‘They are craving football': Canton is set to host two USFL teams for upcoming 2023 season
CANTON — Their season kicks off in just under month. The real work to get ready for that season begins Monday for the two USFL teams calling Canton home this season — the Pittsburgh Maulers and New Jersey Generals.
After players reported to preseason camp this past Thursday, each team takes the field Monday for the first time for the start of practices at the Hall of Fame Village.
“It’s been fantastic," Maulers’ first-year head coach Ray Horton said of the reception the league is receiving in Stark County. “From the radio shows and feedback, from the turnouts, and from their support, they are craving football, and we want to give them high-quality football.”
The Maulers and the Generals share the same facilities in Canton. They will play their games at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. They will practice at the Hall of Fame Village's Center for Performance.
Mike Levy, president of operations at the Hall of Fame Resort and Entertainment which runs the Village, said each team will have its own locker room in the Village. He's thrilled the Village is getting this chance to host two USFL teams.
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“It’s pretty simple. They said they'd like to bring two teams and how to make it work,” Levy said. “One thing that is easier is that they both play (in Canton) on the same weekend. ... A lot of these guys are friends and played all together. We just have to work on the logistics.”
The USFL regular season begins April 15. Both Fox and NBC will televise all 40 regular-season games this season on their platforms, according to the league.
The Maulers and Generals each open on the road that first weekend before playing each other in Canton on April 23. They also play each other in Canton in the final week of the regular season on June 17. In between, they will play four other home games in Canton, with each on the same weekend as the other.
“It was exciting when we saw the schedule,” Levy said. “But what’s also exciting is that someone mentioned that six games are on network TV."
According to Levy, everything is all set from an operational standpoint, including putting in brand new turf in Hall of Fame Stadium.
“The rest of it is just on the marketing side,” Levy said. “Just getting the word out and people coming here. The rest of it is gameday and showing them a good time whether on the field or in the stands.”
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Hall of Fame Village hosting USFL teams as training camp begins
