USFL football

[KJJ]

Warren Moon, Joe Kapp, Joe Theismann and Jake Delhomme to name a few. I believe that Cameron Wake also played in the CFL, and was a good pass rusher for the Dolphins for a number of years.

We’re talking about these scrub leagues that keep folding. Jake Delhomme was one of those who played in the World League of American football that had his moments in the NFL.

 

[Motorola]

I hope so, but I found the ratings for game one and it was 1.5 mil on each channel, so 3 mil total.
That isnt bad if it stays there or goes up, but rating generally go down. They said it was about the same as nba games.

This league is relying totally on tv ratings for success. The empty stadium, being in same town and a smaller town is not a good idea.

Supposed they were counting on fans' renewed interest from the league's 1st appearance four decades ago --hence starting back up in the original cities with the original team names.

 

[Doomsday101]

When USFL 1st came about the intent was to compete with the NFL thus they drafted players like Steve Young, Jim Kelly , Herschel walker and Reggie White. However it was a mistake on their part. This time there are no big name players, some guys who have played in the NFL like Lance Lenoir and others who were not selected by a team or were part of the cut down. I watched some of the games this past weekend, and no this is not NFL caliber football, it is step up of semi pro ball. Personally I have no issue with people who love playing the game and this is an opportunity to continue to play this game. They are paid an avg of $45,000 a year to play. I will continue to watch game, I love watching competitive football and while again they are not NFL quality they are none the less competitive.

 

[Motorola]

Warren Moon, Joe Kapp, Joe Theismann and Jake Delhomme to name a few. I believe that Cameron Wake also played in the CFL, and was a good pass rusher for the Dolphins for a number of years.

We’re talking about these scrub leagues that keep folding. Jake Delhomme was one of those who played in the World League of American football that had his moments in the NFL.

The Canadian Football League started in the late 1950s - from mergers of provincial football unions that had started transitioning from rugby rules & structure to the American version of the sport in the mid- 1930s.

 

[DandyDon52]

Supposed they were counting on fans' renewed interest from the league's 1st appearance four decades ago --hence starting back up in the original cities with the original team names.

in your opinion does that sound like smart business??
that was 40 years ago! and they are not actually in those cites lol.

To me the only thing they did right, was the 2 - 4 team divisions. If you could make that successful, then later on the nfl could add one div to afc and one to nfc.
If that was your goal.
for me I would want to be independent of the nfl and their bad rules and mgmt, I would want to compete with and take their fans, and maybe play their SB champ in
a super super bowl ! lol.
I only saw 2 games, but it looked like they have the same stupid catch rule, and nfl rules with a few twists.

Starting a new league, you also want high scoring games, def games are boring and with a new league it makes teams look inept.
I would do things to make sure games were high scoring and fun to watch, that is essential.

 

[DandyDon52]

When USFL 1st came about the intent was to compete with the NFL thus they drafted players like Steve Young, Jim Kelly , Herschel walker and Reggie White. However it was a mistake on their part

It would not be a mistake if they did it a certain way.
It would not be like back then, when they had to offer a lot of money to get those guys.
The nfl rookie contracts would be easy to compete with.

 

[Motorola]

in your opinion does that sound like smart business??
that was 40 years ago! and they are not actually in those cites lol.

To me the only thing they did right, was the 2 - 4 team divisions. If you could make that successful, then later on the nfl could add one div to afc and one to nfc.
If that was your goal.
for me I would want to be independent of the nfl and their bad rules and mgmt, I would want to compete with and take their fans, and maybe play their SB champ in
a super super bowl ! lol.
I only saw 2 games, but it looked like they have the same stupid catch rule, and nfl rules with a few twists.

Starting a new league, you also want high scoring games, def games are boring and with a new league it makes teams look inept.
I would do things to make sure games were high scoring and fun to watch, that is essential.

IMO - that was a bad decision. Why start up the league if you didn't have the capital to fund the teams to train in cities they're located in, play home games there, and travel for away games.
The thinking was to identify and connect with some of the team's roots = fans that were around back then.
7 of the 8 teams in this 2022 version have the same city and franchise names from that time New Orleans is the exception).

The USFL back then was created out of the idea that professional football would be successful during the months when college football and the NFL were in their off-seasons.
Even though the got it functioning in the early 1980s, they set themselves up for eventuality failure by a number of bad decisions (too many franchises, instability and financial problems, some teams not adhering to league rules). Despite that, the league got going and they had the TV contracts to be shown around the country. Then in the midst of their 3-season run, the USFL decided to move to a fall schedule to challenge the NFL. But they folded due to the problems mentioned earlier, and more self-inflicted drawbacks and messes.

This present-day version could have a chance to survive... but they must secure funding to get the teams back to their individual cities to play in and travel to opponents' home sites ASAP.
AND - stay committed to playing the league schedule in the spring. Keep to the original goal --create following for their football league that has an opportunity to grow and take hold.
Don't try to play in the fall -- going up against both behemoths - college football and the NFL.

 

[Doomsday101]

The end of the USFL, won the court case but lost the war.

USFL Awarded Only $3 in Antitrust Decision : Jury Finds NFL Guilty on One of Nine Counts
NEW YORK —
National Football League was found guilty Tuesday of violating an antitrust law but survived the United States Football League’s $1.69-billion suit here when a bothered and bewildered jury of five women and one man awarded damages of just $1 to the failing football league.

Damages in antitrust cases are tripled, so the award given to the USFL will actually amount to $3.

The verdict, coming after about two years of pretrial litigation and 2 1/2 months of trial testimony, shook Courtroom 318 in Manhattan’s U.S. District Court. But it will shake the USFL far more, perhaps to the ground. Although the decision certainly discredits the NFL, it probably dooms the USFL which, in its fourth year, had planned to switch to fall play in direct competition with the NFL but without the established league’s television revenue sources.

What the jury decided, after 31 hours of deliberation over five days, was that not only does the NFL enjoy monopoly power, but it also unfairly conspired to gain its competitive edge and did in fact violate antitrust law--"to exclude competition within major league football.”

That constituted one of nine charges against the NFL. Among other things, the jury could not determine that the NFL, as the USFL had insisted, actually prevented the USFL from obtaining “access to a national broadcast television contract.

Said jubilant NFL co-counsel Frank Rothman: “Number one, this means the lawsuit was not a TV case. They’re (the jury is) saying, ‘We believe the NFL, that the USFL sought to force a merger.’ They’re saying you can’t use the court to do that.”

The NFL had contended that, of course, it enjoys a TV monopoly but can’t really help it. That was established by an act of Congress in 1972, 12 years before the USFL played its first down.

 

[quickccc]

too bad Cowboys will not send Ben Dinucci over to USFL for valuable game experience ...

 

[DandyDon52]

The end of the USFL, won the court case but lost the war.

USFL Awarded Only $3 in Antitrust Decision : Jury Finds NFL Guilty on One of Nine Counts
NEW YORK —
National Football League was found guilty Tuesday of violating an antitrust law but survived the United States Football League’s $1.69-billion suit here when a bothered and bewildered jury of five women and one man awarded damages of just $1 to the failing football league.

Damages in antitrust cases are tripled, so the award given to the USFL will actually amount to $3.

The verdict, coming after about two years of pretrial litigation and 2 1/2 months of trial testimony, shook Courtroom 318 in Manhattan’s U.S. District Court. But it will shake the USFL far more, perhaps to the ground. Although the decision certainly discredits the NFL, it probably dooms the USFL which, in its fourth year, had planned to switch to fall play in direct competition with the NFL but without the established league’s television revenue sources.

What the jury decided, after 31 hours of deliberation over five days, was that not only does the NFL enjoy monopoly power, but it also unfairly conspired to gain its competitive edge and did in fact violate antitrust law--"to exclude competition within major league football.”

That constituted one of nine charges against the NFL. Among other things, the jury could not determine that the NFL, as the USFL had insisted, actually prevented the USFL from obtaining “access to a national broadcast television contract.

Said jubilant NFL co-counsel Frank Rothman: “Number one, this means the lawsuit was not a TV case. They’re (the jury is) saying, ‘We believe the NFL, that the USFL sought to force a merger.’ They’re saying you can’t use the court to do that.”

The NFL had contended that, of course, it enjoys a TV monopoly but can’t really help it. That was established by an act of Congress in 1972, 12 years before the USFL played its first down.

this has to have happened back in the 80's with original usfl.
has nothing to do with current league.

The only fall network that might air usfl games now is ABC, or one of the many cable channels. However unless they get their ratings up a lot,
they wont get a lucrative contract from any tv network.

 

[Doomsday101]

this has to have happened back in the 80's with original usfl.
has nothing to do with current league.

The only fall network that might air usfl games now is ABC, or one of the many cable channels. However unless they get their ratings up a lot,
they wont get a lucrative contract from any tv network.

Only showed how USFL ended last time. Currently have TV deals with FOX, NBC and USA networks.

 

[DandyDon52]

Only showed how USFL ended last time. Currently have TV deals with FOX, NBC and USA networks.

ok, thanks for the info, I did not know about that court case.

 

[Oz-of-Cowboy-Country]

They need to keep the USFL and XFL going for about three years a piece then merge together. That'll really peak NFL fabs interest.

 

[Captain-Crash]

it would be nice if the usfl took off. the game would be back to people who love the game more than the root of all evil.

 

[TequilaCowboy]

Starts tonight at 6:30 CST. On FOX & NBC.
I doubt I watch all of the game, may will tune in for a little while.

NJ Generals - Birmingham Stallions.

have not looked to see if any other games on other channels.

Maybe Jerry can get the Cowboys in the USFL instead and see if he can win a world championship there. The NFL appears to be a tough nut to crack.

COWBOYS VS GAMBLERS RIVALRY, BABY.......

 

[Cowpolk]

Anyone watching tonight?

 

[KJJ]

They need to keep the USFL and XFL going for about three years a piece then merge together. That'll really peak NFL fabs interest.

 

[DandyDon52]

Maybe Jerry can get the Cowboys in the USFL instead and see if he can win a world championship there.

Now that was funny !
Somthing tells me he couldnt do it in usfl either.

 

[DandyDon52]

Anyone watching tonight?

I saw the early game sat, and the afternoon game today.

Next Sat the 2 unbeaten teams play.
NO has alllowed the fewest points, and Birm has scored the most.

 

[IceBowler]

I'll never understand why the NFL doesn't do a minor league. Every team has a practice squad. Allow them to field a full practice team for the spring.

Because College ball already fills that bill - and it doesn't cost the League squat.