All-American Football League

[WideRight]

I am sure most folks here have heard that there is a new Spring league starting up, and aiming to basically be an alumni league of major NCAA programs. The AAFL has already announced a team @ Purdue's stadium, and are expected to add Birmingham, Knoxville, Raleigh, Gainesville and at least 3 more sites, mostly from the ACC, SEC and Big Ten (Why they are dissing the Big 12 I don't know, it is prime NCAA country.) The concept sounds interesting: tie into regional NCAA fan base by focusing on alumni from major programs. But I have some questions regarding team identity I would love to hear feedback on:

1. Do you think it would be better for each AAFL team to try to imitate the style

and/or colors of only 1 NCAA program or to merge several regional programs.

For example, the Indiana team wears black & Gold, or do you mix Purdue

black with Indiana red and Notre Dame gold?

2. Would you try to create identities/nicknames similar to NCAA teams or go

completely different? Example: Florida Crocs or Florida Flyers (one clearly

closer to UF than the other).

I think I lean towards some borrowing of combined team colors (Tennesee orange with So. Carolina Red or UNC Blue) to draw fans in from different areas, but I would probably shoot for new names. Any name that favors 1 set of alumni (Alabama fans) might hurt popularity with another (Auburn fans)

What do you guys think? And while we are at it, where would you put the remaining 3 teams. My vote would be Baton Rouge, Columbus and either Norman or Lincoln. Then I would expand to add Austin, Detroit area, UConn's stadium, and either Atlanta (GaTech) or Little Rock.

[Herk]

I think the main reason for the snub of the Big 12 is for travel concerns. By having teams only from the Big 10,SEC and ACC you keep the league in the Eastern United States.

[Panthers]

1. The league has no chance of making it. Paying ea. player $100,000? They'll run out of money the first year.

2) The color concept: been done to death already. Birmingham Fire (WLAF): Auburn navy, Alabama crimson. What are you going to do with a team in Talahassee? Use FAMU and FL State colors? Orange, Green, Maroon and Gold? won't work.

Geeze does that mean we get a team for Columbia University and Rutgers to play in the Meadowlands?

[Slammersman]

1. The league has no chance of making it. Paying ea. player $100,000? They'll run out of money the first year.

2) The color concept: been done to death already. Birmingham Fire (WLAF): Auburn navy, Alabama crimson. What are you going to do with a team in Talahassee? Use FAMU and FL State colors? Orange, Green, Maroon and Gold? won't work.

Geeze does that mean we get a team for Columbia University and Rutgers to play in the Meadowlands?

The teams don't pay the players the league does. That is what I am told so that might work. I fu get enough deep pockets it could work.

[WideRight]

1. I don't think they are saying that each player will get $100,000, that will be the

average salary, so expect a few players to hit $200-300k and most linemen

to get significantly under $100k.

2. I think it could work if they pick the right cities. I don't think Purdue was

a great start. I don't think they will be able to get enough people from

Indy or Chicago to drive out. Columbus or Detroit would make more sense

from the Big 10. I also think they need to consider Big 12 as well, since those

are NCAA cities with little or no NFL presence (Austin, OK, Nebraska)

3. I don't think you take all the colors, for example the Tallahassee (FSU)

team might opt to borrow Garnet from FSU, but take Black from UGA

and a third non-NCAA color like silver. The Purdue team could use

Black-Gold and add a third like a Columbia Blue or ND Green. Birmingham

could use hints of Auburn Orange and Bama Crimson but have a dominant

color like black or a Pewter (Go TB Bucs style).

I think the key to this league surviving is keeping prices reasonable, getting a TV market (even if they play on TV for free, exposure is key) and working the alumni

angle. I still think the USFL could have lasted if Trump had not pushed them for direct competition with the NFL.

[JH42XCC]

I could've thought that up years ago!

Thinking: Oh, ... now they're going to stone me for this!

[Epiphanic]

I remember hearing about this league on these very boards. Ah...the memories. I do like the concept for this league, and it will be interesting to see how it fares. To answer the team identity package question, I think the team should have an independent package. Teams aren't directly tied to the college programs, so there isn't much reason to make them "exclusive."

On a separate note, the AAFL will provide a "true" collegiate football champion!

[Cooleyvol]

oursportscentral.com is reporting that four cities have been signed.

Those cities are:

Birmingham

Gainesville

Knoxville

West Lafayette, IN

A few others are listed as having deals on the table, one of which is San Antonio.