AAF football operations will be suspended

[RustyBourneHorse]

They failed because the NFL refuses to help. Baseball has the minors NBA has the D league. the nfl could easily make this successful if they helped out with the league and developing talent. Instead they want to do that by 10 guys on a practice squad.

Also, those leagues expand their reach globally. How many players come from places like Japan in baseball? How many basketball players come from the Euro League? Would it not make sense for the NFL to examine currently existing European Leagues and find talent to sign from there?

 

[KingintheNorth]

Also, those leagues expand their reach globally. How many players come from places like Japan in baseball? How many basketball players come from the Euro League? Would it not make sense for the NFL to examine currently existing European Leagues and find talent to sign from there?

I've felt this way for years BUT with the recent development of insurance companies refusing to cover tackle football leagues due the concussion issues, I see less leagues surviving. I don't see too many growth opportunities for this game I love.

However, if I was a scout or worked in player personnel, I would be actively scouring other countries for talent. NFL-capable athletes are rare human beings and there are more of them outside of this country. The Cowboys were early on this and signed Efe Obada from a developmental league in England. They just didn't have the patience, and the limited rosters in the NFL don't allow you to hold onto players. He also had shots with Kansas City and Atlanta, before landing in Carolina and having a very good year for the Panthers.

I'm wrapping up my Master's at Michigan State now and my capstone project is dealing with sport transfer (Antonio Gates, college basketball player) and position transfer (Richard Sherman, wide receiver to cornerback). I'm fascinated by this subject and its potential.

 

[lane]

HERE COMES JOHNNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lmao!!

 

[Stash]

Which in no way says that the only players in the league are first rounders and bottom roster players. It's not even close.

It's exactly what it says. I posted your own exact words.

 

[aikemirv]

I can't believe that NFL owners aren't smart enough (and too cheap) to realize the opportunity they have and simply have a true minor league of their own. With real team names, real team logos, real team stadiums, and real NFL prospects.

Instead, we get one half *** failed operation after another from the World League to NFL Europe to the XFL, to this, and then back to another XFL. One big sad cycle.

I don't think there is a market for it. Between college and the NFL and other Sports to follow, it would also be an afterthought!

 

[GenoT]

They failed because the NFL refuses to help. Baseball has the minors NBA has the D league. the nfl could easily make this successful if they helped out with the league and developing talent. Instead they want to do that by 10 guys on a practice squad.

The problem is, the AAF simply ASSUMED that the NFL would help them. And while the NFL publicly indicated they were amiable to exploring and possibly implementing some sort of affiliation, the AAF launched before anything whatsoever had been officially and contractually worked out between themselves, the NFL and — most importantly — the NFLPA.

Can’t really blame the NFL because yet another group of shortsighted individuals started a new football league; a league based heavily on a mere assumption that it would receive help from the established league.

 

[Future]

It's exactly what it says. I posted your own exact words.

How is "At the end of the day, you're talking about developing bottom-roster players. It's not worth it. It isn't like baseball or hockey where a first-round pick can develop for two years in the minors," exactly the same as "the only players in the league are first-round picks and bottom-roster players."?

I didn't say anything close to that. What you're doing is grossly skewing a comment either because you're trolling or can't read.

 

[Roadtrip635]

They're still competing with the NFL because for a new league to flourish and stay afloat they need to attract a lot of NFL fans. The AAF isn't winning over viewers because the quality of football isn't the same as the NFL nor are the quality of players. Every new league from the World League in the mid 70s to the USFL in the mid 80s competed with the NFL. If you can't win over NFL viewers you're not going to survive.

There's more to what happened today. Dundon is making a unilateral move here and making a power play to acquire the tech they have been developing. It's a new league and of course it will have lower viewership. Some people may not watch because of the quality, but there are a ton of really crappy college games/teams too. Fans start developing a rooting interest, town, player(s), coach, or eventual affiliation to an NFL teamwhatever, it would grow, especially as some of these players do make NFL rosters. The AAF just got more games added to CBS, not just their CBS sports channel, one of those just before a Final Four game and to TNT as well. The timing is very suspect considering the newly added larger TV time slots, talks with the NFLPA, by accounts have been positive and increased interest from a number of NFL people.

Of course it's not NFL quality, but that doesn't mean it's not competitive or entertaining. It was never meant to or set up to compete against the NFL in any way, but it needs time to show it does have worth to the NFL. NFL doesn't do anything quickly, so expecting the NFL to jump in with both feet within the first 8 weeks is naive in how the NFL does anything. There has been NFL owners, execs and coaches that have recognized the potential and benefit a league like this could have in the future and not just in developing players. It's also a perfect testing grounds for rule and procedural changes. Putting affiliate teams in smaller city and markets extends a teams marketing range and creates more marketing opportunities. Many casual fans may not be interested, by more diehard football fans may become more interested, especially if a team's practice squad players were playing.

 

[Joe Realist]

too bad they cant even finish the season

 

[ShortRound]

We dodged such a bullet...

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

I've felt this way for years BUT with the recent development of insurance companies refusing to cover tackle football leagues due the concussion issues, I see less leagues surviving. I don't see too many growth opportunities for this game I love.

However, if I was a scout or worked in player personnel, I would be actively scouring other countries for talent. NFL-capable athletes are rare human beings and there are more of them outside of this country. The Cowboys were early on this and signed Efe Obada from a developmental league in England. They just didn't have the patience, and the limited rosters in the NFL don't allow you to hold onto players. He also had shots with Kansas City and Atlanta, before landing in Carolina and having a very good year for the Panthers.

I'm wrapping up my Master's at Michigan State now and my capstone project is dealing with sport transfer (Antonio Gates, college basketball player) and position transfer (Richard Sherman, wide receiver to cornerback). I'm fascinated by this subject and its potential.

I agree that less leagues will survive. However, I don't see the problem arising at this time with the European or Asian leagues. It's why I think other countries should be scouted, and our FO did well to find Efe Obada. Pity we couldn't keep him longer. That is an example of how there are other examples of players around the world that just need a scout to find them.

I'm also finishing my Masters. I'm graduating in May with my Master's in Homeland Security Studies.

 

[Stash]

I don't think there is a market for it. Between college and the NFL and other Sports to follow, it would also be an afterthought!

I disagree. And I think that the success this AAF did have from a ratings perspective proves it. This league had none of the factors going for it that an NFL minor league would have. No brand recognition, no direct relationship with any NFL teams, no names, logos, etc, and no allocated players from NFL teams. And people still tuned in.

 

[Stash]

How is "At the end of the day, you're talking about developing bottom-roster players. It's not worth it. It isn't like baseball or hockey where a first-round pick can develop for two years in the minors," exactly the same as "the only players in the league are first-round picks and bottom-roster players."?

I didn't say anything close to that. What you're doing is grossly skewing a comment either because you're trolling or can't read.

I quoted your exact words If they're "wrong", they're wrong because you typed them wrong.

 

[Risen Star]

The NFL already has a minor league system, College Football.

This was a garbage product. Exactly what the USFL and XFL were and what the XFL will be again in their brief comeback.

 

[Roadtrip635]

I agree that less leagues will survive. However, I don't see the problem arising at this time with the European or Asian leagues. It's why I think other countries should be scouted, and our FO did well to find Efe Obada. Pity we couldn't keep him longer. That is an example of how there are other examples of players around the world that just need a scout to find them.

I'm also finishing my Masters. I'm graduating in May with my Master's in Homeland Security Studies.

Scouting them wouldn't help much without a developmental league. Many may have potential, but such a small fraction could make a NFL roster. With limited roster spots, reps, practice time, etc. it is a huge longshot at best.

 

[Avery]

USFL
XFL
Arena football
UFL
AAF
XFL (placeholder)

Best thing Vince McMahon could do right now is simply decide not to proceed forward and keep his money. He's too narcissistic to do that, but I fail to see how it's going to work this time.

 

[Diehardblues]

They failed because the NFL refuses to help. Baseball has the minors NBA has the D league. the nfl could easily make this successful if they helped out with the league and developing talent. Instead they want to do that by 10 guys on a practice squad.

The NFL doesn’t really need a developmental league. It would have been a nice luxury but not a necessity.

MLB is quite different in that they draft kids right out of high school who do need developing, especially pitchers. But with college kids in NCAA needing 3 years of eligibility used before declaring much different scenario.

 

[Diehardblues]

In the end it’s always about talent. And in most cases there’s more talent coming out of the NCAA than they would develop in a supplemental league as such.

This league as all other leagues will need to make it on substance and why they were broadcast on major networks.

The league simply didn’t have the entertainment value without any big name stars or gimmickry.

 

[Tenkamenin]

Didn’t they have cash flow issues in the first week?

 

[DandyDon52]

Does this mean the championship game has been canceled in Frisco?

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - March 20, 2019 - The Alliance of American Football announced today that the 2019 Alliance Championship will be played in Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Owned and operated by Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys, The Star is a state-of-the-art, 510,000-square-foot indoor athletic facility shared with the Dallas Cowboys, the city of Frisco and the Frisco Independent School District. The Alliance Championship, which was originally scheduled to be played in Las Vegas, will be broadcast on CBS Television Network in primetime on Saturday, April 27 at 8 pm ET.
dont know if this was canceled, but this was put out march 20th
https://aaf.com/schedule
nothing about stopping at their site.