FXFL: will it be a boon to the NFL? (1 Viewer)

[Tchula]

I was just listening to the NFL channel on Sirius. Apparently there's going to be a new minor league football league on Wednesday nights this fall called the FXFL (not the old XFL). Per their website FXFL.com, the goal is to be a true minor league for the NFL: "The FXFL is a professional developmental football league that serves as a platform for the development of players, coaches and referees and provides high quality professional football at an affordable price in family-oriented venues. The FXFL employs advanced technologies to offer fans a truly interactive game day experience."

On Sirius, they said their goal is to scoop up the players who are drafted and free agents, but do not make an active NFL roster. They would then be allowed to sign a NFL contract at any time, even during the middle of the XFXL season. Could be interesting. There are always a few guys who can play but never seem to catch on. What are your thoughts?

 

[steveski]

This isn't the first of it's type and it probably won't be the last. I prefer the real NFL developmental league: college

 

[nastynate]

I wouldn't mind seeing something like a 6-8 team league with a short season and limited travel. Do it on the relative cheap, giving young guys a shot to continue developing their skills on the field.

I always thought Canada would turn into more of an NFL pipeline, and while there are quite a few guys that have made the transition, it's nowhere near the amount I thought it would be.

 

[krsone21]

http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=706951&hl=

Discussion on this subject already in the link provided.

 

[Jerry Curl]

This isn't the first of it's type and it probably won't be the last. I prefer the real NFL developmental league: college

Yes it is the first of its type. This is a league designed to not compete with the NFL but the leagues sole intention is to be a feeder of players and refs to the NFL and to be an official partner of the NFL. That does not sound like they want to do what Arena, CFL, USFL, XFL or even the latest league that went bankrupt did. NFL Europe excluded. They wanted to feed players to the NFL, but they wanted to compete with the NFL in some ways. The FXFL is not looking to compete, the commish made that very clear on ESPN. When the commish says he is hopeful the same players wont be on the team at week 4 who were there on week 1, that screams wanting to help the NFL.

 

[SameSongNDance]

Will probably be better than TNF.

 

[Jerry Curl]

Will probably be better than TNF.

I tell you this, if an FXFL game was on last night competing with the TB/ATL game, I would be watching the FXFL.

 

[NYRAGE]

more over-saturation

 

[John 14:6]

Sounds fine to me. Baseball, basketball, and I believe hockey all have development leagues...

 

[Gianluca]

Anyone wanna join my FXFL dynasty league?

 

[steveski]

Will probably be better than TNF.

I tell you this, if an FXFL game was on last night competing with the TB/ATL game, I would be watching the FXFL.

I doubt it. You could have been watching a college game with 2 top 25 teams going up against each other.

Maybe I'm in the minority but I just don't see the demand for this. Sure, the NFL likes it because it will help prepare players more to play for them as well as give them a better way of scouting players. But for this to work they need to have fans and they need to make money. Think about all the players that get cut from NFL teams, those are the guys that will be stars in that league. Is it really going to be fun to watch players that most people have never heard of playing in games that nobody cares about?

At least with college the fan bases are huge and you're watching players as they are emerging into being NFL caliber players. You're watching guys playing with a ton of heart and excitement. You will never get that in these semi-pro type leagues. It will be the NFL without people caring about the teams and without people knowing who the players are unless they were fans of that player in college.

Nobody cares about the farm teams in baseball and nobody will care about the farm teams in football.

 

[whitem0nkey]

I only have time for the NFL being a 34 year old male with kids and a family. if I want more football than I can watch college, and if I want even more i have arena football, and if i want even more my local high-school team is 3-0 and real fun to watch and If i need more I have Canadian football as an option, and if i still want another version I have the lingerie league.

 

[Sweet Love]

Will probably be better than TNF.

I tell you this, if an FXFL game was on last night competing with the TB/ATL game, I would be watching the FXFL.

I doubt it. You could have been watching a college game with 2 top 25 teams going up against each other.

Maybe I'm in the minority but I just don't see the demand for this. Sure, the NFL likes it because it will help prepare players more to play for them as well as give them a better way of scouting players. But for this to work they need to have fans and they need to make money. Think about all the players that get cut from NFL teams, those are the guys that will be stars in that league. Is it really going to be fun to watch players that most people have never heard of playing in games that nobody cares about?

At least with college the fan bases are huge and you're watching players as they are emerging into being NFL caliber players. You're watching guys playing with a ton of heart and excitement. You will never get that in these semi-pro type leagues. It will be the NFL without people caring about the teams and without people knowing who the players are unless they were fans of that player in college.

Nobody cares about the farm teams in baseball and nobody will care about the farm teams in football.

Depends on the city...the Durham Bulls draw like mad and it is really fun to take the family to (and I could care less out baseball). I think the key would be some level of consistency among players from year to year. If it is a new 40 man (or whatever) roster every year, that would not be much fun. Has this thing started yet?

ETA: Looks like it starts on 10/8...only four teams...locations are terrible. Boston, Miami and Brooklyn??? They don't ned more football. Omaha is a great one, and they should have targeted cities like San Antonio, Oklahoma City and LA who are medium to big markets that do not have football

 

[John 14:6]

Will probably be better than TNF.

I tell you this, if an FXFL game was on last night competing with the TB/ATL game, I would be watching the FXFL.

I doubt it. You could have been watching a college game with 2 top 25 teams going up against each other.

Maybe I'm in the minority but I just don't see the demand for this. Sure, the NFL likes it because it will help prepare players more to play for them as well as give them a better way of scouting players. But for this to work they need to have fans and they need to make money. Think about all the players that get cut from NFL teams, those are the guys that will be stars in that league. Is it really going to be fun to watch players that most people have never heard of playing in games that nobody cares about?

At least with college the fan bases are huge and you're watching players as they are emerging into being NFL caliber players. You're watching guys playing with a ton of heart and excitement. You will never get that in these semi-pro type leagues. It will be the NFL without people caring about the teams and without people knowing who the players are unless they were fans of that player in college.

Nobody cares about the farm teams in baseball and nobody will care about the farm teams in football.

Depends on the city...the Durham Bulls draw like mad and it is really fun to take the family to (and I could care less out baseball). I think the key would be some level of consistency among players from year to year. If it is a new 40 man (or whatever) roster every year, that would not be much fun. Has this thing started yet?

Yeah, I don't follow the Saint Paul Saints at all (I don't care about baseball either) but they seem to be pretty popular. They got a new stadium recently...

 

[matttyl]

Anyone wanna join my FXFL dynasty league?

Sure. With my first pick I'm taking Rainey.

 

[mcdons3]

Yes it is the first of its type. [...] NFL Europe excluded.

ok