Georgia Force releases 2004 schedule

Posted 5:41AM on Wednesday 29th October 2003 ( 21 years ago )

ATLANTA - The Georgia Force, of the Arena Football League, released its 2004 schedule Tuesday. The Force will open their season at home, in the Arena at Gwinnett Center, when they host the defending Eastern Division champion New York Dragons on Sunday, February 8th on NBC. The Force's 2004 schedule is highlighted by home games played entirely on Saturday and Sundays, with seven of the team's eight home contests broadcasted on NBC. With the newly realigned Southern Division, the Force will face the AFL World Champion Tampa Bay Storm and expansion Austin Wranglers and New Orleans VooDoo twice. "Through listening to our fans, it was a goal of the organization to play our home games on the weekends. We were able to accomplish this with seven home games on Sundays and one featured Saturday night game," said Force owner Virgil R. Williams. "The atmosphere that is created in and around the Arena at Gwinnett Center by our fans through activities like tailgating, helps generate that football in the South feel that is carried over from the fall." With the league's expansion to nineteen teams for the 2004, the 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. 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, culminating with the broadcast of ArenaBowl XVIII on Sunday, June 27. This gives the AFL the second-most games on network television of any sports league behind only the NFL. The Force is scheduled to have nine of their 16 games aired on NBC, including all seven of the team's final games. "The luxury of having an arena with the capabilities to cater to our scheduling needs along with the environment that our home fans create in the Arena at Gwinnett Center makes us very attractable to NBC," added Williams. "By having our games televised, I think our fans will enjoy having the opportunity to follow the team at home and on the road." 2004 GEORGIA FORCE SCHEDULE DATE OPPONENT TIME TV Sunday, February 8 NEW YORK 3:00 p.m. NBC Friday, February 13 at Tampa Bay 7:30 p.m. Sunday, February 22 NEW ORLEANS 3:00 p.m. NBC Monday, March 1 at Los Angeles 10:30 p.m. Sunday, March 7 LAS VEGAS 12:00 p.m. NBC Friday, March 12 at Orlando 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 20 at Indiana 7:00 p.m. Saturday, March 27 TAMPA BAY 7:00 p.m. Thursday, April 1 at Detroit 7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 11 at Austin 3:00 p.m. NBC Sunday, April 18 ORLANDO 3:00 p.m. NBC Sunday, April 25 SAN JOSE 12:00 p.m. NBC BYE Sunday, May 9 at Columbus 3:00 p.m. NBC Saturday, May 15 at New Orleans 8:00 p.m. Sunday, May 23 AUSTIN 3:00 p.m. NBC Sunday, May 30 CAROLINA 4:00 p.m. NBC HOME GAMES IN ALL CAPS and BOLD All Times are Eastern Standard Time

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