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.

Here comes the UFL!

Interview with the UFL's founder and the UFL's commissioner.

UFL for Justice

There have been some interesting columns in the past year about the high-profile failures of certain quarterbacks in the NFL. In particular, Byron Leftwich, Duante Culpepper, and other black quarterbacks met with huge success, but then when injured or less effective were quickly demoted and then cut. Now they stuggle to find jobs as back up QBs. Their plight was contrasted with the plight of oft-injured, weak-armed, but likable white guy Chad Pennington. As soon as he was cut by the Jets (after they landed Brett Favre) Chad was quickly snapped up by the Miami Dolphins.

So some are wondering "what gives?" Read the column by the National Sports Review HERE. It raises a number of valid points. Though Culpepper hasn't looked that great since he came back from his knee injury.

The UFL suddenly emerges as not only an alternative to the NFL, but a new opportunity for black quarterbacks who find themselves on the outside looking in. NFL Hall of Fame QB Warren Moon had to start his career with Edmonton of the CFL. It was only after he had stellar success there that he was able to play QB in the NFL. UFLAccess.com posits that perhaps the UFL will provide the same opportunity to guys like Leftwich. Read the UFL column HERE.

A Blueprint for UFL "success"

Something called the United Football League (UFL) has announced it will be playing professional outdoor football in the FALL of 2009 in cities that do not have NFL teams. What sets the UFL apart from this history of failed NFL rivals is that it has a number of experienced NFL folks at the helm and a number of big-money backers set up as owners --including Mark Cuban, the owner of the Dallas Mavericks.

UFL Commisioner Michael Huyghue has recently announced some of the league plans including 4 West Coast teams (out of the 8 the league plans to have at opening kickoff). (UFL Access has everything you could want to know about the UFL and more.) The UFL plans to play on Friday and Saturday nights --so as to avoid direct competition with the NFL. Allegedly, several networks are interestedin televising games --and clearly a legit TV contract is the make-or-break aspect of this league.
But the most intersting and promising factor to me is Huyghue's statement that they plan to recruit MLS owners and use MLS Soccer specific stadiums for the UFL teams. In order to succeed, the UFL must create demand for tickets. This requires a good product (and the UFL plans to go after NFL 2nd stringers and the like --so the players should be better than, say, what the XFL had), good promotions, good community ties. But it also means that tickets should be worth something and that season tickets should actually benefit the purchaser. This means that tickets should be scarce. In a start up league, playing in huge stadiums is a losing proposition. It means tickets have no scarcity and the atmosphere is dead and empty. This is what hurt the NASL and the XFL (to some extent) that the WLAF's attempt to play in the USA back in '91.

Playing in MLS Stadiums achieves two important goals: 1) Fans get a state-of-the-art stadium experience (which delivers a message of a quality product); and 2)Tickets will be limited to the size of the smaller MLS stadiums. No cavernous 50,000 seat holes here. Just 16k-25k stadiums --which means sell-outs and a demand for tickets (is possible). This is essential, because sold out stadiums create excitement which breeds a fun, festive atmosphere.

Given the unserved NFL market goal, Los Angeles and Las Vegas (to be owned by Mark Cuban) are obvious picks. Huyghue said markets would also likely include San Francisco and Salt Lake City, Utah. Orlando is a strong East Coast contender, while San Antonio, Texas, appeals to the Hispanic fans that the UFL plans to court aggressively. (thanks to UFL access)

The XFL's Las Vegas Outlaws did well at Sam Boyd Stadium and the UFL will play there as well. But the other teams should look to the MLS stadiums.

Here's a list of MLS Soccer-Specific Stadia. The UFL should look there as a starting point for Utah, L.A., and other non-NFL markets.

Are You Ready for Some (More) Football?!?!

Mark Cuban and some wallstreet types are planning a new FALL football league (called the "United Football League" to play on Thursday and Friday nights in the Fall. They are targeting big cities w/out NFL teams (Think Las Vegas, Mexico City, Columbus, Orlando, San Antonio, etc.)

Check them out at their new temporary site: UFL Site

You can even get involved in helping bring a team to your city.


Columbus would be perfect --Crew Stadium is nice and is small enough to create a cozy atmosphere and make tickets a little tougher to get.

For more info, Our Sports Central has a longer background story on the UFL Here.