The USFL is Back! Kinda...

[dooley_womack1]

http://www.usfl.info/

Re-live the glory...and the Baltimore Stars, Memphis Showboats, etc.

Hasn't been updated in three and a half years. And the great Mike Rozier scandal revealed. The league had a Stern protege, apparently.

 

[dixiehack]

Complete with reference to potential franchises in Birmingham & Memphis

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2013/02/17/new-usfl-aims-for-new-spring-football-league/XCnd7SJ1G0tfdiuJB7xUFI/story.html

LMAO. And of course, Memphis is there, offering itself as the latest sports failure-to-be.

Oh please. Memphis has an actual Big 4 pro team now. Birmingham is still stuck with a decaying stadium that makes the Roman Coliseum look like the JerryDome.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

http://www.usfl.info/

Re-live the glory...and the Baltimore Stars, Memphis Showboats, etc.

Hasn't been updated in three and a half years. And the great Mike Rozier scandal revealed. The league had a Stern protege, apparently.

Which shows the problems the league had anyways. If they were going to have Rozier join a team, why Pittsburgh? Why not L.A., or Chicago? The Generals, I can understand, since they already had Walker.

 

[cyclingwriter]

The United Football League laughs at this.

 

[Captain Obvious]

There were some who were gung-ho on the All American Football League several years ago.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

The UFL has had some pretty big names involved, but would anybody call it a success?

 

[PopeDirkBenedict]

So long as they are willing to be a "spring league" or a "minor league" and associate themselves with the NFL only in terms of the alumni they send to the NFL, this business model has a chance to succeed. What they need to do is to stay away from area codes with existing NFL franchises. To the extent possible, they might want to stay away from MLB franchise areas too in order to get a foothold with minimal competition.

No, it won't succeed. It has never succeeded.

The NBDL works solely as an NBA farm system and would almost certainly fold without the NBA money. However, a basketball team is much cheaper to run. Fewer salaries, less equipment, travel is cheaper. And I don't think NBDL games draw that well.

Minor league baseball works largely as pure entertainment. Some fans go to the games to see future stars or rehabbing major leaguers, but for the most part, it is the entertainment of being at the game (similar to going to a movie or a night on the town).

But a professional football league, where players sign contracts and are paid (a pittance) will not work without the NFL subsidizing its losses. The expenses are the highest of almost any pro sports team and the public at large has shown no interest in seeing a bunch of NFL-players go pro, despite repeated attempts to make it viable (XFL, Arena, UFL). Gate attendance of 5,000 fans will not be enough to support the team and I would be shocked if a "minor" league could attract more than that.

Plus, the practice squad fulfills the NFL's need to develop talent. Giving each team three additional practice squad players would be a much cheaper way to identify and develop talent.

It's too expensive to maintain as a small scale, niche local product (i.e. minor league baseball) and the public doesn't care enough to watch it on a national level. These leagues are fool's gold.

 

[Armchair_QB]

These leagues always die because they fail to land a legit TV deal. With NBC, CBS and Fox now ramping up channels to compete with ESPN and needing programming its entirely possible they could land one.

It's also possible the NFL Network might want it. They need summer programming so badly they were going to show a rugby 7s tournament in July but the competition they were going to air now won't debut until 2014.

 

[PopeDirkBenedict]

These leagues always die because they fail to land a legit TV deal. With NBC, CBS and Fox now ramping up channels to compete with ESPN and needing programming its entirely possible they could land one.

It's also possible the NFL Network might want it. They need summer programming so badly they were going to show a rugby 7s tournament in July but the competition they were going to air now won't debut until 2014.

XFL was on NBC. Arena football was on NBC and even had an EA video game. UFL has various regional TV deals. Didn't help those leagues one bit.

 

[Tarheel316]

Bobby Hebert wants in.

So does my college classmate Kelvin Bryant.

 

[Sam Mills 51]

Bobby Hebert wants in.

So does my college classmate Kelvin Bryant.

<-------?

 

[Knighthawk]

The Michigan Panthers are still the only Detroit football team to win a championship game in my lifetime. Bobby Hebert to Anthony Carter, baby.

 

[Armchair_QB]

These leagues always die because they fail to land a legit TV deal. With NBC, CBS and Fox now ramping up channels to compete with ESPN and needing programming its entirely possible they could land one.

It's also possible the NFL Network might want it. They need summer programming so badly they were going to show a rugby 7s tournament in July but the competition they were going to air now won't debut until 2014.

XFL was on NBC. Arena football was on NBC and even had an EA video game. UFL has various regional TV deals. Didn't help those leagues one bit.

The XFL existed in an entirely different TV era and was on network TV. Not the same as a cable deal, which is what I'm talking about.

The Arena League is still around and will air on the CBS Sports Network this season. The same type of deal any start-up league should be looking for.

And a few regional deals isn't the same thing as a national cable deal - which is what I was talking about.

I'm not saying the USFL will succeed. What I'm saying is that they stand a much better chance of securing a TV deal that works for them than the XFL or UFL did due to the fact that ESPN is no longer the only national all-sports channel.

 

[Captain Obvious]

These leagues always die because they fail to land a legit TV deal. With NBC, CBS and Fox now ramping up channels to compete with ESPN and needing programming its entirely possible they could land one.

It's also possible the NFL Network might want it. They need summer programming so badly they were going to show a rugby 7s tournament in July but the competition they were going to air now won't debut until 2014.

Grand Prix rugby 7s will not happen. It's been "in the works" since 2005.the company recently bought the U.S. sanctioning body for rugby league, but that's a joke, as well. It announced last year it sold a New York franchise for $10 million to a woman who is invisible on Google.

 

[Armchair_QB]

These leagues always die because they fail to land a legit TV deal. With NBC, CBS and Fox now ramping up channels to compete with ESPN and needing programming its entirely possible they could land one.

It's also possible the NFL Network might want it. They need summer programming so badly they were going to show a rugby 7s tournament in July but the competition they were going to air now won't debut until 2014.

Grand Prix rugby 7s will not happen. It's been "in the works" since 2005.

I have no idea about that one way or the other but the fact the NFL Network was going to air it suggests they're hard up for summer programming.

 

[wicked]

UFL had a decent deal with Versus. TV networks want something that will attract eyeballs and that people care about. Fox Sports isn't going to throw insane money at the USFL just for the programming -- it wants programming that will make money.

 

[Captain Obvious]

UFL had a decent deal with Versus. TV networks want something that will attract eyeballs and that people care about. Fox Sports isn't going to throw insane money at the USFL just for the programming -- it wants programming that will make money.

The UFL didn't make any money fom TV deals and it didn't attract eyeballs.

 

[Jake_Taylor]

A new league is only going to work if it pays enough money to get players that would otherwise play in the NFL. As much as this country loves football, not enough people are going to spend time or money watching second or third tier football. Yeah, you can play in the spring, but the NFL and college football are always front and center in headlines with signing day, the combine, the draft, free agency, training camp, etc., always reminding us that this new league isn't the real thing.

Arena Football is relatively successful because it's a different game, so it can be a fun novelty thing and something to do in a minor league town. Minor League baseball works because people like the experience of going to the ballpark as much as they like seeing big league level ball and the minors can offer a tremendous stadium experience.

 

[PopeDirkBenedict]

These leagues always die because they fail to land a legit TV deal. With NBC, CBS and Fox now ramping up channels to compete with ESPN and needing programming its entirely possible they could land one.

It's also possible the NFL Network might want it. They need summer programming so badly they were going to show a rugby 7s tournament in July but the competition they were going to air now won't debut until 2014.

XFL was on NBC. Arena football was on NBC and even had an EA video game. UFL has various regional TV deals. Didn't help those leagues one bit.

The XFL existed in an entirely different TV era and was on network TV. Not the same as a cable deal, which is what I'm talking about.

The Arena League is still around and will air on the CBS Sports Network this season. The same type of deal any start-up league should be looking for.

And a few regional deals isn't the same thing as a national cable deal - which is what I was talking about.

I'm not saying the USFL will succeed. What I'm saying is that they stand a much better chance of securing a TV deal that works for them than the XFL or UFL did due to the fact that ESPN is no longer the only national all-sports channel.

These TV deals won't make them any money. I've been Googling and can't find how much money, if any, CBS Sports Network paid for those rights. The AFL on NBC deal worked so that NBC got the first 8 million in ad money to recoup production costs, AFL got the next 3 million and then a 50/50 of remaining revenues. My guess is that the CBS deal is something similar, only on a smaller scale. So I still don't see how this makes the owners a profit or makes their games more popular; the AFL filed for bankruptcy in 2009 despite national TV deals with NBC (2003-07) and a new deal with ESPN (2007). I can't see a scenario where a network pays a minor football league money for the rights to show the games; as you suggested, these games are essentially broadcast filler and aren't worth a substantial investment by the network.

The more I think about it, the only deal that has a chance of being profitable today is to do what the USFL did: compete directly for players.

The NFL is locked into a labor deal until 2020. That means the restrictive rookie caps are in place and are a perfect place to compete. RG3 signed a four year deal for $21 million; a league backed by a few billionaries could have easily offered him over 30 million for that same 4 years. Start competing for rookies, knowing that the NFL teams are hamstrung in what they can offer. You would just have to offer a few million more and guarantee more of the money; this is the one time the NFL really can't win the bidding war. Pick off a few big names in free agency and build around that. Also, allow players to come out after their freshman year. While the NFL is picking over Luke Jaeckel, the new league could be signing Manziel and Clowney. The league would get eyeballs in a hurry and a TV deal.

And it would send the NFL into chaos. In order to compete for the top rookies, the NFL owners would need to tear up the CBA to change the rookie salary caps. But there is no way the players do that without the NFL giving in on a few other issues; the players would hold all the leverage for once. With enough backing, it could work.

 

[Jake_Taylor]

These leagues always die because they fail to land a legit TV deal. With NBC, CBS and Fox now ramping up channels to compete with ESPN and needing programming its entirely possible they could land one.

It's also possible the NFL Network might want it. They need summer programming so badly they were going to show a rugby 7s tournament in July but the competition they were going to air now won't debut until 2014.

XFL was on NBC. Arena football was on NBC and even had an EA video game. UFL has various regional TV deals. Didn't help those leagues one bit.

The XFL existed in an entirely different TV era and was on network TV. Not the same as a cable deal, which is what I'm talking about.

The Arena League is still around and will air on the CBS Sports Network this season. The same type of deal any start-up league should be looking for.

And a few regional deals isn't the same thing as a national cable deal - which is what I was talking about.

I'm not saying the USFL will succeed. What I'm saying is that they stand a much better chance of securing a TV deal that works for them than the XFL or UFL did due to the fact that ESPN is no longer the only national all-sports channel.

These TV deals won't make them any money. I've been Googling and can't find how much money, if any, CBS Sports Network paid for those rights. The AFL on NBC deal worked so that NBC got the first 8 million in ad money to recoup production costs, AFL got the next 3 million and then a 50/50 of remaining revenues. My guess is that the CBS deal is something similar, only on a smaller scale. So I still don't see how this makes the owners a profit or makes their games more popular; the AFL filed for bankruptcy in 2009 despite national TV deals with NBC (2003-07) and a new deal with ESPN (2007). I can't see a scenario where a network pays a minor football league money for the rights to show the games; as you suggested, these games are essentially broadcast filler and aren't worth a substantial investment by the network.

The more I think about it, the only deal that has a chance of being profitable today is to do what the USFL did: compete directly for players.

The NFL is locked into a labor deal until 2020. That means the restrictive rookie caps are in place and are a perfect place to compete. RG3 signed a four year deal for $21 million; a league backed by a few billionaries could have easily offered him over 30 million for that same 4 years. Start competing for rookies, knowing that the NFL teams are hamstrung in what they can offer. You would just have to offer a few million more and guarantee more of the money; this is the one time the NFL really can't win the bidding war. Pick off a few big names in free agency and build around that. Also, allow players to come out after their freshman year. While the NFL is picking over Luke Jaeckel, the new league could be signing Manziel and Clowney. The league would get eyeballs in a hurry and a TV deal.

And it would send the NFL into chaos. In order to compete for the top rookies, the NFL owners would need to tear up the CBA to change the rookie salary caps. But there is no way the players do that without the NFL giving in on a few other issues; the players would hold all the leverage for once. With enough backing, it could work.

AKA, the ABA model.