Massachusetts Pirates delay start of arena football season
Photo | Grant Welker
Massachusetts Pirates co-owner Jawad Yatim introduces the Worcester arena football team at an event prior to the coronavirus pandemic. At the table from left are Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty, Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Timothy Murray and Worcester City Manager Edward Augustus.
When the Massachusetts Pirates announced their 2021 season schedule last fall, they confidently predicted they'd play this year. They still will, but not quite as soon as planned.
The Worcester arena football team said Thursday it will start its season April 24 in Louisville, Ky., with their first of eight scheduled home games at the DCU Center scheduled for an undetermined date in May. The team isn't currently able to play in front of fans because of state laws related to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Pirates' updated schedule was announced the same afternoon the Worcester Red Sox said they'll play their first game at Polar Park on April 13. They have 70 scheduled home games through Sept. 12.
The Pirates will be playing their first season in the Indoor Football League, whose 13 members are largely in the Midwest and Southwest. They have a contract to play at the DCU Center through the 2023 season. Their 2020 season was canceled because of the pandemic.
Jawad Yatim, the Pirates' co-owner and president, said on the team's website, delaying the start of the IFL season was the right one.
“As a league we felt it was best to stay ahead of the situation and allow all the various playing venues additional time to situate themselves," Yatim said. "With the large geographic footprint in the IFL, there’s a lot of contrast among each organization when it comes to Covid-19. The additional time will help all the organizations come to a more balanced ground in terms of operating throughout the season. Nevertheless April 24th can’t come soon enough.”
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