Developmental League

[x0x]

By now you should know about the Alliance of American Football being an 8 team, 10 game league starting shortly after the Super Bowl as a developmental league for the NFL. It's the first legitimate successor to NFL Europe but it might not last anywhere near as long.

NFL Europe Rehash

I think the #1 problem is obviously cost, as you're expected to lose money but the question is how much and for how long. NFL Europe went on with 6 teams and a 1 game playoff known as the World Bowl. At the end most of the teams were in Germany and 1 in Amsterdam. Now you have the AAF space out of Atlanta, Orlando, Memphis, Birmingham, Tempe, Salt Lake, San Diego and San Antonio. Obvious for the warmer weather and not having much competition (5 having pro teams at the same time but 3 are big enough and 2 have only 1 period).

My question is the logistics of having more than 4 teams. The product is clearly not going to be profitable so why stretch from 4 to 6 or 8 teams? If anything it gives more pressure for players to compete for starting positions. A 4 team league can function like a division and have 2 games against each with 1 at home for a total 6 games. Then, because it's about development, you have a 4 team playoff with the home field being the reward. A total 8 games which each team guaranteed 7. Since NFL teams make decisions off primarily 3 pre-season games, that's more than enough. And maybe we cut the pre-season down to 2 games finally.

I think the prevailing issue is attempting to make the league more than it is. To experiment and see the potential of players in certain situations.

[49erurtaza]

Am I crazy to say I think the best thing is for these leagues to not be owned by the NFL. It's going to benfit the NFL if these leagues are able to successfully work during the off period for the NFL. Players able to develop with NFL coaches. Now what I'm interested in seeing is how many of these players will actually move to the NFL when there leagues end for the off-season. Especially if they play in the spring then jump on a NFL team in the summer and possibly make a team.

[x0x]

Just now, 49erurtaza said:

Am I crazy to say I think the best thing is for these leagues to not be owned by the NFL. It's going to benfit the NFL if these leagues are able to successfully work during the off period for the NFL. Players able to develop with NFL coaches. Now what I'm interested in seeing is how many of these players will actually move to the NFL when there leagues end for the off-season. Especially if they play in the spring then jump on a NFL team in the summer.

Well you have the XFL coming back. It failed once before and so did USFL.

The CFL functions because it's low-cost, no competition, tv rights and even subsidies in some instances.

So I think the best way you get a development league going is selling the games and not the teams. A ton of college players not having an NFL roster spot and wanting to be paid can create decent football but you can't get bogged down with the illusion of a competing league in its early years.

With the AAF I'm real curious to see how things go for a team starting 0-4 or 1-5 in a 10 game season with paltry fans? I also think it's time to consider competitive bonuses like for sacks, TDs, yards, etc. So called money games in the later parts of the season maybe. Then you see some action.

[RaidersAreOne]

CFL.

[KC_Guy]

There is no need for the NFL to establish a developmental league. They have one for free. It's called college football.

NFL Europe never was a developmental league. It was an attempt to expand the NFL product into Europe. I think they quit at the wrong moment, exactly when a fan base was starting to develop in Germany.

Right now the new approach, pushing games across the great pond, is starting to pay dividends. A solid core fan base in the UK, German TV broadcasting all playoff games ... looks like football is getting a grip on Europe.

All those XLFs, AAFs and you name it leagues are attempts to get some money out of the football product. I doubt it will work, as I don't see any middle ground between the college ranks and the NFL as the farm league baseball teams as true developmental teams provide. Any such league will feature NFL cast-offs, not developmental players. Those would be on the practice squads.

[UtahUtesFan]

I personally think there is a decent amount of interest with the XFL and AAF. I would not mind if the AAF became the official development league and having a deal with the NFL but owned separately. 

[areksoo]

On 1/16/2019 at 4:38 PM, RaidersAreOne said:

CFL.

Nope... or at least not until they lift their Canadian players rule that state they can only have 20 international players.  

[Destructo Spin]

I'm semi-excited about the AAF. I got the Memphis Express since they are closest to me. The uniforms are great. I like what I see from this league so far. There are a lot of legit football people involved.

[Zycho32]

About the best positive such a 'Development' League can provide for the NFL is a stable group of 'Replacements' staying sharp through Game Experience. Granted, the vast majority of these players will be the Undrafted/Training Camp Cuts/Elderly Cast-Offs and thus will lack name recognition. But someone starting for an AAF(name's just an example) club is going to be a rather appealing option for an NFL club to sign once injuries start to weaken the rosters.

 

The problems however are as follows;

 

1. The expenses of Coach/Player employment and Equipment/Facility costs will be a leviathan wrapped around the neck of this league. This in turn will make NFL franchises balk at assuming any control over an affiliate that involves footing the bill, unless player salaries were at a level seen in Minor League Baseball. But that'll be a problem when it comes to keeping players, who may not earn enough to offset the potential injury issues, to say nothing of the potential quagmire of the NFLPA should this become a labor issue.

 

2. Playcalling and Offensive/Defensive Strategies are not guaranteed to mesh with the methods used by NFL Clubs, unless Direct Affiliation becomes a reality and an NFL Team is willing to foot the bill. Granted, this is no different than the transition from College Football to the Pros, and the players involved are likely only ever going to be fringe injury-replacements, but this is still a strike that such a league cannot afford. I'm sure if given the choice, an NFL Team would prefer a player who knows a playstyle that is at least close to what they run, though knowing the playbook as an Affiliate would be even better.

 

3. The technology age has created an atmosphere where fans outside of the NFL Hot Spots can still see the action. In the ages of Television, and Radio before that, you could plant a competing league outside of NFL Cities and draw in natural interest. Even in the eventual failures of the WFL and USFL during the 70's and 80's various teams playing in cities outside of the NFL could develop robust fan bases and find a Television or Cable contract to develop a nation-wide audience. Now with the internet essentially dominating the future of Television broadcasting, anybody sitting outside an NFL City is less apt to view a Minor League, even if said league has a team located right on his/her doorstep.

[Shady Slim]

always found very strange there isn’t one bc all our sports here down under have em