Swamp Foxes\' Announce 2003 Division Alignment & Schedule
Published on January 9, 2003 under arenafootball2 (af2)
Charleston Swamp Foxes News Release
NORTH CHARLESTON, SC â The Charleston Swamp Foxes today announced their division alignment and schedule for the upcoming 2003 season, which will begin the first weekend in April. Charleston remains in the American Conference, but will now be placed in the Atlantic Division as opposed to last year's South Division alignment.
Joining Charleston in the American Conference's Atlantic Division will be the Cape Fear Wildcats (Fayetteville, NC), the Greensboro (NC) Prowlers, the Norfolk (VA) Nighthawks, and the Richmond (VA) Speed.
Charleston's new division foes had a combined record of 36-28 (.563) last season. The Swamp Foxes did, however, win four of the seven meetings (.636) versus those teams last year. Two squads â Cape Fear and Richmond â made the playoffs in 2002.
The af2 features a new 27-team format consisting of two conferences divided into three divisions. As was the case in 2002, teams in the Northeast, Atlantic and South Divisions belong to the American Conference, while clubs from the Central, Midwest and West Divisions form the National Conference.
Each team will play every team in its division twice (home/away) with the exception of the Northeast and West Divisions. Teams in those divisions will play each other three times. The playoff system for the realignment has not yet been released and all games are subject to change.
The Swamp Foxes' schedule features seven teams that made the af2 playoffs in 2002, two of which are divisional rivals. Charleston will face-off versus two teams, Birmingham and Bossier City, for the first time in the teams' histories in back-to-back weeks. They also renew the series with the Tennessee Valley Vipers for the first time since 2000.
The Swamp Foxes open their fourth year of play with a trio of road games, including a season-opening trip to divisional-rival, Norfolk. The Swamp Foxes travel to Florida in Week Two and to the Bossier City Battle Wings in Week Three. The Birmingham Steeldogs will be the opponent in the 2003 home opener on the last weekend of April at the North Charleston Coliseum.
In addition to facing each division team at each other's venues, the home slate also includes visits from the Macon Knights and Columbus Wardogs in non-divisional play, while the travel schedule also has Charleston going to Tennessee Valley in Week Nine.
The Swamp Foxes, behind Rik Richards, the youngest head coach in af2, are excited about the upcoming season. To date, Charleston has been assigned 20 players, 17 of which are either all-conference or All-Americans.
The arenafootball2 serves as a grassroots, developmental indoor football league for players, coaches and officials with teams in small-to mid-size markets throughout the United States. af2 operates under the same Mission Statement and Fans' Bill of Rights as the Arena Football League (AFL), which kicks off its 17th season and first with NBC on Sunday, February 2, 2003. NBC will provide the AFL with unprecedented exposure by televising up to 70 games, including all playoff contests and ArenaBowl XVII on June 22.
Season tickets for 2003 are on sale now. For more information, contact the Swamp Foxes offices at (843) 554-4321 or visit us online at www.goswampfoxes.com.
Divisional Alignments for 2003
AMERICAN CONFERENCE
Atlantic
Cape Fear Wildcats
Charleston Swamp Foxes
Greensboro Prowlers
Norfolk Nighthawks
Richmond Speed
Northeast
Albany Conquest
Mohegan Wolves
Rochester Brigade
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers
South
Birmingham Steeldogs
Columbus Wardogs
Florida Firecats
Macon Knights
Tennessee Valley Vipers
NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Central
Arkansas Twisters
Bossier City Battle Wings
Memphis Xplorers
Tulsa Talons
Midwest
Cincinnati Swarm (expansion)
Green Bay Blizzard (expansion)
Louisville Fire
Peoria Pirates
Quad City Steamwheelers
West
Bakersfield Blitz
Hawaiian Islanders
San Diego Riptide
Wichita Stealth
2003 Schedule
Week One â Open
Week Two â at Norfolk Nighthawks (April 4, 5, or 6)
Week Three â at Florida Firecats
Week Four â at Bossier City Battle Wings
Week Five â Vs. Birmingham Steeldogs (April 25, 26, 27)
Week Six â at Columbus Wardogs
Week Seven â Vs. Florida Firecats
Week Eight â Vs. Greensboro Prowlers
Week Nine â at Tennessee Valley
Week Ten â at Greensboro Prowlers
Week Eleven â Vs. Norfolk Nighthawks
Week Twelve â at Richmond Speed
Week Thirteen â Vs. Macon Knights
Week Fourteen â at Cape Fear Wildcats
Week Fifteen â Vs. Cape Fear Wildcats
Week Sixteen â OPEN
Week Seventeen â Vs. Columbus Wardogs
Week Eighteen â Vs. Richmond Speed
*All games are subject to change
arenafootball2 Stories from January 9, 2003
- Stealth Release 2003 Schedule - Wichita Stealth
- Pioneers Announce 2003 Opponents - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers
- Swamp Foxes' Announce 2003 Division Alignment & Schedule - Charleston Swamp Foxes
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