USFL-XFL merge; become UFL w/USFL and XFL divisions

[PromoTheRobot]

18 minutes ago, AuntieEm said:

I wouldn't mind they make some kind of arrangement.  After all if they can help to bring along some promising potential olinemen that alone would be worth adopting.  Will it happen probably not but maybe it should.  They could give parameters of what skills are needed to be a olineman in nfl. They have no ability to get colleges to do so.  But giving some financial stability to a pro league with talent that needs development is a good start.

 

I feel like most folks don't know the financials of both leagues. They are both supported by TV networks. XFL by ESPN, USFL by Fox and NBC. Attendance is what it is, but TV ratings were good enough to keep going. Don't forget gambling revenue too. 

 

Like I said before, over 100 players were brought into NFL camps this year. Even the Bills have (I think) 2 on the PS now.  It's doing what it's supposed to do.

[AuntieEm]

11 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

I feel like most folks don't know the financials of both leagues. They are both supported by TV networks. XFL by ESPN, USFL by Fox and NBC. Attendance is what it is, but TV ratings were good enough to keep going. Don't forget gambling revenue too. 

 

Like I said before, over 100 players were brought into NFL camps this year. Even the Bills have (I think) 2 on the PS now.  It's doing what it's supposed to do.

Just if the nfl wants to give guidelines as to what skills they want they can add some coin in to the coffers of the spring leagues.  And gives players who love the game another option to maybe earn a living playing pro ball.  

[Beast]

2 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

Read the thread and see how may times someone wants the NFL to have a minor league, which will never happen.

The NFL does have a minor league.

 

The NCAA.

[IronyAbounds]

7 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

 

I hope they use more XFL rules.

"Huge News" 🤣

[Mr. WEO]

1 hour ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

I feel like most folks don't know the financials of both leagues. They are both supported by TV networks. XFL by ESPN, USFL by Fox and NBC. Attendance is what it is, but TV ratings were good enough to keep going. Don't forget gambling revenue too. 

 

Like I said before, over 100 players were brought into NFL camps this year. Even the Bills have (I think) 2 on the PS now.  It's doing what it's supposed to do.

 

 

Huh?  It's supposed to make money for its investors.  They didn't bankroll it to put a handful of players on some NFL PS's.

 

And what gambling revenue do they receive?

[Mr. WEO]

6 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

Read the thread and see how may times someone wants the NFL to have a minor league, which will never happen.

 

Every poster can say this every other year when these league form and dissolve.

 

 

The NFL's minor league is the NCAA.  These endless iterations of non NFL "pro" ball will never be that.  They never have been.   

 

The NFL drafts new players, keeps the ones they want, and dumps the rest to the street---or now these temporary leagues.  Rarely, a player bounces back.  How on earth is that a "minor league for the NFL"?  It simply can't be.  Yet we hear the same thing from such posters each time, as though it has not been disproven over and over...

 

 

crazy.

 

 

[Solomon Grundy]

12 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

 

I hope they use more XFL rules.

CAN YOU SMELL IT!! 

[BobbyC81]

19 hours ago, Charles Romes said:

Bring back NFL Europe with players officially aligned to NFL teams. So many people liked it, it successfully marketed the NFL and laid the groundwork for expansion into Europe. The only reason they stopped is that even though the long term profits were unquestionable the short term profits were not there. 

For me, the Arena Leagues were fun and different.   I used to watch some of the San Jose Sabercats games and even attended one.  Lost interest after awhile and then the team folded.

[Rc2catch]

I really enjoyed the XFL. Continuity is key. They have started the last two times without much of a camp or preparation and play got better as the season went on. Some of the players would certainly do better if they got to be in the same system the following year. There’s plenty of guys with talent to play in the NFL, the extra coaching should be pretty valuable. I did not however watch the USFL but I would guess it’s a similar pool of talent. 
I enjoyed the rule changes, most of all I enjoy hearing the play calls. If you watched the Houston Roughnecks you were treated to offensive coordinator AJ Smith. Unlike the NFL coaches can talk to the entire team in the XFL and communication does not shut off so they can talk all the way to the snap. 
AJ smith could call the play, help line his players up, call out what he seen from the defense and what he wanted them to do if they blitzed etc etc.

I found that to be extremely helpful. Like Mcvay used to do with Goff, only we get to hear it all and the headset doesn’t shut off at 15 seconds or whatever it is. I will definitely watch another season if they continue letting us listen to the coaches during the game. 
 

[PromoTheRobot]

2 hours ago, Rc2catch said:

I really enjoyed the XFL. Continuity is key. They have started the last two times without much of a camp or preparation and play got better as the season went on. Some of the players would certainly do better if they got to be in the same system the following year. There’s plenty of guys with talent to play in the NFL, the extra coaching should be pretty valuable. I did not however watch the USFL but I would guess it’s a similar pool of talent. 
I enjoyed the rule changes, most of all I enjoy hearing the play calls. If you watched the Houston Roughnecks you were treated to offensive coordinator AJ Smith. Unlike the NFL coaches can talk to the entire team in the XFL and communication does not shut off so they can talk all the way to the snap. 
AJ smith could call the play, help line his players up, call out what he seen from the defense and what he wanted them to do if they blitzed etc etc.

I found that to be extremely helpful. Like Mcvay used to do with Goff, only we get to hear it all and the headset doesn’t shut off at 15 seconds or whatever it is. I will definitely watch another season if they continue letting us listen to the coaches during the game. 
 

I also like how ALL officials, even replay people, are miked as well. You hear all the discussions.

[Jerome007]

23 hours ago, Dan Darragh said:

On a scale of 1 to 100, I'm interested in the Bills 100, other NFL games 12-15, college football 2 and USFL/XFL football 0.

I'd be 100, 40, 2 and ...0. Still, I think it's great some of these guys have an outlet to play. And it could become a NFL talent pool as well. 

[Homey D. Clown]

I care about this league about as much as I would the CFL, which is none. If europe gets a league, toss that into the IDGAS pile too.  I'm an NFL enthusiast, follow the league throughout the season ans offseason, that's about it.  It's just not needed.  Baseball spring training is cool, I keep my eye on the yankees during that time, but I'll never care what happens in that league.

[HereComesTheReignAgain]

On 9/19/2023 at 11:28 AM, DeltaDigital said:

Why? Go outside. Get a Haircut, change your oil, Cut your nails, wash your dog... plenty of other way more productive things to do... Can you tell me WHY you watch it? Im genuniely curious... 

When the XFL played in MetLife, not far from where I live, we had season tickets and went to the games.  We had a great time for a fraction of the cost of an NFL game.  Friendly atmosphere, great seats, and decent football.  That's why. 

[reddogblitz]

3 hours ago, HereComesTheReignAgain said:

When the XFL played in MetLife, not far from where I live, we had season tickets and went to the games.  We had a great time for a fraction of the cost of an NFL game.  Friendly atmosphere, great seats, and decent football.  That's why. 

 

I have Seattle Sea Dragons season tickets and have gone to several games.  The Houston game was a really good/fun game.

 

You're right. There are a lot of people there that love football but have been priced out by the NFL.  (There are going to be a lot of fans like this in Buffalo when the new stadium opens.).  XFL gets good attendance because of this.

 

The main thing I hope is they use the XFL schedule of starting a week after the Super Bowl.  That way I'm still in a football mindset and don't have to go cold turkey on football.  Plus it's still cold like football should be played in.  By the time April rolls around I'm on to baseball.  

 

Wouldn't hurt me to see the NFL have some kind of competition.  If it weren't for football, I'd hate the NFL.

 

Go Sea Dragons!!

Edited September 20, 2023 by reddogblitz

[Mr. WEO]

2 hours ago, reddogblitz said:

 

I have Seattle Sea Dragons season tickets and have gone to several games.  The Houston game was a really good/fun game.

 

You're right. There are a lot of people there that love football but have been priced out by the NFL.  (There are going to be a lot of fans like this in Buffalo when the new stadium opens.).  XFL gets good attendance because of this.

 

The main thing I hope is they use the XFL schedule of starting a week after the Super Bowl.  That way I'm still in a football mindset and don't have to go cold turkey on football.  Plus it's still cold like football should be played in.  By the time April rolls around I'm on to baseball.  

 

Wouldn't hurt me to see the NFL have some kind of competition.  If it weren't for football, I'd hate the NFL.

 

Go Sea Dragons!!

 

 

1 team averaged 35k fans.

 

No other team had over 15k, 2 had under 10k---and those are "announced" numbers.  anyone watching could figure out how likely those numbers were (other than in St. Louis).

 

If it weren't for marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers, I would really hate s'mores!  lol

[Steptide]

Still think the nfl is missing out by not getting involved in these leagues. No pro football league will ever live up to the nfl, but an NFL minor league in the same stadiums and cities as the nfl, I think would do well. 

[DeltaDigital]

4 hours ago, HereComesTheReignAgain said:

When the XFL played in MetLife, not far from where I live, we had season tickets and went to the games.  We had a great time for a fraction of the cost of an NFL game.  Friendly atmosphere, great seats, and decent football.  That's why. 

sure, live events much better. *I* was talking about why would someone waste their time watching on TV

 

[reddogblitz]

1 hour ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

 

1 team averaged 35k fans.

 

No other team had over 15k, 2 had under 10k---and those are "announced" numbers.  anyone watching could figure out how likely those numbers were (other than in St. Louis).

 

If it weren't for marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers, I would really hate s'mores!  lol

 

It's all relative. It was a up start league. You expect them to sell out?

 

they made it through the first season without folding.

 

Well see what happens next year.

 

Have another s'more on me. 🙂

[Breakout Squad]

On 9/19/2023 at 11:27 AM, blitzboy54 said:

 

I watch it

NFL could use another pipeline besides college players. I like the idea of a legitimate AAA league. 

[Doc Brown]

Blockbuster and Radio Shack to also merge.

[Dr.Sack]

I have never watched, but don’t mind if others do. 

[PromoTheRobot]

3 hours ago, Steptide said:

Still think the nfl is missing out by not getting involved in these leagues. No pro football league will ever live up to the nfl, but an NFL minor league in the same stadiums and cities as the nfl, I think would do well. 

 

They don't want the added CTE liability.

[benderbender]

Gatekeeping football fandom doesn't stop at your own NFL team anymore. Now it extends to every version of football. 

[WhoTom]

14 hours ago, DeltaDigital said:

sure, live events much better. *I* was talking about why would someone waste their time watching on TV

 

 

Because it's football. I lost interest in other sports, so the NFL's off-season leaves me craving some kind of football, even if the caliber is a notch lower than the NFL. (I mean, you could say the same about college football.) 

 

Even so, I don't make it a point to stay home and watch the USFL/XFL like I do for Bills' games. But if I'm home and it's on, I'm likely to tune in.

 

 

[LeGOATski]

On 9/19/2023 at 8:28 AM, DeltaDigital said:

Why? Go outside. Get a Haircut, change your oil, Cut your nails, wash your dog... plenty of other way more productive things to do... Can you tell me WHY you watch it? Im genuniely curious... 

Some people like watching football.

 

It's ***** crazy, I know.

[Mr. WEO]

15 hours ago, reddogblitz said:

 

It's all relative. It was a up start league. You expect them to sell out?

 

they made it through the first season without folding.

 

Well see what happens next year.

 

Have another s'more on me. 🙂

 

It's not a start up.  It's the 3rd or 4th or 5th (all combined) iteration of the same failed product, over and over.  

 

Next year, the novelty will be even less "fresh".  If they keep all their teams from both leagues, that will dilute the viewers of games even further--especially if the games are simultaneously broadcast.  

 

In 2020, the XFL started with 3 million viewers and averaged 1.87 million per game for the whole (shortened) season.  This year's XFL averaged only 622,000--- a massive drop from 3 years ago. 

17 hours ago, Steptide said:

Still think the nfl is missing out by not getting involved in these leagues. No pro football league will ever live up to the nfl, but an NFL minor league in the same stadiums and cities as the nfl, I think would do well. 

 

NFL is all about making money, not losing money.

 

Plus, they get their pick and choose of better players right out of college. They send the guys they don't want over to these leagues.  So really, XFL and USFL are only places where these guys can still live out a little of the pro football dream and make a little money before they have to find real employment.

[PromoTheRobot]

On 9/19/2023 at 11:28 AM, DeltaDigital said:

Why? Go outside. Get a Haircut, change your oil, Cut your nails, wash your dog... plenty of other way more productive things to do... Can you tell me WHY you watch it? Im genuniely curious... 

 

What's your opinion of people who watch college games because they like to scout prospective talent? Well considering how many XFL/USFL players get NFL camp invites the same appeal applies. 

[DeltaDigital]

1 hour ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

What's your opinion of people who watch college games because they like to scout prospective talent? Well considering how many XFL/USFL players get NFL camp invites the same appeal applies. 

honestly my take is, NCAA is worthy of watching because A: they come with interesting back stories and B: it IS the NFL's "talent pool" for the draft... the issue with XFL/USFL = they already went through the process and were not up to snuff to make it in the NFL or they'd be there... its like watching a movie with no plot. the caveat is, of course 1 or two good stories might come out of it every year, but thats a giant pool of nobodies and never-will be's that people invest time energy and yes money into... in my world, time is more valuable than money, so it makes no sense to me why you'd watch that kind of entertainment with no stars, no chance, and no real plot... again, my opinion is my own and i really am curious why americans waste time on such things. The same argument can be made of the NFL if you REALLY think about it.. but the NFL is a movie with a PLOT, and in my case im from Rochester, grew up in a bills family, and i look at it like a legacy thing... i KNOW its a waste of time and emotion, that doesn't stop me from getting fired up. Buffalo DESERVES it... does Birmingham? 

[WhoTom]

41 minutes ago, DeltaDigital said:

NCAA is worthy of watching because A: they come with interesting back stories and B: it IS the NFL's "talent pool" for the draft... the issue with XFL/USFL = they already went through the process and were not up to snuff to make it in the NFL or they'd be there... its like watching a movie with no plot. the caveat is, of course 1 or two good stories might come out of it every year, but thats a giant pool of nobodies and never-will be's that people invest time energy and yes money into... in my world, time is more valuable than money, so it makes no sense to me why you'd watch that kind of entertainment with no stars, no chance, and no real plot.

 

Only 1.6% of all NCAA players make it to the professional level - not even NFL necessarily, just professional at some level. This means that over 98% of the NCAA players represent, in your own words, "a giant pool of nobodies and never-will be's."

 

 

 

 

[DeltaDigital]

42 minutes ago, WhoTom said:

 

Only 1.6% of all NCAA players make it to the professional level - not even NFL necessarily, just professional at some level. This means that over 98% of the NCAA players represent, in your own words, "a giant pool of nobodies and never-will be's."

 

 

 

 

as opposed to how many from USFL/XFL?  .016% idk.. doesnt matter. its not sustainable and it never will be. The owners are just gonna get massive tax breaks. theyve tried this too many times. Once the NFL throws money at it, it might be viable. till then, you need the blessing of the king, or they're all destined to be banished to obscurity. NFLeurope is the concept they need to use here. 

45 minutes ago, WhoTom said:

 

Only 1.6% of all NCAA players make it to the professional level - not even NFL necessarily, just professional at some level. This means that over 98% of the NCAA players represent, in your own words, "a giant pool of nobodies and never-will be's."

 

 

 

 

I'll also point out 20% of the current NFL rosters are from SEC schools, and there's roughly 260 D1 football programs, as opposed to what? 16 teams between the USFL and XFL.  

[DeltaDigital]

48 minutes ago, WhoTom said:

 

Only 1.6% of all NCAA players make it to the professional level - not even NFL necessarily, just professional at some level. This means that over 98% of the NCAA players represent, in your own words, "a giant pool of nobodies and never-will be's."

 

 

 

 

47 players from CFL made it. 32 teams times 53 player rosters is 1696 active players on the nfl teams. That works out to 2.7% of roster players come from XFL, USFL had 14. That’s .08% on rosters. So even with 16 TIMES the talent pool to pick from, the nCAA only loses by 1.2% in all of college football. And be real. The SEC is NCAA football. 

[reddogblitz]

3 hours ago, DeltaDigital said:

honestly my take is, NCAA is worthy of watching because A: they come with interesting back stories and B: it IS the NFL's "talent pool" for the draft... the issue with XFL/USFL = they already went through the process and were not up to snuff to make it in the NFL or they'd be there... its like watching a movie with no plot. the caveat is, of course 1 or two good stories might come out of it every year, but thats a giant pool of nobodies and never-will be's that people invest time energy and yes money into... in my world, time is more valuable than money, so it makes no sense to me why you'd watch that kind of entertainment with no stars, no chance, and no real plot... again, my opinion is my own and i really am curious why americans waste time on such things. The same argument can be made of the NFL if you REALLY think about it.. but the NFL is a movie with a PLOT, and in my case im from Rochester, grew up in a bills family, and i look at it like a legacy thing... i KNOW its a waste of time and emotion, that doesn't stop me from getting fired up. Buffalo DESERVES it... does Birmingham? 

 

So don't watch it. Nobody cares.

[DeltaDigital]

11 minutes ago, reddogblitz said:

 

So don't watch it. Nobody cares.

apparently someone cares as I was asked for my opinion. now move along geek, nobodys talking to you. 

 

[Orlando Tim]

If the new league can show itself to be at least vaguely solvent then I would not be surprised if it becomes an official version of the minor league NFL, like they want NFL Europe to be. 

[PromoTheRobot]

https://xflnewshub.com/xfl-news/broadcast-partners-merged-xfl-usfl-league/

 

[TBBills Fan]

On 9/19/2023 at 3:14 PM, dorquemada said:

what the hell am i supposed to do with all these unis and team themed gear now?  how am i supposed to get on fox sports 2 showing off my zany attire?  why me?

 

Me too. 

[WhoTom]

10 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

https://xflnewshub.com/xfl-news/broadcast-partners-merged-xfl-usfl-league/

Quote

 

Moving to Free TV

One of the most significant developments sources are telling us is that all games will be broadcast over the air on network television, specifically ABC, Fox, and NBC. The aim here is straightforward: get as many eyes on the product as possible by making it freely accessible.

 

 

This is a smart move.

 

 

 

[PromoTheRobot]

4 hours ago, WhoTom said:

 

This is a smart move.

 

 

 

 

The ratings bear that out. Games on regular networks did 2-3X the viewers.

[WhoTom]

50 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

The ratings bear that out. Games on regular networks did 2-3X the viewers.

 

The only games I watched were the ones on broadcast TV. I don't subscribe to any of the other channels that those games were on. It seemed like they'd offer one on broadcast every couple of weeks as a teaser. I might have gotten into the league a little more if games had been available every week.

[PromoTheRobot]

https://xflnewshub.com/xfl-news/is-usfl-enterprises-taking-over-the-xfl-with-a-nsfl-rebrand/