Arena to extend schedule to 18 games

Football Betting Lines

08/30/2010 - Tulsa, OK (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Arena Football League will extend its regular-season schedule from 16 to 18 games next season.

A 16-game schedule had been in effect since 2003.

"There has never been a better time for the Arena Football League," said commissioner Jerry Kurz. "The product is exciting, our economic model is sound and fans are demanding affordable family entertainment. Extending our season is a great decision, both from a business and fan perspective."

Next year's AFL will consist of 19 teams, up from the 15 that participated in the league's bounce-back season.

The AFL took the 2009 campaign off to restructure its economic model.

Spokane beat Tampa Bay in this year's Arena Bowl earlier this month.

Footvall365 Football Betting News

<< Boston downs Philadelphia to edge closer to playoff berth
West Chester, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Breakers closed the gap on the Philadelphia Independence in the race for second place in the Women's Professional Soccer table with a 2-1 comeback win at John A. Farrell Stadium on Sund

<< Walcott putting World Cup snub behind him
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The biggest decisions most 16-year-old boys have to make involve a choice of which car to buy, which girl to ask to the dance, or what their Facebook status will be. But Theo Walcott was not your typic

<< Prosecutors charge Mizzou RB with assault
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) -Prosecutors have charged suspended Missouri running back Derrick Washington with sexual assault.Assistant Boone County prosecutor Andrea Hayes says a single count of felony deviate sexual assault was filed Monday. She says she wi

<< Does NHL have something to Fehr?
Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The revolving door to the president's office at the National Hockey League Players' Association is once again in motion and the punditocracy is foaming with rumors that former baseball players' union boss Don

<< NHL: Five burning Central Division questions
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With training camps opening Sept. 12, there is no better time than the present to begin asking the single-most important question for each of the 30 NHL teams. The first of six installments begins in

Van Persie suffers minor ankle injury >>
London, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Arsenal and Netherlands striker Robin van Persie is set to miss a few weeks because of an ankle injury, according to the Dutch football federation. Van Persie missed five months last season because of

Arizona Cardinals 2010 Season Preview >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With Kurt Warner having ridden off into the glorious sunset of retirement, the Arizona Cardinals were planning on once again handing Matt Leinart the keys to the Porsche. But as he has done twice before, Leinart is already

Ronaldo to miss three weeks with ankle injury >>
Madrid, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to miss the next three weeks because of an ankle problem, the club confirmed on Monday. The 25-year-old Ronaldo sustained the injury in Real's 0-0 dr

Monty did fine, though Ryder Cup system is flawed >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Monty couldn't win. There were five players vying for three spots on the European Ryder Cup team. Technically, there might have been six golfers for three spots, after Colin Montgomerie himself floated Ber

Ibrahimovic completes Milan move >>
Milan, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic completed his season-long loan move to AC Milan on Monday after passing a medical. Ibrahimovic will spend the upcoming season with Milan, which will then have the option

Big East Conference odds

Work left to do: Villanova, Syracuse, DePaul, West Virginia, Providence

Notre Dame and Louisville appear to have done enough to make the move, so we'll make them locks. The Cardinals, despite a modest RPI, are trending way up and have clinched at least a tie for third in the Big East, which should be more than enough with their pair of big road wins. Villanova got back to .500 and gets back to more solid footing. Syracuse got a very important road win and crippled a fellow contender in the process. West Virginia's fate could be in its hands Tuesday at Pitt.

Work left to do:

Villanova [18-9 (7-7), RPI: 21, SOS: 5] Pounded Rutgers to get back to .500. If Cats can get their last two (at UConn, vs. Syracuse), that should be enough with strong computer numbers and a host of wins away from The Pavilion. The Cats have beaten Texas and swept the Big 5 (never easy in Philly), but have a couple of losses to bubble teams (Xavier, Drexel), too. I still think they'll be OK, possibly even at 8-8.

Syracuse [20-8 (9-5), RPI: 53, SOS: 62] History says 10 wins will be plenty, but it might be hard for the Orange to get that last one with a final two vs. G'town, which is trying to win the league title, and at Villanova, which will be desperate for a W. The relative lack of nonconference heft and the weak computer numbers are still concerns, but the Orange have won four in a row and got a very, very big win at Providence on Saturday.

DePaul [16-12 (8-7), RPI: 54, SOS: 18] Beat Cincy and should get past South Florida to get to 9-7, but then what? They have beaten Kansas and Cal (right after the DeVon Hardin injury) earlier this season, but also have lost to Bradley and Purdue, among others. They'll likely need a couple of BE tourney wins, too, but we'll see ...

West Virginia [19-7 (8-6), RPI: 58, SOS: 125] The game at Pitt on Tuesday night could decide the Mountaineers' fate (barring a deep tournament run). They can still get to 9-7 in the Big East without it by beating Cincinnati, but the nine wins would be against UConn, Villanova, St. John's, South Florida, DePaul, Rutgers, Seton Hall twice and the Bearcats. Beating bubble foes is fine, but where's the beef? Outside of beating PG-less UCLA in nonconference play (still a top quality win), there's not a lot to fall back on (besides maybe NC State). WVU vs. Syracuse would be an interesting debate, as the teams don't play in the Big East regular season. WVU has the best win, but Cuse has played the much better schedule.

Providence [17-10 (7-7), RPI: 70, SOS: 33] The Friars likely saw their at-large hopes die at home in the four-point loss to Syracuse, barring an unexpected run to the Big East semis or more. The RPI, bad already, won't be helped by playing St. John's and South Florida in the final two league games.

For more March Madness odds go to MySportsbook.com

For more College Basketball betting lines go to BettingExpress.com

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.