New Football League

[M.O.T.H.]

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-fbo-new-football-league,1,5288092.story?coll=sns-ap-sports-headlines

Anyone see this yet... pretty interesting.

[M.O.T.H.]

More...

http://www.gambling911.com/United-Football-League-053007.html

[GB12]

I give it 2 years at the most.

[-black]

idiots if they try compete with HS. I know die hard Cowboy fans who would most likely go watch their HS team play over seeing a Cowboy regular season game. The games would have to be plaid on Saturday and after Feb through June...

[ricky bobby]

I see Michael Vick staring in this league in a couple of years.

[49erfaithful]

this will make contracts even more ridiculous

[-black]

also, they would not sign any high draft picks....the cloest they maybe could get is offein a ish lot more to a 6th or 7th round pick and hope he choses the money over the dream of the NFL

most players are not dumb though, and would not choose a few hundred thousand more to play in a league that most likely wont be around long over the chance at making an NFL team. They'd just be known as the NFL draft pick who decided to play in the WONFL or something

I do think the XFL should have remained though

[TheMadLionsFan]

they will fail....just like all others before

[Zim3031]

Friday nights would never work. One reason the NFL has been so successful is because Sunday afternoon is when guys aren't doing anything. A second-tier football league very well could exist, but this is really not the way to do it.

[BlindSite]

Dilution of talent, and they won't have marquee players. They'll probably get viewers though because its on friday night which means they'll make money. Its a decent idea from a business standpoint, but as an NFL fan and someone who went through two leagues of our professional football out here for a few years, I hate it.

[MP123]

I give it 2 years at the most.

XFL version 2.

[Smokey Joe]

If they really want to do something like this, just combine the NFL with the CFL.

[gbpackers0065]

The Texas team can be the Dallas Dirks :)

[Zim3031]

The XFL was bigger joke to football than the AFL is now. If a secondary market actually wants to succeed, they need to offer classical American football; none of this XFL crap.

[M.O.T.H.]

They can get some star power... Jake Plummer/Drew Bledsoe are only a phone call away.

Jake Plummer...the face of the UFL.

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f149/brickman08865/jake.jpg

[-black]

did i really just spell "played" ..."plaid"?:confused:

[M.O.T.H.]

did i really just spell "played" ..."plaid"?:confused:

haha... it's all good, i've done worse.

[reese]

i dont think it can work...its hard to even watch nfl europe becuz of the lack of gamebreaking players

[Phrost]

I really believe the NFL has a monopoly on the industry but there is a good reason for it. For jokes of a league like this not to exist.

[M.O.T.H.]

Well, if they start making bids on 3rd round caliber players... they may just have something. I'm sure they could pry some college guys away... as much as i dont like it...money talks.

[reese]

Well, if they start making bids on 3rd round caliber players... they may just have something. I'm sure they could pry some college guys away... as much as i dont like it...money talks.

thats true it is all about the money

[Phrost]

Well, if they start making bids on 3rd round caliber players... they may just have something. I'm sure they could pry some college guys away... as much as i dont like it...money talks.

Here is my question. How would the draft work with two leagues?

[49erfaithful]

Well, if they start making bids on 3rd round caliber players... they may just have something. I'm sure they could pry some college guys away... as much as i dont like it...money talks.

they cant keep that up for that long i mean, you just cant have enough money to pay like the whole team 35 - 50+ million dollar contracts forever

[reese]

im assuming that they would have players apply for there (ufl) draft....that way the teams that pick them would kno they are willing to play in the league

[Phrost]

im assuming that they would have players apply for there (ufl) draft....that way the teams that pick them would kno they are willing to play in the league

The new league = AFL 2008

Newest conspiracy.

[kalbears13]

The only thing we got out of the XFL was that cool camera angle.

[M.O.T.H.]

The only thing we got out of the XFL was that cool camera angle.

and Rod Smart and that awesome afro of his...

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f149/brickman08865/rod20smart.jpg

Ha, this is real.

[ElectricEye]

I actually think this could work if they didn't play in the fall. Someone mentioned High School Football being a big deal. That may be true, but that's more of a regional thing. We don't have that type of highschool football in a lot of places.
I do agree with one of Cuban quotes. The demand for professional football outweighs what we're getting currently. While a few other leagues exist, the quality of play isn't anywhere near what we see on Sundays. Part of this may be because the second echelon talent is scattered amongst those leagues. If they can get third round picks, CFL, and AFL guys, they can actually play the game at a pretty high level. It's going up against the NFL that's the problem. It's been proven time and time again that doing that simply doesn't work.
If they do start snapping up third and fourth rounders, this could get very interesting.

[-black]

your right about the regional thing....but dont expect high attendance or ratings from places like Florida or Texas.....we love our HS football on Friday Nights

[DorianSmith]

I think The player tht would be drafted lower or not at all would enter the other draft and players tht woud make the NFL at all and players that were good in collage and suck in the pros like Ryan Leaf or That guy who lasted like 10 minutes in trainig camp.

It might also be cool though if Oregon got a team because we dont have an NFL team. but i love oing to High school games

[Xonraider]

===============
"It's a pretty simple concept," Cuban said in an e-mail to The Associated Press. "We think there is more demand for pro football than supply."
===============

That is pretty true, and if they can get players like Marcus Vicks, Maurice Clarretts etc., they could get some sort of interest from the specific public that knows those players. If managed appropiately, I could see this league lasting a lot more than what expected. I personally think it is worth a try.

[ripdw27]

itll never happen, and if it does, anyone who gets suspended or isnt starting or even in f.a. will most likely go to this league... n friday nights come on, ill bet more then 50% of the people that watch nfl on sunday either play hs football, or have a kid that plays hs football n goes to all the games friday night... i live in a pretty small city but just about everyone goes to the games...

[princefielder28]

I give it 2 years at the most.

probably right

[BufFan71]

lets say your in the draft, and yur a 3rd round projection....and the third round comes, and one of these new league team drafts you......Wow, that would suck, no NFL for u

[ElectricEye]

lets say your in the draft, and yur a 3rd round projection....and the third round comes, and one of these new league team drafts you......Wow, that would suck, no NFL for u

I'm not sure if this is sarcasm, or a misunderstanding...but the player would have a choice. But I think the idea is that they'll pay the 3rd round guys a bit more, and give them playing time.

[kalbears13]

===============
"It's a pretty simple concept," Cuban said in an e-mail to The Associated Press. "We think there is more demand for pro football than supply."
===============

That is pretty true, and if they can get players like Marcus Vicks, Maurice Clarretts etc., they could get some sort of interest from the specific public that knows those players. If managed appropiately, I could see this league lasting a lot more than what expected. I personally think it is worth a try.

Yeah, we could have football teams with just prisoners and convicts. Then the winning team can be free.

[-black]

im pretty sure they would not be "drafting" guys....but more likely trying to offer them more money then any franchise would

lets say in the 2007 scenario the Dallas Dirks would offer Lorenzo Booker 5Million and incentives to play for them...which is most likely more than the Phins would be willing to pay even though they "drafted" his rights for the NFL

and then Lorenzo would choose either bewteen more money in the new league or a chance at the NFL. If it didnt work out im the UFL (or watever its called) im sure he could re enter the draft because he did not sign an NFL contract (if im not mistaken)

[nobodyinparticular]

The new league could definitely try to cut the legs out from underneath the NFL if they open it up to players right out of high school. They wouldn't get everyone, but they could get a few talented people that way.

[fenikz]

im pretty sure they would not be "drafting" guys....but more likely trying to offer them more money then any franchise would

lets say in the 2007 scenario the Dallas Dirks would offer Lorenzo Booker 5Million and incentives to play for them...which is most likely more than the Phins would be willing to pay even though they "drafted" his rights for the NFL

and then Lorenzo would choose either bewteen more money in the new league or a chance at the NFL. If it didnt work out im the UFL (or watever its called) im sure he could re enter the draft because he did not sign an NFL contract (if im not mistaken)

you cant enter the nfl draft more than once, he would just become a FA

and i didn't even think of that out of highschool thing, some guys would love to do that instead of trying to make it threw college, then after 2 years they could decide if they wanted to enter the NFL draft or not

[nobodyinparticular]

you cant enter the nfl draft more than once, he would just become a FA

and i didn't even think of that out of highschool thing, some guys would love to do that instead of trying to make it threw college, then after 2 years they could decide if they wanted to enter the NFL draft or not

Actually, -black is right. If you are drafted, but remain unsigned, you enter the NFL draft pool again the next season. It happened to Bo Jackson the year after being drafted #1 by the Bucs and it almost happened to Drew Henson.

[-black]

you can enter the draft more than once....aka Bo Jackson

[nobodyinparticular]

you can enter the draft more than once....aka Bo Jackson

See my post right above yours. Haha

[-black]

i do have a question though.....could undrafted FA's re-enter the draft? I have never heard of it happening

[nobodyinparticular]

i do have a question though.....could undrafted FA's re-enter the draft? I have never heard of it happening

No, because they are free agents from not being selected.

[adschofield]

Oh these fools, you'd think that Mark Cuban would learn from the failure of the AFL. HAHA, fools.




Oh, wait a tick....

[-black]

got ya............

[reese]

i dont think they should let kids come str8 out of hs but kids that flunk out of college or get kicked out would work....

[awfullyquiet]

http://www.allamericanfootballleague.com/

i'm sure you all realize there's yet another football league that predates the UFL...

if you don't. well then, consider this your notice.

it is a very true fact, cuban is a smart guy, that football demand is higher than production. the NFL thrives (THRIVES) on the fact that it has a friggan monopoly over football. we all become obsessive little twits (see this draft-board and it's integrity) over everything regarding football. i'm sure if there was a greater range. we'd all have no lives. that's why we're really scared of expanding into new leagues. or embracing AFL (although, i can't do it because i dislike rampant passing games, where qb's throw for five touchdowns a game and the defense is rather lackluster...) or the CFL (which in it's own right is pretty nifty)...

but, the NFL can't win forever, the courts will rule them a monopoly, force competition and the UFL will have second tier talent, hopefully in spring-early summer leagues. please. i can say there's probably 10 cities who need football teams. and would be well serviced by the UFL, not to mention major college towns who'd love to have pro teams play in their town, with some of their 'home grown' talent, i.e. the AAFL (which requires that all players graduate... gives them 100k a year, and bene's... and all teams are league owned...)

just some thoughts.

[ShutDwn]

There doesn't need to be another football league, there needs to be a basketball league.

[Cashmoney]

If this league was played like may through july i could see it possibly working cause honestly who watches nfl europe? its painful for me.

[Vince Lombardi]

UFL SHOULD TRY TO DEVELOP INTO A RELEGATION LEAGUE
A couple of readers have pointed out a concept to us that we think could end up having direct application, eventually, to the new pro football league that plans to launch as early as 2008.
It's highly unlikely that the UFL, which intends to compete with the NFL without trying to pay the same level of player wages, could ever trigger a true merger with the premier sports league in the United States. The AFL, which pulled it off nearly 40 years ago, was the right idea in the right place at the right time. Born on the heels of the epic 1958 NFL Championship game, which made pro football a living-room fixture throughout the nation, the AFL offered sizzle as a contrast to what could be, at times, a snore-fest. The AFL also targeted (and paid) high-level college players, like Joe Namath.
The UFL doesn't aspire to provide the same degree of football quality, focusing instead on getting the best guys from the back end of an NFL's teams roster, and possibly luring some of the players selected in rounds two or lower of the NFL draft. So how can this new league, which will start with eight teams and presumably aspire to grow, ever make itself into something that the NFL might eventually choose to embrace?
By merging without actually merging.
It's the relegation concept, used in soccer leagues throughout the world. NFL teams that can't compete on a consistent basis would be sent down a level; UFL teams that take on elite status would get an invitation to join the NFL.
Oh, and given that the NFL currently is plotting to attempt to become the dominant sports league in the world, the use of a tool with which many citizens of the planet already are familiar could help to forge the emotional connection necessary to draw billions of new fans.
And it would become a hugely compelling facet of NFL football. No longer would teams at the bottom of the league be jockeying for the "right" to pay $30 million or more in guaranteed money to the top incoming rookie; the stakes would be much higher. The worst team each season would be in danger of getting booted from the NFL, and then forced to play its way back in. (Here's a recent article on the concept (http://www.milforddailynews.com/sports/x567832941) that we found in the Milford (Mass.) Daily News.)
Such an approach would make the NFL the ultimate meritocracy, with winning on a consistent basis more important than ever. Each NFL game would have even more meaning, because the late-season salve of "wait 'til next year" would be replaced with the possibility that, at some point, there might not be a next year.
At least not in the NFL.
Is such an arrangement likely? Probably not. Do we think it's an idea that should be fully explored? Abso-frickin'-lutely.
The problem is that the 32 members of the Billionaire Boys Club currently have no incentive to ponder the notion of creating a minor league into which any of them could eventually be banished. But if the UFL succeeds, it could force the NFL to devise a strategy bringing the two leagues together. And we think that the UFL will succeed only if it understands and accepts its place on a tier beneath the NFL.
So if the UFL stays on a lower rung and becomes a force that the NFL can't ignore, the relegation concept will be, we predict, the natural solution.
Are there plenty of other details that would need to be ironed out? Sure. But given that soccer leagues have been using the approach for years tells us that the wise men (and women) who run the NFL would be able to make it happen, if they ever choose to do so.
At some point, the UFL could force them to make that choice.


ha, a relegation league for the NFL. This idea works brilliantly in soccer but I just can't see it working well for the NFL. Think of the outrage & heartbreak if teams with history like GB, KC, DAL, etc get booted from the league to the UFL. Granted, they can play their way back into the NFL the next year, but it would just suck.

Personally I like the idea of the UFL as a developmental league, similar to NFLE, but stateside. It would give players who can't make rosters a chance to play while remaining in the US where the league will be able to maximize it's popularity. Of course, it'd never be on the level of the NFL as far as popularity but I bet people would watch it if there were a few recognizable names from college.

[Splat]

He Hate Me Part two.

[Vince Lombardi]

He Hate Me Part two.

How so? The UFL is not trying to be gimmicky at all like the XFL was.

[-black]

what locations do you think they would have teams in? it would have to be places that dont already have a franchise in place right?

LA?
Orlando?
Las Vegas?
Austin?
New Jersey?
New York? (even though they have like 3 franchises)
Oklahoma City?
Lincoln?

just throwing out some ideas

[Vince Lombardi]

So far, the U.F.L. has decided to put teams in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Mexico City.http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/03/sports/playmagazine/0603play-business.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5090&en=e87310a952fa557f&ex=1338523200&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

Come on Orlando!

[-black]

yeah they will have to put a team in Orlando...good market and stadium

['cuse-213]

Id play in it.

[awfullyquiet]

thus spoke chuck klosterman
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=klosterman/070605