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Bill Polian to start new Spring Football League - The AAF


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http://buffalonews.com/2018/03/20/bill-polian-to-help-form-new-spring-pro-football-league/

 

Polian and Charlie Ebersol teaming up on a new league, starting this February!

 

So now with McMahon's plan to re-launch XFL in 2020, we'll have TWO spring leagues?

 

There's already talk here in Atlanta of our upcoming AAF team and where they are going to play.

Edited by DrDawkinstein
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There will be no kickoffs and innovations around onsides kicks in which teams can go for a fourth-and-1o from the 35-yard line to retain possession.  Also, there will no extra points, only two-point conversions after scores, and a 30-second play clock.

 

Interesting, no kickoffs and a "4th and 1" play to win possession on your own kickoff...

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Hope these leagues inspire positive changes in the NFL again.

 

I feel like the NFL needs to adapt in a way, accept that this is more ‘entertainment’ than sport now more than ever.

 

And by that I mean they need to streamline and freshen certain elements of the game. For example, idk which league is using this rule, but I love no onside kick and the team that’s behind gets a 4th and 10 from their own 35. Fresh idea, imo.

 

The NFL needs to find a way move on from 3+ hour productions, and the stodgy olde-timey feel of some of the rules, or they will continue to lose younger generations.

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17 minutes ago, 4_kidd_4 said:

Hope these leagues inspire positive changes in the NFL again.

 

I feel like the NFL needs to adapt in a way, accept that this is more ‘entertainment’ than sport now more than ever.

 

And by that I mean they need to streamline and freshen certain elements of the game. For example, idk which league is using this rule, but I love no onside kick and the team that’s behind gets a 4th and 10 from their own 35. Fresh idea, imo.

 

The NFL needs to find a way move on from 3+ hour productions, and the stodgy olde-timey feel of some of the rules, or they will continue to lose younger generations.

 

You're hitting the nail on the head when talking about the 3+ hours.   I love watching the games, however when the bye week hits it always amazes me how much I get done by not watching a game.


Additionally, I cant do the late games.   Maybe I am in the minority, but I wish they could start the Monday and Thursday night games around 7pm rather than 8:30 or 9pm.  I understand the conflict with the West Coast but maybe a double header is the answer, I am not sure. 

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1 hour ago, 4_kidd_4 said:

Hope these leagues inspire positive changes in the NFL again.

 

I feel like the NFL needs to adapt in a way, accept that this is more ‘entertainment’ than sport now more than ever.

 

And by that I mean they need to streamline and freshen certain elements of the game. For example, idk which league is using this rule, but I love no onside kick and the team that’s behind gets a 4th and 10 from their own 35. Fresh idea, imo.

 

The NFL needs to find a way move on from 3+ hour productions, and the stodgy olde-timey feel of some of the rules, or they will continue to lose younger generations.

and the same opening game play of play action, roll out, 1 yd pass to TE or FB

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This league seems to be a much better concept than McMahon's vision.  The partnership with the players is a key element, while McMahon has a history of leeching off his talent.

 

It is a matter of how they aspire the league to be in the beginning and how they grow it.  Start out as kind of a regional league in mid-size markets in smaller venues and keep overhead and debt under control and it stands a chance.  

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3 hours ago, Tatonka68 said:

Orlando, Birmingham, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, St Louis, San Diego, Memphis, Columbus OH are possible cities.

Interesting choice of cities and not looking to the upper Midwest at all.

 

Kentucky/Tennessee could offer a good location.

 

Also somewhere eastern carolinas could be good 

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26 minutes ago, Boyst62 said:

Interesting choice of cities and not looking to the upper Midwest at all.

 

Kentucky/Tennessee could offer a good location.

 

Also somewhere eastern carolinas could be good 

THey said warm weather, though I mentioned Columbus but Louisville is a good spot.

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IMO I think both leaves have an uphill battle.  I’d agree that the Ebersol league has a much better chance to succeed given his involvement with former NFL talent and personnel.  

 

IMO the biggest issue with the XFL was the fact that Vince McMahon was the owner.  WWE is seen by the majority of people as “low brow,” especially from legit sports writers.  I don’t think many journalists ever got past that.  Of course, the XFL sure gave reporters and fans alike a reason not to like the product.  I felt that the concept was pretty good but the overall execution of the XFL sucked.  

 

The question I have is, if the AAL or whatever they call the league is successful who will NFL react?  It makes me wonder if involvement in another football property will strain relationships.

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I'm much more excited for this than the XFL.

 

Seems like it has a real chance to succeed considering the people involved and CBS deal in place. 

 

Should be a legit spring league and farm league for the NFL, at least to start. I'll buy seasons if there's a SD team.

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7 hours ago, DrDawkinstein said:

http://buffalonews.com/2018/03/20/bill-polian-to-help-form-new-spring-pro-football-league/

 

Polian and Charlie Ebersol teaming up on a new league, starting this February!

 

So now with McMahon's plan to re-launch XFL in 2020, we'll have TWO spring leagues?

 

There's already talk here in Atlanta of our upcoming AAF team and where they are going to play.

 

As long as he doesn’t draft anyone- You know he’s worse than Russ and Marv right? 

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48 minutes ago, Over 29 years of fanhood said:

 

As long as he doesn’t draft anyone- You know he’s worse than Russ and Marv right? 

 

Maybe not worse, but technically his percentage of success is lower than the GM’s who followed him.  

 

Lets put it this way - it’s like a rookie hitter in baseball batting .350 in a handful of games vs. a player who has played in all 162 and is hitting .299.  Doesn’t mean the rookie is better but percentage wise he does have the higher BA.   

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20 minutes ago, BuffaloRush said:

 

Maybe not worse, but technically his percentage of success is lower than the GM’s who followed him.  

 

Lets put it this way - it’s like a rookie hitter in baseball batting .350 in a handful of games vs. a player who has played in all 162 and is hitting .299.  Doesn’t mean the rookie is better but percentage wise he does have the higher BA.   

 

Technically ?? 

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42 minutes ago, #34fan said:

Never thought I'd say this, but it's too much football... I have major concerns for player safety in all these "bush" leagues.

 

No you are right.  I feel that all sports need an off-season.  It gives fans a slight break and builds anticipation for the year.  

 

I feel there’s a good reason that this idea never really succeed in professional sports

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1 minute ago, BuffaloRush said:

 

No you are right.  I feel that all sports need an off-season.  It gives fans a slight break and builds anticipation for the year.  

 

 

Even if the players are different,  I know the NFL spends a great deal of time and resources keeping players safe. A strapped-for-cash new league may need to cut corners.

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i want to be excited about this league.   but i have this feeling it will fold just like the others before it.     i love football,  i dont love it enough to watch substandard players play it.

 

canadian football,  meh

arena,  couldnt care less

XFL,  i watched for about 2 weeks,   garbage football for hyped up fratboys.

USFL,  best of them all,   succeeded for a short time merely because it actually had NFL caliber players playing,  but ultimately still failed.

 

so how does a fledgling football league get people interested without the best players playing?

 

felt the same way about this past winter olympics when it came to the US Mens hockey team.    NHL players werent allowed to participate,  who the f cares then?   i personally wanted to watch the best play.

 

mbe some brilliant marketing guy can give us a reason to watch this league.    not holding my breath.

 

 

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On 3/21/2018 at 2:22 PM, T&C said:

This isn't football... its something football "like". These kinds of leagues never seem to make it.

But, it is football.

 

CFL, AFL and IFL say hello...

On 3/21/2018 at 2:35 PM, BuffaloRush said:

 

No you are right.  I feel that all sports need an off-season.  It gives fans a slight break and builds anticipation for the year.  

 

I feel there’s a good reason that this idea never really succeed in professional sports

MLB's spring training and farm leagues have succeeded. What about the minor hockey leagues? Been going for decades.

 

The NFL could definitely have minor leagues and a farm system outside of the NCAA and I think that is the approach this league should take. The personnel have NFL ties and it sounds like they're focused on building a beneficial relationship with the NFL.

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  • 3 weeks later...

And we're off:

http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/23060914/former-florida-south-carolina-head-coach-steve-spurrier-coach-orlando-team-alliance-american-football-league

 

1. Promising: seems to be real football, in the spring, likely in places without NFL franchises. Some minor rule changes, most of which (prediction!) the NFL itself will adopt: no kickoffs; to substitute for onside kicks, a team may elect to take the ball facing 4th and 10 at it's own 35. No extra points. 30 second play clock; attempt to finish a game in 2.5 hours. Some buy-in (limited) from CBS.

2. Not promising: decidedly a minor league. The "big names" brought in are ancient (Polian), irrelevant (Hines Ward, Polamalu), or both (Spurrier). Ebersol's kid seems smart though. Plus you're competing with the NFL, still (despite problems) the masters of marketing - look how they dominate the offseason with staged free agency periods, the draft, etc. You're up against all that plus post-Super Bowl fatigue.

 

My guess: this one will work, on a minor scale, for a little while. The NFL will co-opt the best features (game length; player safety; some rules changes) and will eventually kill it. It could be a little fun for a little while ...

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