Another spring, another spring football flop
- Thread starter 18IsTheMan
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I don't know anyone who watches. Football for the sake of football is not interesting.
Spring is for baseball. UFL is another attempt at cashing in on the supposed endless love of football in America. Lower tier pro football has never been successful. I wonder how the demand and interest in college football is going to hold up in the new NIL/portal era? I know my interest in a shadow of what it was three or four years ago. I used to watch at least three games every Saturday. Now, I watch one. I don't care about watching the NFL JV games with travelling mercenaries.
I think you are mixing up the UFL and the WNBA? I didn't know the WNBA started until I saw the Clark and Bayou Barbie drama
The question is: why do they keep trying it? How many hundreds of millions of dollars have been wasted on something that there has never been any indication anyone wants?
Maybe they can convince the NFL to dump hundreds of millions of dollars into some Spring football league like the NBA does for the WNBA. Nobody cares about the WNBA but it continues to exist.
Yeah, except the NFL has no reason to. They get a free minor league with college football. Presumably the WNBA helps draw in female fans for the NBA (don't believe that is actually true). And the NBA is simply stuck with the WNBA because if they drop it they'll be called misogynistic racists.
Personally, I don't understand why more people don't watch?? The games are actually pretty fun and watching any type of football beats no football at all, IMHO. The only real negative to me is that they insist on continuing with those dumba$$ mid-game interviews with the players, most of which are still gasping for breath when they shove the microphone in their face. There have been a lot of dumba$$ ideas in professional football, but that might just be the worst. Also, I really don't get why so many folks feel the need to $h!+ all over this and any other spring leagues that have tried to bring us out of season football. Exactly what damage are they doing to these people??
Not dumping on you or Spring football but it is pretty obvious that football solely for the sake of football is not much of a draw for the general public. Personally, I have to have some sort of personal connection or interest in a team, in any sport, to really have much interest in watching.
For me, it’s purely seasonal. Football just isn’t a spring sport.
Also, I just don’t find the level of play all that interesting. Somehow it seems even worse than college football, even though in theory it should be better.
Also, the environments are dead and lifeless.
They should partner with the NFL and use the same team names and stadiums of the NFL for the spring league. That would give better identity
Always seem to me Spring football leagues go in to big, expect to much, then are to impatient. NFL was not the NFL today even in the 1960's, takes time.
At least Skip Holtz has a job as HC of the Birmingham Stallions, I remember when Spurrier coached a Spring team in Orlando for a little while until the league folded, mid season, they were 7 and 1, and Spurrier complained they should of been named the one and only regular season champion, LOL.
At least Skip Holtz has a job as HC of the Birmingham Stallions, I remember when Spurrier coached a Spring team in Orlando for a little while until the league folded, mid season, they were 7 and 1, and Spurrier complained they should of been named the one and only regular season champion, LOL.
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Always seem to me Spring football leagues go in to big, expect to much, then are to impatient. NFL was not the NFL today even in the 1960's, takes time.
At least Skip Holtz has a job as HC of the Birmingham Stallions, I remember when Spurrier coached a Spring team in Orlando for a little while until the league folded, mid season, they were 7 and 1, and Spurrier complained they should of been named the one and only regular season champion, LOL.
Didn't he buy rings and declare them champs?
Found this article
LOOK: There's one AAF championship ring that actually exists and Steve Spurrier has it
Only one person got an AAF championship ring
By John Breech
Jul 22, 2019 at 4:33 pm ET•1 min read
Join the Conversation
The Alliance of American Football didn't last long enough to see a championship game get played, but one person did manage to get a championship ring and that person was Orlando Apollos coach Steve Spurrier.
Although Orlando didn't technically win the AAF -- the league went bankrupt and folded before a champion was declared -- several Apollos employees decided to pitch in and get Spurrier a ring anyway, according to WFTV in Orlando.
Here's what the only AAF championship ring in existence looks like.
It might not be as gaudy as a Super Bowl ring, but Spurrier will certainly be able to brag that it's much more rare. There's only one AAF ring in existence, but there are thousands of Super Bowl rings out there. Last season, the Patriots handed out more than 230 alone following their 13-3 win over the Rams in Super Bowl LIII (That being said, let's be honest, no one is ever going to brag about having an AAF ring).
If anyone was going to get a ring for winning the AAF, it's fitting that it's Spurrier. The Ol' Ball Coach led the Apollos to a 7-1 record, which was two games better than any other team in the league at the time the AAF went out business after eight weeks of action. Spurrier and the Apollos were also recognized as league champions by FanDuel, a company that paid out winnings to anyone who placed a straight bet on the Apollos to win the title.
Spurrier will now be able to add the AAF ring to his personal jewelry collection, which already includes one ring for winning a college national title while the coach at Florida in 1996.
I hate it but my interest in football in general is a shadow of what it was just three years ago, regardless of when it is played or who is playing.
I used to count the days down until the first game of college football season. Before then, I watched the NFL all day on Sundays and rarely missed a Monday night game. College football was where the real passion lay. Seeing kids leave it all on the field for the love of the team and the school and the passion of college football fans was unmatched in any sport. Now, the NFL is a thug/BLM league that hates me and hates this country so I really couldn't care less if they never played another game. College football is now nothing more than another pro league, a pro league without any real rules regarding free agency and bidding on players. I have a hard time caring very much about a bunch of mercenaries whose loyalty to the school, or lack of, means they are little more than temp workers wearing a uniform I like. My dislike of rival teams fans has even mellowed due to the fact that we are all now basically watching employees doing their jobs while wearing costumes we like.
Watching very much second (or third) tier talent players play football in the Spring in empty stadiums has pretty much zero appeal to me.
I'm thinking of trying to get into HS football more. The level of play is definitely lower but the players at least play with heart.
I used to count the days down until the first game of college football season. Before then, I watched the NFL all day on Sundays and rarely missed a Monday night game. College football was where the real passion lay. Seeing kids leave it all on the field for the love of the team and the school and the passion of college football fans was unmatched in any sport. Now, the NFL is a thug/BLM league that hates me and hates this country so I really couldn't care less if they never played another game. College football is now nothing more than another pro league, a pro league without any real rules regarding free agency and bidding on players. I have a hard time caring very much about a bunch of mercenaries whose loyalty to the school, or lack of, means they are little more than temp workers wearing a uniform I like. My dislike of rival teams fans has even mellowed due to the fact that we are all now basically watching employees doing their jobs while wearing costumes we like.
Watching very much second (or third) tier talent players play football in the Spring in empty stadiums has pretty much zero appeal to me.
I'm thinking of trying to get into HS football more. The level of play is definitely lower but the players at least play with heart.
No, D-III schools would be entertaining to watch but it is hard to see their games unless you go in person. I work with a guy who is a Mercer grad. He goes to some of their games and says the experience is great. They are a Southern Conference team and their home games have the same feel as bigger school games had back in the '70s. He says the school and the team actually acts like they appreciates the fans being there.
TV. Their games are actually very entertaining to watch. They are like top tier large HS games and are usually very competitive.
Well, when one of my grandsons was at my home a few weeks ago, I had a game on, knowing he loves football. I watched a little but I was not into it. It's the equivalent of going to a strip club. It's there. OK. Can't do anything with it.
I wouldn't know where to start to find D-III games on television. I don't follow any D-III programs but I have seen a few of their games over the years and they are entertaining to watch. I know a few people who went to smaller schools and they enjoy going to games a time or two a year. Newberry is a D-II program, attendance is generally around 2,000 per game. The fans who go tailgate and enjoy their game day like fans of larger programs do. Mercer is an FBS program, their attendance averages around 8-10,000 per game and the atmosphere is pretty good on game days.
My whole point is, big time college football has lost that intangible that made it special. Now, it is nothing more than another pro league ruined by money and greed on all sides with fans who are viewed as little more than sheep to be shorn by the athletic associations. The smaller colleges still have that feel SEC games had 40 years ago, players who play for the school and because they love playing football and fans that feel a strong connection to the school.
My bad, completely misunderstood. Thought you guys were talking about UFL season.
I agree completely on the D3 games. I usually only catch them during playoff time on TV. And you're right. They feel like college football used to feel like.
A 20% viewership decrease in Year 2 is no bueno:
ministryofsport.com
UFL takes massive ratings hit in second season - Ministry of Sport
Explore the UFL's second season struggles with declining ratings. Learn how the XFL and USFL is impacting the league's performance.
ministryofsport.com
That's an excellent description of what I've tried to convey in threads over the past few months re: college football. The lower NCAA divisions and the NAIA epitomize what many of us consider to be college football. Not from a standpoint of 5-star talent, but regarding the interactions between the schools, the fans, the players, and their goals.
I imagine D-III games televised is for the most part livestream.
I have not been to a live football game in over 40 years. TV will do for me if that.This what D1 football has become to the fan:
Hasn't been quite that long for me, but it's been a while. I would guess close to 20 years, maybe more, since I have been to a USC game. Now it's just not worth the time/expense/travel to see a potential loss. If I'm taking time off work, driving 10 hours (or flying), getting a hotel, etc, it's gotta be for a win over a good team. Have been to a couple PSU/MD games since I live in MD and my nephew comes down, but he pays, so I don't count those.
All-in-all, yes, watching TV is superior. Far better view, far more comfortable, far better food, far cheaper food, easy access to clean bathrooms. As an added bonus, I can turn the game if I get ticked.
Only part of the live game experience I never got to enjoy was a legit tailgating, and that always looked fun to me. I had some low-budget tailgates (takeout BBQ and drinks from a cooler), but nothing like the big setups you see.