Crush Reveal 2004 Schedule
October 28, 2003 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Colorado Crush News Release
DENVER - The Colorado Crush will open its 2004 Arena Football League season on Feb. 6 with a Friday night game against the Las Vegas Gladiators at the Pepsi Center, the first of three Friday night home games the team will play this season.
Seven of the Crush's 16 games _ Feb. 22 at Chicago; March 21 at Philadelphia; April 18 at New York; May 2 vs. Philadelphia at Pepsi Center; May 16 at Indiana; May 23 at Detroit; and May 30 vs. Chicago at Pepsi Center _ are to be televised by NBC-TV, the AFL's television partner.
The Crush, moving this season from the AFL's American Conference West Division to the American Conference Central Division after the league's expansion from 16 to 18 teams, will play home-and-home against the Central Division's Indiana Firebirds. New Crush head coach Mike Dailey, who coached the Firebirds for seven seasons, will face his old team for the first time on April 3, at Pepsi Center. The Crush will play at Indiana on May 16.
Two of Dailey's assistant coaches, offensive coordinator Brian Paltrow and defensive coordinator Ernesto Purnsley, were with him in Indiana, making both games against the Firebirds certain to have special meaning for Dailey and them.
"That first game against the Firebirds may seem a little strange to those of us who were there," Dailey said of leading the Crush against a team he coached for so long, "but we're in Colorado now and committed to help turn the Crush into one of the AFL's best teams."
The Crush will play the expansion Philadelphia Soul, co-owned by rock and roll star Jon Bon Jovi, both at home and away. Both games will be televised by NBC. Bon Jovi attended a Crush game at Pepsi Center last season as a guest of Crush co-owner John Elway. This season the two will face off as rival owners.
Also on the Crush schedule is a Feb. 27 home game against the expansion Austin Wranglers.
"We're happy with our schedule," Dailey said. "We don't have to play more than two consecutive games on the road and we both open the regular season at home and finish it at home."
A bye week has been added to the AFL's schedules this season, with the Crush to be idle between its May 2 home game against Philadelphia and its May 16 game at Indiana. The playoffs this season have been reduced from four weeks to three weeks, meaning only eight teams will qualify for the playoffs, instead of 12.
All but two of the team's eight home games will be played on Friday or Saturday. Only the regular season home finale, against the Chicago Rush, will be played on Sunday. The team's game against the Detroit Fury will be played on Thursday, March 4.
Last season all but one of the team's home games were played on Sundays.
"We hope that by playing most of our home games on Friday nights and Saturdays we can better accommodate our fans," Crush president Ronald O. Sally said. "In addition, we're very happy that at least five of our away games will be televised by NBC."
Sally also announced that additional seating in the lower bowl at Pepsi Center has been added for the 2004 season. The Crush sold out all eight of its home games in its inaugural season.
"The additional seating specifically has been created to accommodate our fans," Sally said. "We were thrilled by the response we got last season from Colorado's remarkable sports fans. We're confident the additional seating will be very popular with them."
Season tickets for the 2004 season now are available. For information, call 303.352.1000 or visit coloradocrush.com.
COLORADO CRUSH 2004 SCHEDULE (Home games in caps; All times Mountain Time)
Fri., Feb. 6 LAS VEGAS 7 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 14 At Grand Rapids 10 a.m.
Sun., Feb. 22 At Chicago 1 p.m.
Fri., Feb. 27 AUSTIN 7 p.m.
Thu., Mar. 4 DETROIT 7 p.m.
Sun., Mar. 14 At San Jose TBA
Sun., Mar. 21 At Philadelphia 10 a.m.
Sat., Mar. 27 ARIZONA 7 p.m.
Sat., Apr. 3 INDIANA 1 p.m.
Sat., Apr. 10 At Los Angeles 8:30 p.m.
Sun., Apr. 18 At New York 1 p.m.
Fri., Apr. 23 GRAND RAPIDS 7 p.m.
Sun., May 2 PHILADELPHIA 1 p.m. BYE WEEK
Sun., May 16 At Indiana 1 p.m.
Sun., May 23 At Detroit 1 p.m.
Sun., May 30 CHICAGO 2 p.m.
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