USFL Has Playoffs at the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium
If you have ever wondered “What is the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium?” Then you’re not alone. This former football stadium is part of the Hall of Fame Village, which is adjacent to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Whether you’re a fan of the Pro Football Hall of Fame or just enjoy watching professional football games, you’ll find plenty of reasons to check out Canton, OH.
The USFL announced plans to hold playoff games at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, which is located adjacent to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The stadium has a capacity of 20,000, which is typical of a college football FCS. Big enough to impress, but small enough to make any crowd look larger. The USFL season began April 16 and features the Kirby Wilson-led Pittsburgh Maulers (who won USFL Coach of the Year). While regular season games were played at the stadium in Birmingham, Alabama (University of Alabama, Birmingham), the top two teams in each division will play for the league championship on Sunday July 3.
The United States Football League (USFL) is a very unique league and one of the few that pop on the scene with potential staying power. According to a statement, it “is a new, independent football league that is not affiliated with the defunct 1980s league or its owners. The inaugural USFL season kicked off April 16 with eight teams split into two divisions: the Birmingham Stallions, Houston Gamblers, New Orleans Breakers, and Tampa Bay Bandits in the South Division; and the Michigan Panthers, Pittsburgh Maulers, New Jersey Generals, and Philadelphia Stars in the North Division. Each team will play a 10-game regular-season in Birmingham. Playoffs begin in Canton on June 25 between the top two teams in each division and a championship game on July 3 between division winners. Each USFL team carries a 40-man active roster plus a 10-man practice squad. Players receive base compensation and are eligible for victory bonuses. NBC Sports and FOX Sports are the League’s official media partners and will present all 43 regular- and postseason games on FOX, FS1, NBC, USA, or Peacock networks. Brian Woods is President of Football Operations, and former Dallas Cowboys standout and long-time NFL on FOX game analyst Daryl Johnston is Executive Vice President of Football Operations. Former NFL Vice President of Officiating and FOX Sports’ NFL and college football rules analyst Mike Pereira is Head of Officiating. For more information, visit theUSFL.com and follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.”
“Concerning the playoffs for the league’s inaugural season, the USFL notes “After 10 fun-filled weeks of the USFL’s inaugural regular season, the playoffs are set.
“The New Orleans Breakers will be the No. 2 seed in the South, joining Birmingham, which earned the No. 1 seed by virtue of its 9-1 record. In the North, top-seeded New Jersey joins No. 2 seed Philadelphia…. The winners will then play in the USFL Championship Game on Sunday, July 3 at 7:30 p.m. ET on FOX. Tickets for the USFL playoffs and championship games are on sale at United States Football League (USFL) (hofvillage.com).”
If you want to attend a game at this stadium, you can get there by car, bike, or public transportation. Public transportation in Canton is convenient and you can take a Hall of Fame shuttle to the stadium. If you don’t want to pay for parking, you can use SARTA bus routes to get to and from the stadium. Moovit also has a great selection of food and beer options.
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Featured photo by Thomas Park.