2011 UFL season

American football league season January 2025 2011 September 15, 2011 – October 15, 2011 2011 October 21, 2011 Virginia Beach Sportsplex, Virginia Beach, Virginia Virginia Destroyers Las Vegas Locomotives Virginia Destroyers The 2011 UFL season was the third season of the United Football League (UFL). The season, which was affected by franchise shifts and schedule delays due in part to the UFL's lingering financial issues (as well as a failure to capitalize on the National Football League's player lockout),http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/15333760/financial-problems-force-ufl-to-delay-start-of-season Financial problems force UFL to delay start of season CBSSports.com July 19, 2011http://www.ufl-football.com/news/letter-commissioner-huyghue Letter from Commissioner Huyghue United Football League July 19, 2011 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20110724132747/http://www.ufl-football.com/news/letter-commissioner-huyghue July 24, 2011 Smith, Michael David (July 20, 2011). Jim Fassel: UFL misread the NFL lockout. Pro Football Talk. Retrieved July 20, 2011 began on September 15, 2011, and would have run through October 28, with a championship game set for the following weekend. The regular season was abandoned after the games of October 15 (with two weeks remaining), and the championship game moved up to October 21,http://www.ufl-football.com/news/destroyers-and-locos-play-2011-united-football-league-championship-game-virginia-october-21 Source: UFL press release from 10/17/2011 2011-10-17 https://web.archive.org/web/20111018164947/http://www.ufl-football.com/news/destroyers-and-locos-play-2011-united-football-league-championship-game-virginia-october-21 2011-10-18 dead when the Virginia Destroyers claimed their first UFL title by defeating the two-time defending champion Las Vegas Locomotives 17-3 at Virginia Beach Sportsplex.Robinson, Tom (October 22, 2011). Virginia Destroyers capture UFL title in 17-3 victory https://web.archive.org/web/20120512181115/http://hamptonroads.com/2011/10/virginia-destroyers-capture-ufl-title-173-victory 2012-05-12 . Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved October 22, 2011. Pre-season planning and changes Though it hoped for as many as six teams in place for the 2010 season, the UFL entered the 2011 season with only four, including having a presence in a new market, the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, which was granted an expansion franchise in August 2010, the Virginia Destroyers. The Destroyers' first off-season was marked with front office and coaching upheaval: Jim Speros had been named owner of the Destroyers before relinquishing control back to the league,http://www.dailypress.com/sports/dp-spt-ufl-hamptonroads-ownership,0,612228.story League office to take over prospective UFL franchise; Speros out as owner Daily Press Dave Fairbank 2010-08-20 2011-01-12 August 26, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100826231835/http://www.dailypress.com/sports/dp-spt-ufl-hamptonroads-ownership,0,612228.story dead who would assign control to former Hartford Colonials owner Bill Mayer in August 2011. The Destroyers off-season would see two coaches leave (see "Coaching Changes" below) as well as a general manager, Doug Williams, who resigned in February 2011 to accept the head football coaching position at his alma mater, Grambling State University. The UFL went back from six to five teams on January 12, 2011, when the league announced it was "ceasing operations" of its Florida Tuskers franchise and moving the Tuskers' coaching staff and list of protected players to Virginia to serve in the same roles with the Destroyers in lieu of an expansion draft.http://www.ufl-football.com/news/jay-gruden-coach-virginia-destroyers-united-football-league Jay Gruden to Coach the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League United Football League 2011-01-12 2011-01-12 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20110116044048/http://www.ufl-football.com/news/jay-gruden-coach-virginia-destroyers-united-football-league 2011-01-16 The relocated coaching staff included Tuskers head coach Jay Gruden, who replaced original Destroyers coach Joe Moglia (who was reassigned to the open head coaching position in Omaha) but later accepted a coordinator position with Cincinnati in the NFL. Prior to shuttering the Tuskers franchise (a move the UFL made citing decreased attendance and stadium issues in the Orlando area),"Omaha Nighthawks name Joe Moglia new coach" https://web.archive.org/web/20110616054200/http://www.omaha.com/article/20110112/SPORTS/701139999#omaha-nighthawks-name-joe-moglia-new-coach 2011-06-16 , from omaha.com, 1/12/2011 the league had been aiming for as many as eight franchises for 2011; the league was "pretty committed" to a team in the Los Angeles area (a market it has explored in the past to various degrees), and plans were almost in place for a team in Portland, Oregon."UFL chief pleased by league growth, Mountain Lions," https://web.archive.org/web/20101201235343/http://www.sacbee.com/2010/11/27/3214185/ufl-chief-pleased-by-league-growth.html 2010-12-01 from Sacramento Bee, 11/27/2010 Though "encouraging conversations" with franchise investors for a sixth team did take place, the UFL announced in February 2011 that new expansion plans would not be made in time for the start of the 2011 season, and that the league would remain at five teams."Source: No 6th Team for 2011 Season," from uflaccess.com, 2/9/2011Source: UFL press release via oursportscentral.com from 2/10/2011 In March 2011, however, a report surfaced that a group in Chattanooga, Tennessee, led by Jim Bates and Jeremy Bates, was interested in pursuing a UFL team for that city.Mortensen, Chris (2011-03-21). "Another UFL headline on hold or in works - 6th franchise in Chattanooga w a Jim/Jeremy Bates father & son reunion as coaches. A maybe." MortReport (Twitter). Retrieved 2011-03-21.Carp, Steve (2011-04-21). "UFL commish Michael Huygue insists 2011 season's a go, lockout or not. May add a 6th team for this yr. Portland, Salt Lake or Chattanooga. Before you dismiss Chattanooga, look what Omaha did at turnstiles in inaugural UFL season. Led league in attendance." Twitter. SteveCarpRJ (Twitter). Retrieved 2011-04-21. League officials acknowledged that Chattanooga was in the mix, but only for a 2012 expansion and that the 2011 season was fixed at five teams.Paschall, David (2011-03-23). UFL confirms future Chattanooga interest. Times Free Press. Retrieved 2011-03-23. The UFL's franchise lineup would encounter further instability when, in late July 2011, it was revealed that the UFL was considering further contraction, with the Hartford Colonials a rumored victim.https://archive.today/20120729225146/http://www.courant.com/sports/football/hc-hartford-colonials-ufl-fold-20110727,0,916388.story UFL Won't Admit Hartford Colonials Ship Has Sunk ... Yet. Hartford Courant. Retrieved July 27, 2011. The league would confirm on August 10 that the Colonials would indeed be shuttered,Source: UFL press release from 8/10/2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110912090347/http://www.ufl-football.com/news/omaha-and-sacramento-host-opening-games-four-team-2011-united-football-league-season-september 2011-09-12 with Colonials owner Bill Mayer given controlling ownership of the Virginia Destroyers."New owner's decision saved UFL destroyers," from The Virginian-Pilot, 9/8/2011 The UFL, realizing it could not afford to operate five teams at the moment, chose to contract the Colonials due to a high cost to operate out of Rentschler Field, where the team played its 2010 home schedule.https://archive.today/20120720204359/http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9P1U80G0.htm "Struggling UFL shuts down Hartford team," from Associated Press via Bloomberg Businessweek, 8/11/2011 The 2011 UFL draft was held May 2, 2011, with an additional dispersal draft of Hartford Colonials players conducted on August 15 after the Colonials were shuttered."United Football League Teams Select 24 Former Hartford Colonials Players In Reallocation Draft," https://web.archive.org/web/20110912162028/http://www.ufl-football.com/news/united-football-league-teams-select-24-former-hartford-colonials-players-reallocation-draft 2011-09-12 from ufl-football.com, posted and accessed 8/16/2011 The UFL had also indicated that it would aggressively pursue the undrafted free agents that, because of the NFL's ongoing labor stoppage, could not be signed to NFL teams until said stoppage was lifted; the May 2 draft was in part designed to gain access to the undrafted free agent market.Prospects such as Burney and Herzlich must make decision. NFL.com. Retrieved 2011-05-02. Financial difficulties The UFL's financial difficulties came to glaring light during the 2011 offseason, with the league delinquent on bills acquired during the previous season, having lost approximately $50 million in the 2010 season and facing about $6 million in debts to creditors.Carp, Steve (2011-02-14). Huyghue: UFL plans to play, pay. Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 2011-02-14.Dole, Paul (2011-03-04). https://archive.today/20130121044545/http://www.courant.com/sports/football/hc-colonials-0303-20110302,0,2391453.story UFL, Colonials Dealing With Debts. Hartford Courant. Retrieved 2011-03-04. A few players and team personnel also claimed they have not received paychecks for the 2010 season."Norfolk's Rome stymied by cash-strapped UFL," from pilotonline.com, 3/3/2011 Legal action against the UFL was also set into motion during the 2011 offseason, including: League investor Mark Cuban claimed the league defaulted on a $5 million loan"Mark Cuban Files Federal Suit to Get Back His $5 Million Loan to the United Football League," https://web.archive.org/web/20110708222954/http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2011/01/mark_cuban_files_federal_suit.php 2011-07-08 from dallasobserver.com, 1/13/2011 A public relations firm that worked with the Sacramento Mountain Lions sought payment The Mayo Clinic also sought payment for medical bills and player physicals.Football League Facing Mayo Lawsuit," https://archive.today/20130123020234/http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/article/194000/3/GMJ-Exclusive-United-Football-League-Facing-Lawsuit-over-Unpaid-Mayo-Clinic-Bills 2013-01-23 from firstcoastnews.com, 3/2/2011 Most of these debts were paid in March 2011, according to reports.Barrows, Matthew (2011-03-25). UFL, Mountain Lions may pounce if NFL stays idle https://web.archive.org/web/20121012074426/http://www.sacbee.com/2011/03/25/3502534/ufl-mountain-lions-may-pounce.html 2012-10-12 . Sacramento Bee. Retrieved 2011-03-25.Robinson, Tom (2011-03-24). A little Marty follow-up. Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved 2011-03-25. The Mayo Clinic's lawsuit, however, was still reported as open and pending in October 2011."Executive Sues Cash-Strapped United Football League,"August 2026 InternetArchiveBot from firstcoastnews.com, 10/18/2011 In an effort to avoid future problems, the league shifted most operation costs from the league to its teams for 2011, with each team president taking a greater role of its finances. League founder and majority owner William Hambrecht stated that this was because he was no longer interested in subsidizing an entire league and instead desired to focus his efforts on the Las Vegas Locomotives, of which he owns a greater share than the other teams.Carp, Steve (2011-08-25). Las Vegas Locomotives owner staying in UFL game. Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 2011-08-26. Further news of the league's financial problems surfaced in mid-October, at the time of the season's truncation (see below). A source revealed to the UFLAccess website on October 12 that the league hadn't yet made full payments to Florida Tuskers staff who participated in the 2010 UFL championship game, which UFL VP/Communications Michael Preston confirmed was "among debts the UFL is working to clear.""United Football League is Still Late on 2010 Payments," from UFLAccess.com, posted 10/12/2011 Additionally, UFL COO Bill Peterson filed a suit in Duval County, Florida (where the UFL is headquartered) claiming that the league owes him over $110,000 in back salary. Coaching changes Team 2011 Coach 2010 Coach Reason for leaving Story/accomplishmentsHartford ColonialsContractedChris Palmer, Jerry GlanvilleResigned, contractedAfter leading the Colonials to a 3–5 record (.375) in 2010, Palmer resigned on February 15, 2011, to become the offensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans of the NFL. Former NFL head coach Jerry Glanville was named as his replacement on March 21, 2011, but never got to coach the team before it was contracted on August 10. Glanville would be retained by the league as a consultant, color commentator for broadcasts on Comcast SportsNet, and liaison for potential expansion markets; his Colonials coaching staff was reassigned to other teams."Mountain Lions Home Games Will Air on Comcast SportsNet California," press release from Sacramento Mountain Lions/UFL via OurSportsCentral, 9/12/2011Omaha NighthawksJoe MogliaJeff JagodzinskiFiredAfter a 3–1 start in 2010, the Nighthawks lost their last four games to finish 3–5 (.375) and tied for last place, leading to Jagodzinski's dismissal on January 3, 2011. The UFL replaced Jagodzinski on January 12 with Joe Moglia, an Omaha resident who moves over from same position in Virginia.http://www.fanhouse.com/2011/01/12/joe-moglia-to-coach-omaha-nighthawks/ Joe Moglia to Coach Omaha Nighthawks FanHouse Robert Karpeles 2011-01-12 2011-01-12 Prior to joining the UFL, Moglia's coaching experience included working as defensive coordinator for Dartmouth College in the early 1980s and most recently serving as an unpaid assistant with the Nebraska Cornhuskers. In between those stints, Mogila had spent 27 years out of football, during which he was an executive with Merrill Lynch and TD Ameritrade; he still serves as chairman of the latter company, which is also the name sponsor of the Nighthawks' new stadium.Virginia DestroyersMarty SchottenheimerJoe Moglia,Jay GrudenReassigned,resignedMoglia was named the Destroyers' head coach in November 2010 when the Destroyers were an expansion team,http://www.fanhouse.com/2010/11/10/joe-moglia-officially-named-virginia-destroyers-head-coach-pres/ Joe Moglia Officially Named Virginia Destroyers Head Coach, President FanHouse Robert Karpeles 2011-01-12 2011-01-12 but was transferred to Omaha (see above) when the Florida Tuskers' operations, including its coaching staff, were merged into Virginia's. Jay Gruden, who went 5-4 (.556) as Tuskers coach in 2010 (including a loss in the championship game) accepted the offensive coordinator position with the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals on February 2. The Destroyers, after initially revealing they had a tentative agreement with an unstated former NFL head coach on March 4Robinson, Tom (2011-03-04). UFL eager to get going in Hampton Roads after glitches. The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved 2011-03-04. announced Schottenheimer as their head coach March 23. Schottenheimer was a head coach in the NFL from 1984 to 1998 and 2001 to 2006, with a career record of 205–139–1 (.604). Stadium changes Two UFL teams played in new stadiums in 2011. The Omaha Nighthawks, who played at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in 2010, moved to the brand new TD Ameritrade Park in downtown Omaha.Nighthawks the newest tenants at TD Ameritrade Park https://web.archive.org/web/20110529124815/http://www.omaha.com/article/20110525/SPORTS/305259901#nighthawks-the-newest-tenants-at-td-ameritrade-park 2011-05-29 . Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved 2011-05-25. The Virginia Destroyers, who as the Florida Tuskers played in Orlando's Citrus Bowl, called Virginia Beach Sportsplex in Virginia Beach their new home in 2010; the currently undersized Sportsplex underwent a temporary expansion to accommodate the Destroyers.Robinson, Tom (2011-06-10). UFL schedule finally out, team's work is just beginning. The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved 2011-06-10. The Las Vegas Locomotives sought a lower-cost alternative to the high rate of rent for Sam Boyd Stadium and considered moving to the smaller Cashman Field for 2011,http://www.lvrj.com/sports/ufl-s-locomotives-to-return-for-third-season-despite-poor-attendance-106815283.html UFL's Locomotives to return for third season despite poor attendance Las Vegas Review-Journal Steve Carp 2010-11-06 2010-11-07 https://web.archive.org/web/20101109163458/http://www.lvrj.com/sports/ufl-s-locomotives-to-return-for-third-season-despite-poor-attendance-106815283.html 9 November 2010 live but instead opted to return to Sam Boyd Stadium, where they wound up playing one home game (October 8) before the league's regular season was cancelled (the Locos' two remaining home games were dropped due to the cancellation); low attendance at the stadium despite a renewed public relations push was a factor in the abbreviation of the 2011 season, as the Locos drew only 6,500 fans to their lone home game, significantly less than 2009 or 2010. The Hartford Colonials, in part because of a change of management at Rentschler Field, experienced significant delays in renewing their lease with the stadiumKnown for taking risks, Glanville ready to take on UFL. CBS Sports. Retrieved 2011-05-20. and had backup plans to relocate to another lower-cost stadium such as Dillon Stadium or one of the two stadiums at Willow Brook Park (New Britain Stadium or Veterans Stadium) if an agreement could not be reached, although both of these stadiums are believed to be less than ideal for the UFL.Doyle, Paul (2011-06-09). https://archive.today/20120723144704/http://www.courant.com/sports/football/hc-colonials-schedule-0610-20110609,0,70092.story Hartford Colonials Announce 2011 Schedule; Still Seek Home Field Agreement. Hartford Courant. Retrieved 2011-06-10. The UFL reached an agreement with the operators of Rentschler Field in late June 2011Doyle, Paul. https://archive.today/20120729162001/http://www.courant.com/sports/golf/hc-colonials-owner-hartford-0623-20110622,0,1276183.story Hartford Colonials Calling Rentschler Home Again. Hartford Courant. Retrieved 2011-06-23. before deciding to suspend the franchise outright. Season recap With the tumult and delays of the offseason seemingly behind it, the UFL began its 2011 season on September 15, with the Virginia Destroyers winning 23-13 over the Omaha Nighthawks. The Destroyers were led by quarterback Chris Greisen, who directed 2nd quarter scoring drives of 81 and 62 yards; Delbert Alvarado added three field goals.https://archive.today/20130120050143/http://www.dailypress.com/sports/dp-spt-destroyers-nighthawks-ufl-20110915,0,6504407,full.story "Virginia Destroyers, Schottenheimer win UFL debut at Omaha," from Newport News Daily Press, 9/16/2011 The game was a debut in three ways: It was the start of the season, the first game for the Destroyers, and the first game for the Nighthawks in their new home, TD Ameritrade Park Omaha. The game attracted an announced crowd of 15,836, the first Nighthawks home game that didn't sell out."Nighthawks' sellout streak is over," https://web.archive.org/web/20120825225712/http://www.omaha.com/article/20110915/SPORTS/709159696/1001#notes-nighthawks-sellout-streak-is-over August 25, 2012 from Omaha World-Herald, 9/16/2011 Much in the same way as the league's first two seasons, the Destroyers and Las Vegas Locomotives were the on-field class of the league, with both teams sporting 3-1 records at the regular season's cancellation. The 2011 Destroyers roster included 21 former Florida Tuskers, who were league runners-up in each of the first two seasons."Destroyers who played for Tuskers know what losing a championship feels like," from The Daily Press (Hampton Roads, Virginia), 10/20/2011 Chris Greisen led the team at quarterback, with a backfield that included the league's leading rusher and offensive player of the year, running back Dominic Rhodes, who set a league record 217 yards rushing in an October 7 game against Sacramento."Dominic Rhodes' Record-Setting Night Keeps Virginia Undefeated," from UFL via OurSportsCentral, 10/7/2011 The Locos, coached by Jim Fassel, were led by 2nd-year starting quarterback Chase Clement and running back Marcel Shipp. The Locos and Destroyers would meet in the rescheduled (to October 21) UFL championship game at Virginia Beach Sportsplex. The Destroyers would prevail in the game 17-3, exacting a bit of revenge on the Locos' the league's 2-time defending champs (at the expense of the Florida Tuskers). The Destroyers were keyed by a stifling defense that overwhelmed the Locos offense, who managed only 154 total yards. The game MVP was Destroyers safety and Virginia Beach native Aaron Rouse, who had three pass interceptions on the evening and returned one for a touchdown. The win gave Destroyers head coach Marty Schottenheimer his first league title as a professional head coach. The Sacramento Mountain Lions and Omaha Nighthawks struggled on the field during the 2011 season. The MoLos, coached by third-year coach Dennis Green, lost their first three games of the 2011 season, falling to the bottom of the standings; after a change of quarterback, they later rebounded to win what would be their last regular season game as well as their consolation game against Omaha. Sacramento was among the best-supported teams in the UFL, with all three games at Hornet Stadium being at or near sellouts. The Nighthawks were marked by Joe Moglia's return to coaching football after 27 years out of the game, and many of his unusual efforts (multiple quarterbacks and the implementation of a spread offense) were ineffective against the rest of the league. Only a narrow 33-30 win over Sacramento in Week 2 prevented the Nighthawks from achieving a perfectly bad season and was the only game in which the Nighthawks scored more than one touchdown. Schedule The UFL initially planned to start its 2011 regular season the second weekend of August—a date that, while considerably earlier than the start dates for previous seasons, would have allowed the UFL to gain attention while the National Football League would normally be in its preseason (and had the potential to provide even more attention had the NFL's labor problems affected its preseason); the move was also intended to provide the UFL the opportunity to stage games on Sunday for the first time ever. The league, when it was planning for six teams, intended for a 10-game regular season over 11 weeks (one bye week for each team). After several delays, the UFL released its original 2011 schedule on June 9, one that featured five teams (including the Hartford Colonials) playing eight games over a 10-week span (double round robin, two bye weeks for each team) that was to have begun the weekend of August 13–14 and culminate with the UFL championship game the weekend of October 21–23."United Football League Announces 2011 Schedule," press release from UFL via OurSportsCentral, 6/9/2011 The UFL announced a delay in training camps and the regular season on July 19, with the season to begin in mid-September, the same month its 2010 season began. When the UFL announced the Colonials' contraction on August 10, they also confirmed that the remaining four teams would each play a 6-game schedule mirroring the pattern used in the league's inaugural season in 2009 (double round robin, 1 bye week for each team), and also released the opening week games (Virginia at Omaha on September 15, Las Vegas at Sacramento on September 17),"Struggling UFL shuts down Hartford team," from Associated Press via Yahoo, 8/10/2011 with the balance of the schedule released on August 16."United Football League Announces Revised 2011 Schedule," https://web.archive.org/web/20110912015707/http://www.ufl-football.com/news/united-football-league-announce-revised-2011-schedule 2011-09-12 from ufl-football.com, posted and retrieved 8/16/2011 The UFL championship game, under this new plan, would have been played weekend of November 4–5 at a site to be determined in a similar manner to the previous season, when the UFL awarded Omaha the title game based on advance ticket sales, team record, and fan reception. On October 16, 2011, after the 5th week of the season had concluded, a report appeared on a Virginia Destroyers fan site that the UFL was considering canceling the final two weeks of the regular season (Weeks 6 and 7) and moving up the championship game to the weekend of October 21; a person associated with the Omaha Nighthawks would confirm that original report to the Omaha World-Herald later on the 16th."UFL to cut season short, sources say,"August 2026 InternetArchiveBot from Omaha World-Herald, 10/16/2011. The following day (October 17), the UFL did indeed announce that the final two weeks would be canceled. Halting the season, according to UFL leadership, would save the league $3.5 million, mainly in player wages, and help ensure the possibility for a 2012 season."UFL owner: canceling games ensures league's future," from The Virginian-Pilot, 10/18/2011 The season wasn't entirely finished, however: The UFL also confirmed that the Destroyers' October 21 home game would change from a regular season game against the Nighthawks to the 2011 UFL championship game against Las Vegas (both teams finished tied for the top spot in the league's standings). The Destroyers' home, Virginia Beach Sportsplex was chosen as the title game's venue based in part on the Destroyers' home attendance (both their home games attracted crowds of over 12,000) and the teams' social media following."UFL Cuts Season Short, championship game This Weekend," press release from UFL via OurSportsCentral, 10/17/2011 (Ironically, the newly rescheduled championship game would take place on the same weekend as when it was scheduled in the original 5-team schedule.) Additionally, the 3rd and 4th place teams, Sacramento and Omaha, would play what the UFL termed a "consolation game" at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha, in effect moving the October 28 game between those teams up one week; that consolation game would also take place on October 21, concurrent with the Locos/Destroyers title game."Nighthawks To Host Mountain Lions October 21," press release from Omaha Nighthawks via OurSportsCentral, 10/16/2011 Part of the reasoning for scheduling the consolation game in Omaha was to avoid a mass refund on the 15,000 tickets sold the Nighthawks' October 28 home game, which was one of the cancelled games."UFL woes don't dull Locos' focus as title game looms," from Las Vegas Review-Journal, 10/21/2011 WeekDateKickoffVisitorHomeResultSiteAttendanceTV1Thursday September 157:00PM (CT)Virginia DestroyersOmaha NighthawksVA 23, OMA 13TD Ameritrade Park Omaha15,836NoneSaturday September 177:30PM (PT)Las Vegas LocomotivesSacramento Mountain LionsLV 23, SAC 17Hornet Stadium19,938CSN California2(Bye: Omaha & Sacramento)Saturday September 247:00PM (ET)Las Vegas LocomotivesVirginia DestroyersLV 17, VA 34Virginia Beach Sportsplex12,167None3(Bye: Las Vegas & Virginia)Saturday October 14:00PM (PT)Omaha NighthawksSacramento Mountain LionsOMA 33, SAC 30Hornet Stadium17,612CSN California4Friday October 77:00PM (ET)Sacramento Mountain LionsVirginia DestroyersSAC 6, VA 28Virginia Beach Sportsplex12,617CSN California, CSN+ Mid-Atlantichttp://www.csnwashington.com/pages/tv_listings?showdate=1317960000September 2018 InternetArchiveBot yes Saturday October 85:00PM (PT)Omaha NighthawksLas Vegas LocomotivesOMA 10, LV 30Sam Boyd Stadium6,500None5Saturday October 154:00PM (PT)Virginia DestroyersSacramento Mountain LionsVA 20, SAC 27 (OT)Hornet Stadium18,794NoneOriginally scheduled to air on both CSN Mid-Atlantic and CSN California, the broadcast was cancelled due to a possible overflow conflict with a San Jose Sharks game on CSN California. Source: "Final Mountain Lions home game won't be on TV," from Sacramento Business Journal, 10/14/2011 and Twitter feed of Virginian Pilot columnist Tom Robinson7:00PM (CT)Las Vegas LocomotivesOmaha NighthawksLV 13, OMA 6TD Ameritrade Park Omaha17,697None Had the regular season not been cut short, the following games would have been played: WeekDateKickoffVisitorHomeSiteTV6Friday October 217:00PM (ET)Omaha NighthawksVirginia DestroyersVirginia Beach SportsplexCSN+ Mid-AtlanticSaturday October 229:00PM (PT)Sacramento Mountain LionsLas Vegas LocomotivesSam Boyd StadiumNone7Thursday October 277:00PM (PT)Virginia DestroyersLas Vegas LocomotivesSam Boyd StadiumNoneFriday October 287:00PM (CT)Sacramento Mountain LionsOmaha NighthawksTD Ameritrade Park OmahaNone Postseason DateGameKickoffVisitorHomeResultSiteAttendanceTVChampionship gameFriday October 218:00PM (ET)Las Vegas LocomotivesVirginia DestroyersLV 3, VA 17Virginia Beach Sportsplex14,172CSN Mid-AtlanticConsolation game7:00 PM (CT)Sacramento Mountain LionsOmaha NighthawksSAC 25, OMA 19 (OT)TD Ameritrade Park Omaha10,123None Broadcasting The UFL entered the 2011 season without any national television partner. The league's previous 2-year television contracts with Versus and HDNet expired on December 31, 2010, as did a 1-year local deal with regional cable network NESN, which carried two Hartford Colonials games in 2010. The UFL would spend its 2011 off-season seeking new TV deals that would generate revenue for the league, something the previous contracts did not do (the league had to reimburse the networks for production costs in the previous deal).https://archive.today/20130204061931/http://www.thescore.com/nfl/articles/121131-ufl-hopes-to-fill-tv-void-in-nfl-goes-dark "UFL hopes to fill TV void if NFL goes dark," from Associated Press via thescore.ca, 3/5/2011 Seeking a possible opportunity with the NFL players lockout, the UFL considered partnerships with networks other than Versus and HDNet, including those in partnership with the NFL; the UFL's rationale was that if the NFL lockout endangered its 2011 preseason and regular season, the NFL's TV partners would seek alternative programming such as the UFL as program filler.Garber, Greg (2011-03-07). Would lockout open door for UFL?. espn.com. Retrieved 2011-03-16. By the spring, CBS Sports (an NFL partner) and Turner Sports (whose TNT carried the NFL in the 1990s) were mentioned as possible UFL partners. (Fox Sports was also mentioned; ESPN was on record as not being interested.) But by July, when the UFL announced its season delay, no new TV partnerships had been announced; the uncertainty over labor problems with the NFL (which were beginning to reach a resolution by that time) as well as the National Basketball Association (of which TNT is a broadcast partner) left the networks in a holding pattern in regards to TV sports properties."Colonials bid adieu," from The Journal Inquirer, 8/11/2011 During the same offseason, Versus's parent company Comcast purchased NBC and thus gained access to that network's NFL contract, deciding not to renew its deal with the UFL. On August 10, during its announcement of the Hartford Colonials' suspension, the UFL announced it would have one national TV partner, HDNet, to cover the 2011 season, with regional sports networks in the league's markets taking up the slack. HDNet then released a statement on September 2 denying it had ever agreed to carry any UFL games in 2011, leaving the league without any television partners.Source: UFLAccess.com The lack of a national TV partner would force the UFL to rely solely on local TV partnerships; two UFL teams, Sacramento and Virginia, would reach deals with their regions' Comcast SportsNet networks (CSN California and CSN Mid-Atlantic, respectively) for select games,"Destroyers Next 3 Games to Air on Comcast," press release from Virginia Destroyers via OurSportsCentral, 10/4/2011 while Las Vegas and Omaha would arrange deals with local cable carriers to relay the other networks' broadcasts to their home markets. Internet streaming was also made available for the games that are televised through Veetle, a streaming video service, which also made the games available for viewers on mobile devices, a feature not available for the 2009 and 2010 seasons. The league's original business model had anticipated the league owners absorbing their losses during its first two years of operation, then securing a paying broadcast contract in 2011; without it, even at the 20,000 fans per game that the teams in Sacramento and Omaha were drawing, each team was doomed to lose approximately $6 million per year under the league's business model. The failure to secure the television contract was thus a major factor in the league's failure.http://www.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2009/08/11/are-you-ready-for-some-football-the-team-is-named-the-california-redwoods-still-ready Are You Ready for Some Football? The Team is Named 'The California Redwoods.' Still Ready? March 21, 2016 April 2, 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160402072145/http://www.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2009/08/11/are-you-ready-for-some-football-the-team-is-named-the-california-redwoods-still-ready dead Local broadcast partners Team Radio TVLas Vegas LocomotivesKBAD (920AM)Cox Cable 128 (replays only)Omaha NighthawksKOZN (1620AM)Cox Cable 2 (replays only)Sacramento Mountain LionsKHTK (1140AM)Comcast SportsNet California (2 home games)Virginia DestroyersWVSP-FM (94.1FM),"Destroyers put tickets on sale, have radio deal," from Virginian Pilot, 9/6/2011 WGH-AM (1310 AM)Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic(Weeks 4, 5, and 6) Standings Statistical leaders The following statistical leaders were for the 2011 UFL regular season (through the 5th of seven scheduled weeks), at which time each team had played four regular season games:Source: Statistical book from UFL-Football.comSeptember 2018 InternetArchiveBot yes TeamPoints scoredVirginia Destroyers (105)Total offenseVirginia Destroyers (1178 yards gained)Rushing offenseVirginia Destroyers (548 yards)Passing offenseOmaha Nighthawks (779 yards)Fewest points allowedVirginia Destroyers (63)Total defenseVirginia Destroyers (900 yards allowed)Rushing defenseVirginia Destroyers (303 yards allowed)Passing defenseVirginia Destroyers (597 yards allowed) IndividualScoringDominic Rhodes, Virginia (36 points)TouchdownsDominic Rhodes, Virginia (6)Most field goals madeDelbert Alvarado, Virginia (7)Rushing yardsDominic Rhodes, Virginia (410)Passing yardsJeremiah Masoli, Omaha (808)Touchdown passesRyan Colburn, Sacramento (5)Pass receptionsChris Davis, Omaha (29)Receiving yardsChris Davis, Omaha (247)All-purpose yardsDominic Rhodes, Virginia (502)InterceptionsTony Taylor, Virginia, and John Busing, Sacramento (3 each)PuntingTom Malone, Sacramento (44.7 yards/punt)TacklesDontarrious Thomas, Sacramento (27 total tackles)SacksJason Parker, Sacramento, and Angelo Crowell, Omaha (3 each) Awards Players of the week Week Offense Defense Special Teams 1"UFL Names Players of the Week," press release from UFL via OurSportsCentral, 9/20/2011Chase Clement, QB, Las VegasDominic Rhodes, RB, VirginiaMarquis Floyd, CB, Las VegasAaron Woods, WR/KR, Sacramento 2"Destroyers Sweep UFL Player of the Week Honors," press release from UFL via OurSportsCentral, 9/26/2011Chris Greisen, QB, VirginiaTony Taylor, LB, VirginiaDelbert Alvarado, K, Virginia 3"Nighthawks Sweep Player of the Week Honors," press release from UFL via OurSportsCentral, 10/6/2011Jeremiah Masoli, QB, OmahaJohn David Washington, RB, SacramentoStuart Schweigert, S, OmahaJeff Wolfert, K, Omaha 4"UFL Names Players of Week 4," press release from UFL via OurSportsCentral, 10/10/2011Dominic Rhodes, RB, VirginiaTony Taylor, LB, VirginiaClint Stitser, K, Las Vegas 5"UFL Names Players of Week 5," press release from UFL via OurSportsCentral, 10/17/2011McLeod Bethel-Thompson, QB, SacramentoAngelo Crowell, LB, OmahaAaron Woods, WR, Sacramento Players and Coach of the Year Players of the Year Offense: Dominic Rhodes, RB, Virginia Destroyers Defense: Stuart Schweigert, S, Omaha Nighthawks Special Teams: Aaron Woods, WR/KR, Sacramento Mountain Lions Coach of the Year Marty Schottenheimer, Virginia Destroyers"UFL Announces 2011 Award Winners," press release from UFL via OurSportsCentral, 10/20/2011 UFL championship game MVP Aaron Rouse, CB Virginia Destroyers References 30em UFL