New Football League - Cuban Involved

[TexasTerror]

Playing on Friday nights? Competing with the NFL for players? We'll see what Mark Cuban go do here...not sure he can get this thing off the ground, but we've been surprised over the years that a few leagues have actually began play -- before folding.

Mavs' owner Cuban says pro football demand is greater than supply
Associated Press
Updated: May 30, 2007, 7:47 PM ET


Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is part of a group considering formation of a football league that would compete with the NFL for players drafted lower than the second round.

The league, still very much in the preliminary stage, would play its games on Friday nights. The NFL does not play then because of the potential conflict with high school football.

"It's a pretty simple concept," Cuban said in an e-mail to The Associated Press. "We think there is more demand for pro football than supply."

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2887465

[Fresno St. Alum]

It will probably die like the XFL and the USFL. I liked the USFL, they had a good thing going but then they had to move to the fall for some reason and that killed it. RIP Oakland Invaders

[SU Jag]

I'm pulling my damn cleats back out!xnodx

[gokats85]

xcoffeex YAWN! Yet another football league to take on the the mighty and evil NFL. Oh boy, Mark Cuban is involved. xgiveadamnx

[ISUMatt]

I liked the XFL and some of their ideas...hell I watch Arena football and the CFL, why wouldnt I watch this?

[Mr. C]

More opportunities for some of our favorite FCS players to continue playing. I'm all for more opportunities.

[SU Jag]

I liked the XFL and some of their ideas...hell I watch Arena football and the CFL, why wouldnt I watch this?

For some reason I cant stand Arena football. I guess because I'm a defensive guy. I hate all that darn scoring, probably why I dont watch much Pac-10, and WAC football.

[TexasTerror]

For some reason I cant stand Arena football. I guess because I'm a defensive guy. I hate all that darn scoring, probably why I dont watch much Pac-10, and WAC football.

If you really have a bad Arena team, you won't score much...

The Houston entry in af2 (the Texas Copperheads) scored 13 and 0 in their first two games...losing by 41 and 52 in those games. Ouch!

[Mr. C]

If you really have a bad Arena team, you won't score much...

The Houston entry in af2 (the Texas Copperheads) scored 13 and 0 in their first two games...losing by 41 and 52 in those games. Ouch!

How can you get shut out in Arena Football?

[TexasTerror]

How can you get shut out in Arena Football?

Inability to get into field goal range within reasonable distance? Turnovers. Dropped passes. Having too many FBS players...

[TxnYote]

I don't know about the Friday night thing. I think that's part of what killed the XFL, they tried get their key demographic, 18-35 year old males, to stay in and watch the games on Friday and Saturday nights, as opposed to going out and doing what that demographic normally does on weekend nights. Go to bars.

Another potential issue having games on Fridays depends on the time of year. If they go with Spring, probably would work, but if it overlaps any with HS football, then that's poor planning. In states where HS football is big I don't see people passing up the chance to go to their local game to go see an inferior professional product.

[Fresno St. Alum]

How can you get shut out in Arena Football?

The San Antonio Force were the only Arena Football(original) team to be shut out.

[TexasTerror]

The San Antonio Force were the only Arena Football(original) team to be shut out.

San Antonio had an AFL team?!?

[walliver]

I don't know about the Friday night thing. I think that's part of what killed the XFL, they tried get their key demographic, 18-35 year old males, to stay in and watch the games on Friday and Saturday nights, as opposed to going out and doing what that demographic normally does on weekend nights. Go to bars.

Another potential issue having games on Fridays depends on the time of year. If they go with Spring, probably would work, but if it overlaps any with HS football, then that's poor planning. In states where HS football is big I don't see people passing up the chance to go to their local game to go see an inferior professional product.

My impression has always been that high school fans will go to a high school game no matter what, but that there are a great number of football fans who NEVER go to high school games. Friday night seems to me to be the best time to play (no other televised football).

[Cobblestone]

Vince Mcmahon?

You can't compete with the JUGGERNAUT known as the NFL.

[TexasTerror]

Vince Mcmahon?

He and Mark Cuban are pretty similar! xlolx

[Fresno St. Alum]

TT,

The San Antonio Force was an Arena Football League team that competed in the 1992 season only. They played their home games at HemisFair Arena, then the home of professional basketball's San Antonio Spurs. They set two records for futility, becoming the first (and as of this writing only) Arena team ever to be shut out in a game, losing to Orlando 50 - 0 on June 13, 1992, and the all-time lowest record for field goal percentage in a season, 11.8% (4-34), spread among three different kickers. The team disbanded upon the completion of the season.

Team colors were black, red and silver.

[TexasTerror]

Vince Mcmahon? You can't compete with the JUGGERNAUT known as the NFL.

Vince McMahon can compete with anyone and everyone -- or so he thought! That included Donald Trump and the NFL. He took care of Ted Turner alright...

It seems that everyone wants to try to compete against the NFL. When will someone attempt to compete against the NBA? There are a lot of leagues at lower levels of basketball -- but no one is really competing against the NBA or MLB for that matter...

[Zoo]

It seems that everyone wants to try to compete against the NFL. When will someone attempt to compete against the NBA? There are a lot of leagues at lower levels of basketball -- but no one is really competing against the NBA or MLB for that matter...

I'm thinking because maybe football is America's most popular sport now a days? xeyebrowx

[TexasTerror]

Even more information here...
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In an exclusive column, Joe Nocera writes that the new United Football League aims to line up seven more owners “with Cuban ’s deep pockets and contrarian mindset ” so that it can debut with eight teams. Right now, the league is scheduled to play its first pre-season games in August, 2008.

Cuban owns the N.B.A. ’s Dallas Mavericks. Undaunted by the monopolistic N.F.L., which has squashed four competitors, he tells Nocera, “There are quite a few good-sized non-N.F.L. cities that can support a pro team. ” So far, the league has picked Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Mexico City. San Antonio and Orlando are among other top markets without N.F.L. teams.

According to U.F.L. executives, Nocera reports, the new league will emulate the old American Football League – one of whose major characteristics was revenue sharing. Each owner will put up $30 million, worth a half-interest in a team; the league will own the other half. Eventually, the plan envisions that fans will become stakeholders – because each team will sell shares to the public to raise an average of $60 million per franchise. Public ownership will reduce the pricing pressure on the teams, resulting in cheaper tickets all around.

http://www.sportsvideo.org/portal/artman/publish/article_5011.shtml