Tampa Bay Bandits 2022 schedule: start date, time, TV channel, live stream, and more

The United States Football League is back and ready to give fans a spring football league to get excited about, with the Tampa Bay Bandits leading the way as a team to keep an eye on. The league is made up of eight teams (Birmingham Stallions, Houston Gamblers, Michigan Panthers, New Jersey Generals, New Orleans Breakers, Philadelphia Stars, Pittsburgh Maulers, and Tampa Bay Bandits).

Tampa Bay is one of the most intriguing teams in the league, given the star power of both the head coach and the quarterback. Former Kansas City Chiefs head coach Todd Haley leads the Bandits, with quarterback Jordan Ta'amu calling the shots from under center. Ta'amu has only had brief NFL experience in a practice squad role, but he was the No. 2 overall pick in the USFL Draft.

The season getting underway likely means fans search for a team to follow and rally behind. Those supporting the Bandits may be bummed to learn that every USFL game is being played in Birmingham, Alabama, for the inaugural season. However, the league has a great television package to ensure every game is easily accessible.

Tampa Bay Bandits 2022 schedule

The schedule lines up like this for the Bandits:

Date	Opponent	Time	TV
Sunday, April 17	Pittsburgh Maulers	8 p.m. ET	FS1
Sunday, April 24	New Orleans Breakers	3 p.m. ET	NBC
Saturday, April 30	Houston Gamblers	8 p.m. ET	FOX
Week 4	Birmingham Stallions	TBD	TBD
Week 5	Michigan Panthers	TBD	TBD
Week 6	Philadelphia Stars	TBD	TBD
Week 7	New Jersey Generals	TBD	TBD
Week 8	Houston Gamblers	TBD	TBD
Week 9	New Orleans Breakers	TBD	TBD
Week 10	Birmingham Stallions	TBD	TBD

Home and away designations do not matter this season because every game will be played in Birmingham. That is because the goal in 2022 is just for the USFL to complete an entire season. Playing in one location eliminates travel costs and should ensure a healthy financial situation.

Yet fans will notice that FOX and NBC will broadcast games in 2022. That is a considerable broadcast package for the league and will expose the entire league to a broad audience every week.

So when is the postseason? It gets underway on June 25 with two games, followed by the championship game on July 3. All postseason games will take place in Canton, Ohio.

A quick look at the schedule shows the league's format in 2022. Each team will play each other once, with the season's final three games being divisional matchups against a foe for the second time. The playoffs then feature the top two teams from each division.

Haley and Ta'amu hope to give football fans in Tampa Bay a new team to rally behind. They will never rival Tom Brady and the Buccaneers, but a playoff run would be an excellent way to build a lasting fanbase in the area.