(Friday, Sept. 8) – The NLL World Champion Georgia Swarm today announced its 2017-2018 regular season schedule. In their third year in Georgia, the Swarm will begin the season with two road games in December, taking on the New England Black Wolves on Friday, Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m. ET and the Colorado Mammoth on Saturday, Dec. 23 at 9:00 p.m.
Georgia’s first home game at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Field at Infinite Energy Arena will be on Saturday, Dec. 30 at 7:05 p.m. ET when the team welcomes the Rochester Knighthawks. The Swarm will have a banner raising ceremony celebrating its first-ever Champion’s Cup title. Swarm players will also receive their Championship rings at the home opener.
Fans can snatch up their Season Tickets to see the World Champions in 2018! With the purchase of four (4) Season Tickets, fans can receive a replica Swarm Championship Ring. Season Ticket packages include 10 games and a handful of VIP benefits. Call 844-4-GASWARM to purchase your tickets and help the Swarm “Defend the Cup!”
The 2017 NLL Season saw Georgia emerge as the dominant force in the league, finishing with a league-best regular season record of 13-5 and a postseason sweep of the Toronto Rock in the East Division Finals and the two-time defending champion Saskatchewan Rush in the Champion’s Cup Finals. The two Champion’s Cup finalists will get their much-anticipated meeting at The Hive on Saturday, Jan. 6 at 7:05 p.m.
Georgia will also clash with its East Division Finals opponent, the Toronto Rock, three times this season. They will welcome the Rock to The Hive twice this season, on Saturday, Feb. 17 at 7:05 p.m. and Sunday, April 8 at 4:05 p.m.
“The 2017 season was a memorable experience for the organization and fans alike,” Swarm Co-Owner and President Andy Arlotta said. “As incredible as bringing a professional world championship to Georgia for the first time in 22 years was, our team was built to compete for championships for years to come, and we’re excited about the opportunity to ‘Defend the Cup’ this year.”
The Swarm’s regular season will consist of 18 games from December to late April. Georgia will play its home games at Infinite Energy Arena. All home games at The Hive take place on the weekend and feature FREE PARKING. Single game tickets will go on sale in the coming weeks.
By opponent, Georgia’s 18-game schedule breaks down as follows: Buffalo Bandits (Home: March 18; Away: Feb. 18 = 2 total); New England Black Wolves (Home: March 24; Away: Dec. 8, April 29 = 3 Total); Rochester Knighthawks (Home: Dec. 30, Feb. 11; Away: March 10 = 3 total); Toronto Rock (Home: Feb. 17, April 8; Away: March 3 = 3 total); Calgary Roughnecks (Away: Jan. 13 = 1 total);Colorado Mammoth (Home: March 2; Away: Dec. 23 = 2 total); Saskatchewan Rush (Home: Jan. 6; Away: April 14 = 2 total);Vancouver Stealth (Home: April 28; Away: Jan. 27 = 2 total).
By month, the schedule breaks down as follows: December (1 home, 2 away = 3 total); January (1 home, 2 away = 3 total); February (2 home, 1 away = 3 total); March (3 home, 2 away = 5 total); and April (2 home, 2 away = 4 total).
By day, the schedule breaks down as follows: Friday (2), Saturday (12), and Sunday (4).
The Swarm has three back-to-back weekends this season: Feb. 10 & 11 (@BUF, ROC); March 2 & 3 (COL, @TOR) and April 28 & 29(VAN, @NE).
The World Champions were the only team in the league to finish with a winning road record and a victory against every other NLL team. Georgia also set a new NLL single-season team scoring record by finishing the year with 266 goals scored, surpassing the Rochester Knighthawk’s previous record of 258 set in 2002.
Lyle Thompson became the franchise’s first player to surpass the 100-point threshold while being named the NLL MVP and Champion’s Cup MVP. Assistant captain Jason Noble was named the NLL Defensive Player of the Year, Mike Poulin was named NLL Teammate of the Year for the second year in a row, Jordan Hall was awarded the NLL Sportsmanship Award, head coach Ed Comeau won the Les Bartley Award for the second time in his career, and Swarm Owner and General Manager John Arlotta was named the NLL GM of the Year.
