PFT: Goodell Interested In Launching New Developmental League

[Stash]

You don't want Cowboys developmental players playing in the off-season. You want them in camp ( wether is in Dallas or in minor league team ) training. An NFL season is, roughly 24 weeks ( including pre-season and playoffs- if they make it ) That's 6 months out of the year in constant training and playing. Now you add another 4 to 5 months to that ( with an off season schedule ) and what you end up with is a beat up player who's burned out before he's reached his prime.

That's one of the main reasons why NFL Europe players seldom made any impact.

Problem is, nobody's watching minor league football when they can watch the real thing.

The time to start up a minor league is when the big leagues end. Let the minors play a 12 week schedule from March through May and let the players rest from June until August.

As for minicamps, if it's the Cowboys' minor league team, they should be running the same plays and gameplans that the big boys do, it wouldn't make sense otherwise.

I think the minor league season would do more for those players than any minicamps would anyway.

 

[Cowboys2008]

It's called the practice squad. We need nothing more.

If anything, they should just make it so that any player on a practice squad is at very least secure for that team during the active season. None of that where another team can swoop right in and take players from you just for having them on there.

Other than that, I could give a crap about another league popping up, it's intent or not. This league is already watered down enough as it is and I could care less about watching players who can't make it running with the "big dogs". Which is the very reason why I don't care one bit for NCAA even. Too low of a percentage of those whom actually make it. Too many nobodies.

 

[satam55]

I really hope the season stays at 16 games.

Goodell is going to wussify and screw this league up.

Agreed!

 

[Bob Sacamano]

if they combined the CFL and AFL leagues, that would make alot of sense, pool all those players together

 

[Randy White]

Problem is, nobody's watching minor league football when they can watch the real thing..

The games wouldn't be going on at the same time that the NFL games are happening. Even late in the season, when the NFL shifts to some Thursdays, and eve some Saturdays, the minor league's schedule can be adjusted.

Now, what it would do is compete with college football on Saturday nights, which could be a problem in some weekends when the big schools play each other, especially late in the year, but so what ? It's not as if college football is as big as the NFL, which commands alot of viewers, and you still have Thursday and Friday nights.

Remember, the goal is to develop players, not just make money. If money making was the goal, the NFL wouldn't bother with it because they know that, no matter what they put out there, unless is the " real thing " as you refer to it, it won't make alot of it.

The keys are this:

1) put out a valid product. That means good talent. Those sometimes 4th, most of the times 5th, 6th, and 7th round draft picks who don't make it because of roster limitations, but we all root for every year. Let me give you an example: Wouldn't you have liked to watch a developmental game with Cowboys prospects such as

QB: Matt Moore
WR: Stanback, Hurd, and Ammendola
TE: Rodney Hannah
RBs: Alonso Coleman, Keon Lattimore

DL: Marcus Dixon, Junior Siavii
LB: Eric Walden
DBs: Ball and Brown

just to name a few ?

2) Keep cost down. That wouldn't be a big deal because most of this guys are either low draft picks, making a couple of hundred thousands per year, or undrafted free agents.

3) TV rights and Promotions . Promote the game as the place to be on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Make it hip, fun, allow more celebrations in the endzone, make it easier for fan to have access to players, especially kids. Implement VERY reasonable ticket prices, promoting within the community by inviting local highschool football teams ( for free ) who have played their games earlier on in the day.

Friday nights is considered death night for TV. Saturday night is not far behind. You sell the network football games played by legit NFL prospects that could be watch by millions during happy hour or crowds that like to go out to bars during that night of the week as a cheaper alternative to the programing they currently have. I mean, think about this, the highest rated program on Friday night is Ghost Whisperer. Who's watching that in sports bars ?

:starspin

 

[Randy White]

Four or five pre-season games are too many. They should be cut down by 2 games, but I don't want to see 2 regular season games added. What do you gain by cutting 2 pre-season games and replacing them with 2 regular season games? .

I agree with that, but no way the owners are going to give up 2 NFL games. The financial implications are way too big for them to even thinking about doing that. Like the Jerrathor says: " We need to improve our inventory ". That means more games that count.

He knows the NFL can get more money from the network and sponsors with 2 regular season games than he does with 2 pre-season games.

 

[aikemirv]

mistake, imo, the NFL is making when it comes to this " developmental " leagues is WHEN they chose to play their games.

A developmental league would better serve the NFL if their season is played DURING the NFL regular season. Those games can be played during Thursday, Friday, and even Saturday nights. The reasoning behind it is that developmental leagues are supposed to do what it's name suggests: develop talent, and playing football year 'round, like an off-season schedule suggests, doesn't do that.

You set up a 16 teams developmental league ( two NFL parent clubs per team ) with two 8 teams conferences and 4 divisions of 4 teams. The season would initially be composed of 10 regular season games ( each division team playing each other twice for a total of 6 division games, plus 2 games from within conference, plus 2 out of conference games ), 2 playoffs games, and 1 championship game. Only the 4 division winners make it to the playoffs. The season would start on the 3rd Thursday of September ( meaning all rosters must be set by no later than September 1st, to give time to players being sent down from the NFL training camp to get used to their new systems ), and end with the championship game on the second Saturday of December.

The developmental rosters would consist of 46 players, no more than 20 players provided by each parent club who holds their exclusive rights plus 6 unsponsered players, eligible to sign with any club at any time. The developmental players could be called up to the NFL at any time before the playoffs begin, and those who are, could be automatically replaced by an " unsponsered " player if the parent club chooses to do that or by an unsigned player they choose to sponsor.

Players participating in the developmental league who's rights do NOT belong to any NFL club cannot be more than 5 years out of college or draft class, if they declared early, and cannot be signed to longer than 3 years contracts, unless they're draftees signed to original NFL contracts. Unsponsered players do not have restrictions of age or out of school/draft timeline.

:starspin

I like your idea of the "setup of the league, but don't agree with when you are playing the games.

The reason is that there is already football on 4-5 days of the week during that time period. I don't think it would get much interest at that time of the year. Sports fans have so much to already keep up with.

I really liked the NFL Europe on Saturdays in the Summer when Henson was playing. I looked forward to it.

 

[CF74]

QB: Matt Moore
WR: Stanback, Hurd, and Ammendola
TE: Rodney Hannah
RBs: Alonso Coleman, Keon Lattimore

DL: Marcus Dixon, Junior Siavii
LB: Eric Walden
DBs: Ball and Brown

just to name a few ?

Maybe even allow your bench warmers to play. 4rth stringers and up. I'd like to see McQuistan and Free play some snaps.

 

[RoadRunner]

A farm league would be great for football. Of course most of these teams would be based in the US, but I would like to see some teams in Europe, Australia, Canada, Japan, etc. International players are starting to pop up in the NFL, and this should be further encouraged with farm teams internationally competing with farm teams in the US in one big farm league.

 

[Beast_from_East]

I like some of the ideas you guys have, but there is one big problem with all of this.................CBA.


There is noway in hell the Players Union is going to go along with a developmental league unless the players get a bigger percentage of revenues.

This is why NFL Europe went under after the last CBA extension in 2006, the Players Union refused to fund any the leage and the owners were left footing the whole bill. The results were the owners were left with a league losing $30 million annually so they just pulled the plug on the whole thing and said screw it.

The dirty little secret on the expanded schedule to 18 games has nothing to do with "quailty of product". The Players Union wants a bigger percentage of overall revenue, this includes revenue from mega-stadiums like our new home in Arlington.

The comprimise is going to that in exchange for a bigger percentage of revenue, 2 preseason games are going to be changed to regular season games so they can be sold to the networks for additional revenue (to make up for the revenue lost that is going to go to the Players Union).

Simple really.....Players get bigger piece of the pie, owners get 2 more regular season games. Everybody wins.

 

[PullMyFinger]

I like some of the ideas you guys have, but there is one big problem with all of this.................CBA.


There is noway in hell the Players Union is going to go along with a developmental league unless the players get a bigger percentage of revenues.

This is why NFL Europe went under after the last CBA extension in 2006, the Players Union refused to fund any the leage and the owners were left footing the whole bill. The results were the owners were left with a league losing $30 million annually so they just pulled the plug on the whole thing and said screw it.

The dirty little secret on the expanded schedule to 18 games has nothing to do with "quailty of product". The Players Union wants a bigger percentage of overall revenue, this includes revenue from mega-stadiums like our new home in Arlington.

The comprimise is going to that in exchange for a bigger percentage of revenue, 2 preseason games are going to be changed to regular season games so they can be sold to the networks for additional revenue (to make up for the revenue lost that is going to go to the Players Union).

Simple really.....Players get bigger piece of the pie, owners get 2 more regular season games. Everybody wins.

HHHMMM dont players get SALARIES? Most of them are paid very well, even the lowest paid guys make good money. If this is one of the key things in the CBA I can see why the owners wont budge.

You pay someone a salary, then you pay him some of the profits?

 

[PullMyFinger]

They are already doing something like this. It is the UFL, they are going to take players that are released from teams at the end of preseason and they will play till December than the players could join an NFL team in time for the end of the season and playoffs.

You mean this joke?


http://www.ufl-football.com/

It might last 1 season. Now if it was played in the spring, I might give it more of a chance. Any football would be nice during BORING baseball season.

 

[newlander]

EXACTLY theogt: USC/Florida/ Ohio State/ Oklahoma, etc...very good developmental league IMO................

 

[playmakers]

If you actually wanted to draw some interest you can not send the joe smo's of the team to this league. My scenario would have the following:

16 teams
NFC EAST 1
NFC EAST 2
AFC EAST 1
AFC EAST 2
NFC NORTH 1
NFC NORTH 2
etc etc

Basically, your alliance depends on the division you play in. For the NFC EAST some of the players allocated should be

Kevin Kolb
Colt Brennean
Malcom Kelly
Sam Hurd
Bobbie Carpetner
Danny AMendolia
etc etc

I think you get the idea. The teams would be spilt into two by division and players would come from the 4 teams within the division. The bottom third of the roster should be for the Arena league superstars like Bobbie Sippo and that reciever for the Desperados whose name is drawing a blank right now. CFL superstars like ex cowboy John Avery. Last, ex players trying to get back into the league like Jermahim Trotter, PacMan, etc. Run the league from March 1st and end it on JUne 1st. If players cant get their legs back in 8 weeks then they shouldnt play the game.

I dont want to hear about "what happens if they get hurt." How can these guys get better if they just sit on the bench. Espically the quarterbacks. Thats why you need two teams from each divisions so the QB's can play. Matt Cassel is a prime example of this. His first 4-5 games he sucked. His last 4 games he looked like the best QB in the league. Why? He played. A guy like Amendolia might never play in the NFL without a league like this. I think it would be cool and I would check it out.

 

[LSUCowboy]

I'm all for it.

I think it could work... if you keep the rules the exact same as the NFL. No altering the product to make it 'different'. Also get the NFL to get it's name on the product, then maybe then the media won't completely destroy it before it starts like it did with the XFL. Experience for young quarterbacks is paramount. Without the World Football League, Arena Football, etc what will happen to the Jon Kitnas... the Kurt Warners? There are plenty of young players out there who could possibly see a flourishing NFL career if the opportunity to gain 'professional' experience is available. Look at it this way, the talent and skill level of minor league football is still greater than any NCAA team.

 

[LSUCowboy]

EXACTLY theogt: USC/Florida/ Ohio State/ Oklahoma, etc...very good developmental league IMO................

So what happens when the players of these teams don't get drafted? Don't get any looks at the NFL? What opportunities do young quarterbacks have to gain developmental experience after college? The answer is: none.

 

[theogt]

So what happens when the players of these teams don't get drafted? Don't get any looks at the NFL? What opportunities do young quarterbacks have to gain developmental experience after college? The answer is: none.

And that's the way it should be, since there's slim to no chance any of them will make it if they are given a chance.

 

[LSUCowboy]

So no more opportunities for a guy like Jon Kitna, Jake Delhomme, or Kurt Warner? I'm not saying that you will always get guys of that caliber, but you are totally against that door even being open? There have been quite a few players that have had flourishing careers that, if you had your way, would never have even been given the opportunity.

 

[theogt]

So no more opportunities for a guy like Jon Kitna, Jake Delhomme, or Kurt Warner? I'm not saying that you will always get guys of that caliber, but you are totally against that door even being open? There have been quite a few players that have had flourishing careers that, if you had your way, would never have even been given the opportunity.

Hey, if you can make money doing it, I'm all for it. But don't tout as some "chance" for the little guy.

 

[Billy Bullocks]

Not only does the NFL not have a developemental league, I would also argue that it the only major sport (baseball, basketball, soccer, ice hockey, auto racing) that does not offer athletes a peoper league in any other country.

I know there is the CFL, but I wouldn't call that an adequate league. All the other mentioned sports, besides soccer and auto racing, have multiple leagues where athletes can pry their trade and make good money. Obviously football is a very American sport (for the most part), but still...there is only really one avenue to make a good living playing the sport.

Also, at those speaking of the NCAA. Though I am a huge college football fan, and I feel that for many small time players, the scholarship is more than enough compensation for their efforts, I agree that it is ridiculous that some of these guys play for ~$25k/year in comparison to the money they bring to the NCAA and their respective Universities.