Power to open season March 23 at home
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Looking to rebound from a disappointing season, the Power released its 2013 schedule Tuesday, with nine home games slated for Consol Energy Center.
The Power will open the season March 23 at home against Utah. Seven of the nine home games will be played Saturday night. The team will play one Friday night game, March 29 against Jacksonville, and one Sunday afternoon, April 28 against San Antonio.
The announcement was made in conjunction with the Arena Football League's '13 schedule release. The league, entering its fourth season after relaunching in '10, survived a significant labor dispute last season. That situation caused the Power to forfeit a game and use replacement players.
The league and players union agreed to a new five-year collective bargaining agreement in June.
"To have labor peace is always a good thing, to make sure our players feel appreciated," AFL commissioner Jerry Kurz said Tuesday. "We all want that. It's a tremendous thing."
The league will play with 14 teams this year, down from 17 last season. Franchises in Georgia and Kansas City folded, and the Milwaukee team was designated "dormant" but is set to return in '14.
Kurz also announced Tuesday the AFL's new television contract with CBS Sports. CBS Sports Network will broadcast 19 regular-season games and two playoff games. The network will air ArenaBowl XXVI at 1 p.m. Aug. 17. The AFL's previous television contract was with the NFL Network, but the league was sometimes preempted for NFL coverage.
ArenaBowl XXV, for example, started at 10:30 p.m. local time, so the network could show an NFL preseason game.
"It was great being with the NFL Network, but we weren't primary, and we knew that," Kurz said.
First Published November 14, 2012 12:00 am
