They Ought to Have a D League

[red]

How is the Arena League still in business?
(checks Google to be sure Arena League is still in business -- YES!)

Both the USFL and the XFL put butts in seats until one got dumb and moved out of the spring and the other couldn't decide whether to be sportstainment or football.

People will go. I bet you could put a franchise in each of St. Louis, San Diego and Oakland right now with a few enthusiastic supporters.

canton bulldogs
kenosha maroons


you could really bring back some old school teams and cities that were a part of the early nfl

[QBME]

I miss Patler. He would put some logic into this that escapes me.

[Pugger]

I miss Patler. He would put some logic into this that escapes me.

Yes, he hasn't been around for a while...

[Cheesehead Craig]

Yes, he hasn't been around for a while...

Just showed up in the Brewers thread.

[red]

those other leagues also tried to compete directly against the nfl (other then arena which is almost another sport)

also, football is more popular then ever before, not like the 70's or 80's when other leagues failed

[texaspackerbacker]

First of all, the NCAA shouldn't have objections if the 3 year thing was kept. A D league definitely would NOT be designed to replace college football. While development would be a part of it, it wouldn't be the primary thing either. If you had a couple of players a year per team come up through the ranks, that would be fine. It would be a way for the NFL team to stockpile more than the current practice squads, and I do think people would pay a little bit to watch, assuming the teams were linked to the local NFL team. I know I would. A key element to this would be having the parent team retain rights to at least a large part of the players - as they basically do not with practice squads now.

[pbmax]

First of all, the NCAA shouldn't have objections if the 3 year thing was kept. A D league definitely would NOT be designed to replace college football. While development would be a part of it, it wouldn't be the primary thing either. If you had a couple of players a year per team come up through the ranks, that would be fine. It would be a way for the NFL team to stockpile more than the current practice squads, and I do think people would pay a little bit to watch, assuming the teams were linked to the local NFL team. I know I would. A key element to this would be having the parent team retain rights to at least a large part of the players - as they basically do not with practice squads now.

They currently don't want to expand rosters past 63. There is literally no appetite for it even though many teams each year would benefit when they have a run of injuries.

They would only actually expand rosters if the thing could make money and the way to make money would be to take talent that does not want to go to college and put them in a professional league.

[Pugger]

First of all, the NCAA shouldn't have objections if the 3 year thing was kept. A D league definitely would NOT be designed to replace college football. While development would be a part of it, it wouldn't be the primary thing either. If you had a couple of players a year per team come up through the ranks, that would be fine. It would be a way for the NFL team to stockpile more than the current practice squads, and I do think people would pay a little bit to watch, assuming the teams were linked to the local NFL team. I know I would. A key element to this would be having the parent team retain rights to at least a large part of the players - as they basically do not with practice squads now.

I hope the NFL keeps the 3 year thing. I don't think freshmen and sophomore students (I'm not talking about redshirt sophomores here) should be knocking heads with full grown men already in the NFL.

[texaspackerbacker]

I say again, the key to the whole thing is to have teams directly tied, probably wholly owned by the parent teams.

[wist43]

You mean like Defense Summer Camp??

Packers would be the nerds that get picked on and have to have mommy come pick them up.

[pbmax]

Packers had a couple of Guards play in NFLe didn't they?

[Joemailman]

Packers had a couple of Guards play in NFLe didn't they?

Marco Rivera did.

[Zool]

D league sounds like a justice league porn parody.

[Cheesehead Craig]

D league sounds like a justice league porn parody.

So long as the cheerleaders all are as hot as Gal Gadot.

[BZnDallas]

D league would have a better chance of succeeding if the teams were affiliated with NFL teams. But I think the NFL is satisfied with their current minor league.

If this concussion issue really starts to effect the bottom line for the NFL, and makes less star athletes want to play football. I can see the league going to bigger rosters and possibly another developmental league to try and find more superstars and give them time to develop.