The Albany Empire Announce Their 2019 Schedule And New Rules

The Albany Empire now know who they will face off against and when the games will be for the 2019 season. The Arena Football League added teams in Atlantic City and Columbus, Ohio to reach six teams and today the Empire released their 2019 schedule. Added to today's press release are new rule changes for the coming season.

Here's the schedule, home games in Orange:

The Albany Empire shared the new rules in their press release:

The new rules are aimed at shortening the length of games, with the ultimate goal of enhancing the action in a game already filled with intensity. Rule changes were made to the second-quarter timing rules, the fourth-quarter timing rules, media timeouts, coaches’ timeouts and timing after extra-point kicks.

 

Rule Changes

 

• The first-half’s one-minute timing rules will be eliminated. There will be no automatic clock stoppage at the one-minute mark in the second quarter and the game clock will follow regular guidelines. Additionally, in the fourth quarter, the traditional AFL clock stoppage rules will not take effect until the   thirty second mark.

 

• The number and duration of media timeouts will be reduced.

 

• Each team will have three timeouts per half. Two of the three timeouts will be clock-stoppage timeouts only: the game clock will stop and the play clock will reset immediately. The third team timeout in each half will remain a traditional timeout.

 

• A 60-second play clock will be implemented following the extra-point attempt, and/or two-point conversion attempt, with the exception of media timeouts.