2003 AFL Season
Originally written by GCEDW
This is the first of a planned series of the historical national TV coverage for the Arena Football League, covering from the official launch of the league in 1987 to 2008.
First up is 2003, and major changes were on the horizon. First, the AFL signed an exclusive 2 year deal for national TV coverage on NBC, replacing previous TV coverage on TNN, ESPN, and ABC. NBC would typically televise between 3 and 4 regional games per week, usually on Sunday at 3pm. For their top announcing crew, NBC used the Notre Dame Football announcing team of Tom Hammond on play-by-play and Pat Haden as the analyst. Other talent that was used included Dan Hicks, Mike Breen, and Eli Gold on PBP, and analysts Charles Davis, John Riggins, and Ray Bentley. As a part of the deal with NBC, games were moved to Sundays instead of Fridays and Saturdays, the regular season was expanded to 16 games from its previous 14 games, and the AFL changed their season to start in February and end in June, instead of its previous April to August format.
Dallas Desperados
Grand Rapids Rampage
Chicago Rush
Indiana Firebirds
San Jose SaberCats
Los Angeles Avengers
Arizona Rattlers
Colorado Crush
New York Dragons
Detroit Fury
Las Vegas Gladiators
Buffalo Destroyers
Tampa Bay Storm
Orlando Predators
Georgia Force
Carolina Cobras
Regular Season
WEEK 1, 2003:
Sunday 2/2:
Dragons-Desperados, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Lewis Johnson
SaberCats-Rattlers, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Mike Breen, Ray Bentley, Dave Burns
Predators-Rush, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Eli Gold, John Riggins
Force-Crush, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Dan Hicks, Charles Davis
WEEK 2, 2003:
Sunday 2/9:
Storm-Predators, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Lewis Johnson
Rush-Desperados, NBC, 3:00 (regional).. Mike Breen, Ray Bentley, Marty Snider
SaberCats-Avengers, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Dan Hicks, Charles Davis
Gladiators-Rattlers, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Eli Gold, John Riggins
WEEK 3, 2003:
Sunday 2/16:
Desperados-Predators, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Lewis Johnson
Avengers-Crush, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Mike Breen, Ray Bentley, Dave Burns
Rush-Firebirds, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Dan Hicks, Charles Davis
SaberCats-Force, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Eli Gold, John Riggins
WEEK 4, 2003:
Sunday 2/23:
Desperados-Fury, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Lewis Johnson
Avengers-Rush, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Mike Breen, Ray Bentley, Marty Snider
Storm-Rampage, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Eli Gold, Charles Davis
WEEK 5, 2003:
Sunday 3-2:
Desperados-Rattlers, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Lewis Johnson
Predators-Dragons, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Mike Breen, Ray Bentley, Dave Burns
Crush-Firebirds, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Allen Bestwick, Charles Davis
Force-Avengers, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Eli Gold, John Riggings
WEEK 6, 2003:
Sunday 3-9:
Avengers-Dragons, NBC, 12:00 (regional). Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Lewis Johnson
Rampage-Force, NBC, 12:00 (regional). Eli Gold, Charles Davis
SaberCats-Rush, NBC, 6:00 (west coast). Mike Breen, Ray Bentley, Marty Snider
WEEK 7, 2003:
Sunday 3-16:
Predators-Storm, NBC, 12:00 (regional). Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Lewis Johnson
Dragons-Fury, NBC, 12:00 (regional). Eli Gold, Charles Davis
Crush-Rattlers, NBC, 6:00 (west coast). Mike Breen, Ray Bentley, Dave Burns
WEEK 8, 2003:
Sunday 3-23:
Force-Predators, NBC, 12:00 (regional). Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Lewis Johnson
Rush-Dragons, NBC, 12:00 (regional). Mike Breen, Ray Bentley, Marty Snider
Rattlers-SaberCats, NBC, 6:00 (west coast). Eli Gold, Charles Davis, Dave Burns
WEEK 10, 2003:
Sunday 4-6:
SaberCats-Desperados, NBC, 12:00 (regional). Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Lewis Johnson
Force-Storm, NBC, 12:00 (regional). Eli Gold, Charles Davis
Predators-Rattlers, NBC, 6:00 (west coast). Mike Breen, Ray Bentley, Marty Snider
WEEK 11, 2003:
Sunday 4-13:
Rattlers-Avengers, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Lewis Johnson
Desperados-Firebirds, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Mike Breen, Ray Bentley, Dave Burns
Rush-Crush, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Eli Gold, Charles Davis
WEEK 12, 2003:
Sunday 4-20:
Gladiators-Predators, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Lewis Johnson
Desperados-Rush, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Mike Breen, Ray Bentley, Marty Snider
Crush-Storm, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Eli Gold, Charles Davis
WEEK 13, 2003:
Sunday 4-27:
Avengers-Desperados, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Lewis Johnson
Storm-Dragons, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Mike Breen, Ray Bentley, Dave Burns
Rampage-Rush, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Eli Gold, Charles Davis
WEEK 14, 2003:
Sunday 5-4:
Storm-Desperados, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Lewis Johnson
Avengers-Rattlers, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Eli Gold, Charles Davis, Marty Snider
Storm-Firebirds, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Allen Bestwick, John Riggins
WEEK 15, 2003:
Sunday 5-11:
SaberCats-Storm, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Lewis Johnson
Rattlers-Rush, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Mike Breen, Ray Bentley, Dave Burns
WEEK 16, 2003:
Sunday 5-18:
Desperados-Rampage, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Lewis Johnson
Firebirds-Rush, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Mike Breen, Ray Bentley, Marty Snider
Storm-Force, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Bill Weber, John Riggins
Postseason
WILD CARD ROUND
Saturday 5-24:
Force-Desperados, NBC, 3:00. Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Marty Snider
Sunday 5-25:
Gladiators-Rattlers, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Eli Gold, Charles Davis, Lewis Johnson
Fury-Rampage, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Bill Weber, John Riggins, Dave Burns
Rush-Dragons, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Mike Breen, Ray Bentley, Marty Snider
QUARTERFINALS
Saturday 5-31:
Fury-Storm, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Mike Breen, Ray Bentley, Marty Snider
Force-SaberCats, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Allen Bestwick, John Riggins, Dave Burns
Sunday 6-1:
Dragons-Predators, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Lewis Johnson
Rattlers-Avengers, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Eli Gold, Charles Davis, Dave Burns
SEMIFINALS
Saturday 6-7:
Predators-Storm, NBC, 3:00. Mike Breen, Ray Bentley, Dave Burns
Sunday 6-8:
Rattlers-SaberCats, NBC, 5:30. Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Lewis Johnson
ArenaBowl XVI
Sunday 6-22:
Rattlers-Storm, NBC, 5:00. Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Lewis Johnson, Marty Snider