Monday, February 9, 2009

UFL is here


Not exactly the launch I hoped for, but the United Football League will begin play this October --but with only 4 franchises playing in 7 cities. You can read the full announcement HERE.

As a sort of explanation for the modest barnstorming start, those clever lads at the UFL are calling this season the "UFL Premiere Year."
In its "Premiere" year, the UFL will have four teams playing in at least seven cities. The four teams selected for the "Premiere" season are Las Vegas/Los Angeles, New York/Hartford, Orlando and San Francisco/Sacramento. During the course of the six-week season, these four teams will travel to each city for games. The season will culminate with a Championship Game tentatively scheduled for Thanksgiving weekend in Las Vegas.


Hmmmm... since the original goal was 8 teams, I guess the UFL decided they had to launch now if at all. Only 4 teams in seven cities with the hope that they'll expand to all 7 cities in the following year. But if I live in Vegas, why would I root for a team based in LA? Or vice-versa? Will they have different nicknames in each city? Or will we see the Los Angeles-Las Vegas Vagabonds against the New York-Hartford Commuters and the like?

Allegedly a TV Deal is forthcoming, and they have already hired Jim Fassel to coach Vegas, and given they plan to pay much more than the CFL, there is still some hope that the UFL folks will pull this "Thursday and Friday Night TV" league off.

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