Avengers announce 2006 schedule
October 25, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Los Angeles Avengers News Release
LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Avengers have finalized their 2006 schedule and will kick off their seventh season of play in the 20-year-old Arena Football League versus the Arizona Rattlers on Sunday, Jan. 29, at STAPLES Center.
The season opener, which features three of the last four AFL "Ironman of the Year" recipients - Los Angeles' Greg Hopkins (2002) and Kevin Ingram (2005) versus Arizona's Randy Gatewood (2003) - will kickoff at noon.
In Week 2, the defending Western Division champion Avengers will hit the road for a marquee matchup against the Philadelphia Soul (owned by Jon Bon Jovi and quarterbacked by former Avenger Tony Graziani) on Sunday, Feb. 5, at the Wachovia Complex in Philadelphia.
NBC, which will be the AFL's national television partner for the fourth consecutive season, will announce its lineup of games shortly. The Avengers are expected to have several games televised by NBC and FSN West, which has been the team's regional cable partner since its inaugural 2000 season.
The centerpiece of the Avenger home schedule is a showdown with the defending ArenaBowl champion Colorado Crush, who will visit STAPLES Center on Sunday, March 19.
In addition to the season opener versus the Rattlers and the clash with the Crush, the Avengers also will host six other teams at STAPLES Center, as the Chicago Rush (Feb. 18), Utah Blaze (Feb. 25), New York Dragons (April 22), San Jose SaberCats (April 29), Nashville Kats (May 6) and Las Vegas Gladiators (May 13) come to Los Angeles.
Six of L.A.'s eight home games will be played on Saturday night (the Arizona and Colorado games both will be played on Sunday afternoon) and each contest will feature promotional giveaways and post-game autograph sessions.
After the game at Philadelphia, the remaining road contests on the Avenger schedule are at Grand Rapids (Feb. 12), Orlando (March 5), San Jose (March 12), Arizona (March 24), Las Vegas (April 2), Kansas City (April 9) and Utah (April 15).
In addition, the AFL's playoff format has been expanded to 12 teams and four rounds. Each of the four division winners will receive a bye in the first round. ArenaBowl XX will be played in Las Vegas on Sunday, June 11.
Avenger season tickets are now on sale and can be purchased by calling 1-888-AVENGERS.
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from October 25, 2005
- Crush release 2006 schedule - Colorado Crush
- Pair of AFL veterans added to Destroyers roster - Columbus Destroyers
- Storm Release 2006 Schedule - Tampa Bay Storm
- Destroyers release 2006 schedule - Columbus Destroyers
- Rampage release 2006 schedule - Grand Rapids Rampage
- Gladiators announce 2006 schedule - Las Vegas Gladiators
- San Jose to host expansion Utah Blaze in season opener - San Jose SaberCats
- Dragons open at home January 28 versus Nashville - New York Dragons
- Avengers announce 2006 schedule - Los Angeles Avengers
- Soul home debut set for January 29 - Philadelphia Soul
- Rattlers announce 2006 schedule - Arizona Rattlers
- Wranglers kick of season January 27 - Austin Wranglers
- Blaze open season against two time ArenaBowl champion, San Jose - Utah Blaze
- Kats announce schedule for 2006 season - Nashville Kats
- Rush 2006 season schedule announced - Chicago Rush
- AFL announces 2006 schedule - AFL I
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