USFL 2023 Season

[Skycast]

12 hours ago, gosioux76 said:

I find it odd that there’s been almost no reference to the original USFL in this broadcast. They’ve made several mentions of this being the first-ever game in the USFL, without calling it the relaunched or new USFL. 
 

I wonder if that’s a result of the lawsuit by owners of the prior league?

 

I found myself thinking the same thing and have to wonder who owns the rights to all the history, stats, old game footage, etc. Sure would be nice if they’d talk about the history, the players, etc. from the 80’s.

 

Overall though I found the football was pretty good and entertaining, I will tuning into more games today.

[GDAWG]

Jason Garrett doing the game for NBC.  It remains to be seen how many times he claps during the game.  

[MJWalker45]

37 minutes ago, GDAWG said:

Jason Garrett doing the game for NBC.  It remains to be seen how many times he claps during the game.  

I've got my headphones in so just watching. Offensive lines seem to be under prepared so far after the first game and so far today. Playing a game this  early on a Sunday looks to be hurting them as well. I think this may speed up playing in home cities next year instead of 2024. 

[Indigo]

NBC debuted new graphics for the Super Bowl, but they’re still using the old package for the USFL.

[Sodboy13]

So we can look forward to three empty stadium games every week and one 1/3 to 1/2-full stadium for the Stallions game. Keep in mind that tickets are $10 and kids get in free. There is no more merchandise available in the league store than there was the day of the uniform unveilings. Again, I am at a loss to understand why there is big corporate money being thrown at this.

 

For those of you living in the other seven "markets": Do the teams have any sort of local marketing or promotional presence, or is it all just whatever the league and networks put out nationally?

[DG_ThenNowForever]

11 minutes ago, Sodboy13 said:

So we can look forward to three empty stadium games every week and one 1/3 to 1/2-full stadium for the Stallions game. Keep in mind that tickets are $10 and kids get in free. There is no more merchandise available in the league store than there was the day of the uniform unveilings. Again, I am at a loss to understand why there is big corporate money being thrown at this.

 

For those of you living in the other seven "markets": Do the teams have any sort of local marketing or promotional presence, or is it all just whatever the league and networks put out nationally?

 

I didn't know until today that all teams would be playing in one stadium.

 

This is stupid. If people don't show up for $10 tickets then it's time to start paying them $20 to be there. What's $400k to make it look like people give a modicum of a :censored:?

[Sodboy13]

I believe they are playing in two stadiums, both in Birmingham.

[Seadragon76]

Yeah, all the games are held at Protective Stadium for 8 of the 10 weeks with two weeks (Weeks 8 and 10) at Legion Field.

 

I like to think it was a cost saving move on their end despite the level of success the AAF and the XFL had from having games on home fields of the teams there.

 

If the games are good, people will watch... but, I don't know if that would be enough.

[GDAWG]

The attendance today hasn't been great.  

[CrimsonBull9584]

2 hours ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

 

I didn't know until today that all teams would be playing in one stadium.

 

This is stupid. If people don't show up for $10 tickets then it's time to start paying them $20 to be there. What's $400k to make it look like people give a modicum of a :censored:?

 

As someone who worked in the AAF, I can tell you that this is a great idea for saving money. You pay for two stadiums, one hotel, and a handful of practice sites to help keep costs down. That way you can save your money and by your 2nd or 3rd season, the you can move into those markets because you can afford it. 

[Sec19Row53]

Just now, CrimsonBull9584 said:

 

As someone who worked in the AAF, I can tell you that this is a great idea for saving money. You pay for two stadiums, one hotel, and a handful of practice sites to help keep costs down. That way you can save your money and by your 2nd or 3rd season, the you can move into those markets because you can afford it. 

As long as those markets care.  I understand that this is a money-saver, but is it a fan builder?

[DG_ThenNowForever]

24 minutes ago, CrimsonBull9584 said:

 

As someone who worked in the AAF, I can tell you that this is a great idea for saving money. You pay for two stadiums, one hotel, and a handful of practice sites to help keep costs down. That way you can save your money and by your 2nd or 3rd season, the you can move into those markets because you can afford it. 

 

I can't imagine there will be a second of third season if it looks like this.

 

If local fans don't care why should the home audience?

[GDAWG]

 

 

[Cujo]

300 fans on opening weekend.

 

USFL is dead on arrival.

 

[Sykotyk]

Remember that today, live TV pays really well and sports is one of the few things in 2022 that are "must watch live". This is a made for TV league, hence the single site to get started.

 

This is Easter Sunday with an hour delay before kickoff of Game 1. Where you'll see the better crowd if when Birmingham is part of the multi game schedule and not a single game. 

 

Also, fans will care because it's football. We've proven through covid that fans will watch a game with no fans. And football is still king in the US. 

[GDAWG]

Easter Sunday is only an excuse for a brand new league like the USFL since attendance has been decent when the established sports leagues (NBA, NHL. MLS and MLB) are all playing today.

[gosioux76]

1 hour ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

 

I can't imagine there will be a second of third season if it looks like this.

 

If local fans don't care why should the home audience?

This thing is an experiment. So many other formulas have failed, many due to insufficient TV exposure, so this league is clearly banking on two things: incredible TV exposure and a hint of nostalgia for the old USFL. 
 

There’s a zero percent chance that the minds behind the USFL are banking on the citizens of Birmingham to keep them afloat. 
 

The attendance doesn’t matter. They’re trying to build buzz through TV exposure. Like with any experiment, it could fail. But I wouldn’t judge it based upon the small crowds from a mid-sized host city that likely cares more about the free tourism exposure.

[MJWalker45]

2 hours ago, Sec19Row53 said:

As long as those markets care.  I understand that this is a money-saver, but is it a fan builder?

I don't think so. And reportedly they are planning to stay in Birmingham for 2 years and not one. If they don't get more people in the stands I think they have to send them to their home cities next year. I still find it laughable that the playoffs will be in Canton. I also find it strange that other than the TV networks I've seen no other advertising in the stadium, well what I can see on TV anyways. 

 

[Sec19Row53]

5 minutes ago, MJWalker45 said:

I don't think so. And reportedly they are planning to stay in Birmingham for 2 years and not one. If they don't get more people in the stands I think they have to send them to their home cities next year. I still find it laughable that the playoffs will be in Canton. I also find it strange that other than the TV networks I've seen no other advertising in the stadium, well what I can see on TV anyways. 

 

I thought the playoffs had to be in Canton because the stadium wasn't available. 

 

Can anyone confirm that (too lazy to google).

[Red Wolf]

11 minutes ago, Sec19Row53 said:

I thought the playoffs had to be in Canton because the stadium wasn't available. 

 

Can anyone confirm that (too lazy to google).

 

This is correct, the 2022 World Games are going to be there. Maybe it'll draw more interest locally just by virtue of being somewhere else. This is a really weird setup.