USFL ANNOUNCES SEASON 2 SCHEDULE

By Staff Report
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Updated: February 8, 2023

Courtesy of the USFL

10 Weeks of Competitive Professional Spring Football Kicks Off April 15

Starting in April, Birmingham, Canton, Detroit, Memphis Will Host Games

With USFL Season 2 starting April 15, the league announced its 2023 schedule for games to be played at Birmingham, Ala., Canton, Ohio, Detroit, and Memphis, Tenn. All four cities will host USFL games in April within the season’s first three weeks. During the 10-week regular-season, each of the USFL’s eight teams plays division rivals twice and teams of the opposite division once.

“What a blessing to be able to bring America’s favorite sport to more markets and create more excitement for our fans!” said Daryl Johnston, Executive Vice President of Football Operations. “Our regular-season matchups provide 10 weeks of highly competitive games. We’re excited to start our next journey and we’re fired up to play in front of our new fans in four host cities. We’re proud to be able to bring our quality of fast and physical football that we played last year back to Birmingham and to our new host cities in Canton, Detroit, and Memphis. We have scheduled divisional matchups down the stretch to ensure an exciting run-up to the playoffs that begins in late June.”

USFL games are family-friendly, fun, and affordable so all fans can enjoy an exciting stadium experience. Games are played on Saturday and Sunday, and fans can visit theUSFL.com “TICKETS” section to make a $25 deposit and get priority access for host city games via Ticketmaster.

On Saturday, April 15, USFL Season 2 kicks off with two games featuring three teams that made the playoffs last year. At Memphis’ Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, Head Coach Todd Haley’s Memphis Showboats make their inaugural home debut against Head Coach Bart Andrus’ Philadelphia Stars (4:30 PM ET/3:30 PM CT). A primetime game at Birmingham’s Protective Stadium pits the 2022 USFL Champion Birmingham Stallions and Head Coach Skip Holtz against Head Coach Mike Riley’s New Jersey Generals (7:30 PM ET/6:30 PM CT) in a rematch of last season’s inaugural game that earned more than 3 million broadcast viewers. Both opening games will be presented live on FOX while the balance of the USFL 2023 television schedule will be announced in the days ahead.

USFL official media partner NBC will kick off its Season 2 coverage on Sunday, April 16, when Head Coach Mike Nolan’s Michigan Panthers travel to Memphis to face Head Coach Kevin Sumlin’s Houston Gamblers (12:00 PM ET/11:00 AM CT). Week 1 will conclude in Birmingham with a matchup between Head Coach Ray Horton’s Pittsburgh Maulers and Head Coach John DeFilippo’s New Orleans Breakers (6:30 PM ET/5:30 PM CT).

Week 2 gives fans the first of six divisional rivalry weekends this season. South Division matchups start in Birmingham on Saturday, April 22, as the Houston Gamblers meet the New Orleans Breakers (12:30 PM ET/11:30 AM CT) and the Memphis Showboats face off against the hometown Birmingham Stallions (7:00 PM ET/6:00 PM CT).

A new USFL North Division host city takes center stage on Sunday, April 23, as Canton’s Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium first pits the New Jersey Generals against the Pittsburgh Maulers (12:00 PM ET), followed later by a primetime matchup of the Michigan Panthers and Philadelphia Stars (7:00 PM ET).

While most USFL weekends occur in two host cities, Week 3 involves action in three locations. On Saturday, April 29, the New Orleans Breakers and Birmingham Stallions (12:30 PM ET/11:30 AM CT) face off in Birmingham, the host city for both teams. Later that day, the Houston Gamblers and Memphis Showboats (7:00 PM ET/6:00 PM CT) meet in Memphis, also the new host city for those two teams.

Sunday, April 30, will see the debut of the USFL at Detroit’s Ford Field, starting with the “Keystone State Battle” as the Pittsburgh Maulers face the Philadelphia Stars (12:00 PM ET). Then, on the 40^thanniversary of the original Michigan franchise winning the USFL Championship, the new Panthers team makes its home debut against the New Jersey Generals (4:00 PM ET).

The USFL is the first major professional spring football league in nearly 40 years to complete a successful inaugural season and return for Season 2. For the 2022 regular-season, all eight teams were hosted in Birmingham. Last June during the playoffs played in Canton, the USFL announced it would expand into more host cities as part of the league’s long-term fiscal plan to incrementally move teams into their namesake markets until all are playing in front of hometown fans. For the 2023 season, the Birmingham Stallions and New Orleans Breakers will be hosted in Birmingham, the Pittsburgh Maulers and New Jersey Generals will be hosted in Canton, the Michigan Panthers and Philadelphia Stars will be hosted in Detroit, and the Memphis Showboats and Houston Gamblers will be hosted in Memphis.

All 40 regular-season game matchups are listed on Page 3 of this attachment. The top two teams in both the North Division and South Division will battle in two playoff games in late June, with the winners matching up the following week in the USFL Championship Game at Canton’s Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

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About the United States Football League (USFL):

Fun, fast, and physical, the USFL is a fan-first, stand-alone major professional spring football league. Run by experienced football leaders, the USFL’s successful first season finished July 3, 2022, at the Pro Football Hall of Fame stadium in Canton, Ohio, with the Birmingham Stallions winning the championship by defeating the Philadelphia Stars, 33-30. FOX Sports and NBC Sports are official media partners, presenting all 43 regular- and postseason games for the 8-team league. Former NFL Dallas Cowboys player and current FOX NFL analyst Daryl Johnston is USFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations. Former NFL Vice President of Officiating and current FOX NFL analyst Mike Pereira is USFL Head of Officiating. “United By Football” for fans of America’s favorite sport, USFL Season 2 kicks off April 15, 2023. Visit theUSFL.com and follow on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.

SOURCE: USFL Media Contact & League Spokesperson:

Darryn James // Darryn.James@theUSFL.com