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XFL Revival?

CloakNNNdagger

Hall of Fame
In this time of so many NFL controversies, conflicts, and discontent an XFL reboot is not so far fetched.


********************************************
The age of Trump seems like a better time than ever for an XFL revival

Calls for a safer, more regulated NFL have been concurrent with the rumored revival of Vince McMahon’s XFL. Which couldn’t make more sense

Jack Moore

Tue 26 Dec ‘17 08.52 EST Last modified on Tue 26 Dec ‘17 08.53 EST


During an interception return in the third quarter of last week’s game between the Carolina Panthers and the Green Bay Packers, Panthers cornerback Thomas Davis appeared to relish the rare opportunity to play the role of lead blocker. Davis saw Packers wide receiver Davante Adams following the play unaware and launched his shoulder into Adams’s helmet. Davis was laid out onto the ground and suffered a concussion, forcing him from the game and potentially costing Adams his ability to participate in the rest of the season.

Davis received a two-game suspension for the hit, meaning he is done for the remainder of the regular season. But this collision and other violent, over-the-top hits to the head like the one that left Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Savage shaking on the turf two Sundays ago have led some football pontificators to suggest the NFL needs to adopt a targeting rule akin to the one currently on the NCAA books, which would allow referees to eject players for overly violent hits to a defenseless player’s head. NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent said on 6 December of a targeting rule, “I think it’s something that we have to consider.”

Contrast this news with a rumor to surface of late: the XFL, Vince McMahon’s ill-fated wrestling inspired spring football league, may be up for a reboot. According to Deadspin’s David Bixenspan, McMahon has created a new venture called Alpha Entertainment that will “explore investment opportunities across the sports and entertainment landscapes, including professional football.” Alpha has filed for trademarks on “URFL” and “UrFL”, and another McMahon venture, VKM Ventures LLC, applied to trademark “For the Love of Football”, “UFL”, and “United Football League”. These applications have all been filed since September, leading some to speculate the XFL revival whatever name it ends up with – could be a response to the disgruntlement some NFL fans have expressed in the wake of player protests against police brutality. THE REST OF THE STORY
 

Lucky

Ride, Captain, Ride!
Staff member
These applications have all been filed since September, leading some to speculate the XFL revival whatever name it ends up with – could be a response to the disgruntlement some NFL fans have expressed in the wake of player protests against police brutality. THE REST OF THE STORY
Maybe they can just play the anthem, cheer, and then go home happy? I'd watch that for a good laugh. Not going to watch minor league pro football.
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
I hope the XFL works, I doubt it will.

The NFL needs to have its anti trust exemption removed.
 

OptimisticTexan

2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
The business of trying to compete with the NFL product is going to be a sure failure...it's been proven on multiple occasions in the past.

It really is time to knock it down a tier and compete with College Football, which has never been done!!! Supposedly CFB programs cannot pay athletes for play but can offer them a tremendous upper educational opportunity free of charge....does it work? Not really, CFB is a highly successful money making business and the college athlete is the gas that makes the engine run. Do they truly have the athletes best interest in mind? No!!! If they fail to perform on the field (forget the classroom), they're out. My feeling on this matter is simple....you want to play college football and the school wants you to play for them on a full athletic scholarship, then you're there for a full 4 seasons and should not be eligible for the NFL Draft until the athlete has earned his/her degree. This what the schools promise in their presentation, so this is what should be honored instead of using colleges as the minor league system to professional sports. It would bring the athletes best interest back into perspective instead of using them up and then tossing them to the streets when they're done with them.

The time has come to give these young athletes an opportunity to choose between going to school under the premises of getting an education or just having the outright opportunity of getting paid to learn the Professional (NFL) System on a full time basis. It's time to bring honesty and integrity back into the football system.
 
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infantrycak

Hall of Fame
There's nothing dishonest about college football. You may not like the set up and that's fine. But it's very open. We'll give you 3 years of education, tutors, room & board (4th year, your option) and you play a game for our entertainment.
 

Ranger Tom

All Pro
The time has come to give these young athletes an opportunity to choose between going to school under the premises of getting an education and just having the outright opportunity of getting paid to learn the Professional (NFL) System on a full time basis. It's time to bring honesty and integrity back into the football system.
There's always someone trying to make a developmental league for the NFL, similar to what the NBA has in the G-League. Maybe one of them will pull it off.
 

TexasCowboy

Straight Talker
I like the idea, but about as unlikely as? CM Punk bringing back the WWE Ice cream bar which by the way were really delicious
 

OptimisticTexan

2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
There's nothing dishonest about college football. You may not like the set up and that's fine. But it's very open. We'll give you 3 years of education, tutors, room & board (4th year, your option) and you play a game for our entertainment.
C'mon man...you don't think there are college athletes getting paid to play by boosters? Teams getting grades adjusted for players who never attend class in order to keep them eligible? Coaching staffs covering up everything from harmless petty crimes to malicious criminal activity in order to keep the talent on the field producing? There's a lot of dishonesty in the college game but it's kept fairly hush-hush b/c there's no competition to challenge them. I think the right ownership group could make the new league successful and easily compete for the abundance of young talent.
 

infantrycak

Hall of Fame
C'mon man...you don't think there are college athletes getting paid to play by boosters? Teams getting grades adjusted for players who never attend class in order to keep them eligible? Coaching staffs covering up everything from harmless petty crimes to malicious criminal activity in order to keep the talent on the field producing? There's a lot of dishonesty in the college game but it's kept fairly hush-hush b/c there's no competition to challenge them. I think the right ownership group could make the new league successful and easily compete for the abundance of young talent.

I was talking about the system not the cheats.

Now what's really stupid are the sport specific limitations. A tennis player or skier can give lessons. A football player cannot.
 

OptimisticTexan

2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
Remember what doomed the USFL? It was those crazy contracts they were handing out to players so they would join the USFL. I'm sure the NFL was caught off guard to a degree but in the long run, they knew the league would never be able to honor their contracts and monetary value.

The next XFL installment will meet the same fate simply b/c the athletes are guys who couldn't make it in the NFL, CFL or AFL. A good college program would beat the majority of the teams assembled. This will fail once again....and I thought Vince McMahon was a more astute businessman. I have a hard time believing that he'd be willing to beat that dead horse again....but, he has billions, so what can I say?

As for competing against colleges, I have no doubts that, if HS athletes have a viable option of getting paid while they learn professional football skills 24/7, they just might take that route instead of committing to the school work they have no true interest in. As for the league's popularity, sign some of the ESPN 150 or 300 athletes and suddenly the league could have some validation. As for the athlete, they could be stronger and much more NFL ready when exposed to the draft. A league like this could eventually force its way to the NFL table by; 1. Proving they have no interest in being a direct competition league. 2. Providing players to the NFL Draft that could be at minimum a year ahead of the college athletes from a professional level of football. 3. Get enough top HS athletes to join the league and eventually the NFL would have to come to the table to examine the feasibility of moving this new development league under the NFL umbrella. Best of all...what could college programs do to prevent this league from succeeding?
 

Texecutioner

Hall of Fame
There's always someone trying to make a developmental league for the NFL, similar to what the NBA has in the G-League. Maybe one of them will pull it off.
They already have that and it's called NCAA football. They do get paid as well. They get paid anywhere from $25k to $200K depending how expensive the tuition and other expenses is to enroll them. That's a hell of a deal when you get consider the increased job opportunities and salary demands down the line. Having just a basic college degree would have put me in all types of better interviews and job opportunities if I had one when I was in the corporate field. I was never the type to rely on student loans. College football is a great opportunity for any young man.
 

TexasCowboy

Straight Talker
What doomed the USFL was ratings trying to compete and beat the bigger brand of the NFL kinda like the way Smackdown is inferior to Monday Night Raw. Clearly, Vince is good at wrestling but not even his ratings beat the NFL during the season. when it is clear more are watching football than they
are wrestling and the WWE has to use fake stats to make it appear as though Raw is bigger
 
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JB

Innocent Bystander
Contributor's Club
What doomed the USFL was ratings trying to compete and beat the bigger brand of the NFL kinda like the way Smackdown is inferior to Monday Night Raw. Clearly, Vince is good at wrestling but not even his ratings beat the NFL during the season. when it is clear more are watching football than they
are wrestling and the WWE has to use fake stats to make it appear as though Raw is bigger
That's why a developmental league is needed, to work with the NFL not compete with it
 

OptimisticTexan

2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
What doomed the USFL was ratings trying to compete and beat the bigger brand of the NFL kinda like the way Smackdown is inferior to Monday Night Raw. Clearly, Vince is good at wrestling but not even his ratings beat the NFL during the season. when it is clear more are watching football than they
are wrestling and the WWE has to use fake stats to make it appear as though Raw is bigger
USFL was doomed by the foolish contracts they gave to draftees. XFL was doomed b/c of the WWF shenanigans they incorporated to one up the AFL. The WFL suffered the same fate when they made their attempt at becoming the next NFL. The NFL brand (monopoly) is just too strong to be competed with, that's the reality.

CFB on the other hand...no one has ever competed for their player pool or revenues. Like I mentioned before, let some of these top (ESPN 150 or 300 / 5 Star) athletes announce on National Signing Day that they will be entering the, ex; PFL (Professional Football League) Draft instead of signing with any of the schools that recruited him. There are no ridiculous contracts needed to circumvent CFB since the competition is against a perceived education that an athlete may pursue. Some of the top athletes want out of college sooner when they know there is money to be made in the NFL, so what value was placed on the free education from the beginning? For a lot of these young athletes...college is nothing more than a bridge that connects their aspirations of playing in the NFL.

I'm a big CFB fan and a competing league that pays its athletes could definitely have an impact on their bottom line, financially. At the same time, it could reduce the riff-raft involved with signing kids to schools when the school already knows....if this kid wasn't such a good athlete he'd never see the light of day of being accepted to said school under his current academic resume. If a kid wants to get a college degree while playing CFB, then that should be the focus of the school and its Athletic Department. If a kid would like to play football and get paid for doing so, then that should be an option.

Does a new league like this get there overnight? Of course not but it could get there eventually if properly managed and a few of these athletes go high in the draft. If the NFL chose to ignore these athletes, then at any given point, they would be available to sign with any team of their choosing as an UFA. I would have serious doubts that the NFL would ever let something like this happen, their desire to make money would force them to endorse this league as a way to ensure their current pipeline structure of bringing talent to the NFL remains intact. Imagine, these players could circumvent the Rookie Wage Scale since they were not drafted....and free to have their agent negotiate a standard NFL contract at monetary amount the pursuing team is willing to pay. Again, let this happen a few times and the new league will have no problem attracting many more top athletes.
 

TexasCowboy

Straight Talker
That's why a developmental league is needed, to work with the NFL not compete with it
They already tried that (NFL Europe) and it failed. so it seems developmental leagues are really only good for Baseball and Hockey in terms of
giving actual players a legit shot at the big league.
 

JB

Innocent Bystander
Contributor's Club
They already tried that (NFL Europe) and it failed. so it seems developmental leagues are really only good for Baseball and Hockey in terms of
giving actual players a legit shot at the big league.
Trying it in 'merica may just work better... you know here where there are actual fans?
 

TexasCowboy

Straight Talker
Trying it in 'merica may just work better... you know here where there are actual fans?
5 Players from the USFL made it to the NFL so again farm teams don't really work in football like it does in Baseball or Hockey
 

infantrycak

Hall of Fame
5 Players from the USFL made it to the NFL so again farm teams don't really work in football like it does in Baseball or Hockey
That's 5 Europeans. Lots of NFL players spent seasons in NFLE.

Here's some with Superbowl rings/appearances and/or pro bowl all pro accolades:

Kurt Warner
Adam Vinatieri
Refrigerator Perry
Jake Delhomme
James Harrison
Brad Johnson
David Akers
Dante Hall
 

TexasCowboy

Straight Talker
No kidding they spent time in NFL Europe my point is? that the NFL Europe failed to crop talent into the NFL, the USFL gave up 5 of its players while
the CFL gave up none, and Arena only had Warner make it. This is not impressive by any stretch especially when you want farm teams to work

so I go back to my original comment that developmental leagues aka farm teams only work in Baseball and Hockey
 

infantrycak

Hall of Fame
No kidding they spent time in NFL Europe my point is? that the NFL Europe failed to crop talent into the NFL, the USFL gave up 5 of its players while
the CFL gave up none, and Arena only had Warner make it. This is not impressive by any stretch especially when you want farm teams to work
Might help if it was accurate.

USFL: Herschel Walker, Doug Flutie, Mike Rosier, Jim Kelly, Steve Young, Reggie White, Gary Zimmerman, Sam Mills, Marcus Dupree...that should illustrate. Literally hundreds played in the USFL early in their careers.

CFL: Doug Flutie, Warren Moon, Joe Theisman, Cameron Wake, Jeff Garcia, Brandon Browner, Joe Horn...more than none.
 

OptimisticTexan

2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
No kidding they spent time in NFL Europe my point is? that the NFL Europe failed to crop talent into the NFL, the USFL gave up 5 of its players while
the CFL gave up none, and Arena only had Warner make it. This is not impressive by any stretch especially when you want farm teams to work

so I go back to my original comment that developmental leagues aka farm teams only work in Baseball and Hockey
The difference, all these leagues were using college players or NFL rejects to fill the rosters. I'm talking about taking HS football players and putting them in a league that will develop their next level skills in a program that goes 24/7 while paying them a livable wage to live and breath football.

As I mentioned before, this athlete should be stronger and better prepared for the NFL versus the college football player of equal talent levels?
 
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TexasCowboy

Straight Talker
The difference, all these leagues were using college players or NFL rejects to fill the rosters. I'm talking about taking HS football players and putting them in a league that will develop their next level skills in a program that goes 24/7 while paying them a livable wage to live and breath football.

As I mentioned before, this athlete should be stronger and better prepared for the NFL versus the college football player of equal talent levels?
So the answer is to turn them into Lavar Balls other kids? skip the college level, straight to a semi-pro league and then hope and pray that some scout somewhere is going to one day be at "Practice" during a shootaround, and stumbles across "Greatness"?? I'm sorry dumbest idea EVER

I mean I can see if the kid does not have good enough grades to get into college but is gifted at sports then the semi-pro option is on the table but let's face it, Lots of these "kids" nowadays get good grades in school. and their parents push them to go to college to further their education plus it is the
a surefire way to get them into the pro's

the bottom line

These kids who do not make it to the pro's can always look back and reflect on their semi-pro career and have something worth telling the grandkids
about. not everyone is cut out for the NFL but it just doesn't work in the end
 

JB

Innocent Bystander
Contributor's Club
So the answer is to turn them into Lavar Balls other kids? skip the college level, straight to a semi-pro league and then hope and pray that some scout somewhere is going to one day be at "Practice" during a shootaround, and stumbles across "Greatness"?? I'm sorry dumbest idea EVER

I mean I can see if the kid does not have good enough grades to get into college but is gifted at sports then the semi-pro option is on the table but let's face it, Lots of these "kids" nowadays get good grades in school. and their parents push them to go to college to further their education plus it is the
a surefire way to get them into the pro's

the bottom line

These kids who do not make it to the pro's can always look back and reflect on their semi-pro career and have something worth telling the grandkids
about. not everyone is cut out for the NFL but it just doesn't work in the end
Yeah I don't think HS school level players is a good idea. I was thinking more of an extended PS roster type of thing
 

OptimisticTexan

2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
So the answer is to turn them into Lavar Balls other kids? skip the college level, straight to a semi-pro league and then hope and pray that some scout somewhere is going to one day be at "Practice" during a shootaround, and stumbles across "Greatness"?? I'm sorry dumbest idea EVER

I mean I can see if the kid does not have good enough grades to get into college but is gifted at sports then the semi-pro option is on the table but let's face it, Lots of these "kids" nowadays get good grades in school. and their parents push them to go to college to further their education plus it is the
a surefire way to get them into the pro's

the bottom line

These kids who do not make it to the pro's can always look back and reflect on their semi-pro career and have something worth telling the grandkids
about. not everyone is cut out for the NFL but it just doesn't work in the end
Take a gander at the annual early NFL Declaration list...next, ask yourself how many of these young men completed their degree requirements in the process of declaring for the draft. How many of these young athletes do you think used CFB as their only avenue to playing professional football for a living? Of this group, what percentage do you think put academics ahead of football? Personally, I think deep down everyone involved with CFB knows this is a very lucrative business. If it wasn't, how is that a CFB coach can be paid on the same or a better scale than an NFL HC?

Like I stated in prior post on this topic, I like college football and always have but I think a solid developmental league is there for the making. It has done a great job for baseball and it would do the same for football...only it would be even better financially than baseball in the long run.

JB, I think a successful business model could eventually be aligned with NFL teams just like baseball. College Baseball and MiLB have successfully co-existed in taking talent from the HS level and there is no doubt the NFL could make it work as well...only it would be CFB and MiLF.....oh crap! The acronym would be MILF...LOL. No, wait...it would be the Minor Football League (MiFL), whew that was close!
 

infantrycak

Hall of Fame
Yeah I don't think HS school level players is a good idea. I was thinking more of an extended PS roster type of thing
Expand the practice squads to a farm system. Only NFL eligible (3 years out of HS) can be pulled to team. Remainder of the PS can be filled out with ineligible/never went to college players. Obviously need expanded coaching staff but team discretion on double duty (offensive quality control NFL/QB coach for farm), so develop both coaches and players. Same schedules as the NFL (or half schedules) teams playing day before or earlier.
 

TexasCowboy

Straight Talker
There are lots of "Athletes" that left in their Junior or even Senior years having never received a 'Degree" the money was way too luring for them not to take it while they had the chance. That, however, is college, High school kids aren't ready and ultimately set themselves up for failure because all it takes is 1 hit. and all the hopes and dreams vanish

that is why you encourage kids in high school to do better and apply themselves education wise, where they can have something to fall back on IF their career in sports takes a turn for the worst!
 

Hervoyel

BUENO!
I'd rather not ever see the XFL come back. It was a stupid league created for wrestling fans and predictably filled with the same kind of dumb stunts and manufactured spectacle that the WWE is full of. The world is better off without it.

A minor league for the NFL is possible, even desirable under the right circumstances but for some reason the league simply has no interest in really trying to make it happen. Instead they try to put it in Europe where they want to expand instead of entirely in the US where there is (was) real appetite for their product. Then they act surprised when it doesn't work out.

Developmental (DEV) teams should be owned by NFL teams or in some way affiliated with NFL teams in such a way that each one is connected in some way to a parent team and located within a reasonable distance of the parent team. Using the Texans as an example you could put their DEV team in Corpus Christi or Galveston. The teams should go to camp with the parent team (Hell, most NFL teams bring almost as many players to camp who can't make the team as guys who end up on the final roster anyway) and their coaches should be assistants to the parent team during camp. Same playbooks or maybe an abridged version of the parent teams playbook. Don't take reps away from the players on the parent teams roster but train more or less alongside them. The DEV team would be staying at a cheaper hotel maybe, practicing on the same fields when the parent team isn't working and of course making far less money. Guys who are standing out could be brought to the parent teams coaching staff's attention and play their way up to the NFL training camp roster. Guys the parent team think need more work could be sent down to get better. Once training camp breaks the DEV team goes to their city and plays an abbreviated schedule (I'm talking like 5-6 games tops) and once the NFL season starts every team's DEV squad is like a big practice squad that anyone can sign from.

This provides the league with a pool of potential injury replacements who are up on your terminology and who are in condition. Call ups get you an NFL minimum salary and a shot to stick with the parent team.

Recycle great old team names from defunct NFL teams. Sell minor league merchandise and tickets to minor league games. Don't bother with a title game or playoffs because that's not what they're there for (unless the interest takes off and people appear to want it).

The players at that level will have something they can do for a few years to continue to pursue their dreams. Obviously nobody will have a long career at the DEV level but they can chase that NFL dream a little longer. Players won't have to go down to the DEV team if they don't want to. They can decide not to be sent down and just go home and wait for a call. It's really important to keep this group of DEV players able to move around. Contracts would be only for a season. Nobody retains rights to anyone at that level so players can go to a team where they feel like they have a better chance of making the final roster at that level.

This is easy stuff. The NFL has to have thought about it. I'm betting they just don't want to screw with it but it could easily be a success and I think they could find some players who just took longer to put it together.
 

TexasCowboy

Straight Talker
Personally?? I'd like to see Vince give it one more shot if for anything, to cure those long hangover blues NFL fans suffer from once their team has been eliminated from contention. will it happen? CM Punk got a better shot at bringing back the WWE ice cream bar, but who the hell knows with Vince at the
helm?
 

CloakNNNdagger

Hall of Fame
Report: Johnny Manziel Not Eligible For XFL Due to Criminal Record

By Chris Chavez
January 25, 2018
Former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL quarterback Johnny Manziel is not eligible to play in Vince McMahon's XFL in Jan. 2020, according to ESPN's Darren Rovell.

Under McMahon's rules for the league, any player with a criminal record is precluded from the league.

"We are evaluating a player based on many things, including the quality of human being they are," McMahon told ESPN. "If you have any sort of criminal record or commit a crime you aren't playing in this league."

On a conference call, McMahon answered a question from SI's Jimmy Traina on whether invites would be extended to Manziel, Tim Tebow and Colin Kaepernick. McMahon said that no one with a criminal record such as a DUI would be allowed to play.

"You want someone who does not have any criminality associated whatsoever with them. Even if you have a DUI you will not play in the XFL," McMahon said. "So that will probably eliminate some of them. Not all of them. If Tim Tebow wants to play, he can very well play."

Manziel currently has an offer from the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, which he has until Jan. 31 to make a decision on.

Manziel tweeted about the XFL announcement.

Manziel has not played in the NFL since being released by the Cleveland Browns in March 2016. He played in 14 games over two seasons and has seven touchdown passes and seven interceptions.

The NFL suspended Manziel or the first four games of the 2016 NFL season after violating the league's substance abuse policy. In 2016, he faced a domestic violence charge, which was later dismissed. Under the terms of the dismissal agreement, Manziel was required to complete an anger management class, attend a domestic violence impact panel and participate in the NFL's substance-abuse program.
 

Texecutioner

Hall of Fame
Report: Johnny Manziel Not Eligible For XFL Due to Criminal Record

By Chris Chavez
January 25, 2018
Former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL quarterback Johnny Manziel is not eligible to play in Vince McMahon's XFL in Jan. 2020, according to ESPN's Darren Rovell.

Under McMahon's rules for the league, any player with a criminal record is precluded from the league.

"We are evaluating a player based on many things, including the quality of human being they are," McMahon told ESPN. "If you have any sort of criminal record or commit a crime you aren't playing in this league."

On a conference call, McMahon answered a question from SI's Jimmy Traina on whether invites would be extended to Manziel, Tim Tebow and Colin Kaepernick. McMahon said that no one with a criminal record such as a DUI would be allowed to play.

"You want someone who does not have any criminality associated whatsoever with them. Even if you have a DUI you will not play in the XFL," McMahon said. "So that will probably eliminate some of them. Not all of them. If Tim Tebow wants to play, he can very well play."

Manziel currently has an offer from the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, which he has until Jan. 31 to make a decision on.

Manziel tweeted about the XFL announcement.

Manziel has not played in the NFL since being released by the Cleveland Browns in March 2016. He played in 14 games over two seasons and has seven touchdown passes and seven interceptions.

The NFL suspended Manziel or the first four games of the 2016 NFL season after violating the league's substance abuse policy. In 2016, he faced a domestic violence charge, which was later dismissed. Under the terms of the dismissal agreement, Manziel was required to complete an anger management class, attend a domestic violence impact panel and participate in the NFL's substance-abuse program.

So basically they're ready to fail before they even begin? Lol!

How are you going to get any attractive talent if you are that strict on the players backgrounds? Guys should be allowed to make a mistake. This sounds nuts, especially for a league that is trying to dethrone the NFL. You're gonna need all of the talent you can get.
 

Speedy

Former Yeller Dweller
So basically they're ready to fail before they even begin? Lol!

How are you going to get any attractive talent if you are that strict on the players backgrounds? Guys should be allowed to make a mistake. This sounds nuts, especially for a league that is trying to dethrone the NFL. You're gonna need all of the talent you can get.
Not only that, unless he starts paying out bazillion dollar contracts like the NFL, he won't get that talent.

And if he thinks the NFL ratings drop is the perfect time to swoop in and challenge the NFL, well, he'll still lose that battle. Just taking a quick glance at some SNF ratings, a 14% drop from 21 million viewers to 18 million is still 18 million watching NFL football, and still blows anything else on TV out of the water. The NFL ain't going anywhere any time soon and you're not going to overtake that with an inferior product on the field.

All of that's not to say he can't put a league out there and make a little money. Maybe there's a market for B talent football during the spring, I don't know. There seems to be a market for B talent soccer as the MLS continues to grow. They'll never dethrone the Premier League or any of that stuff across the pond, but they're making some money. Hell, even minor league baseball and hockey make money. Of course, their players are controlled and paid by the pro teams, but still.

But yeah, if the goal is to dethrone the NFL, that ain't gonna happen. This ain't the 60's where even NFL players had to have other jobs in the off-season.
 

Bulls on Parade

2017 Astros: Earn It!
Features of Returning XFL

• 8 teams to start

• 40 man rosters

• 10-game season beginning in January

• Two-hour game-time goal

• Any player with a criminal record precluded from playing

• Players won't receive forum to take personal stance on social issues on playing field

-------------------------------------

No players with a criminal record? Define record...
Because that's potentially some good talent.
I like the no politics BS with that last one.
And also, please put a team in Houston. I'll watch it!
 

badboy

Hall of Fame
I can follow and enjoy 2 teams with loyalty to both. McMahon has made mistakes but has made some bucks. Some thoughts:
. don't try compete head to head with NFL.
. laugh at WWE but V.M. knows his customer. Loyal, willing and able to spend money for tickets, pay for view, by product (games, toys, music, etc). I would think NFL overwhelms in gear like jerseys, jackets, shirts, etc but WWE flips that with movies featuring 'stars'.
. reasonable contracts that do not keep pace with NFL.
. Avoid USFL splashes to sign & promote certain players that results in clashing with NFL.
. Avoid owners whose ego could pull it all down. Build a league for fans. Owners not looking for cash cows but good investment returns in 3-5 seasons.
. no stupid parts of game like college overtime rules or different fields. Play NFL game.
IMO, this accompanied by scouting department discovering those players that slip through. Players like Cole the Texans ILB. Newton was not Pro bowl in NFL but skills would make him solid for McMahon's league.
10-12 teams in strong football areas could be successful.
 

OptimisticTexan

2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
If McMahon and the XFL want to make a splash, sign 1 of the Top 20 HS athletes to play in the XFL. Let him mature and play for 3 years and then go to the highest bidder as a FA. Could create an interesting scenario if said player was not available in the draft. I'd like to see how this would be handled by Goodell....especially if it had a trickle down effect.
 

Double Barrel

Texans Talk Admin
Staff member
Contributor's Club
What keeps the NFL rolling in cash is network deals and advertisement. Will there be any of that with the XFL? Does McMahon plan on bleeding millions during the time it will take to build an audience and subsequent revenue streams?

The XFL also runs the risk over over-saturation. As much as I dread the NFL off-season, I think it is needed to decompress as a fan and eventually yearn for training camp and pre-season news after hibernating for several months.

I cannot say that I will never be interested in the XFL, but as of right now I have no interest in it. I look forward to not having my schedule revolve around pro football for six months and getting **** done around the house.

The XFL seems gimmicky. For me, the epitome of pro sports is the NFL, and it is the only sport I regularly watch. Anything less is diluted, even much of college football, IMO. NFL talent is elite, and tbh, I just don't have the time or desire to see a watered down version with a bunch of JAGs in most likely goofy colored uniforms designed to appeal to the base.
 

Thorn

Dirty Old Man
If Houston has a team, I'll watch it. If it takes place in the off season, I'm sure I'll catch a game or two of it even if Houston doesn't have a team, which it probably won't. Watching the Bohokem Wolves play the Louisiana Ringtail Cats while stoned seems a mildly entertaining use of time. Sort of.
 

OptimisticTexan

2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
What keeps the NFL rolling in cash is network deals and advertisement. Will there be any of that with the XFL? Does McMahon plan on bleeding millions during the time it will take to build an audience and subsequent revenue streams?

The XFL also runs the risk over over-saturation. As much as I dread the NFL off-season, I think it is needed to decompress as a fan and eventually yearn for training camp and pre-season news after hibernating for several months.

I cannot say that I will never be interested in the XFL, but as of right now I have no interest in it. I look forward to not having my schedule revolve around pro football for six months and getting **** done around the house.

The XFL seems gimmicky. For me, the epitome of pro sports is the NFL, and it is the only sport I regularly watch. Anything less is diluted, even much of college football, IMO. NFL talent is elite, and tbh, I just don't have the time or desire to see a watered down version with a bunch of JAGs in most likely goofy colored uniforms designed to appeal to the base.
Seems as though he will avoid the gimmicks this go round and seems to putting the focus on playing a game in roughly 2 hours. I think the only way that could be achieved is to reduce the time per quarter to 10 - 12 minutes or maybe they completely forgo challenges, measurements, etc. Tough to see how 2 hours can be done.
 

Thorn

Dirty Old Man
Seems as though he will avoid the gimmicks this go round and seems to putting the focus on playing a game in roughly 2 hours. I think the only way that could be achieved is to reduce the time per quarter to 10 - 12 minutes or maybe they completely forgo challenges, measurements, etc. Tough to see how 2 hours can be done.
Give each play additional time, but have no clock stoppages except for injuries and time outs. The clock keeps running even after incompleted passes and out of bounds plays, hence the extra time for each play. No clock stoppages except for commercials, injuries and called time outs will speed up the game and make it more fun to watch. "Running the clock down" at the end of the game by an offense will take on a whole new meaning if they are out of time outs and nothing can stop the clock.
 

OptimisticTexan

2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans

CloakNNNdagger

Hall of Fame
The new XFL officials have said it aims to offer an alternative to fans disenchanted with the increased length of NFL games and the social activism of some of its players. Games will last under three hours, and the league has said that anthem protests will not be allowed.
 

welsh texan

You may say I’m a dreamer but I’m not the only one
What the NFL needs is a spring development league. I was listening to a very interesting podcast talking about the lack of a development pathway and saying that NFL Europe met it's demise because the owners balked at it making a $30 million loss.

Just think about that, $800k per team if you were able to develop 2 or 3 players for each roster per season to improve the quality in the big league.

I think they arrived at the conclusion that NFL Europe will not see a revival but that a springtime bus league of around 10 teams all in travel distance of each other could be a good idea.

It astonishes me the lack of reps available to young players at the bottom end of rosters even in practice.
 

OptimisticTexan

2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
What the NFL needs is a spring development league. I was listening to a very interesting podcast talking about the lack of a development pathway and saying that NFL Europe met it's demise because the owners balked at it making a $30 million loss.

Just think about that, $800k per team if you were able to develop 2 or 3 players for each roster per season to improve the quality in the big league.

I think they arrived at the conclusion that NFL Europe will not see a revival but that a springtime bus league of around 10 teams all in travel distance of each other could be a good idea.

It astonishes me the lack of reps available to young players at the bottom end of rosters even in practice.
I've never been big on Spring football, even if for developmental purposes b/c players would be worn out by the time they could be used in an NFL season. I always figured they could play during the NFL season and be better prepared to join their NFL teams at the start of off-season programs.
 
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