OT: Non-NFL football future?

[ragtimejoe1]

Interesting article speculating on numerous things we've talked about....concussions, tv, etc.
http://grantland.com/the-triangle/nfl-dissolves-new-football-league/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

One thing I found particularly interesting and had not considered...

A new league would likely be partly owned by one or more television networks or media content providers, especially if it were formed by a breakaway group of players or teams. It makes too much sense for all parties involved. Players would get the security of a steady deal, and the media entity would be able to build and develop a product without having to worry about being massively outbid for rights fees.

Makes you wonder about the P5 thing. We've already started down the road of paying players. Imagine ESPN just creating a new "NCAA" for the P5. Contracts with schools (happens all the times with patents) establishing a business relationship.... I don't know; just something I haven't really thought about until now.

 

[cowboyz]

Interesting article. But I don't believe that the reason the new leagues failed was only due to the talent on the field. They were all well under financed as compared to the $9 - 10 billion it says the NFL divides up each year. A football league is a tough start-up, as you need so many players and coaches and have so few games. The NFL has it nailed down, so it works for them. Getting only a few "stars" per team won't do it, with so many on the team.

I've always wondered why this doesn't happen in basketball. 24 star players with some sort of media partner or decent financing, and you're up and running with a 12 team league. Each team needs a star and a second banana, who each share in the ownership of the team going forward, based on how long they play and how effective they are (ie-don't dog it and don't retire for 5 years). Then the rest of the "10" man roster gets filled with recently pushed out or about to be retired guys with good name recognition that still have some gas in the tank, some flash-in-the-pan type guys (Lin-sanity), a few college guys that were fantastic in college, from either high-profile or large market colleges, that can't stick on an NBA roster, and then the best players you can find from college, overseas, etc, that don't land in the NBA. As a new league they could also have a practice squad full of players that get paid almost nothing (in pro sports terms, like the AFL), to bring up for injuries or to replace bad decisions. Name recognition coaches, who have tasted success in the past would also not be a problem, as coaching, with the exception of the best, is a carousel. Then make sure it's a revenue sharing league, like the NFL (all for one and one for all), and you're in business.

 

[Wyo2dal]

The funding issue is based on the talent on the field, However XFL is a good example the financing was there 100%. Vince McMahon tried to turn the XFL into a circus Football League which is why it failed and nothing else.

I honestly believe the Arena League is a good example as close as any league will ever be to tapping into the NFL Market. it's just like the NBA nothing will ever tap into that either, Hockey has much of the same when the IHL was alive and working but NHL dominated it.

American Football is the only professional sport without a D League type of system. The D League is the best any company will ever do to tap into the NFL money and FXFL has a good chance to do that but the pay is very low so the talent will also be very low.

On field talent is what makes people watch professional sports over college, Game day Atmosphere is why people watch College Football over professional.