Minor League Football/ USFL 2015

[Beluga4]

There are rumors that the USFL will come back in 2015, but as a farm league for the NFL. It is said it will be an 8 team league with a 14 game season. I have ideas for the cities, but the names I am having trouble deciding. Please comment below which names and logos would best fit the cities which I mention.

Birmingham, AL

Bolts

Americans

Fire

Barracudas

Los Angeles

Express

Xtreme

Las Vegas

Marshalls (Old Posse logo)

Outlaws

Portland (Only one option)

Breakers

Orlando

Rage

Thunder

Renegades

Memphis

Showboats

Maniax

Southmen

Mad Dogs

Columbus (Ohio) (Option 1)

Glory (Only Option)

Shreveport (Option 2)

Pirates

Steamer

Omaha

Nighthawks (Only Option)

If you have Ideas for other cities that have had former USFL, WFL, WLAF, XFL or UFL teams leave the city and it's logo and I will consider it.

Sorry about the lack of logos, I was only allowed a small amount of pictures on this post due to board rule, if you need to know a logo ask for it below and I will show it to you

I would choose:

Birmingham Bolts

Los Angeles Express

Las Vegas Outlaws

Portland Breakers

Orlando Rage

Memphis Southmen

Shreveport Pirates

Omaha Nighthawks

Though these are my opinions please leave yours and I will compile all of the votes to see which teams will make my fantasy league. Hopefully after I decide the teams I will make uniforms and stadium designs for them. Thank you for posting (if you do)

[dfwabel]

Bringing back old team names from failed leagues is as bad as doing this.

'

Since you know that those involved with the league have again pushed off the start of the league for a third time (until 2015) and it is not a "farm league". You also should know that the alleged USFL business plan does not focus on major markets. In addition, when they actually give statements, they have said that they will not use old USFL names because when the original investor (Jamie Caudra) plead guilty to embezzlement and resigned, he took the old USFL team names he acquired with him.

Neither this nor the A-11 League which claims will have two exhibitions in May 2014 will exist until they kickoff in a real game and figure out how to get enough capital/insurance for their flurry of future concussion lawsuits.

[walby2]

It is astounding to me that in this day and age anyone would spend actual money trying to establish a new professional football league.

One thing that the business plans of these startup leagues all fail to properly account for is the fact that the NFL did not become a multibillion dollar global behemoth overnight... there were decades of games on mud patches in front of 1,500 people in places like Duluth or Toledo before it ever came close to being what it is now.

Based on the ample precedents that exist, you can more or less predict the USFL (or A 11 league's) trajectory... season one will involve getting off the ground with a smaller than expected number of teams, "but the important thing is to actually get the league started". The big surprise will then be whether the leagues run out of money and implode during season two or in the offseason before season three.

[Beluga4]

Maybe I should have made this a poll and put it in Concepts because this was just an idea, I did say they were rumors, I did not say I was or thought someone should start this league. It was just an excuse to make new logos and uniforms for old defunct USFL, WFL, WLAF, American CFL and XFL teams. I will put a new post in the Concepts section and it will be a poll, thank you for your information dfwabel and walby2

[JackieMoon]

I just don't see how any league can compete with the NFL these days. The NFL even pulled the plug on it's development league, NFL Europe. If anything big happens in the next 10 years, whether it be the NFL or CFL, I'd say it will be the CFL adding a 10th franchise.

[Beluga4]

CFL adds a 10th franchise in Portland!

[Mac the Knife]

There are rumors that the USFL will come back in 2015, but as a farm league for the NFL.

These are the same rumors that floated around in 2006. Or was it 2007? 2008? 2009? 2010? Wait... was it 2011? 2012? 2013 or 2014?

Oh yeah. It was all of them. When the crowd that's allegedly going to pull this off (by my count, it's the third such 'group') actually starts announcing some franchise owners, I'll at least give it half a passing glance. Until then, it's all bull :censored:.

[The_Admiral]

dfwabel gets so mad when people who aren't dfwabel post.

[kwmoore]

I don't want to hijack anything but I have some questions related to this and the A11FL. Can someone help?

[dfwabel]

I don't want to hijack anything but I have some questions related to this and the A11FL. Can someone help?

You can ask away, because I love to mock both. Neither have investors willing to make either league a reality, because they are products which nobody really wants.

On December 23, the A11FL co-founder's blog stated that TV negotiations were completed, but they have yet to announce a contract. This is not even mentioned on the league site.

The A11FL "finalist cities" are all hype and there are no local mentions of the league coming to nearly any of the cities. It gets funnier when stadiums are mentioned since the current tenants of nearly every venue have leases which give them a percentage of the gate or when the league's staff writer mentions the Silverdome as a possible venue. The Silverdome looked like this last June:

And when the A11FL has spent nearly three years with the idea that team ownership can have capital through crowdfunding, you are really in over your head and need to stick to regional indoor soccer leagues.

[JackieMoon]

Not to beat a dead horse, but I just don't see how a Minor League Football System could work in the US. With all the semi-pro Arena Leagues, CFL, and College I just don't see it happening. The XFL was the last sorta successful one, but it was run by idiots.

The CFL needs to expand a 10th to Halifax and the NFL could expand, but with that there would have to be a realignment.

[raysox]

Here is a list of players the A11FL want behind center.

http://a11flmagazine.blogspot.com/2014/01/qb-possibilities-begin-to-crystalize.html?m=1

[Mac the Knife]

Here is a list of players the A11FL want behind center.

http://a11flmagazine.blogspot.com/2014/01/qb-possibilities-begin-to-crystalize.html?m=1

And I want Danica McKellar on her knees naked before me... doesn't mean I'm going to get it.

Here's how there could be a 'minor league' professional football system in America. In fact, it's the only way it could work - set up an organization similar in structure to English soccer, allowing anyone and everyone who wants to organize a team the opportunity to do so, spending as much or as little as they want on players, and over the period of a few years establishing a multi-tier pyramid structure based on performance.

Don't bother trying to land television or anything else for the first five years, until a pyramid structure is in full form. Take 10% from any teams lucky enough to land local/regional radio deals and put it in a pot for revenue sharing. Take 20% of any ticket revenue generated, and a third of any local television revenue (until a national rights deal is reached) and do the same. If/when television dollars come, guarantee a 60/40 split in which the top tier teams split 60% of the overall revenue, and all other tiers' teams split the remaining 40%. Otherwise, everyone's on their own.

But the key is to let it grow organically and locally, getting away from the U.S. traditional franchise model, and basing it more on the European club model. Getting away from the mindset that you have to launch with a national TV deal, millions per team in revenue and expenses, etc. The NFL didn't start that way, and it's too damned expensive to try and duplicate their model even to the nth degree - so don't even try.

[sc49erfan15]

Here's how there can be a 'minor league' professional football system in America. In fact, it's the only way it would work - set up an organization similar in structure to English soccer, allowing anyone and everyone who wants to organize a team the opportunity to do so, spending as much or as little as they want on players, and over the period of a few years establishing a multi-tier pyramid structure based on performance.

Don't bother trying to land television or anything else for the first five years, until a pyramid structure is in full form. Take 10% from any teams lucky enough to land local/regional radio deals and put it in a pot for revenue sharing. Take 20% of any ticket revenue generated, and a third of any local television revenue (until a national rights deal is reached) and do the same. If/when television dollars come, guarantee a 60/40 split in which the top tier teams split 60% of the overall revenue, and all other tiers' teams split the remaining 40%. Otherwise, everyone's on their own.

But the key is to let it grow organically and locally, getting away from the U.S. traditional franchise model, and basing it more on the European club model. Getting away from the mindset that you have to launch with a national TV deal, millions per team in revenue and expenses, etc. The NFL didn't start that way, and it's too damned expensive to try and duplicate their model even to the nth degree - so don't even try.

I'm not even sure if it would happen then. There are a ton of semi-pro teams out there that nobody gives a about. Granted, they're not organized into any pyramid, but I don't see anyone buying it.

I'd love spring and/or minor league football as much as the next guy, but it's not going to happen without sponsorship by the NFL. (Read: It's not going to happen.)

[jgladding]

There are like 300 minor league teams already, it's called college football. It's why a minor league football program will never, ever work.

[Mac the Knife]

Here's how there can be a 'minor league' professional football system in America. In fact, it's the only way it would work - set up an organization similar in structure to English soccer, allowing anyone and everyone who wants to organize a team the opportunity to do so, spending as much or as little as they want on players, and over the period of a few years establishing a multi-tier pyramid structure based on performance.

Don't bother trying to land television or anything else for the first five years, until a pyramid structure is in full form. Take 10% from any teams lucky enough to land local/regional radio deals and put it in a pot for revenue sharing. Take 20% of any ticket revenue generated, and a third of any local television revenue (until a national rights deal is reached) and do the same. If/when television dollars come, guarantee a 60/40 split in which the top tier teams split 60% of the overall revenue, and all other tiers' teams split the remaining 40%. Otherwise, everyone's on their own.

But the key is to let it grow organically and locally, getting away from the U.S. traditional franchise model, and basing it more on the European club model. Getting away from the mindset that you have to launch with a national TV deal, millions per team in revenue and expenses, etc. The NFL didn't start that way, and it's too damned expensive to try and duplicate their model even to the nth degree - so don't even try.

I'm not even sure if it would happen then. There are a ton of semi-pro teams out there that nobody gives a about. Granted, they're not organized into any pyramid, but I don't see anyone buying it.

I'd love spring and/or minor league football as much as the next guy, but it's not going to happen without sponsorship by the NFL. (Read: It's not going to happen.)

Sure. There are a ton of semi-pros out there. And they could make up the core of such a minor league system with some tweaks. But it would require the european pyramid style *and* the willingness to have the groups involved employ a realistic business plan from the start.

[Gothamite]

You're not going to have a pyramid with promotion and relegation, so that kills it right there.

Besides, there's a world of difference between the support semi-pro teams need and a professional league needs.

[sc49erfan15]

Here's how there can be a 'minor league' professional football system in America. In fact, it's the only way it would work - set up an organization similar in structure to English soccer, allowing anyone and everyone who wants to organize a team the opportunity to do so, spending as much or as little as they want on players, and over the period of a few years establishing a multi-tier pyramid structure based on performance.

Don't bother trying to land television or anything else for the first five years, until a pyramid structure is in full form. Take 10% from any teams lucky enough to land local/regional radio deals and put it in a pot for revenue sharing. Take 20% of any ticket revenue generated, and a third of any local television revenue (until a national rights deal is reached) and do the same. If/when television dollars come, guarantee a 60/40 split in which the top tier teams split 60% of the overall revenue, and all other tiers' teams split the remaining 40%. Otherwise, everyone's on their own.

But the key is to let it grow organically and locally, getting away from the U.S. traditional franchise model, and basing it more on the European club model. Getting away from the mindset that you have to launch with a national TV deal, millions per team in revenue and expenses, etc. The NFL didn't start that way, and it's too damned expensive to try and duplicate their model even to the nth degree - so don't even try.

I'm not even sure if it would happen then. There are a ton of semi-pro teams out there that nobody gives a about. Granted, they're not organized into any pyramid, but I don't see anyone buying it.

I'd love spring and/or minor league football as much as the next guy, but it's not going to happen without sponsorship by the NFL. (Read: It's not going to happen.)

Sure. There are a ton of semi-pros out there. And they could make up the core of such a minor league system with some tweaks. But it would require the european pyramid style *and* the willingness to have the groups involved employ a realistic business plan from the start.

I don't disagree with you re: european pyramid style, organic growth, realistic business plans, etc... I just don't see the fan support present for the semi-pro teams to succeed. Unless the realistic business model provides for a way to grow without fan support - in that case, I'd love to hear it.

[Mac the Knife]

I don't disagree with you re: european pyramid style, organic growth, realistic business plans, etc... I just don't see the fan support present for the semi-pro teams to succeed. Unless the realistic business model provides for a way to grow without fan support - in that case, I'd love to hear it.

No, keep in mind, I said it's the only way it could work. I never said it actually would.

[sc49erfan15]

I don't disagree with you re: european pyramid style, organic growth, realistic business plans, etc... I just don't see the fan support present for the semi-pro teams to succeed. Unless the realistic business model provides for a way to grow without fan support - in that case, I'd love to hear it.

No, keep in mind, I said it's the only way it could work. I never said it actually would.

Ahem:

Here's how there can be a 'minor league' professional football system in America. In fact, it's the only way it would work - set up an organization similar in structure to English soccer, allowing anyone and everyone who wants to organize a team the opportunity to do so, spending as much or as little as they want on players, and over the period of a few years establishing a multi-tier pyramid structure based on performance.

I know what you meant, though.