SaberCats Release 2003 Schedule

Published on October 10, 2002 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
San Jose SaberCats News Release


SAN JOSE, Calif. (October 10, 2002) – The World Champion San Jose SaberCats will begin defense of their Arena Football League title by opening the 2003 season at Arizona in a rematch of ArenaBowl XVI. The 2003 schedule, which was announced today by the Arena Football League office, has the SaberCats playing five of their first six games on the road.

NBC Sports will broadcast up to four AFL games on a regional basis each regular-season Sunday (except March 30) plus all playoff games for a possible total of 70 contests, prompting the league to move its season from April/August to February/June. San Jose is scheduled to have seven of its eight road games and one home game televised on NBC.

Also, for the first time in league history, teams will play a 16-game regular season schedule with preseason games eliminated. "With no preseason games we don't have time to think about evaluating players this year in a game-like situation," said SaberCats head coach Darren Arbet. "We'll have to be better prepared immediately to meet the challenge."

Twelve of San Jose's regular-season games will be against teams that participated in last year's playoffs, including the Central Division champion Chicago Rush and Eastern Division champion New Jersey Gladiators.

San Jose will open the season with its first three games on the road. Following their opener at Arizona on Sunday, February 2, the SaberCats will travel to Los Angeles (Feb. 9) and Georgia (Feb. 16). All three games are scheduled for broadcast on NBC.

The home portion of the SaberCats schedule begins on Saturday, February 22, when the expansion Colorado Crush visits San Jose. The Crush, co-owned by former NFL quarterback John Elway, will compete in the Western Division in 2003 along with the SaberCats, Arizona Rattlers and Los Angeles Avengers. The SaberCats will also play Saturday night home games against Indiana (April 19), Grand Rapids (May 3) and Los Angeles (May 17).

The SaberCats will host Arizona in a game scheduled to be broadcast on NBC on Sunday, March 23. San Jose's remaining three home games will be played on Friday nights: vs. Buffalo (Mar. 14), vs. Carolina (Mar. 28) and vs. Detroit (April 11).

The remainder of San Jose's road schedule includes stops at New Jersey (Feb. 27), Chicago (Mar. 9/NBC), Dallas (April 6/NBC), Colorado (April 27/NBC) and Tampa Bay (May 11/NBC).

"We have a tough task ahead," said Arbet about the schedule. "But it's a challenge we want and are looking forward to."

Season tickets for all eight regular season home games played at the HP Pavilion in San Jose can be purchased by calling the SaberCats front office at (408) 573-5577.

2003 San Jose SaberCats Schedule

Day, Date Opponent Time TV
Sunday February 2 at Arizona Rattlers 12:00 p.m. NBC
Sunday February 9 at Los Angeles Avengers 12:00 p.m. NBC
Sunday February 16 at Georgia Force 12:00 p.m. NBC
Saturday February 22 COLORADO CRUSH 7:30 p.m.
Thursday February 27 at New Jersey Gladiators 4:30 p.m.
Sunday March 9 at Chicago Rush 12:00 p.m. NBC
Friday March 14 BUFFALO DESTROYERS 7:30 p.m.
Sunday March 23 ARIZONA RATTLERS 3:00 p.m. NBC
Friday March 28 CAROLINA COBRAS 7:30 p.m.
Sunday April 6 at Dallas Desperados 9:00 a.m. NBC
Friday April 11 DETROIT FURY 7:30 p.m.
Saturday April 19 INDIANA FIREBIRDS 7:30 p.m.
Sunday April 27 at Colorado Crush 12:00 p.m. NBC
Saturday May 3 GRAND RAPIDS RAMPAGE 7:30 p.m.
Sunday May 11 at Tampa Bay Storm 12:00 p.m. NBC
Saturday May 17 LOS ANGELES AVENGERS 7:30 p.m.

Dates And Times Subject To Change
All Times Pacific

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from October 10, 2002


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