Paid Members BigJag 368 Posted October 28, 2019 Paid Members Report Share Posted October 28, 2019 It's a big gamble. Very hard to see how the outlay is worth the risk. Probably why I'm not a Billionaire. Vince is supposedly looking to put around $500M towards this. He must know something. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paid Members johnnyboy 3,779 Posted October 28, 2019 Paid Members Report Share Posted October 28, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, King Pitcos said: The hope is that people are still up for watching football during the big league’s off-season. Exactly, the USFL during the 80s was moderately successful when it ran as a Spring league. It was only when it tried to be a direct competitor that it got stomped. (Great ESPN 30 for 30 on it and I won't spoil it by telling you who fucked it all up...) Some have also tried to be the unofficial developmental league of the NFL where fringe players can go to get coached up. I'm pretty sure that's what the AAF were going to try to position themselves as, but I could also be thinking about the UFL as there have been a lot of startup leagues recently. That way you could attract a better calibre of not quite good enough for the NFL player. The NFL used to run their own developmental league in NFL Europe/Europa that cost them (relatively) the grand total of fuck all, but they didn't even want to pay for that. The college machine currently produces enough fresh meat and warm bodies for the grinder, outside of QBs as there aren't enough of them to go round, so there's no real incentive for the NFL to develop talent outside of the existing franchises.  EDIT: The USFL was also the last time that another league competed with the NFL for the signatures of talented players. Edited October 28, 2019 by johnnyboy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paid Members Weezenal 410 Posted October 28, 2019 Paid Members Report Share Posted October 28, 2019 5 hours ago, King Pitcos said: The hope is that people are still up for watching football during the big league’s off-season. Like those suckers that watch wrestling all year long. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WyattSheepMask 3,604 Posted October 29, 2019 Report Share Posted October 29, 2019 20 hours ago, johnnyboy said: Exactly, the USFL during the 80s was moderately successful when it ran as a Spring league. It was only when it tried to be a direct competitor that it got stomped. (Great ESPN 30 for 30 on it and I won't spoil it by telling you who fucked it all up...) Have you got a link to that 30 for 30? Only come across the USFL recently while doing some research on Doug Flutie and would like to know more. Considering how Person X fucked it all up, it might explain their issues with the NFL today Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paid Members johnnyboy 3,779 Posted October 29, 2019 Paid Members Report Share Posted October 29, 2019 ESPN are quite good at policing their stuff on YouTube. Here's a page about it though for anyone looking to hunt it down. http://www.espn.com/30for30/film/_/page/small-potatoes-who-killed-the-usfl Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moderators PowerButchi 7,589 Posted October 29, 2019 Moderators Report Share Posted October 29, 2019 (edited) While it's not near the watch which Small Potatoes is, it's a decent enough intro to the USFL. Popped up in my recommendeds as I was just watching a video on the 1970's WFL. Spoiler warning - the WFL didn't last.   Edited October 29, 2019 by PowerButchi Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WyattSheepMask 3,604 Posted October 29, 2019 Report Share Posted October 29, 2019 Took a bit of searching, but managed to find it eventually so that’s tonight sorted Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kidzero 38 Posted October 29, 2019 Report Share Posted October 29, 2019 The usfl 30 for 30 espn doc is very good Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Briefcase 215 Posted October 29, 2019 Report Share Posted October 29, 2019 I thought the 30 for 30 XFL was brilliant from the first time round. As someone who has never been into the NFL (or XFL the first time round) I was gripped to the documentary. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SuperBacon 7,940 Posted October 29, 2019 Report Share Posted October 29, 2019 For a more humorous but no less informative take on the initial XFL debacle  Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Statto 742 Posted February 8, 2020 Report Share Posted February 8, 2020 So the league starts play today. They've (nearly) made it over the first really big hurdle... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
The King of Old School 308 Posted February 8, 2020 Report Share Posted February 8, 2020 BT Sports have the rights to it too, might give it a watch later out of curiosity. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WyattSheepMask 3,604 Posted February 8, 2020 Report Share Posted February 8, 2020 (edited) So have we all got 2/1 odds that this dies another very quick death? Original XFL wasn’t shown here was it? Although George Rymer at my school swore blind that he watched a game on Sky Sports Edited February 8, 2020 by WyattSheepMask Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PBWFan 3 Posted February 8, 2020 Report Share Posted February 8, 2020 I think this season might do not bad - they seem to have learned from their mistakes - first of all having a limited schedule and teams.  The main difference is opting for Saturday and Sunday game days with only two games per day. So the viewing isn’t mega intense  i can see them simply dipping their toe this season and expanding in future as opposed to to quick. The rule changes look interesting and their marketing during Super Bowl/playoffs was quite heavy  I reckon they’ve done the business the right way this time and really looking at the “sport” aspect of it rather than trying to bring entertainment and glitz to football like they did the first time.  looking forward to seeing it and glad we can watch it live in UK Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paid Members BigJag 368 Posted February 8, 2020 Paid Members Report Share Posted February 8, 2020 (edited) https://youtu.be/UCRwd0WdC74 They are trying a few different methods of injecting excitement into the games. Looks like it could be fun Live on BT Sport 3 tonight. Edited February 8, 2020 by BigJag Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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