by Emily Phung

After the Super Bowl ends, it seems like an eternity until fall rolls around for another football season. However, there is a temporary solution for you come spring and summer that will ease your football ‘yearnings’. The answer is arena football! Luckily, Philadelphia has one of the best arena football teams in the country! The Philadelphia Soul won their first ArenaBowl in 2008 and has been a contender since. What makes indoor football unique is that the field is a lot smaller (half the size of a regulation football field to be exact) so that means lots of plays and high scoring games. The fast pace feel makes it quite enjoyable for those who love lots of action in a short period of time. A typical game comprises of 4 15-minute quarters so it is not a whole day affair unlike other sporting events.

In the summer, when it gets to unbearable to even be at a baseball game, it’s a great sporting venue to go to. It’s indoor and always comfortably air-conditioned since it is played on ice hockey or basketball venues. The Philadelphia Soul play at the Wells Fargo Center, which is home to the Philadelphia Flyers and Sixers. To prepare for the games, they pad up the sides since the arena is smaller and the likelihood of an injury is higher. The unique thing is that even when a ball bounces off the padded walls, it is considered to be part of active play and is not out-of-bounds unless the player steps out or is thrown out-of-bounds. It’s a small roster as you would expect due to the games being shorter and the field being smaller. 20 men compose a team and 8 of these players are always active on the field. In the game, one substitution is allowed each quarter for each position. As a result of fewer playing options than regular football, the coach must make important decisions when substituting players. There are 3 time-outs per half and halftime is 15 minutes.

Another great reason to go to a Philadelphia Soul game is that it is reasonably priced. Arena football tickets are a lot cheaper than the regular football tickets. What you would spend on one regular season football ticket could equate to a few Soul game tickets along with food and drinks. That’s a bargain especially if you want to get friends together or take a family out for some exciting entertainment. The Philadelphia Soul also is known to have lots of free post game entertainment (mainly concerts), which is a great personal touch since it’s their way of showing appreciation that you attended. Drop by the Philadelphia Soul’s home opener versus the Cleveland Gladiators on Saturday, April 20th at 7 pm to see what this talented team holds and to get your football fix!

Tags: 2008, Arena Football, Emily Phung, Football, Philadelphia Soul, Wells Fargo Center