new football league (chris leak)??

Russ M. · #1 11-27-2007, 11:53 PM

I see AAFL commercials running here in Jacksonville regularly. Former NFL great Danny Wuerffel is the spokesman. It's basically a league with ex-Gator players who can't play in the NFL, which is fine because I love me some Wuerffel to McGriff action.

I think its a great idea on the local level for players who can't cut it in the NFL. I don't think they have a TV contract and if they do it'd be local Comcast Sports or something. Since this is in the southeast, maybe they can get away with the travel expenses but I dunno how they could keep that up.

WhoIam · #2 11-28-2007, 12:48 AM

This is a good time for the season to start. April is when I start craving football again and I would watch this if the level of play was at least college level and it was played on an actual football field.

Russ M. · #3 11-28-2007, 01:03 AM

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This is a good time for the season to start. April is when I start craving football again and I would watch this if the level of play was at least college level and it was played on an actual football field.

[/ QUOTE ]

No doubt. I may try and get out to a game or two and see how good things go.

Assani Fisher · #4 11-28-2007, 01:14 AM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
This is a good time for the season to start. April is when I start craving football again and I would watch this if the level of play was at least college level and it was played on an actual football field.

[/ QUOTE ]

No doubt. I may try and get out to a game or two and see how good things go.

[/ QUOTE ]

Russ M.,

I would most definitely be interested in hearing your thoughts on this league if you do go. One thing that I've always respected about you is your willingness to give new sports leagues a chance. I look forward to seeing this league, but I look forward to hearing your thoughts on it even more. I hope you have a great time at the game and really enjoy yourself.

Love,
Assani

z32fanatic · #5 11-28-2007, 03:45 PM

I would watch former OSU players that didn't make the NFL beat up on former Michigan players that didn't make the NFL.

Joe Germaine come home!

z32fanatic · #6 11-28-2007, 03:46 PM

On a serious note, the Columbus Arena League team has tried to do this before. They made Earl Bruce (former OSU head coach) their head coach, as well as signing a few former OSU players to try to attract fans. Unfortunately they haven't signed enough for people to care.

MicroBob · #7 11-28-2007, 01:06 AM

trying to tie this in with the available area alumni players and sometimes playing in the same stadium actually gives this kind of league a chance I suspect.

I really think a minor-league brand of outdoor football has a really tough struggle but this group seems to have some decent ideas.
Pushing this stuff on the season-ticket base at Florida and Michigan, etc could actually do an okay job of bringing fans out to the stadium.

One problem with XFL and other minor-leagues is that it's just the best players they can get but the fans have mostly never heard of them and they are supposed to start buying that now these are 'their' guys and should be cheering for them.

But by tapping into the alumni base you are taking advantage of the extreme loyalty these fans have towards their former players who they already have fond memories of cheering for.

It's really a great way to go about it.

Still a huge huge uphill battle though but I really might end up pulling for these guys if they can actually get it off the ground.

Not sure about the whole idea of broadcasting the games on some weird private network just to keep them commercial free. I think that could hurt more than help. People are used to TV time-outs at live games and also watching on TV.
I don't think attendance will be dramatically increased just because they brag, "No TV Timeouts!!!"

The league appears to be planning on teams for Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Michigan, Tennesse, Texas.