OT: Would you support a Buffalo spring football team?

[RobbRiddick]

5 minutes ago, EmotionallyUnstable said:

Nah. 

It it were a farm league system, then I could see interest. The problem is that a FREE NFL farm league already exists for them within the NCAA 

 

If you had a league where it was basically a B team like in soccer, I'd take some interest because you'd at least get excited about finding some diamonds in the rough. They could hold a second draft as well after the main one instead of having all the undrafted free agents.

 

I'd enjoy that I think. Something like the world league though? Nah. Having that direct connection to the Bills would make me interested enough to keep watching 

[danc]

3 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

They couldn't fill a minor league park for the Blue Jays last summer. And you can forget the NBA.

Right, because Canisius and the Sabres would screw an NBA team again!!

[PromoTheRobot]

2 hours ago, danc said:

Right, because Canisius and the Sabres would screw an NBA team again!!

 

There isn't enough money for another pro franchise in WNY. We're lucky to have the NFL and NHL. 

[Conlan58]

I usually venture to WNY every spring/summer - I would certainly alter my schedule to attend a tailgate and game! 

[clayboy54]

Unless the team would be willing to fire the coach and cut the MLB after every loss, the fans would never support the team!

[Chicharito]

How about the NFL moves the season to the spring? That way we don’t have to decide on a 1.4 billion dollar open air stadium or a 1.7 billion dollar dome. I don’t know about you but to me cold weather sucks.

[JohnNord]

On 12/31/2021 at 12:07 PM, PromoTheRobot said:

USFL is relaunching this spring and the XFL is supposed to restart in 2023. Both have discussed new cities. How would a spring football team do in Buffalo? 

 

These teams are mostly in warm weather cities. But since we don't care about bad weather in Buffalo, how would a team do here? 20K would be considered very good attendance. Do we love football (and tailgating) enough to do it in the spring too?

Hell no.  Part of the reason why Spring leagues don’t work is that you need somewhat of a reprieve from sports.  The off-season, gives fans a re-charge while anticipating builds for the start of a new year. 

 

How many failed leagues have to created and closed before people understand?  
 

If anything, I think a product like the Arena League had the right idea by offering a product that was a little different from traditional NFL/college football

[BADOLBILZ]

6 minutes ago, JohnNord said:

Hell no.  Part of the reason why Spring leagues don’t work is that you need somewhat of a reprieve from sports.  

 

A reprieve from a sport played once per week? 

 

As soon as football ends.....in addition to following the draft/FA..........I start following NCAA hoops,  NBA and NHL a little closer and a couple weeks later I am watching MLB spring training games.    

 

I know there are people on here who just follow the NFL because of the Bills..........we have a contingent of that at our tailgate and that's always going to be a % of NFL fans...........but there is no need for reprieve from sports for real fans of it.

[Boris12]

On 12/31/2021 at 6:05 PM, TheCockSportif said:

Two words: Buffalo Destroyers.

Yup

[cba fan]

On 12/31/2021 at 2:39 PM, First Round Bust said:

But where would a Buffalo-based team play if cant swing a deal at the Bills stadium or UB ?

Columbus? 😎😁🤣🤣🤣

[TheFunPolice]

I always want to care about spring football but even us fanatics need a little break from the game after the SB

[PromoTheRobot]

On 12/31/2021 at 3:39 PM, First Round Bust said:

 

But where would a Buffalo-based team play if cant swing a deal at the Bills stadium or UB ?

 

I can't imagine not being allowed in Highmark or UB stadium, but there are other options.  All High in North Buffalo or Buff Sate Stadium are two. Then there's Veterans/Ron Jaworski Stadium in Lackawanna. You only need room for about 10,000 fans.

 

But in order to have a chance of working, you have to play at Highmark.

Edited January 4, 2022 by PromoTheRobot

[Milanos Milano]

Absolutely I’d be interested in a Buffalo alternate football team. Even more so if it was a “minor league” team affiliated with the team. I honestly wish the NFL had a minor league. There are enough college football cast offs that don’t get drafted/signed that would still make things interesting. Even backyard football keeps me interested. 

[Nextmanup]

3 minutes ago, IronMaidenBills said:

Absolutely I’d be interested in a Buffalo alternate football team. Even more so if it was a “minor league” team affiliated with the team. I honestly wish the NFL had a minor league. There are enough college football cast offs that don’t get drafted/signed that would still make things interesting. Even backyard football keeps me interested. 

Now you are onto a different topic altogether, but it's interesting.

 

I think an NFL minor league would be really interesting.  And it would open up the door for NFL teams to bring in and develop talent in a different way.  It would be better for players in general.

 

Think of the QBs that could be drafted and sent to the minors, waiting for the surprises to emerge.

 

The NFL might even pick up a few QB stars that way, with guys no one ever thought would make it.

 

 

[Freak-O]

On 12/31/2021 at 7:35 PM, No Place To Hyde said:

I'd watch out of curiosity and at least give it a chance to capture my attention. 

 

Smartest thing they could do is sign Duke Williams, Antonio Williams and Christian Wade. Bills fans would show up in droves.

And Michael Jasper.

[LeGOATski]

7 minutes ago, IronMaidenBills said:

Absolutely I’d be interested in a Buffalo alternate football team. Even more so if it was a “minor league” team affiliated with the team. I honestly wish the NFL had a minor league. There are enough college football cast offs that don’t get drafted/signed that would still make things interesting. Even backyard football keeps me interested. 

Yep. Some people complain that the talent level is not worth watching, but it's pretty much the same as your average college game. And in the case of a minor league, these are players we'd be invested in as part of the Buffalo Bills. We'd actually get to see guys like Wade, Hodgins, and Fromm playing pro-style football. I think one rule would be that the minor league team has to run the same playbook as their NFL affiliate.

[Milanos Milano]

18 minutes ago, Nextmanup said:

Now you are onto a different topic altogether, but it's interesting.

 

I think an NFL minor league would be really interesting.  And it would open up the door for NFL teams to bring in and develop talent in a different way.  It would be better for players in general.

 

Think of the QBs that could be drafted and sent to the minors, waiting for the surprises to emerge.

 

The NFL might even pick up a few QB stars that way, with guys no one ever thought would make it.

 

 

 

Honestly a minor league NFL would do wonders for NFL teams and fans. I’d run the league from February to July, and at the end of the minor league season, players can be invited up camps and sent back down. Let practice squad players/draft picks play in the minors in the offseason if they want the extra practice for real live experience. 

The NFL makes a ton of money now, they could easily support a minor league team. 

Edited January 5, 2022 by IronMaidenBills

[thenorthremembers]

I'd watch and go.  My kids love football, and it would be more cost friendly and probably family friendly.    Would help if the team was an affiliate of an NFL team but even without that we'd go.

[Saxum]

29 minutes ago, Freak-O said:

And Michael Jasper.

 

Mike Jasper is doing very well coaching college football.

Had a very nice conversation with him.

19 minutes ago, IronMaidenBills said:

 

Honestly a minor league NFL would do wonders for NFL teams and fans. I’d run the league from February to July, and at the end of the minor league season, players can be invited up camps and sent back down. Let practice squad players/draft picks play in the minors in the offseason if they want the extra practice for real live experience. 

The NFL makes a ton of money now, they could easily support a minor league team. 

 

And to encourage teams to get domes only NFL teams with domes could get teams.

NFL Fair Weather League

[Milanos Milano]

On 1/1/2022 at 9:48 AM, BADOLBILZ said:

 

A reprieve from a sport played once per week? 

 

As soon as football ends.....in addition to following the draft/FA..........I start following NCAA hoops,  NBA and NHL a little closer and a couple weeks later I am watching MLB spring training games.    

 

I know there are people on here who just follow the NFL because of the Bills..........we have a contingent of that at our tailgate and that's always going to be a % of NFL fans...........but there is no need for reprieve from sports for real fans of it.

I could literally tune in and watch a football game 365 days a year. Any other sport and eventually I would grow tired, but not football.