It was a bad product last year...Nothing even interesting much less entertaining
Keep Texans Talk Google Ad Free!
Venmo Tip Jar | Paypal Tip Jar
Thanks for your support! 🍺😎👍
So It’s the UFL (United Football League)
- Thread starter OptimisticTexan
- Start date
TxnsJuggernaut1
All Pro
To each their own. I prefer the XFL 2 Roughnecks look but I don't outright hate the current Roughnecks look.
OptimisticTexan
2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
Wouldn’t mind Roughnecks moving to a dark blue helmet with the oil derrick looking logo on both sides.
I still prefer the Gamblers
TxnsJuggernaut1
All Pro
I agree.
TxnsJuggernaut1
All Pro
I beg to differ when it comes to calling the original USFL a minor league. The talent that league had, "even those that weren't big names," was good enough to be considered a stand alone professional football league. The original USFL's logos and uniforms were professional as well.
Minor league baseball is a professional league, but it sure as sh*t ain't the majors.
The uxsfl isn't any different. Lower level of play from an overall lower level of players with a handful or so that can rise up to the big dog level.. aka a minor league.
Thorn
Dirty Old Man
The original USFL was a startup professional league in direct competition for players with the NFL, as opposed to the spring minor leagues we've had pop up over the last 20 years. So yeah, that part is correct. I was referring to all the new spring leagues coming and going in the last five years or so, including the newly reborn spring minor league version of the USFL.
Speedy
Former Yeller Dweller
He’s talking about the 80’s USFL where they were taking top college talent away from the NFL much like the AFL was doing in the 60’s. Jim Kelly, Reggie White, Herschel Walker, etc.
This 21st century version of the USFL/XFL or whatever they’re calling it, yes, absolutely inferior lower level minor league talent. I’d equate it to High A baseball minor league at best, as I think very very few of these players will ever become NFL stars. Likely a much lower percentage than baseball players moving through the system as these football teams are made up of players not only not making 53 man rosters in the NFL, but also not making their practice squads either. Hmm, maybe equating them to high A is too high.
TxnsJuggernaut1
All Pro
Time for the UFL to entice big time investors to invest in the UFL...Elon Musk, Steve Ballmer, Richard Branson....etc..etc..
There is plenty of big money people who could boost the UFL into what the original USFL was and then some. I would love to see the XFL side of the UFL bought out and more money pumped into the USFL and bring back the USFL name and logo. Unless some real money is behind the league it won't survive. It would take multiple uber wealthy investors who have no concerns on how much money is spent to save the league, be it still called the UFL or it goes back to the USFL. That is just my wishful thinking. However I see no harm in going after the wealthiest people in the world to give the league a real shot at success.
There is plenty of big money people who could boost the UFL into what the original USFL was and then some. I would love to see the XFL side of the UFL bought out and more money pumped into the USFL and bring back the USFL name and logo. Unless some real money is behind the league it won't survive. It would take multiple uber wealthy investors who have no concerns on how much money is spent to save the league, be it still called the UFL or it goes back to the USFL. That is just my wishful thinking. However I see no harm in going after the wealthiest people in the world to give the league a real shot at success.
OptimisticTexan
2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
The big money guys won’t invest in this league unless it was truly capable of competing against the NFL straight-up. From the draft to the television rights. If they want the players, it doesn’t necessarily have to be about the money….it could be a league that takes care of players and fans in a manner the NFL never would.
TxnsJuggernaut1
All Pro
In which way are you talking about it being a league that takes care of players and fans in a manner the NFL never would? Not disagreeing with you necessarily but I just am curious as to what your perception of that may be. From my perspective uber rich people like the ones I mentioned could be compelled to take on the challenge of building a spring league equal to the NFL. If not equal than a very close approximation of it. That is highly unlikely but the thinking that there isn't enough wealth to make the UFL a fairly competitive league to the NFL is wrong. If people don't think the league could get uber wealthy investors from outside the states just look at Shahid Khan owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Here is a list of Forbes wealthiest sports team owners... https://www.mykhel.com/more-sports/who-are-america-s-biggest-sports-owners-in-2024-315473.html
There is no reason the wealthiest owners of teams in leagues outside the NFL "boosted by immense egos," should be doubted when it comes to competing with the NFL. If the current business model last beyond the next half dozen seasons who knows what is possible going beyond that? The key is for the UFL to fly under the radar.
Plus there are plenty of very wealthy people who don't have any stake in pro sports teams anywhere in the world who may be enticed to buy into a venture like the UFL. The trick is having the ability to sell ice to Eskimos. In other words I am not buying into my argument much myself but hold out that is isn't 100% off base. I don't find it impossible. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Last edited:
OptimisticTexan
2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
It depends on how serious the new group of billionaires would be in going up against the NFL, much like the AFL did when they threw their hat into the ring. The AFL competed for the same college players the NFL would be drafting. I think their timing was better b/c the NFL was smaller and not as costly when signing draft picks and free agents.
The USFL tried the same path, but they were throwing stupid money at the top college players in order to lure them to the new league. The players were willing to take the risky contracts and money while it was on the table.
This new league really has to decide what their identity would be in terms of NFL quality players….therefore competing against the NFL, a developmental league…..that would be willing to throw down with CFB (which has never been done), or a development league…..that survives on the NFL scraps. My idea has always been that a new league should go after the top HS talent and CFB depth chart players while creating a league that competes directly with CFB. I think this would be a much more interesting business model. Sure, the new league would be competing with the new NIL money, but that only goes to a select group of young athletes…..the potential talent pool is much deeper.
For the billionaires, each team is up for ownership, stadiums could be built, at some point, with 25K to 35K seat capacity, and with the season being played during football season by filling the open dates in the schedule like Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. Since it’s billionaires involved, something tells me that getting networks on board wouldn’t be as difficult as some might imagine. As for how the players would evolve towards the NFL….that would simply be the NFL’s hands. Players could be made eligible to the NFL Draft or these players would be UFA free to sign with the highest NFL bidder b/c of the professional status. That would certainly trump the CFB players who are mandated to enter the NFL Draft should they want to play in the NFL. This could do what it was designed to do…..bring the NFL to the table and include the new league as another viable option for player development. In essence they would become a Professional Development Football League.
Speedy
Former Yeller Dweller
The NFL prints its own money. So it’s not like these NFL owners are constantly throwing money at the league to sustain it. Instead, money is being thrown at them. So even if another league did get a bunch of uber rich owners, they’re not going to constantly keep throwing money at it to get it up to competing with the NFL. It would have to get to a point, and I think rather quickly, to where they would need their own printing press, which of course comes from the mega insane TV contracts. The NFL is already watered down enough when it comes to talent. I just don’t think there’s any way for another league to have enough talented players to get that kind of money thrown at them.
TxnsJuggernaut1
All Pro
Good points.
TxnsJuggernaut1
All Pro
The UFL is not a baseball, hockey or basketball minor league and it and any other football league with minor league status will never succeed as the NFL's *****. Once the UFL fails there won't be another league throwing their hat into the ring for another 25+ years. This league needs to figure out how to bring in big name marketable talent. Since it seems that they most likely haven't been able to do that and haven't mentioned any plans to even as much as bring in big name NFL players who were considered bust or went the route of getting players with just a few years left in their tank as free agents than the league of mostly back end marginal talent is bound to fail no later than after next season. They at least should have expanded by now and sold teams to owners to infuse more money into the league and add an extra TV partner no later than next year. I expect the UFL to fail after next season.
OptimisticTexan
2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
Let’s put it like this….every attempt to compete with the NFL outside of the old AFL has failed. They have also failed to compete for sport fans in the Spring b/c their attention has turned to baseball. All in all, every effort has failed. Definition of insanity…..doing the same thing over and over again while hoping for different results.
What’s -never- been tried, challenging CFB for top amateur athletes and giving them an option that allows for 100% focus on football. This is the next best option for a new football league and its investors.
Last edited:
OptimisticTexan
2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
Shedeur Sanders (Colorado) announced after coaches reminded players to get registered for classes…..(with a laugh) register for classes? I’m going to the league!!! He mentioned this…even with Dad as the HC. Just another reminder as to where college classes and a degree rank with a lot of these young “student” athletes. CFB has lowered its standards from “student athlete” to “commodity athlete”. It really is time for a new football league to become available, as an option, to HS athletes and depth chart CFB players who want to focus on football full time.
Sigh...both of my nephews went to D-1 colleges through the front door...i.e. got as real students (Baylor and Arkansas State) and graduated. They are more the rule than the exception...Outside the football factories most kids know they are playing sports to go to college with puncher chance of going pro
TxnsJuggernaut1
All Pro
If 10% of the college players who's grades aren't great go to the UFL that is a big plus. Also, if top rated high school players can skip college and go to the NBA than there is no reason the UFL can't have an open door policy for those high schoolers who would rather skip college and play pro football. I realize college now has NIL but with players going to a UFL that has individual owners who are willing pay
them a fair amount of mone where, they could also earn lucrative endorsements. I am all for good grades for college football players and for them having careers outside of football, but with a new stand alone pro quality football league there are plenty of football players who deserve careers outside of the regular 9 to 5 when the common man jobs aren't for them. This is all just discussion that shares opinions. It is unlikely it will ever happen but without something like that there will be little chance the UFL gets past 2025.