There is potential for a league that could be disruptive for college and the NFL

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/11/sports/football/proposed-football-league-envisions-a-no-college-path-to-the-pros.html?_r=0

Anybody heard about this?

Thoughts?

Is there already a thread?

Did I put it in the right place? (Didn't seem to belong in JN or Around the NFL, lol...)

A league that would actually pay players and pay for their college was the way I heard it described in an interview snippet the other day... I think it could be, pardon the pun, a game changer.

Well as the WFL, the USFL and the XFL all learned, you can't compete for too long with the NFL. Their approach of trying to be a feeder league for, instead of direct competition to, the NFL is a unique approach. Maybe they can have some success with that. It depends on how much interest they get for their players from the NFL. Sounds like the league itself would not be a bad deal from the player's perspective - $50k/yr with a 401k plan to play a short season. Interested to see what this becomes, even if it won't be on ESPN right away.

it will fail why would somebody risk getting injured to make $50,000 for the year and free community college when they go to college risk getting injured but could make millions

(02-26-2017, 04:07 PM)seahawkscheat Wrote: it will fail why would somebody risk getting injured to make $50,000 for the year and free community college when they go to college risk getting injured but could make millions

Are you saying colleges pay athletes millions? Under the table? If not, I don't think you understand a couple things. 1. Most college players don't make the NFL - most don't even get a tryout - but all risk injury when they play. 2. Not everyone wants to go to college. 3. Not everyone can afford to go to college. 4. Not everyone has the academic ability for college. 5. Some want to "work" as a football player, and if this allows more young men to do that it doesn't hurt the NFL - they weren't going after most of those players anyway. Or if it does hurt the NFL, they will have to adjust to market competition like any other  business in any other industry.

Personally, I think it is a great idea. I played in the traditional adult Semi-Pro leagues for 7 seasons. During that span I saw a lot of good, and some bad as well. One thing that I do know from my experiences, there are literally thousands upon thousands of good football players in America that would love a chance to continue developing their abilities after HS.

In my years in the leagues, I saw some incredible talent, some of them physically capable of competing for spots on teams that play their games on Sundays. A lot of these guys never got their chance to go to college for various reasons, be they academic or disciplinary, or life circumstance, or whatever. Let's just say that I've known plenty of quality athletes that would have loved to have had the opportunity to make 50K a year, playing a game that they were willing to risk injury for, to play for free.

I think it will fail. I watch Canadian football during the summer. College and NFL in the fall/winter. Another football league will be overload and many people get burnt out easily on the same product.

(02-26-2017, 06:46 PM)guyofthetiger Wrote: I think it will fail. I watch Canadian football during the summer. College and NFL in the fall/winter. Another football league will be overload and many people get burnt out easily on the same product.

You yourself watch three leagues currently without issue, so, three leagues is doable but four is out of the question?  People love football, and if they can watch it for less than a king's ransom, there will be interest.  Whether the league can market to and capitalize on that interest is the question. 

(02-26-2017, 06:46 PM)guyofthetiger Wrote: I think it will fail. I watch Canadian football during the summer. College and NFL in the fall/winter. Another football league will be overload and many people get burnt out easily on the same product.

Don't think of it as a major spectator event.  Think of it more like minor league baseball, a developmental tool for young players to develop their skills.  The NFL is pretty much the only of the major spectator sports that does not have developmental leagues, like Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, and even Soccer.

I think it's smart to go after college kids instead of NFl capable guys.