From the Wikipedia page:
The United Football League (UFL) is a professional American Football league, which plans to begin its inaugural season in September of 2009. The league was founded by Bill Hambrecht and Tim Armstrong. Former NFL executive, Michael Huyghue, will act as the league's first commissioner. The league plans to play games on Thursday and Friday evenings in the fall, with the first regular season game kicking off in September and the Championship Game being played in late November.[1]
Jim Fassel, former head coach of the New York Giants, will coach the UFL's Las Vegas franchise. The team, which does not yet have a name, will play their home games at Sam Boyd Stadium.[2]
Basically, the league is going to give players who would otherwise be sitting on NFL benches a chance to start and star in this league. While I don't mind the idea, being a football nut, can any other league really survive next to the mighty NFL? Especially when the games are being played the same time of year?
According to the UFL website, potential team markets at this time include:
-Hartford
-Orlando
-Salt Lake City
-Las Vegas
-New York
-Monterry
-Los Angeles
-San Francisco
My only concern is that the talent pool for good players is already so tapped for the NFL alone........how are there going to be enough good players to go around between two leagues? I guess the idea is that guys that would otherwise be sitting on a bench most of the time (someone like a Matt Cassel, for instance) are going to get a shot to play and show off what they can do.
I think the idea is good overall, because these players are going to come in knowing they aren't considered elite enough to be in the NFL.....and hence they will have more to prove in the UFL. It may make for more exciting games. Only time will tell.
Hey, it can't be any worse than the CFL!
But seriously, no sports league has ever succeeded without the backing of major networks including the NHL. Less advertising dollars right now means no network is going to touch this for any amount of money. Stick a fork in it. It's done before it starts. All these owners should just team up and buy a piece of an NFL franchise. But you're right. Can't be worse than the CFL
ReplyDeleteGood point......I think it may be doomed to repeat as the next XFL. The fact that they only plan to have 6 teams at startup doesn't really help.
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