The USFL is back? Why?

[Spider]

I'll watch some portion of almost all the games of the two Houston teams. It's definitely the minor leagues. LOL. It doesn't bother me, I just like watching them play football. The Roughnecks though are going to have to have a uniform change this offseason, those uniforms this year are just plain ugly. The Gamblers, who have nice looking uniforms, don't seem play very well. Guess you can't have everything.

 

[Aragorn]

For some reason, the XFL determined all playoff teams by division, so a good team with the top attendance (St. Louis) is out, while a 4-6 team (Arlington) is in.

 

[ProwlAlpha]

Once these leagues have some more seasoning and their teams start to come together, I think they will be just fine.

 

[BillJ]

Once these leagues have some more seasoning and their teams start to come together, I think they will be just fine.

The thing about minor league sports is that there is lots of roster churn.

 

[drt]

For some reason, the XFL determined all playoff teams by division, so a good team with the top attendance (St. Louis) is out, while a 4-6 team (Arlington) is in.

I don't know why they bother with divisions for only eight teams. They should just take the top four and do a four-seed tournament.

 

[Skywalker]

I would like to see one of these spring leagues stick around, if only to give people another shot at pursuing their dream of playing football professionally (even if they won't make the millions they could have if they were NFL-worthy), but two of them competing against each other is unsustainable long-term. I wouldn't be surprised if they merge eventually, assuming one or both don't collapse again.

 

[BillJ]

I would like to see one of these spring leagues stick around, if only to give people another shot at pursuing their dream of playing football professionally (even if they won't make the millions they could have if they were NFL-worthy), but two of them competing against each other is unsustainable long-term. I wouldn't be surprised if they merge eventually, assuming one or both don't collapse again.

USFL-X!

The TV numbers for the USFL seem to be sliding and the XFL's haven't been great. Interesting to see where they go.

 

[Aragorn]

Football is the most expensive sport to play. Players, coaches, staff, equipment, and then all of that has to travel. There's a reason soccer is so popular all around the world, especially in countries that can't afford to put together any other sports leagues.

USFL 1.0 was considered a success those first two seasons because of the quality of play, but they were always bleeding money, especially once they started going after big names.

 

[shapeshifter]

With no local teams and travel to any game is out I am doing my part by watching as much of both new leagues on broadcast as possible.

But it hasn't been easy. What is very easy is seeing why so many of these are washed out from elsewhere. While there are a few standouts, most leading positions suffer from, <takes deep breath> impatient, reckless, lazy, showboating hotheads.

I expected unprofessionalism early on but to still be going on in the last games of the XFL season was unexpected. It is more entertaining as a clown show than competition drama. Good news, still beats golf. ;-)

Jury is still out on the USFL.

 

[Aragorn]

Today's XFL game is sloppy. Receivers dropping easy passes, offense taking too long to run the play and getting delay of game over and over, defense getting flagged for 12 men on the field over and over.

 

[shapeshifter]

Just started yesterday's XFL South Championship off the DVR only to find it has been preempted by 3 hours of UFC, and no repeat airings available anywhere I have access to.

I guess I am supposed to subscribe to ESPN+. Well

 

[Aragorn]

The XFL championship will be between the best team in the league and a team with a losing record. If Arlington wins it all, that means they needed the postseason to reach .500.

When the Arena League was down to four teams near the end of their existence, everyone made the playoffs and the 2-10 team won the title.

 

[Aragorn]

The XFL champion Arlington Renegades were a 4-6 team but two playoff wins later and they're .500! Also, there's a shocking amount of people at this game for a neutral field (although San Antonio "only" 300 miles from Arlington).

 

[Aragorn]

Current USFL game is in a lightning delay. Probably took a whole minute to empty the stands.

 

[BillJ]

Current USFL game is in a lightning delay. Probably took a whole minute to empty the stands.

 

[Aragorn]

USFL championship. Refs missed a call and the Pittsburgh coach lost his mind. Yelled at them for 10-15 minutes and completely lost track of the game.

 

[publiusr]

Stallions still on top.

 

[DrMike]

Football is the most expensive sport to play. Players, coaches, staff, equipment, and then all of that has to travel. There's a reason soccer is so popular all around the world, especially in countries that can't afford to put together any other sports leagues.

Hockey would like to have a word. Even more equipment, and instead of a big field, you need to perfectly maintain an ice rink indoors, including resurfacing it after every 20 minutes of play.

Imagine having to mow a football field after every quarter, while growing the grass indoors in hostile climates. That's basically every hockey rink.

 

[Spider]

Texans signed Khalil Davis fresh off his season with the Stallions, where he was the USFL sack leader. He made a few really good plays tonight, he might even make the team.

 

[Aragorn]

USFL and XFL in talks to merge for 2024. Sucks for half the players and coaches, but seeing as how one league is probably one too many, two would've ended in tragedy.

One reporter speculates that DC, St. Louis, Arlington, San Antonio, Seattle are the safe XFL teams, and that the league could use the USFL's timeline that starts later in the spring. I imagine they probably want to keep the somewhat recognizable USFL names, even if the new USFL is that in name only. Maybe they'll increase the number of teams.