UFL Remains at 5 Teams for 2011
February 10, 2011 - United Football League (UFL 1) News Release
LAS VEGAS, NV - THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10 - The United Football League announced today from league coaches meetings in Las Vegas that the UFL will remain as a five-team league for its third season in 2011.
UFL Commissioner MICHAEL HUYGHUE announced at an Open Forum Lunch at the Las Vegas Locos team facility that a sixth team will not be added for 2011, but that the league continues to actively seek suitable expansion markets and investors.
The league's five teams - Hartford Colonials, Las Vegas Locos, Omaha Nighthawks, Sacramento Mountain Lions and the expansion team Virginia Destroyers - will each play an eight-game season comprising of four home and four road games, with two bye weeks during the course of a ten-week season. The third annual United Football League Championship Game will be played at a venue to be determined.
UFL Commissioner Huyghue explained: "In November at our Championship Game media day I said that the 2011 UFL season would feature 10 games per team within a 12-week season, incorporating a bye week and the Championship Game.
"However, that would have involved a sixth team being added. Despite evaluating markets suitable to host a sixth, and indeed seventh and eighth future expansion teams, we were unable to secure a suitable market in time for the new season.
"We are retaining the five-team model that we know worked in 2010 and provides entertainment for our fans. At this point in time, making a financial commitment to fielding a sixth team would be irresponsible. It is more important that we safeguard the future of the UFL as we continue to seek expansion for future seasons."
The 2011 UFL season is scheduled to kick off in early August meaning the Championship Game will be played in a city to be determined in mid to late October.
"Our intent remains to begin play before the National Football League season begins, and to start incorporating Sundays into our football schedule," added Commissioner Huyghue. "I have said before that from a fan's standpoint, you are going to see a more competitive football game on Sundays in our regular season games, than you would in National Football League preseason games.
"We will continue to provide the top quality football and game day entertainment that our fans have come to expect and the UFL will be available to a wider TV audience. We will continue to make progress and anticipate more players will further their careers with the NFL at season end."
Commissioner Huyghue announced the 2011 format as representatives of the coaching staff of the Colonials, Locos, Nighthawks, Mountain Lions and Destroyers discussed player tryouts, mini camps, training camp, the 2011 player draft, UFL rules and other topics at an annual coaches meeting.
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United Football League Stories from February 10, 2011
- Jim Fassel Named Locos President - Las Vegas Locomotives
- UFL Remains at 5 Teams for 2011 - UFL 1
- Nighthawks Name Don Lawrence Offensive Line Coach - Omaha Nighthawks
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