The Moncton Mustangs will have some new competition this season.

The Maritime Football League has expanded from four to six teams thanks to the startup of the first-year Southern N.B. Ducks of Hampton/Kennebecasis and the return of the Nova Scotia Buccaneers, a Halifax squad that's coming back following a one-year leave of absence.

Moncton, the defending champion Saint John Wanderers, Prince Edward Island Mariners and the Harbour Hawks of Halifax formed the league last season and they're all back this season. Teams will play a six-game regular season and the top four will quality for the playoffs in search of the Maritime Bowl.

"We feel that as a league we're in a pretty stable spot again," said Eric Sabean, a Saint John native who's entering his 10th season as MFL commissioner. "The success of the teams is largely dependent on the people running them and how successful they can be in getting sponsorship and keeping their finances straight.

"When teams are operated properly, that helps a lot with attracting players and it improves the quality of the product on the field. Guys don't want to play for a team if they see it lacks stability. We feel good about all our teams and the way they're being operated."

Moncton will begin the regular season by visiting Saint John on May 4 in a rematch of last season's Maritime Bowl.

"Six teams is nice," said Sabean. "We're not feeling threatened. When we had four teams if something would've happened to one of them it would've been devastating for the league from an operations standpoint. All the teams have been in training camp since mid January so it shows how seriously the coaches and players take it.

"I hope the young guys entering the league understand how much work the older guys put into it to give them a place to play. The older guys who have been around for a long time understand what it takes to compete at this level and they're very committed."

Sabean is confident when it comes to the stability of the two new clubs. He points out the Southern N.B. Ducks and Nova Scotia Buccaneers both have money and sponsorship in place and they're both being operated by veteran football people who know what it takes to be successful at this level.

Sabean said the Ducks and Buccaneers are reaping the rewards by landing some quality players. He also mentioned that Halifax's other team, the Harbour Hawks, are very well run.

"There's enough football players in Halifax that everybody should be concerned about what comes out of there," he said. "I expect both Halifax teams to be competitive and Moncton and Saint John always field strong teams. There should be some good football. I think anybody who watches our games are often surprised by the calibre of play.

"Every year, I get an email from someone wanting to join the league and I try to scare people off by telling them about all the requirements. Ninety-nine per cent of them don't go past a couple of initial emails. We want any new teams coming in to be fully aware of the work that's involved. It's about making sure the new teams last and creating stability for the league."