THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, July 13, 1996 TAG: 9607130309
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 35 lines
The Hampton Roads Admirals announced a 35-game home schedule Friday that team officials call the best in the team's eight-year history.
The schedule includes 23 weekend games, including a record 20 on Friday nights, when the Admirals traditionally draw their largest crowds.
The road schedule has yet to be announced, but will include two long trips to the Deep South and no trips to the North Division.
The Admirals open at home on Friday, Oct. 18, against defending ECHL champion Charlotte, then don't play at home again until Oct. 30, when they host Roanoke. The 12-day gap, in which Hampton Roads makes an extended trip South, is one welcomed by the Admirals because ECHL teams generally draw poorly in October.
On the other hand, the Admirals will host eight games in March, when crowds are usually largest.
``The league was very good to us with this schedule,'' said Mark Garcea, who co-owns the Admirals with business partner Page Johnson.
The only negative is that arch-rivals Richmond and Roanoke come to Norfolk four times each while the other East Division teams - Charlotte, Raleigh, South Carolina and Knoxville - play at Scope five times each.
North Division rivals Louisville, Wheeling, Columbus, Johnstown, Huntington, Toledo and Dayton play at Scope once each.
There will be no home exhibition games because ice isn't available at Scope. The Admirals likely will schedule road exhibitions with Richmond and either Raleigh or Roanoke. ILLUSTRATION: HOME SCHEDULE
[For a copy of the schedule, see microfilm for this date.] by CNB