownership of future AFL expansion teams, including Denver Broncos' Pat Bowlen, Washington Redskins' Daniel Snyder, Jacksonville Jaguars' Wayne Weaver, and San Francisco 49ers' Denise DeBartolo York.

*All games are subject to change



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from June 7, 2002


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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