USFL 2023 Season

[MJWalker45]

6 hours ago, Sykotyk said:

This week and Week 10 are at legion. Not as great a location and now that summer is here, an afternoon game in Birmingham in June is not going to be a fun three hours for anyone. This is the big problem with the hub city plan. South if better for the first few weeks, but not the end. At least the playoffs are going to be in Ohio. 

I wonder if they'll copy the XFL and use Birmingham as the central practice location and then fly out to games the day before next year. 

[gosioux76]

1 hour ago, MJWalker45 said:

I wonder if they'll copy the XFL and use Birmingham as the central practice location and then fly out to games the day before next year. 

 

It's a reasonable idea, considering Birmingham is the most northern of the southern division cities, making it somewhat centrally located relative to the rest of the league. But I wonder how much flight costs would come into the equation. I'd have to imagine that for the XFL, it helps that Dallas is a major airline hub. 

[tBBP]

8 minutes ago, gosioux76 said:

 

It's a reasonable idea, considering Birmingham is the most northern of the southern division cities, making it somewhat centrally located relative to the rest of the league. But I wonder how much flight costs would come into the equation. I'd have to imagine that for the XFL, it helps that Dallas is a major airline hub. 

 

True that. A lot of that also depends on whether the leagues are chartering flights, whether private or commercial, or using one of the commercial lines (I don't know how they're doing their air travel; anyone here know?). If they're chartering, location isn't as important, but if they're flying on the economy, obviously that'll make a bit more difference. 

[Sodboy13]

I'd put my money on all eight teams playing in Birmingham again next season, assuming there is a next season.

 

[MJWalker45]

20 minutes ago, Sodboy13 said:

I'd put my money on all eight teams playing in Birmingham again next season, assuming there is a next season.

 

I'm betting we see a second season, but all at the UAB stadium  including playoffs, or a split between both stadiums in Birmingham with North teams hosting at Legion field and South teams hosting at the other. I will admit that unless the game is on FS2, I can find time to watch some of these games, even if it's just background noise while I'm doing something else during the day. 

1 hour ago, tBBP said:

 

True that. A lot of that also depends on whether the leagues are chartering flights, whether private or commercial, or using one of the commercial lines (I don't know how they're doing their air travel; anyone here know?). If they're chartering, location isn't as important, but if they're flying on the economy, obviously that'll make a bit more difference. 

If they're going commercial Southwest Airlines looks like they serve Baltimore, Houston, Tampa and Dallas directly from Birmingham.  American covers Philadelphia and Delta covers Detroit (Michigan). Only non direct location is New Orleans which is a quick hop from Houston or Dallas, which is covered by United or American. 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birmingham–Shuttlesworth_International_Airport#Airlines_and_destinations

[Discrim]

Watching these mugs for the first time in a month...so apparently the Bandits have dominated the crappy teams but get bodied by the good teams.  Today, I can see why... it's less that the Breakers are outplaying them (they really aren't) than that they're beating themselves...badly.

[MJWalker45]

16 hours ago, Discrim said:

Watching these mugs for the first time in a month...so apparently the Bandits have dominated the crappy teams but get bodied by the good teams.  Today, I can see why... it's less that the Breakers are outplaying them (they really aren't) than that they're beating themselves...badly.

Lots of poor discipline as well. I think that comes from the coaches. There were a lot of boneheaded personal foul calls this weekend. I don't think I've seen so many roughing the passer calls cancelled out either. 

[GDAWG]

 

[MJWalker45]

19 hours ago, GDAWG said:

 

If you aren't planning to be a USFL lifer, why would you vote? It makes sense to have the union, but I wonder if that's the thinking of those that did not vote. 

[MJWalker45]

Hall of Fame stadium must have put in a lot of elbow grease to get the field looking like Birmingham. Quite a few Generals players slipping around early in the game though.

[GDAWG]

Any reason why the endzone seats are covered up?

[MJWalker45]

4 hours ago, GDAWG said:

Any reason why the endzone seats are covered up?

Probably not expecting sellouts, so better than empty seating areas. 

[Ferdinand Cesarano]

How does Mike Riley go for it on 4th and goal in the final minute of the first half, rather than kick the chip-shot field goal down 10-0, when his team is going to receive the second half kickoff?

 

The Generals eventually took the lead in the second half, so it's possible to argue that that call didn't do any harm. Still, even though Riley has been a delight all season, that decision seemed pretty questionable.

[MJWalker45]

10 hours ago, Ferdinand Cesarano said:

How does Mike Riley go for it on 4th and goal in the final minute of the first half, rather than kick the chip-shot field goal down 10-0, when his team is going to receive the second half kickoff?

 

The Generals eventually took the lead in the second half, so it's possible to argue that that call didn't do any harm. Still, even though Riley has been a delight all season, that decision seemed pretty questionable.

Maybe he doesn't trust his kicker? At least he didn't go Todd Haley and play their last game without one. I agree though, you want 7 points but take the 3 and plan for the second half. I still don't agree with that fumble call on the kickoff either, but I guess because he slipped instead of giving himself up they let it stand. On the roughing the passer that they called off, I feel that if this were a NFL crew they would have let the call stand. 

[TrueYankee26]

The Spring Football curse is close to over barring COVID roaring back or another disease spreads around the globe.

 

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/06/27/fox-wil-bring-usfl-back-for-a-second-season/

[gosioux76]

I'll be interested to hear more details about the year-two physical expansion.

 

The Sports Business Journal report indicates the league will retain Birmingham as its base of operations, but will play game "out of between two and four markets next season, meaning each market will house multiple teams." I'm trying to imagine what this looks like.

 

I assume it means, in a four-market setup, that each of the four cities would host two teams: the one assigned to them, plus another, and the entire league would revolve around travel to those four cities.  If that's true, it would mean four teams would remain full-time road clubs, at least based upon their franchise brands.  

 

In a two-market scenario, I could see Birmingham continuing to be host to the southern teams: Stallions, Gamblers, Bandits and Breakers. That would leave Michigan, Philly, N.J. and Pittsburgh to coalesce within a northern market. 

 

The other notable detail in the report is that the league's plans stretch beyond 2023, with all teams in their home markets, and expansion of some sort in 2024. 

[MJWalker45]

7 minutes ago, gosioux76 said:

I'll be interested to hear more details about the year-two physical expansion.

 

The Sports Business Journal report indicates the league will retain Birmingham as its base of operations, but will play game "out of between two and four markets next season, meaning each market will house multiple teams." I'm trying to imagine what this looks like.

 

I assume it means, in a four-market setup, that each of the four cities would host two teams: the one assigned to them, plus another, and the entire league would revolve around travel to those four cities.  If that's true, it would mean four teams would remain full-time road clubs, at least based upon their franchise brands.  

 

In a two-market scenario, I could see Birmingham continuing to be host to the southern teams: Stallions, Gamblers, Bandits and Breakers. That would leave Michigan, Philly, N.J. and Pittsburgh to coalesce within a northern market. 

 

The other notable detail in the report is that the league's plans stretch beyond 2023, with all teams in their home markets, and expansion of some sort in 2024. 

It's the same setup they used as the Spring League after Covid where half the league was in Houston and the other half were in Indianapolis.  Maybe the playoffs are a test for Canton, or we see games played at Ford Field, Minnesota or Indianapolis to ensure no rainouts or delays. Or they copy the XFL and fly out the day before to stadiums in the home markets for those teams that can get a stadium, like Tampa Bay, New Orleans or maybe Houston. 

[GDAWG]

21 hours ago, MJWalker45 said:

It's the same setup they used as the Spring League after Covid where half the league was in Houston and the other half were in Indianapolis.  Maybe the playoffs are a test for Canton, or we see games played at Ford Field, Minnesota or Indianapolis to ensure no rainouts or delays. Or they copy the XFL and fly out the day before to stadiums in the home markets for those teams that can get a stadium, like Tampa Bay, New Orleans or maybe Houston. 

 

Is there going to be any room for two Spring league teams for Houston?  

 

A lot of people think that the second hub would be Philly, to build the Stars fanbase.  The problem would be the venues. Subaru Park is packed with dates from the Philadelphia Union and it's junior team, Philadelphia Union II.  Franklin Field would host the Penn Relays track and field the opening week of the USFL.  That would leave the Linc.  I don't know what the average attendance is for a Temple game there, but I would guess that having a second hub in Philly at the Linc would have much lower attendance for games than Temple.  

 

Also I can't see Minnesota or Indy being involved, because it seems like USFL management wants teams in original USFL cities.  Boston, LA, Phoenix, Portland, Chicago, Denver, Oakland, Jacksonville, Memphis, Baltimore, San Antonio, Washington, Orlando and Tulsa are the other cities in the original USFL and if this new management wants to bring those cities back, there are going to be issues.  San Antonio, Washington and Orlando are likely to be in the XFL anyways.  Oakland would have no place to play.  Boston would be in the same situation as Philly: where would they play?  If I am the USFL, I would go after non USFL markets.  If you want to go west, why not Sacramento or Santa Clara?  Minnesota and Indy would be good Midwestern options.  

[MJWalker45]

4 minutes ago, GDAWG said:

 

Is there going to be any room for two Spring league teams for Houston?  

 

A lot of people think that the second hub would be Philly, to build the Stars fanbase.  The problem would be the venues. Subaru Park is packed with dates from the Philadelphia Union and it's junior team, Philadelphia Union II.  Franklin Field would host the Penn Relays track and field the opening week of the USFL.  That would leave the Linc.  I don't know what the average attendance is for a Temple game there, but I would guess that having a second hub in Philly at the Linc would have much lower attendance for games than Temple.  

 

Also I can't see Minnesota or Indy being involved, because it seems like USFL management wants teams in original USFL cities.  Boston, LA, Phoenix, Portland, Chicago, Denver, Oakland, Jacksonville, Memphis, Baltimore, San Antonio, Washington, Orlando and Tulsa are the other cities in the original USFL and if this new management wants to bring those cities back, there are going to be issues.  San Antonio, Washington and Orlando are likely to be in the XFL anyways.  Oakland would have no place to play.  Boston would be in the same situation as Philly: where would they play?  If I am the USFL, I would go after non USFL markets.  If you want to go west, why not Sacramento or Santa Clara?  Minnesota and Indy would be good Midwestern options.  

BBVA and TDECU Stadium could both be available. TDECU is supposed to be locked in for the Roughnecks. The other option due to staggered starts is that one stadium supports both., with the Roughnecks playing most home games up front and the Generals playing more games at home at the back of the schedule. 

 

I mentioned Indy or Minneapolis only because it gives the the ability to play in a controlled environment so that they can avoid moving games over by a day because of thunderstorms. I think cost of living will probably be a big factor too if they aren't basing all of the teams in one space and flying them out.  San Antonio is getting a XFL team, so I don't think they'd be taking on an USFL team as well. A non-USFL/NFL/XFL location that hasn't been mentioned is Tucson. The amount of paint involved in covering that field would probably not be helpful though. Tempe could be another option as well, and it's a grass field. 

[gosioux76]

I'll be curious to see if the continue to limit themselves to the original USFL brands. I love it for nostalgia reasons, but it really lost some of its impact when, likely for legal reasons, they decided against referencing the original league during broadcasts. It stripped all of the historical relevance away from those brands.

 

I assume part of this strategy was predicated on nostalgia, and perhaps some cost reductions when it comes to securing trademark and copyright designations for new brands. They could always reapply the existing USFL brands to new cities, but doing so would also require them to reapply for copyright/trademark protections, I presume.