(02-09-2020, 12:20 AM)Okeana Wrote: They are setting up to be a feeder league

The XFL does not have NFL out clauses in their contract like the AAF. They are trying to build their own product.

(02-09-2020, 02:17 AM)J24 Wrote: Huh? Players having been using the the CFL and before that Arena league enough to get attention from the NFL.

Yes, but the arena league is gone and the CFL has had some back and forth with the NFL but both leagues have been around for generations so there is less of that "any job in the NFL is better than this" aspect to it.  The CFL also has enough difference in the game and requires certain numbers of the roster players be Canadian and so on to keep things from being a simple "worse league/better league" comparison.  

With that being said, my CFL team's best WR just went to the Packers and their best defensive player just went to the Bears. One thing I noticed is that the NFL page is reporting on XFL stuff, which is quite the contrast to the prior XFL days when Vince McMahon spent a lot of brand energy slagging on the NFL for being less fun and more wimpy.  If the XFL isn't going to establish itself as direct competition and use insulting the NFL as a means to promote then this feeder system could would, yes.

Side note, Cardale Jones is a QB in the XFL...remember when the worst NFL team in the 2015 season was supposedly going to "fail for Cardale?"  Lordy. Or wait...he was supposed to go high in the 2015 draft but stayed another year and then got benched and his stock plummeted. So it goes.

(02-09-2020, 12:03 AM)J24 Wrote: Yes there is a lot of players that are at least fringe roster players on the XFL rosters.

Fringe roster players = Bengal's starters 

The USFL had some potential back in the 80s. They stayed around for 5 yrs.  Some nice helmets too.






which are better than the XFL.

The usfl also came at a point where NFL salaries were a point of contention with players and they paid comparable amounts. The NFL is an oligopoly of 32 billionaires, the idea of anyone competing with them on their turf is unlikely in this day and age.

I assume Vince McMahon owns all the XFL teams as he did the first time.

(02-09-2020, 12:20 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I think that their masked purpose is to become a farm system to the NFL, a developmental league if you will.  If they can hold it together for a year or two, maybe the NFL buys them out?

Doubt that, considering they have owned semi-successful farm leagues in the past and folded them up saying the associated costs outweighed the benefit they received from them.

(02-09-2020, 11:54 AM)Nately120 Wrote: The usfl also came at a point where NFL salaries were a point of contention with players and they paid comparable amounts.  The NFL is an oligopoly of 32 billionaires, the idea of anyone competing with them on their turf is unlikely in this day and age.

I assume Vince McMahon owns all the XFL teams as he did the first time.

That is correct, according to WIKI.

It appears that the salary structure is comparable to that of AAA Baseball or Minor League Hockey, etc.  It'll be interesting to see how the viewership ratings turn out, once the teams have had a few weeks to settle in.  It's a rough time of year to fight for sports viewership, with NCAA basketball heading into tournament season, the start of the NASCAR season, followed with the start of Baseball season and the NBA and NHL playoffs.

I think that their best chance to secure a fan base is by doing exactly what they are, offering an affordable opportunity for people and families to attend live sporting events.  With ticket prices starting at around $20/seat, it makes it a lot easier for everyday Joe or Jane to pack up the family and go out to the game.

(02-09-2020, 10:14 AM)Synric Wrote: The XFL does not have NFL out clauses in their contract like the AAF. They are trying to build their own product.

they are a spring league.  why would they need an NFL out when their contract last from after the Superbowl till the draft?  XFL is not a competing product they're a league to develop talent that typically doesn't get the full opportunities of the league for one reason or another.  

(02-09-2020, 10:15 AM)Nately120 Wrote: Yes, but the arena league is gone and the CFL has had some back and forth with the NFL but both leagues have been around for generations so there is less of that "any job in the NFL is better than this" aspect to it.  The CFL also has enough difference in the game and requires certain numbers of the roster players be Canadian and so on to keep things from being a simple "worse league/better league" comparison.  

With that being said, my CFL team's best WR just went to the Packers and their best defensive player just went to the Bears. One thing I noticed is that the NFL page is reporting on XFL stuff, which is quite the contrast to the prior XFL days when Vince McMahon spent a lot of brand energy slagging on the NFL for being less fun and more wimpy.  If the XFL isn't going to establish itself as direct competition and use insulting the NFL as a means to promote then this feeder system could would, yes.

Side note, Cardale Jones is a QB in the XFL...remember when the worst NFL team in the 2015 season was supposedly going to "fail for Cardale?"  Lordy.  Or wait...he was supposed to go high in the 2015 draft but stayed another year and then got benched and his stock plummeted.  So it goes.

Personally I enjoyed the games and I support anything that gives guys more opportunities to accomplish their dreams.  I have always thought that MLB had a better development system with minor leagues and essentially that's what the XFL is.  Its also a testing bed for ideas that could possibly work in the NFL and see how they play out on a semi-pro level.  One thing is for sure the pacing of the games is superior to the NFL in every way so I hope they find ways to adopt some of these ideas to improve viewability.

(02-09-2020, 01:57 PM)Okeana Wrote: they are a spring league.  why would they need an NFL out when their contract last from after the Superbowl till the draft?  XFL is not a competing product they're a league to develop talent that typically doesn't get the full opportunities of the league for one reason or another.  

From what I understand they are 3 year contracts with no NFL opt out clause, but there has to be a way for them to make it to the NFL because they talk about guys like former WVU Safety Kenny Robinson as the new unique way to the NFL.

Btw Battle-Hawks Safety Kenny Robinson is a guy to watch today. He was WVUs best defender for two seasons before failing out of school and joining the XFL.

(02-09-2020, 02:13 PM)Synric Wrote: From what I understand they are 3 year contracts with no NFL opt out clause, but there has to be a way for them to make it to the NFL because they talk about guys like former WVU Safety Kenny Robinson as the new unique way to the NFL.

Btw Battle-Hawks Safety Kenny Robinson is a guy to watch today. He was WVUs best defender for two seasons before failing out of school and joining the XFL.

https://247sports.com/Article/XFL-player-salary-draft-Oliver-Luck-NFL-bonus-2020-136819300/

XFL deals give players the freedom to "leave for an NFL contract offer any time after the XFL Championship Game on April 26."

(02-09-2020, 03:57 PM)Okeana Wrote: https://247sports.com/Article/XFL-player-salary-draft-Oliver-Luck-NFL-bonus-2020-136819300/

XFL deals give players the freedom to "leave for an NFL contract offer any time after the XFL Championship Game on April 26."

Good.

Like I said Kenny Robinson is a guy to watch he will be draft eligible this year.

(02-09-2020, 10:15 AM)Nately120 Wrote: Yes, but the arena league is gone and the CFL has had some back and forth with the NFL but both leagues have been around for generations so there is less of that "any job in the NFL is better than this" aspect to it.  The CFL also has enough difference in the game and requires certain numbers of the roster players be Canadian and so on to keep things from being a simple "worse league/better league" comparison.  

With that being said, my CFL team's best WR just went to the Packers and their best defensive player just went to the Bears. One thing I noticed is that the NFL page is reporting on XFL stuff, which is quite the contrast to the prior XFL days when Vince McMahon spent a lot of brand energy slagging on the NFL for being less fun and more wimpy.  If the XFL isn't going to establish itself as direct competition and use insulting the NFL as a means to promote then this feeder system could would, yes.

Side note, Cardale Jones is a QB in the XFL...remember when the worst NFL team in the 2015 season was supposedly going to "fail for Cardale?"  Lordy. Or wait...he was supposed to go high in the 2015 draft but stayed another year and then got benched and his stock plummeted. So it goes.

That's how ridiculous the NFL is for QBs. Cardale played 3 really good games, and all of the sudden there was talk of drafting him in the first round.

Mr We Ain't Here to Play No School was viewed as a franchise QB for a moment in time.

The running back for NY today (can't remember his name) looked pretty good, FWIW.

(02-09-2020, 02:20 AM)GreenCornBengal Wrote: I watched a few quarters of the roughnecks game and it looked to me like some really sloppy football. Not sure if the players in that league will be very disciplined if any transition to the NFL.

It's not like this is some ragtag group of guys. Some of them are former NFL players, people who played college, and Im sure former practice teamers. They all know how to play organized football at a high level

(02-09-2020, 11:42 AM)Bengalitis Wrote: The USFL had some potential back in the 80s. They stayed around for 5 yrs.  Some nice helmets too.






which are better than the XFL.

I wore my New Jersey Generals shirt yesterday. Love me some Generals!! They were freaking loaded the year the league went bust. 

Watched the first XFL game, was pretty good. THe crowd was in it. Not sure how long it lasts but it was a good decision once the NFL is over to fill in the void. It would be nicer if it was during the summer when the waiting gets more grueling for the NFL. The KICKOFF was nice too.

I really liked watching the Houston Roughnecks/LA Wildcats game. Kermit Whitfield played pretty well and
was a former Bengal. Had some nice returns and some yardage, had a muffed punt though. Was rooting for
the Vipers against the Guardians, namely Quinton Flowers another former Bengal, too bad Aaron Murray was
panicking worse than Dalton when plays weren't even breaking down.

I like the XFL myself, I love football and I think this has been well thought out.

Not too many penalties either and I saw some really hard hitting out there so it wasn't all Offense.