15 replies to this topic

[Chris B]

"We will not try to compete with the NFL at all," said CEO Jaime Cuadra after adding Biletnikoff and James Bailey, an executive for the Cleveland Browns and then the Baltimore Ravens for 21 years, to the USFL's board of advisers. The board will be responsible for guiding USFL management on various areas of operations, eventually focusing on a search for the league's commissioner.

"We will play in markets where there are no NFL teams or major league baseball teams. It's a league for guys who are on the bubble for making NFL teams, and we will have complete open access for the NFL. We want to build a model that is sustainable."

The USFL is looking at a 14-game season from March until June in eight cities. Its players would then be free to join NFL clubs at their training camps.

All player and coach contracts will be owned by the league, with salaries not approaching anything the NFL offers.

Cities currently being considered are Portland, Ore.; Salt Lake City; San Antonio or Austin, Texas; Columbus or Akron, Ohio; Oklahoma City; Omaha, Neb.; Raleigh/Durham, N.C.; Birmingham, Ala.; and Memphis, Tenn.

http://espn.go.com/n... ... f-advisers

Thoughts on the business plan for the new USFL?

[JeremyStrain]

It's a good plan, I've thought for years that the NFL needed a "minor league" if you will. Especially one that plays in the offseason so that NFL teams can evaluate them. I always wondered if the CFL shouldn't merge with it to create a larger minor league system, eventually getting to the point where each NFL team could have an affiliate where they could keep developing talent.

[Chris B]

Something of note that the article mentions is that most franchises are planned to be in "college football towns." It will be interesting to see if those fans welcome a new team in town. The USFL is hoping that players out of college will play on a nearby USFL team (i.e. former Oregon/Oregon St. players playing for the USFL Portland franchise).

As always, the success of the USFL will be determined by what type of TV contract they can get. I'd expect they will talk to NBC Sports, as that channel is looking for programming. Could be a win-win.

[JeremyStrain]

Something of note that the article mentions is that most franchises are planned to be in "college football towns." It will be interesting to see if those fans welcome a new team in town. The USFL is hoping that players out of college will play on a nearby USFL team (i.e. former Oregon/Oregon St. players playing for the USFL Portland franchise).

As always, the success of the USFL will be determined by what type of TV contract they can get. I'd expect they will talk to NBC Sports, as that channel is looking for programming. Could be a win-win.

Yeah absolutely could be a great idea. I'd think if they kept to the one game a week on Sunday formula that a TV deal would be pretty easy to find. Especially if they talked to the NFL about a potential partnership once they show they can maintain. I would pick a team and watch for sure. I really miss football this time of year.

[Oriole85]

I'm not sure how much of an appetite there is for second-tier professional football, probably a bit more if there is a "true" minor league with NFL affliation. The problem with football/basketball minor leagues is since the vast majority of the players are going to play right away in the NFL, especially the top-notch ones, it loses it's appeal. The one thing I'd like to see though is allowing players to bypass college and play right away which a minor league could solve.

I don't see any broadcast network televising the games other than playoffs, maybe as filler programming? I think cable networks would like this. In terms of playing in college towns, I would try to avoid this. I don't see Tuscalossa or Columbus going all gung-ho for this.

[JeremyStrain]

I'm not sure how much of an appetite there is for second-tier professional football, probably a bit more if there is a "true" minor league with NFL affliation. The problem with football/basketball minor leagues is since the vast majority of the players are going to play right away in the NFL, especially the top-notch ones, it loses it's appeal. The one thing I'd like to see though is allowing players to bypass college and play right away which a minor league could solve.

I don't see any broadcast network televising the games other than playoffs, maybe as filler programming? I think cable networks would like this. In terms of playing in college towns, I would try to avoid this. I don't see Tuscalossa or Columbus going all gung-ho for this.

I look at HOW passionate our country is over football (not crazy rules football, but the normal stuff, yes I mean you Vince McMahon) and if it's done in the football offseason, I think it could be a big smash.

I look at how many players are undrafted FA that go on to become starters and pro bowlers, and how many guys bounce around for a couple years and then suddenly become viable starters when given a shot and think that a minor league system would be great use. It gives more meaning to the later rounds of the draft, where you can take guys and develop them for a year or two giving them playing time instead of just riding the bench, and you'd have better than the "practice squad" of reserves to pull from when injuries strike, instead of having to sign 14 FA during the season.

Sundays during March-June you are competing with what? A couple basketball games, a handfull of hockey games and some golf? I'd think an afteroon game and a Sunday night game would draw some half way decent ratings if they are the same rules as the NFL.

You could do a limit on minor league deals to 2-3 years so that teams couldn't just stockpile great talent that could start on other teams forever. Think about developing a 3rd QB like Cousins with a minor league team to run, and him throwing passes to Aldrick Robinson or Terrance Austin who can't break the big team rotation yet.

[Oriole85]

I'm not sure how much of an appetite there is for second-tier professional football, probably a bit more if there is a "true" minor league with NFL affliation. The problem with football/basketball minor leagues is since the vast majority of the players are going to play right away in the NFL, especially the top-notch ones, it loses it's appeal. The one thing I'd like to see though is allowing players to bypass college and play right away which a minor league could solve.

I don't see any broadcast network televising the games other than playoffs, maybe as filler programming? I think cable networks would like this. In terms of playing in college towns, I would try to avoid this. I don't see Tuscalossa or Columbus going all gung-ho for this.

I look at HOW passionate our country is over football (not crazy rules football, but the normal stuff, yes I mean you Vince McMahon) and if it's done in the football offseason, I think it could be a big smash.

I look at how many players are undrafted FA that go on to become starters and pro bowlers, and how many guys bounce around for a couple years and then suddenly become viable starters when given a shot and think that a minor league system would be great use. It gives more meaning to the later rounds of the draft, where you can take guys and develop them for a year or two giving them playing time instead of just riding the bench, and you'd have better than the "practice squad" of reserves to pull from when injuries strike, instead of having to sign 14 FA during the season.

Sundays during March-June you are competing with what? A couple basketball games, a handfull of hockey games and some golf? I'd think an afteroon game and a Sunday night game would draw some half way decent ratings if they are the same rules as the NFL.

You could do a limit on minor league deals to 2-3 years so that teams couldn't just stockpile great talent that could start on other teams forever. Think about developing a 3rd QB like Cousins with a minor league team to run, and him throwing passes to Aldrick Robinson or Terrance Austin who can't break the big team rotation yet.

I actually think back to the XFL (with it's crazy rules) on why second-tier football won't work in primetime. I think the afternoon game is more likely. Sunday Night is the biggest night of the week for TV, it would have to draw some real eyeballs to make it on network TV.

The NFL took notice of the XFL even if it didn't want to admit it, see Tommy Maddux.

[JeremyStrain]

I actually think back to the XFL (with it's crazy rules) on why second-tier football won't work in primetime. I think the afternoon game is more likely. Sunday Night is the biggest night of the week for TV, it would have to draw some real eyeballs to make it on network TV.

The NFL took notice of the XFL even if it didn't want to admit it, see Tommy Maddux.

May is the end of TV season, and with the NFL draft being late April, you might want to start this season after the draft anyway, so going May-July might not be a terrible idea either, you just don't want these guys to play too much and then go right into a full NFL season behind it if you bring them up. Just a logistical thing though. I'd think moving the draft to mid March, starting in April and running an 8 week season through May, wrapping up early June to give a break before camps start in July makes some sense.

If the XFL didn't have crazy stupid rules, and could have stuck it out a couple more seasons it could have worked. They need to do the same rules for this league as the NFL. You can argue that the increased amount of games for younger players going from this league to the NFL in a year increases injury risk substantially though.

[Oriole85]

I actually think back to the XFL (with it's crazy rules) on why second-tier football won't work in primetime. I think the afternoon game is more likely. Sunday Night is the biggest night of the week for TV, it would have to draw some real eyeballs to make it on network TV.

The NFL took notice of the XFL even if it didn't want to admit it, see Tommy Maddux.

May is the end of TV season, and with the NFL draft being late April, you might want to start this season after the draft anyway, so going May-July might not be a terrible idea either, you just don't want these guys to play too much and then go right into a full NFL season behind it if you bring them up. Just a logistical thing though. I'd think moving the draft to mid March, starting in April and running an 8 week season through May, wrapping up early June to give a break before camps start in July makes some sense.

If the XFL didn't have crazy stupid rules, and could have stuck it out a couple more seasons it could have worked. They need to do the same rules for this league as the NFL. You can argue that the increased amount of games for younger players going from this league to the NFL in a year increases injury risk substantially though.

I don't think the general American public wants to watch second tier professional sports, only thing that seems to work is college. But maybe this proves me wrong.

[JeremyStrain]

I don't think the general American public wants to watch second tier professional sports, only thing that seems to work is college. But maybe this proves me wrong.

I think football will end up being the ONE sport that works. There is a reason Super Bowl commercials cost $5m for 30 seconds and the other sports don't.

[DJ MC]

I don't think the general American public wants to watch second tier professional sports, only thing that seems to work is college. But maybe this proves me wrong.

I think football will end up being the ONE sport that works. There is a reason Super Bowl commercials cost $5m for 30 seconds and the other sports don't.

Well, that reason is because even people who don't care about football watch the Super Bowl for the commercials.

[JeremyStrain]

Well, that reason is because even people who don't care about football watch the Super Bowl for the commercials.

It's gotten to that point because football is the national pasttime and football ratings dominate ALL TV during the season.

[Oriole85]

Well, that reason is because even people who don't care about football watch the Super Bowl for the commercials.

It's gotten to that point because football is the national pasttime and football ratings dominate ALL TV during the season.

Super Bowl is a different animal. It's the one ANNUAL American sporting event that completely transforms sports. Plenty of people who watch no sporting events all year long will watch for the commercials and/or halftime. In addition, Super Bowl parties are big social gatherings, I don't think too many people who don't care about baseball would attend a World Series Party for example, not so with the Super Bowl.

I agree football is the main sport.

[DJ MC]

Super Bowl is a different animal. It's the one ANNUAL American sporting event that completely transforms sports. Plenty of people who watch no sporting events all year long will watch for the commercials and/or halftime. In addition, Super Bowl parties are big social gatherings, I don't think too many people who don't care about baseball would attend a World Series Party for example, not so with the Super Bowl.

I agree football is the main sport.

It's also one game, as opposed to a series like any of the other three major leagues. That is why it got that big: because there was already that focus on a single game for a sport that was speeding past the others in popularity, advertisers were willing to spend more for ad time and create more interesting commercials. That along with the evolution of the halftime acts began to draw in people with little interest in the game, which over time created essentially a firestorm of popularity to turn the game into an event.

[DJ MC]

Just to get back on track...

I am always interested in the founding and evolution of new professional leagues. I believe that there is a place for lower-level professional sports in this country, be it independent-league baseball or a CBA-style basketball league. Even though the AHL isn't actually independent, it does have its own longstanding history and traditions separate from the NHL; the same thing could be said about the International and Pacific Coast Leagues in baseball.

However, with the expense that comes with a football league and the amount of money needing to be brought in to draw talent and make a profit, a new football league must essentially act like Mark Reynolds.

They can simply take a walk - become an effective and worthwhile minor league for the NFL. The World League, evolving into NFL Europe, is the closest anyone has come to achieving this. Set in the US, with teams acting as a farm for two or three teams each to fill the rosters and based in cities without high-level football, they could succeed. San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Richmond/Norfolk, Hartford, Orlando, Sacramento, Portland, Milwaukee, Toledo/Columbus, Albuquerque, Salt Lake City--a well-run league with the support of the NFL could be a success.

They can swing for the fences - try to get enough money together to compete directly with the NFL. This was done with success once--the AFL--and several times without success--most notably the original USFL--and it is likely to lead into the other possible outcome.

They can strike out - either choice they make, they will probably fail. The only football league with sustained success against the NFL is the Arena League, and that is because they decided to cooperate with the NFL wherever possible and because the rules are too different to be seen as a competitor. Even so, that league is struggling and even collapsed completely at one point.

I wish the USFL luck, but it was a miracle that the UFL completed two seasons and may still try for a third. This league isn't even off of the ground yet.

[Oriole85]

Just to get back on track...

I am always interested in the founding and evolution of new professional leagues. I believe that there is a place for lower-level professional sports in this country, be it independent-league baseball or a CBA-style basketball league. Even though the AHL isn't actually independent, it does have its own longstanding history and traditions separate from the NHL; the same thing could be said about the International and Pacific Coast Leagues in baseball.

However, with the expense that comes with a football league and the amount of money needing to be brought in to draw talent and make a profit, a new football league must essentially act like Mark Reynolds.

They can simply take a walk - become an effective and worthwhile minor league for the NFL. The World League, evolving into NFL Europe, is the closest anyone has come to achieving this. Set in the US, with teams acting as a farm for two or three teams each to fill the rosters and based in cities without high-level football, they could succeed. San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Richmond/Norfolk, Hartford, Orlando, Sacramento, Portland, Milwaukee, Toledo/Columbus, Albuquerque, Salt Lake City--a well-run league with the support of the NFL could be a success.

They can swing for the fences - try to get enough money together to compete directly with the NFL. This was done with success once--the AFL--and several times without success--most notably the original USFL--and it is likely to lead into the other possible outcome.

They can strike out - either choice they make, they will probably fail. The only football league with sustained success against the NFL is the Arena League, and that is because they decided to cooperate with the NFL wherever possible and because the rules are too different to be seen as a competitor. Even so, that league is struggling and even collapsed completely at one point.

I wish the USFL luck, but it was a miracle that the UFL completed two seasons and may still try for a third. This league isn't even off of the ground yet.

I'm in agreement, I don't see this really taking off. I think there might some more intrigue at the beginning like their was with the XFL, but once people realize they are watching watered down American football, I think interest will wane. Only chance it has is if it becomes a real farm system for the NFL.