The Avengers, coming to a TV new to you
If only it was the old ABC spy series from the '60s with Diana Rigg (aka, Emma Peel).
The new Arena Football League season doesn't fire up until the end of February, but we got the inside track on how the TV schedule will fall into place this season on ESPN2.
For real.
Your Avengers, who open the season on that freaky Feb. 29 date, will make three appearances nationally on Monday nights: March 10 at Arizona (8 p.m.), May 19 at Chicago (5 p.m.) and June 9 at Utah (7 p.m.).
None of 'em at Staples Center? Your loss, not ours.
ESPN2 goes with Dallas at Georgia to open the season on Saturday, March 1 on ABC. The 18 game regular-season TV schedule leads into 11 playoff games, capped by the ArenaBowl XXII on July 27 on ABC. All games are also live on ESPN360.com.
Last week, ESPN, which started a five-year partnership stake in the AFL before the '07 season, announced that it would help the league become the first to allow defenses to use on-field communication devices under a rules change approved by the league Board of Directors. The decision to allow one defensive player on each team radio communication with coaches was to give ESPN's coverage a little extra boost.
"The main concern was competition, but we are excited as this will also provide ESPN an opportunity to allow the viewing fans to get a look at what both teams are thinking pre-snap," said Shy Anderson, chairman of the AFL Rules and Competition Committee.