New League?

[YardRat]

http://www.courant.com/services/newspaper/printedition/sports/hc-newleague0425.artapr25,0,5088889.story

Professional football leagues have come and gone as the NFL (http://www.courant.com/topic/sports/football/national-football-league-ORSPT000007.topic) has swatted away competitors.

But if a New Haven entrepreneur has his way, the next one will act as a complement to football's establishment league. Marvin Tomlin, a former University of New Haven (http://www.courant.com/topic/education/universities/university-of-new-haven-HOE35.topic) football player who later worked in sports management, sees the United National Football League as a sort of Triple A for the NFL.

"[For players], it's NFL or bust," Tomlin said. "We're creating an entirely different professional development system."

The plan is for the UNFL to begin play in January. The season will run through April, so players coming off a college career will have an opportunity to showcase themselves for NFL teams in the months leading up to the draft.



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<!-- END rail -->The league is looking to have a minimum of eight teams next year. The locations have not been announced, but Tomlin said franchises will be based in college environments. Teams will be owned by the league, which has said it will pay players $1,000 a week. There are no immediate plans for a team in New England.

The UNFL announced Thursday that former NFL running back Joe Cribbs would be the first commissioner.

[Ebenezer]

the lawsuit using NFL in UNFL will be filed soon...

[jamze132]

Probably right... They should just name it the FLFPNGEFRF. (Football League for People Not Good Enough for Real Football)

But seriously though, I think having a "minor league" for the NFL would go a long way in developing and finding hidden talent. I also think that if possible, they could have two seasons each year. The first is as suggested before the NFL season and their should be another season during the NFL season that NFL teams could allocate a set number of players their or players who are rehabbing. Since the NFL didn't work in Europe cause they like gaya ass soccer.

[jamze132]

The problem that will probably be the demise of this league is that no one who is a lock to get drafted in the first couple of rounds will play and risk injury. I can't blame them. But for those people who may not even be drafted, it is an excellent way to showcase yourself prior to the draft.

[Johnny Bugmenot]

The AAFL has been postponed for two years.
The UFL doesn't even have teams yet, they were supposed to start this fall.

What makes this guy think that another outdoor league is viable at this point? Also, why are they starting their season directly opposite the NFL playoffs? Are they going to try the same tired and failed franchise locations like Birmingham, Memphis, Las Vegas?

UNFL isn't happening...

[RockStar36]

I would love for a minor league system to be in place. I would want them to make it like NHL and MLB though, and have each team be affilliated with a minor league team. It would help when it comes to in season injuries.

I have seen so many crappy indoor league knock off teams that I can't stand it anymore.

I think a minor league system would be great.

[Pride]

With the NFL, College Football, and the Indoor fun of Arena Football... quite honestly, there just isnt enough room for another pro football league.

[BlackMetalNinja]

I would love for a minor league system to be in place. I would want them to make it like NHL and MLB though, and have each team be affilliated with a minor league team. It would help when it comes to in season injuries.

I have seen so many crappy indoor league knock off teams that I can't stand it anymore.

I think a minor league system would be great.

They had that, it was called NFL Europe and it sucked.

[RockStar36]

They had that, it was called NFL Europe and it sucked.

NFL Europe was terrible but if each team had a designated affiliate (and Erie had a team) I think it would be a good idea.

[BlackMetalNinja]

NFL Europe was terrible but if each team had a designated affiliate (and Erie had a team) I think it would be a good idea.

You mean rather than having NFL team's players all mixed up on different teams?

Then you'd need 32 minor league teams and that's just diminishing the talent pool greatly. You'd see a ton of college teams that were far better than Minor League NFL teams.

[JJamezz]

It doesn't say exactly when in January - they may want to begin once the playoffs are over, and only run concurrently with the Super Bowl..

I agree with RockStar, I love the idea and think it can succeed IF its done correctly.. The biggest hurdle IMO is playing with lesser talent levels, and thus likely lesser quality football. For a winter-spring league to be successful, they absolutely MUST be affiliated with an NFL team to attract its fans. And it can't be done like NFLE where a team might have 1 or 2 players from your favorite NFL club..

Somewhere there's a post from Dozer outlining his ideas for a 'farm' league, from a few years back, and I think he was right on the money. One of his ideas was to create a team for each division, with players from only those 4 teams. I'm going to try and find the thread..

[JJamezz]

I've always thought the NFL misuses NFL Europe.

Sure there is the occasional Kurt Warner- but of the most part teams just sig guys and send them over to fufill a league quota.


I've always thought that if NFLE can't average more than 20 K a game, bring it back over here.

Set up an 8 team league with each division (or region)stocking the talent (each team required to give 12 players- including 1 QB)

Teams cities can be in the middle of these territories- like Columbus, Birmingham, Hartford, Orlando, San Antonio, Sacremento, Des Moines, Knoxville

Play a 10 game schedule and maybe a championship game. Move the draft up a few weeks- play the season May, June, July.

There is no reason why Travis Brown, Joe Burns, Lavale Sape, or Dominique Stevenson can't get time playing spring ball.

They could also use it as a training ground for referees and rules changes, new technology, and other stuff.

Also, the NFL could begin a minoriy coaching program to address their minority hiring issue. Even if owners don't hire the minor league head coaches, colleges will. That's where the biggest inequity lies.

http://www.billszone.com/fanzone/showthread.php?t=42334

[Johnny Bugmenot]

You mean rather than having NFL team's players all mixed up on different teams?

Then you'd need 32 minor league teams and that's just diminishing the talent pool greatly. You'd see a ton of college teams that were far better than Minor League NFL teams.
Not necessarily. There is the possibility of dual affiliation. Each "NFL2" team gets 2 major league NFL affiliates, which reduces the number of teams to 16.

Consider that a preseason roster is 80 per team and a regular season roster is 53. Each team puts 20 of its preseason members in NFL2, and that gives NFL2 16 40-player teams. Throw in the ability for teams to sign lower-end free agents and you've got yourself a league.

Talent-wise, it's definitely viable. Financially, it's not so clear. If it were a parallel system like AAA or the AHL, then once again, the cities with major stadiums like Birmingham, Columbus, Memphis and even Los Angeles have to compete with college football and will be pretty much off limits, and any NFL affiliated franchise will have to stay clear of Vegas. You'd have to pick some northern franchises without college teams. A spring/summer league may possibly work.

[PromoTheRobot]

Man, I would take a developmental spring league over freakin' Arena football anytime. Has anyone actually watched Arena ball live or on TV? It's not football. It's basketball played with a football.

I don't understand why the NFL never brought NFLE home. I have to believe you could find 32 cities willing to have a spring team affiliated with an NFL squad. You'd think the NFL network would like some fresh programming for the offseason.

Blow up Arena football and start a new USFL!

PTR

[Historian]

But seriously though, I think having a "minor league" for the NFL would go a long way in developing and finding hidden talent.

We have this already.

It's the farce we call college football.

[Dozerdog]

I would have each NFL division supply about a dozen players each to stock one team.

That's 8 divisions supplying 8 teams, same number of teams that NFL europe had.

[Dozerdog]

Not necessarily. There is the possibility of dual affiliation. Each "NFL2" team gets 2 major league NFL affiliates, which reduces the number of teams to 16.

Consider that a preseason roster is 80 per team and a regular season roster is 53. Each team puts 20 of its preseason members in NFL2, and that gives NFL2 16 40-player teams. Throw in the ability for teams to sign lower-end free agents and you've got yourself a league.

Talent-wise, it's definitely viable. Financially, it's not so clear. If it were a parallel system like AAA or the AHL, then once again, the cities with major stadiums like Birmingham, Columbus, Memphis and even Los Angeles have to compete with college football and will be pretty much off limits, and any NFL affiliated franchise will have to stay clear of Vegas. You'd have to pick some northern franchises without college teams. A spring/summer league may possibly work.

From a post I made 3 years ago- I was so smart then......


I've always thought the NFL misuses NFL Europe.

Sure there is the occasional Kurt Warner- but of the most part teams just sig guys and send them over to fufill a league quota.


I've always thought that if NFLE can't average more than 20 K a game, bring it back over here.

Set up an 8 team league with each division (or region)stocking the talent (each team required to give 12 players- including 1 QB)

Teams cities can be in the middle of these territories- like Columbus, Birmingham, Hartford, Orlando, San Antonio, Sacremento, Des Moines, Knoxville

Play a 10 game schedule and maybe a championship game. Move the draft up a few weeks- play the season May, June, July.

There is no reason why Travis Brown, Joe Burns, Lavale Sape, or Dominique Stevenson can't get time playing spring ball.

[TigerJ]

the lawsuit using NFL in UNFL will be filed soon...Since this league sees itself as a minor league, I would imagine some sort of working agreement will be put in place between this league and the NFL so that it would function something like the now defunct NFL Europe, as a developmental league. Everything poing si ntat direction, including their season, which will be during the NFL's offseason.

[Johnny Bugmenot]

We have this already.

It's the farce we call college football.
Yes, but what happens when eligibility runs out and the player graduates? Nowhere to go...

[YardRat]

Dozer's idea is decent, but no way would I base the team's roster on divisions...Go with a more regional format, with the four parent teams from different divisions.

I don't want future Bill's players becoming too friendly with future Fins, Pats, etc.

[PromoTheRobot]

The NFL has no interest in funding a D-league. But if investors were willing to own the franchises and carry most of the cost, I could see the NFL going along if teams can hold rights to players and share in whatever profits come from it.

PTR