The Return of the USFL - Coming in 2022

[RustyBourneHorse]

They need to figure out a way to create a fan base.

Maybe tie themselves to the college game by creating teams based on the conference that the individuals played for.

So have a Big 10, SEC, ACC,Big 12 and so forth. Now these teams are not going to be evenly matched at the beginning but I bet it would draw a big fan base watching players from conferences play other conference more than smaller market cities!

If you could get home games rotating at different bigger college sites they might be able to get some fan bases really strong.

I'll watch!!

 

[aikemirv]

I'll watch!!

I think I would watch that too. You would probably have enough talent in the SEC and Big 10 to have like an East/ West breakdown and a North /South Big Ten

 

[tyke1doe]

This league is going to need money to survive and to challenge the NFL, if it, indeed, even can. And I doubt it can or should.
Big money lured players like Steve Young (and his RIDICULOUS contract), Reggie White, Jim Kelly, Herschel Walker, Doug Flutie, Anthony Carter, Kelvin Bryant, Gary Clark, Ricky Sanders and Gary Zimmerman.
That's the only reason the league was able to mount a challenge to the NFL, however brief.

 

[DanteEXT]

I'd watch it. Heck I have been watching some of the Spring League Football League on FOX this year. And I was enjoying the XFL last year.

 

[csirl]

The original USFL concept was solid. The league actually exceeded its modest TV and spectator targets.

Problems came when owners started trying to out do each other by spending crazy money on players......and then deciding to go head to head with the NFL.

There is a market for a spring pro league attracting maybe 25 to 30k spectators per game with modest TV ratings.

 

[DandyDon52]

I loved how t


Thing is when the USFL started it used the same rules of the NFL and started in the spring. They had several players who would later play in the NFL and some who were in the NFL who went to USFL. They had TV contracts with ABC and yet still could not generate the fan fair needed. Finally they sued the NFL

This I always found funny, the USFL wins the law suite and is awarded 1 dollar. lol

A six-person jury today found the National Football League liable for one antitrust violation, but ordered the league to pay only one dollar in damages to the rival United States Football League, which had sought $1.69 billion.

In a stunning blow to the USFL, the jury found that the NFL used monopoly power to damage the younger league and to retain control of the professional football market, but determined that the damage incurred by the USFL was virtually nonexistent.

The jury cleared the NFL on all eight other charges, including the key charge of the case -- that the NFL had denied the USFL access to a network television contract. Commissioner Pete Rozelle of the NFL also was found not liable by the jury, which consisted of five women and one man.

Since all damage awards in an antitrust suit are trebled, the NFL owes the three-year-old USFL $3. "A clean sweep," Rozelle said today. "All the jury said was what I had testified: that we are a natural monopoly. In my view, all professional sports leagues are that and have been since before the turn of the century. Now we can go back to playing football."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/arch...nst-nfl/42dfac77-c55b-4e5f-818e-7ea27d1e6301/

thanks for the info.
things have changed that could favor the usfl this time.
1. the internet and streaming games.
if they were smart they would put all the weekly games on youtube after they aired on tv. Being free for all to watch, this would
gain them fans.
with the last league, they didnt do that [ XFL league] and I could only watch a few of the games.
Dont worry about making $ that first year and make all games available on you tube after they air on Fox.
2. NFL has gone downhill with all the rules fans dont like, so counter that with not having the same rules.
use nfl rules from 80's lol.
3.There are more NFL fans now than in the 80's and they want football in nfl off season.
4. they could try to get players that fall in nfl draft , by paying them more than they would make as a lower pick in nfl.
A guy like dak is prime example. Some of them would make the jump.

 

[Doomsday101]

thanks for the info.
things have changed that could favor the usfl this time.
1. the internet and streaming games.
if they were smart they would put all the weekly games on youtube after they aired on tv. Being free for all to watch, this would
gain them fans.
with the last league, they didnt do that [ XFL league] and I could only watch a few of the games.
Dont worry about making $ that first year and make all games available on you tube after they air on Fox.
2. NFL has gone downhill with all the rules fans dont like, so counter that with not having the same rules.
use nfl rules from 80's lol.
3.There are more NFL fans now than in the 80's and they want football in nfl off season.
4. they could try to get players that fall in nfl draft , by paying them more than they would make as a lower pick in nfl.
A guy like dak is prime example. Some of them would make the jump.

I agree with much of it but in the end people I think want to see real talent not semi pro football, without big name college players I just think fans will grow tired of seeing a lesser version of pro football. When the AFL came into being they had success going head to head with the NFL and went after big name college players and offered the money to sway them to come. Eventually as we know the 2 leagues merged. I think you are also competing with other sports that many fans watch once the NFL season is over and networks like FOX have major contracts with such as NASCAR, Dayton 500 vs semi pro football? I think we have seen enough Jr league football leagues come and go

 

[jrumann59]

Good, maybe it will let all these college players who feel exploited just go there straight from High School.

That would be horrible. How often do you see players in college that were starters from Day 1 for Div 1 teams?

 

[aikemirv]

That would be horrible. How often do you see players in college that were starters from Day 1 for Div 1 teams?

It was just a snide remark for those who complain about the college system and college players not getting paid.

 

[Reid1boys]

Fact: there is not enough talent available to field 32 teams and there is not any position 32 deep, including the P and PK. The USFL can afford to pay the backups better than they're getting from the NFL? No NFL star is going for anything less than the personal services contract Herschel Walker got.

Spring football is a novelty and cannot sustain itself. It's a flanking move and the only way to even come close to being an annoyance of the NFL is head to head and good luck with getting the venues to do that.

There is a simple fix to the problem any new league will have.... it needs to be ran by the NFL and teams need to be affiliated with the NFL team. Tell me we wouldnt watch a team full of players that have a shot to get promoted to the big team. You know we would. There is no doubt in my mind it would work if a spring team was wearing NFL uniforms.

 

[Flamma]

If it's a de-wussified version of the NFL I'll watch it.

If they're going to survive they will have to do something different. If they try to out do the NFL in safety, or use gimmicks, I doubt it lasts 2 years. Go back to 80s football rules except kick off from the 30. That might draw attention.