2007 AFL Season
In 2007, the Arena Football League entered a new era for its television coverage. Gone was NBC and OLN, and in was ABC and the ESPN family of networks for national TV coverage. Unlike the previous contracts with NBC, the AFL would only receive 1 week of regional coverage and the Arena Bowl on its broadcast TV partner (ABC), with the remainder of regular season schedule being aired on ESPN2. ESPN would televise several playoff games. As for commentators, ESPN would have Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic, hosts of the popular ESPN Radio morning show Mike and Mike on the A team, with additional commentators used during both the regular season and playoff coverage.
As for team changes, there would be no expansion teams, nor would any teams fold, but after suspending operations in 2006, the New Orleans VooDoo would resume playing in the AFL. Thus, the following 19 team lineup for the 2007 AFL season was as follows:
Dallas Desperados
Grand Rapids Rampage
Chicago Rush
San Jose SaberCats
Los Angeles Avengers
Arizona Rattlers
Colorado Crush
New York Dragons
Las Vegas Gladiators
Columbus Destroyers
Tampa Bay Storm
Orlando Predators
Georgia Force
Austin Wranglers
Philadelphia Soul
Nashville Kats
Kansas City Brigade
Utah Blaze
New Orleans VooDoo
In addition, the AFL chose to move the start of their season back to early March and the Arena Bowl to late July, similarly to how the season had looked like prior to the NBC era, and the bye week returned after having been eliminated in 2006.
Regular Season
WEEK 1, 2007
Sunday 3-4:
Desperados-Dragons, ABC, 12:30 (regional). Mike Greenberg, Mike Golic
Rush-Brigade, ABC, 12:30 (regional). Ron Jaworski, Merrill Hodge
WEEK 2, 2007
Monday 3-12:
Avengers-Predators, ESPN2, 7:00. Ron Jaworski, Merril Hoge
WEEK 4, 2007
Thursday 3-22:
Crush-Soul, ESPN2, 7:00. Mike Greenberg, Mike Golic
Monday 3-26:
Desperados-Predators, ESPN2, 7:00. Mike Greenberg, Mike Golic
WEEK 5, 2007
Sunday 4-1:
Avengers-Rush, ESPN2, 1:30. Merrill Hoge, Mark Schlereth
WEEK 6, 2007
Monday 4-9:
Force-Soul, ESPN2, 7:30. Mike Greenberg, Mike Golic
WEEK 7, 2007
Monday 4-16:
Soul-Desperados, ESPN2, 7:30. Trey Wingo, Mark Schlereth
WEEK 8, 2007
Monday 4-23:
Soul-Destroyers, ESPN2, 7:30. Trey Wingo, Mark Schlereth
WEEK 9, 2007
Monday 4-30:
Soul-Rush, ESPN2, 8:00. Mike Greenberg, Mike Golic
WEEK 10, 2007
Monday 5-7:
Crush-Rush, ESPN2, 8:00. Mark Jones, Merrill Hoge
WEEK 11, 2007
Monday 5-14:
Rush-Desperados, ESPN2, 8:30. Mike Greenberg, Mike Golic
WEEK 12, 2007
Monday 5-21:
VooDoo-Soul, ESPN2, 7:30. Mike Greenberg, Mike Golic
WEEK 13, 2007
Monday 5-28:
Dragons-VooDoo, ESPN2, 8:00. Trey Wingo, Mark Schlereth
WEEK 14, 2007
Monday 6-4:
Crush-Blaze, ESPN2, 10:30. Mark Jones, Merril Hoge
WEEK 15, 2007
Monday 6-11:
Avengers-Rattlers, ESPN2, 10:00. Mark Jones, Merril Hoge
WEEK 16, 2007
Monday 6-18:
Rush-Crush, ESPN2, 10:00. Trey Wingo, Ray Bentley
WEEK 17, 2007
Monday 6-25:
Desperados-Crush, ESPN2, 10:00. Mark Jones, Merril Hoge
Playoffs
WILD CARD
Friday 6-29:
Predators-Soul, ESPN, 7:00. Dave Pasch, Ray Bentley
Saturday 6-30:
Destroyers-Storm, ESPN, 12:00. Mark Jones, Merrill Hoge
Crush-Brigade, ESPN, 3:00. Bob Wischusen, Mark Schlereth
Monday 7-2:
Blaze-Avengers, ESPN2, 10:00. Mark Jones, Mark Schlereth
DIVISIONAL
Saturday 7-7:
Crush-SaberCats, ESPN, 3:00. Bob Wischusen, Ray Bentley
Destroyers-Desperados, ESPN, 8:00. Mark Jones, Merril Hoge
Sunday 7-8:
Soul-Force, ESPN2, 7:00. Dave Pasch, Ray Bentley
Monday 7-9:
Avengers-Rush, ESPN2, 8:30. Mark Jones, Merrill Hoge
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Saturday 7-14:
Destroyers-Force, ESPN, 1:00. Mike Greenberg, Mike Golic
Rush-SaberCats, ESPN, 4:00. Trey Wingo, Mark Schlereth
ARENA BOWL XXI
Sunday 7-29:
Destroyers-SaberCats (New Orleans), ABC, 3:00. Mike Greenberg, Mike Golic