Sports stats



AFL I Arena Football League (1987-2008)

New Markets Highlight Schedule

October 28, 2003 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release


NEW YORK – Nineteen teams – including four new markets – the "War on I-4" and brand new division rivalries highlight Week 1 of the Arena Football League's 18th regular-season schedule, which begins the second weekend of February.

An odd number of teams means at least one team will have a bye each week throughout the 17-week regular season. It also means the 2004 playoffs will go from four rounds to three, including ArenaBowl XVIII, with only eight teams qualifying for the postseason instead of 12.

The 2004 season begins with the Detroit Fury hosting the San Jose SaberCats on Thursday, February 5 and culminates with the NBC broadcast of ArenaBowl XVIII on Sunday, June 27.

NBC enters its second season broadcasting the AFL on a regional basis each regular-season Sunday plus all playoff games for up to 60 contests, which would be the second-most games on network television of any sports league behind only the NFL. NBC will kickoff its 2004 broadcast schedule by showing five Week 1 games. Due to schedule conflicts, NBC will broadcast Week 2 games on Saturday, February 14 instead of Sunday and will not broadcast any games in Week 8. In Week 12, NBC will broadcast its first AFL doubleheader with games at noon and 3 p.m. ET.

Flexible scheduling opportunities exist during a number of weeks throughout the season to allow the most compelling matchups in the most exciting arenas to be broadcast on NBC.

The defending champion Tampa Bay Storm and seven-time ArenaBowl winning head coach TIM MARCUM kick off their title defense by renewing the "War on I-4" with a rematch of last season's Semifinal game against six-time ArenaBowl champion JAY GRUDEN and the Orlando Predators at St. Pete Times Forum on Sunday, February 8 in Week 1 on NBC.

The expansion Philadelphia Soul, co-owned by JON BON JOVI, make their debut on NBC by hosting the expansion New Orleans VooDoo, who are operated by New Orleans Saints owner TOM BENSON, on Sunday, February 8 at Wachovia Center. The VooDoo's first home game will come against the Indiana Firebirds on Saturday, February 14 in Week 2 on NBC.

The expansion Austin Wranglers, who have a bye in Week 1, travel to Orlando on February 13 in Week 2 for their first game. Austin's home debut is against the defending ArenaBowl champion Tampa Bay Storm on Sunday, February 22 in Week 3 on NBC.

The Columbus Destroyers, who relocated from Buffalo during the offseason, will play at Indiana on Saturday, February 7 in Week 1. The Destroyers first home game will be against the Carolina Cobras on Friday, February 13 in Week 2 at Nationwide Arena, while their first NBC game is slated for Sunday, February 29 at home against the Dallas Desperados.

NBC's Kickoff Weekend coverage on Sunday, February 8 also includes:

· A 2003 Quarterfinal rematch between Western Division rivals, the Los Angeles Avengers and the Arizona Rattlers, at America West Arena in Phoenix.

· The Chicago Rush host the Grand Rapids Rampage in a Central Division battle of 2003 playoff teams at Allstate Arena in Chicago.

· 2003 Quarterfinal participants square off when the Georgia Force host the New York Dragons at The Arena at Gwinnett Center (Ga.).

Four additional games will be played Kickoff Weekend:

· The 2004 season kicks off with a matchup of two 2003 playoff teams when Detroit hosts San Jose on Thursday, February 5 at The Palace at Auburn Hills. The SaberCats begin their 10th Anniversary season by trying to win their fifth straight Western Division crown.

· The second-year Colorado Crush, co-owned by former NFL quarterback JOHN ELWAY, host the Las Vegas Gladiators, who were a 2003 playoff team, at Pepsi Center on Friday, February 6.

· Former NFL QB STEVE DEBERG makes his AFL head coaching debut against former Ohio State coach EARLE BRUCE and the Columbus Destroyers on Saturday, February 7 at Conseco Fieldhouse.

· The Dallas Desperados, owned by JERRY JONES, host the Carolina Cobras on Sunday, February 8 in a battle of new Eastern Division opponents at American Airlines Arena.

WEEK 1 MATCHUPS
(All times ET)

Thursday, February 5 San Jose at Detroit 7:30 p.m.
Friday, February 6 Las Vegas at Colorado 9:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 7 Columbus at Indiana 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, February 8 Carolina at Dallas 3:00 p.m.
Sunday, February 8 Los Angeles at Arizona 3:00 p.m.
Sunday, February 8 Grand Rapids at Chicago 3:00 p.m.
Sunday, February 8 New York at Georgia 3:00 p.m.
Sunday, February 8 New Orleans at Philadelphia 3:00 p.m.
Sunday, February 8 Orlando at Tampa Bay 3:00 p.m.

NBC will broadcast all playoff games beginning with the Quarterfinal Round on June 5-6. The Semifinal Round will be held June 12-13. ArenaBowl XVIII, which is played at the city of the highest-remaining-seeded team, is scheduled for Sunday, June 27.

Other 2004 schedule highlights include:

· Since the inception of divisions in 1995, the Western Division title has been won by either San Jose or Arizona all nine times. This heated rivalry and rematch of ArenaBowl XVI is renewed on Sunday, May 9 in Week 14 and Sunday, May 30 in Week 17. Both games will be on NBC.

· JOHN ELWAY's Colorado Crush move to the Central Division. New head coach MIKE DAILEY will get a chance to face his former team, Indiana, on Saturday, April 3 in Week 9 in Pepsi Center and Sunday, May 16 in Week 15 at Conseco Fieldhouse.

· Los Angeles QB TONY GRAZIANI (6-2, 215, Oregon) and the Avengers will look for a repeat performance of their 2003 last-second comeback victory against New York when they travel to Nassau Coliseum to face AARON GARCIA (6-1, 195, Sacramento State) and the Dragons on Sunday, May 16 in Week 15.

· New York's Garcia and Dallas QB JIM KUBIAK (6-2, 218, Navy) combined for 197 passing touchdowns in 2003 and will face off as part of this new Eastern Division rivalry on February 22 in Week 3 and May 2 in Week 13.

· New York and Philadelphia hook up for Eastern Division clashes on Saturday, April 24 in Week 12 and Sunday, May 30 in Week 17.

· New Eastern Division rivals Dallas and Philadelphia face off on Sunday, February 15 in Week 2 and Sunday, April 4 in Week 9 on NBC.

· The Battle of Texas begins on Mother's Day, Sunday May 9 in Week 14 when Austin hosts Dallas for the first time on NBC. The game marks the first meeting of Lineman of the Year TOM BRIGGS (6-5, 270, West Virginia) against his former team, the Dallas Desperados.

· The Detroit Fury and Grand Rapids Rampage renew the Battle of Michigan on Saturday, April 10 in Week 10 and again on Sunday, May 30 in Week 17.

· Chicago and New York square off on Valentine's Day, Saturday, February 14 in Week 2 on NBC, in a rematch of the 2003 Wild Card game.

· Rock and Jock? JON BON JOVI'S Philadelphia Soul face JOHN ELWAY'S Colorado Crush twice – Sunday, March 21 in Week 7 and Sunday, May 2 in Week 13. Both will be shown on NBC.

· JERRY JONES and the Dallas Desperados face former Dallas Cowboys QB DANNY WHITE as he coaches his 13th consecutive season with the Arizona Rattlers on Sunday, April 18 in Week 11 on NBC.

· Michigan-Ohio State rekindled? EARLE BRUCE and Columbus head to the state of Michigan on Friday, May 14 to face the Grand Rapids Rampage.

· San Jose secured the No. 1 seed and Western Division crown in a season finale victory against Los Angeles last season. The SaberCats-Avengers rivalry is renewed Sunday, February 22 in Week 3 and Friday, March 26 in Week 8.

· Austin QB JOHN KALEO (6-0, 205, Maryland) will face his former team, the defending ArenaBowl XVII champion Tampa Bay Storm, on Sunday, February 22 in Week 3 on NBC.

· The stars of ArenaBowl XV, QB CLINT DOLEZEL and OS TERRILL SHAW, return to face their former team when the Las Vegas Gladiators travel to Van Andel Arena to play the Grand Rapids Rampage on Sunday, February 22 in Week 3.

Optimal Planning Solutions Inc. (www.optimalplanning.com) assisted the AFL in producing the 2003 schedule. OPS is the leading provider of optimization-based professional sports-league scheduling.

• Discuss this story on the Arena Football League (1987-2008) message board...

Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from October 28, 2003


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.


Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central