Post by Monika on Nov 17, 2020 21:18:30 GMT -8
Overview
The following is the 2021 schedule for the Massachusetts Pirates. This updated schedule replaces the previous schedule which was released in the middle of November, 2020. The updates are basically a postponement of the season due to concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccine roll out in regards to the virus.
This season will be the 13th of the Indoor Football League. Several significant and profound adjustments have taken place over the off-season as the 2020 season was postponed, and eventually cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Just two games were played during prior to the postponement. In those two games, the San Diego Strike Force defeated the Bismarck Bucks, 50-36. In the other match up, the Quad City Steamwheelers downed the Cedar Rapids River Kings 54-39.
The cancellation of the season led not only the speculation of the 2021 season, but how the league slate would look. It turned out to be a tremendous expansion era, though there were some setbacks. Three teams came in, but one folded. That leaves the league at 12 teams; up from the 10 teams which competed in 2019. There are new teams in Arizona, Massachusetts and Kentucky. The season also will feature the debuts of the Duke City Gladiators, Frisco Fighters and Spokane Shock. All three teams were set for the 2020 season, but did not play a game due to the cancellation. Four teams which were set to play opted out due to concerns and state regulations due to the pandemic. Each team and its arena will determine whether fans will be permitted in the arenas, and how many. Those in attendance will be required to undergo strict protocols prior to entering the arenas.
The base schedule has each team playing 14 games over 15 weeks, with each having a bye. Additionally, the Pirates, Bismarck Bucks, Green Bay Blizzard and Louisville Xtreme have opted to play an additional two games each. The extra games will count toward those teams' standings. All teams will have equal games at home versus on the road regardless of the total number of games they play. The additional games by these teams will be played prior to the official week 1 of the IFL season.
The Pirates will compete in their first season in the IFL and third as a franchise. They were members of the National Arena League during 2018 and 2019, making the playoffs in each of those two seasons, and were set to rejoin the NAL in 2020 before that league eventually cancelled its season due to the pandemic. The Pirates announced they were joining the IFL on August 18. Located in Worchester, Massachusetts, they are the eastern-most team in the league. They are coached by Patrick Pass.
UPDATE: This schedule updated on June 14 to reflect the termination of the Louisville Xtreme after seven weeks into the 2021 IFL Season.
Click for the entire IFL 2021 Schedule.
All games will be broadcast locally on the radio and will be available for streaming through those stations. Each IFL game will be broadcast live on the league's official YouTube Channel. SCtoC will provide previews each game, as well as recaps of each IFL game upon its conclusion. In the schedule below. Home games are noted in bold blue. Times and dates are subject to change. All times are pacific. Where applicable, click on the final score for the boxscore and recap for SCtoC's original recap of the game.
Overview prepared by @Nevadanut
Schedule
APRIL
Week 1 -- Sat., April 24 - at Louisville Xtreme (W 49-18) - Recap
MAY
Week 2 -- Sun., May 2 - at Green Bay Blizzard (L 36-40) - Recap
Week 3 -- Sat., May 8 - at Bismarck Bucks (W 36-18) - Recap
Week 4 -- BYE
Week 5 -- Sat., May 22 - Spokane Shock (L 26-34)
Week 6 -- BYE
JUNE
Week 7 -- Sat., June 5 - Louisville Xtreme (W 42-37) - Recap
Week 8 -- Sat., June 12 - Frisco Fighters (L 33-40) - Recap
Week 9 -- Sat., June 19 - at Tucson Sugar Skulls (W 37-34)
Week 10 -- Sun., June 27 -
JULY
Week 11 -- Fri., July 2 - at Frisco Fighters (W 38-37) - Recap
Week 12 -- Sat., July 10 - Bismarck Bucks (W 43-38) - Recap
Week 13 -- Sun., July 18 - Arizona Rattlers (W 68-44) - Recap
Week 14 -- Sat., July 24 -
Week 15 -- Sat., July 31 - at Spokane Shock (W 63-57 - 2OT) - Recap
AUGUST
Week 16 -- Sat., August 7 - Green Bay Blizzard (W 50-33)
Week 17 -- Sun., August 15 - at Northern Arizona Wranglers (W 51-16) - Recap
Week 18 -- Sat., August 21 - Iowa Barnstormers (W 55-19) - Recap
PLAYOFFS
AUGUST
First Round-- Sat., August 28 - Bismarck Bucks (W 44-19) - Recap
SEPTEMBER
Semifinal - Sat., September 4 - Frisco Fighters (W 43-22) - Recap
United Bowl - Sun., September 12 - at Arizona Rattlers (W 37-34 - OT) - Recap
IFL Team Venues
Arizona Rattlers - Footprint Center; Phoenix, Arizona
Bismarck Bucks - Bismarck Event Center; Bismarck, North Dakota
Duke City Gladiators - Rio Rancho Events Center; Rio Rancho, New Mexico
Frisco Fighters - Comerica Center; Frisco, Texas
Green Bay Blizzard - Resch Center; Green Bay, Wisconsin
Iowa Barnstormers- Wells Fargo Arena; Des Moines, Iowa
Louisville Xtreme - KFC Yum! Center; Louisville, Kentucky
Massachusetts Pirates - DCU Center; Worcester, Massachusetts
Northern Arizona Wranglers - Findlay Toyota Center; Prescott Valley, Arizona
Sioux Falls Storm - Denny Sanford Premier Center; Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Spokane Shock - Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena; Spokane, Washington
Tucson Sugar Skulls - Tucson Convention Center; Tucson, Arizona
IFL Geographical Team Map
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