(04-05-2019 05:18 PM)aTxTIGER Wrote:  Read yesterday that they owe vendors in San Antonio over $4 million for preseason and stadium expenses.

Without knowing any of the parties involved, I’ll take a blind shot and say the creditors will never see more than 3 or 4 cents on the dollar. Probably less than that.

A really bad situation for something that will never succeed (minor league football). The XFL can hope to only do slightly better, unless it’s run entirely different IMO

(04-04-2019 04:07 PM)Stickboy46 Wrote:  

(04-04-2019 04:03 PM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  

Man that was a cluster of a league. Read today that players were staying in hotels, and had to put a personal card down for "incidentals", but when the league went under they charged the full charges to their personal cards (2500+) because the league never paid.

Ouch!

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(04-07-2019 11:02 PM)panama Wrote:  

(04-04-2019 04:07 PM)Stickboy46 Wrote:  

(04-04-2019 04:03 PM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  

Man that was a cluster of a league. Read today that players were staying in hotels, and had to put a personal card down for "incidentals", but when the league went under they charged the full charges to their personal cards (2500+) because the league never paid.

Ouch!

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Neck hurts again?

This sucks. It shouldn’t take a gimmick for another football league to work. Baseball literally has thousands of “professional” players. Why can’t football?

(04-07-2019 11:56 PM)MTXE Wrote:  This sucks. It shouldn’t take a gimmick for another football league to work. Baseball literally has thousands of “professional” players. Why can’t football?

The MLB pays for all of the professional players, except for the independent leagues. I know that for sure. The minor league franchises handle the operations, I assume. Not to mention minor league baseball players make less than minimum wage.

The last I heard, the Florence Freedom, an Independent league team, has a salary cap of $50,000. That is to slit up among the entire team. It's been 10 or so years since I heard that number, but I'm sure it's not much more. I also heard from a good source that they operate at a loss. They do concerts and other events to get into the positive.

(04-07-2019 11:56 PM)MTXE Wrote:  This sucks. It shouldn’t take a gimmick for another football league to work. Baseball literally has thousands of “professional” players. Why can’t football?

"On June 29, 2007 the NFL folded up the tents, closing its spring developmental league after 16 years and a reported $30m in annual losses."

There is a need, but the costs are just too high. The NFL and there deep pockets didn't want to keep it afloat. The attendance isn't going to pay the bills. A spring league needs a decent TV contract. It would need the NFL to pay for the players salaries while the league pays for the rest.

Anyone know the numbers on the AAF tv deal with the networks?

(04-08-2019 05:08 AM)Z-Fly Wrote:  

(04-07-2019 11:56 PM)MTXE Wrote:  This sucks. It shouldn’t take a gimmick for another football league to work. Baseball literally has thousands of “professional” players. Why can’t football?

The MLB pays for all of the professional players, except for the independent leagues. I know that for sure. The minor league franchises handle the operations, I assume. Not to mention minor league baseball players make less than minimum wage.

The last I heard, the Florence Freedom, an Independent league team, has a salary cap of $50,000. That is to slit up among the entire team. It's been 10 or so years since I heard that number, but I'm sure it's not much more. I also heard from a good source that they operate at a loss. They do concerts and other events to get into the positive.

Yup. The pay low minor leaguers get should be illegal.

(04-08-2019 08:34 AM)bearcat29 Wrote:  

(04-07-2019 11:56 PM)MTXE Wrote:  This sucks. It shouldn’t take a gimmick for another football league to work. Baseball literally has thousands of “professional” players. Why can’t football?

"On June 29, 2007 the NFL folded up the tents, closing its spring developmental league after 16 years and a reported $30m in annual losses."

There is a need, but the costs are just too high. The NFL and there deep pockets didn't want to keep it afloat. The attendance isn't going to pay the bills. A spring league needs a decent TV contract. It would need the NFL to pay for the players salaries while the league pays for the rest.

Anyone know the numbers on the AAF tv deal with the networks?

Yep 0 dollars
The league is not receiving rights fees from networks. Ebersol described the league’s relationships...as 'partnerships that extend beyond just broadcasts.' At its core, the league is equal parts sports and technology startup... As more states begin to legalize sports gambling, that technology could be marketed to other platforms. “What we are looking to do is create a structure that is equitable for the network,” Ebersol said. “People paying for media rights are losing money.

(04-07-2019 11:03 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  

(04-07-2019 11:02 PM)panama Wrote:  

(04-04-2019 04:07 PM)Stickboy46 Wrote:  

(04-04-2019 04:03 PM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  

Man that was a cluster of a league. Read today that players were staying in hotels, and had to put a personal card down for "incidentals", but when the league went under they charged the full charges to their personal cards (2500+) because the league never paid.

Ouch!

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Neck hurts again?

Naw, just wallet...

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UCF actually only lost $100k in unpaid fees, the million was 'future' income.

(04-04-2019 08:46 PM)BullsBEAST Wrote:  Crazy some of the stories coming out about this league.

Surely the xfl will go far better.

Nope. Nobody wants to watch hacks play in May or June.

Putting a sport on air 365 days a year cheapens the look of the product and makes it less valuable because it’s ALWAYS ON.

How come the first XFL folded under the same leadership? What else is there to do differently? The product is inherently flawed from the get-go.

Where are the two posters that were fighting me saying the AAF was gonna succeed?

They just need to wait until Sports gambling on your phone is legal. Then put the games on ESPN+. That's how the league can work.

(04-04-2019 05:29 PM)ShadowKnight Wrote:  

(04-04-2019 05:00 PM)Pony94 Wrote:  "It is believed the UCF Athletics Association never sent an invoice to the team."

Really shocking that they let them use the stadium without getting paid since Orlando is a graveyard of defunct teams and leagues; Orlando Panthers (Continental Football League), Florida Blazers (World Football League), Orlando Renegades (USFL), Florida Tuskers (United Football League), Orlando Rage (XFL) and now Orlando Apollos (AAF).

Memphis is right there with Orlando in that same pro football graveyard

Memphis Southmen/Grizzlies (World Football League)
Memphis Showboats (USFL)
Memphis Pharaohs (Arena Football League)
Memphis Mad Dogs (Canadian Football League)
Memphis Maniax (XFL)
Memphis Xplorers (AF2)
Memphis Express (AAF)

Not to mention the NFL expansion team that was never meant to be, the Memphis Hound Dogs.

I know Birmingham has a similar list. Seems to be a common thing with a lot of non NFL cities across the South.

The AAF was a nice idea but after it got essentially acquired for it's IP the league was in trouble. I'm still wondering if Dundon committed a fiduciary breach.
Stories I'm hearing are pretty disturbing.
The NFL doesn't need to develop a minor league though-the college teams do it for them and absorb the cost, then the NFL waltzes in every year, has its teams to evaluations of the 300 or so best players, and that's that.

(04-10-2019 09:22 AM)ShockerFever Wrote:  

(04-04-2019 08:46 PM)BullsBEAST Wrote:  Crazy some of the stories coming out about this league.

Surely the xfl will go far better.

Nope. Nobody wants to watch hacks play in May or June.

Putting a sport on air 365 days a year cheapens the look of the product and makes it less valuable because it’s ALWAYS ON.

How come the first XFL folded under the same leadership? What else is there to do differently? The product is inherently flawed from the get-go.

Where are the two posters that were fighting me saying the AAF was gonna succeed?

That's not why they failed...

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(04-10-2019 11:28 AM)bullsbucsfan426 Wrote:  The AAF was a nice idea but after it got essentially acquired for it's IP the league was in trouble. I'm still wondering if Dundon committed a fiduciary breach.
Stories I'm hearing are pretty disturbing.
The NFL doesn't need to develop a minor league though-the college teams do it for them and absorb the cost, then the NFL waltzes in every year, has its teams to evaluations of the 300 or so best players, and that's that.

Actually, the need for a real minor league for the NFL is much more needed today, especially due to the restrictions from the recent collective bargaining agreement that has severely cut back the number of year round practices/workouts and limit the number of practices in pads.

Add the high level of injuries each team faces....they need more players to evaluate (players physically change from age 20-21, i.e. college to 23-25) and thats why approx 40 AAF players have already been picked up by NFL teams.

College football certainly helps the NFL...but NFL teams still need more work, more practice and more tape on others in THEIR systems (which varies from many college programs) to help restock their rosters.

Now the REAL challenge is the NFL doesn't want to pay for a true minor league like they did for 16 years with NFL Europe...so they would prefer others to foot that bill.

NOTE: Heard one great idea that if NFL had more of an agreement with the AAF (or another league) where the teams in the AAF were affiliated to a NFL team (mostly for marketing purposes but maybe give said NFL the "top" pick from said AAF team), i.e. the Orlando team could have been named the Orlando Bucs...the Birmingham team could have been called the Birmingham Falcons and so on....as you would have an immediate tie in to millions of fans and still have a league financed by others.

Why doesn't the NFL have their own minor league similar to baseball? Put them in some smaller markets.

(04-12-2019 08:05 AM)KNIGHTTIME Wrote:  Why doesn't the NFL have their own minor league similar to baseball? Put them in some smaller markets.

Ask the AAF....its always about the $$$.

NFL "paid" for their own minor league for 16 years (NFL Europe) and while the league was never really successful, scores of players were promoted to the NFL...plus, that league did set in place that NFL games could be played in Europe (really London) and now 3-4 games per year are held in London today. (Those games are MUCH more profitable than the entire NFL Europe).

Challenge is...with the recent NFL Collect Bargaining agreement, which was basically set in place just for starters that severely limit practice time...time in pads, etc...that has hurt others on the fringe that could make a NFL team if they had more real game experience, which could happen in a true minor league (i.e. like the AAF), and now 40 players or so have already been gobbled up by NFL teams.

(04-10-2019 09:33 AM)Z-Fly Wrote:  They just need to wait until Sports gambling on your phone is legal. Then put the games on ESPN+. That's how the league can work.

It is legal. I do it all the time with bovada.