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The 2024 UFL Thread


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2 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

All teams are based and train in Arlington TX, then fly to whichever city they are scheduled to play in. So they only need a place to play in Buffalo. Highmark is defiantly too large but is where we go to watch football. Then there's UB Stadium and All High in North Buffalo.

 

Meanwhile the UFL announce 8 players signed to NFL teams. 

 

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/ufl-announces-eight-players-have-signed-with-nfl-teams

 

 

It should so be UB.

 

The 12,000+ they would likely get would seem cozy in there, and it can handle up to 18K, I believe.  I really think it would draw.

 

 

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On 6/20/2024 at 6:49 PM, PromoTheRobot said:

 

On 6/20/2024 at 6:54 PM, PromoTheRobot said:

There was considerably more NFL attention to this league than the past iterations. Idk if it will help get more UFL players signed, but it seems that both sides are more accepting of this idea of a pseudo-farm system. 

 

I still say, if I'm a college player who's just sitting on the bench, I'd rather sign with a UFL team to get developed by some pro coaches and possibly get noticed by the NFL.

 

If this league stays, I'd love to see stories like that.

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15 hours ago, LeGOATski said:

 

There was considerably more NFL attention to this league than the past iterations. Idk if it will help get more UFL players signed, but it seems that both sides are more accepting of this idea of a pseudo-farm system. 

 

I still say, if I'm a college player who's just sitting on the bench, I'd rather sign with a UFL team to get developed by some pro coaches and possibly get noticed by the NFL.

 

If this league stays, I'd love to see stories like that.


 

IDK how overall true it is.  The NFL had an agreement in place with the XFL and the Rock to test certain things before coming to the NFL - so I am not sure how that agreement transferred to the UFL and how much the NFL really cares as long as the UFL stays a podunk league with little to no attention - I just don’t think the NFL cares about it and that goes for both players and coaches.  I also do not think they see it as a pseudo farm team, but just another minor place to pick up some preseason roster fillers - similar to the arena league in years gone by.  

 

As for a college player - if I am on the bench - I am 99 out of a hundred using the transfer window and staying in college over the UFL at this point.  The combined spring leagues last year with 2x the players saw several guys get try-out and I think only 2 made active rosters.  A few made practice squads, but if you compare that to the college draft and UDFA rate - it is still significantly lower.

 

This year we may see a few additional kickers make NFL rosters - especially as they have experience with the new kick-off rules, but I still think the number of position players that make actual NFL rosters will be very low compared to other avenues.

 

There is also the pay scale - which the UFL actually lowered compared to the XFL with the lack of competition - it was especially noticeable with QBs and the terrible QB play in the UFL.  Players actually have a much better chance to make more money with a limited licensing deal in college than the up to $5500 a week in the UFL for 10 games potentially - where you still have to find living accommodations and some meals - with a small stipend.

 

There may be a few guys that get kicked out of college and need a second chance, but until the UFL can expand and actually get some talent  - those types of stories will be limited. 
 

I honestly think the biggest problem with the UFL is actually the same thing that keeps it afloat.  The UFL exists because the TV networks want the product.  Fox, NBC, ABC, and ESPN basically fund the league which is the only reason they have survived, but only provide enough to ensure it is able to function.  The league itself had less than adequate attendance at games and unless the numbers go up - the networks are not going to have a bidding war over a product they own - so financially they are in a limbo - surviving on what they are given, but unable to financially grow significantly so they will struggle to compete with college ball for players that are in good standing.

 

If the UFL was independent of the networks - they could force a bidding war and maybe make some money to really grow, but they could not afford the production costs as that has doomed other leagues and needed the networks to survive the early years.

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2 hours ago, Rochesterfan said:


 

IDK how overall true it is.  The NFL had an agreement in place with the XFL and the Rock to test certain things before coming to the NFL - so I am not sure how that agreement transferred to the UFL and how much the NFL really cares as long as the UFL stays a podunk league with little to no attention - I just don’t think the NFL cares about it and that goes for both players and coaches.  I also do not think they see it as a pseudo farm team, but just another minor place to pick up some preseason roster fillers - similar to the arena league in years gone by.  

 

As for a college player - if I am on the bench - I am 99 out of a hundred using the transfer window and staying in college over the UFL at this point.  The combined spring leagues last year with 2x the players saw several guys get try-out and I think only 2 made active rosters.  A few made practice squads, but if you compare that to the college draft and UDFA rate - it is still significantly lower.

 

This year we may see a few additional kickers make NFL rosters - especially as they have experience with the new kick-off rules, but I still think the number of position players that make actual NFL rosters will be very low compared to other avenues.

 

There is also the pay scale - which the UFL actually lowered compared to the XFL with the lack of competition - it was especially noticeable with QBs and the terrible QB play in the UFL.  Players actually have a much better chance to make more money with a limited licensing deal in college than the up to $5500 a week in the UFL for 10 games potentially - where you still have to find living accommodations and some meals - with a small stipend.

 

There may be a few guys that get kicked out of college and need a second chance, but until the UFL can expand and actually get some talent  - those types of stories will be limited. 
 

I honestly think the biggest problem with the UFL is actually the same thing that keeps it afloat.  The UFL exists because the TV networks want the product.  Fox, NBC, ABC, and ESPN basically fund the league which is the only reason they have survived, but only provide enough to ensure it is able to function.  The league itself had less than adequate attendance at games and unless the numbers go up - the networks are not going to have a bidding war over a product they own - so financially they are in a limbo - surviving on what they are given, but unable to financially grow significantly so they will struggle to compete with college ball for players that are in good standing.

 

If the UFL was independent of the networks - they could force a bidding war and maybe make some money to really grow, but they could not afford the production costs as that has doomed other leagues and needed the networks to survive the early years.

They definitely need some real investors who are interested in owning the teams.

 

I keep seeing people say college athletes can make more money now, but that only seems true for the top tier. I'm talking about lower tier guys. If my dream is to play football and I'm not a scholarship guy, I'd much rather make football my sole focus and get paid while learning from pro coaches, then go to college later.

 

It's probably a pipe dream, but these spring leagues need to somehow tap into the college talent pool. It would require some deeper pockets. 

 

Other than that, they need to somehow work it out with the NFL to allow their backups and practice-squaders to play spring football.

 

The UFL talent pool just isn't interesting enough.

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  • 2 weeks later...
4 hours ago, Punching Bag said:

Most interesting part to me was Mindfly body armor camera used by UFL officials.

There are so many bad calls in NFL that this would allow NFL to train their over priced part time zebras to correctly make calls.

https://www.sportsvideo.org/2024/06/07/espn-deploys-pair-of-mindfly-bodycams-on-referees-for-ufl-semifinal-matchup-on-abc/

I do like hearing the ref chatter during games. And you know what? There were few if any bad calls because they weren't afraid to reverse calls when needed 

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8 hours ago, Punching Bag said:

Most interesting part to me was Mindfly body armor camera used by UFL officials.

There are so many bad calls in NFL that this would allow NFL to train their over priced part time zebras to correctly make calls.

https://www.sportsvideo.org/2024/06/07/espn-deploys-pair-of-mindfly-bodycams-on-referees-for-ufl-semifinal-matchup-on-abc/

 

3 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

I do like hearing the ref chatter during games. And you know what? There were few if any bad calls because they weren't afraid to reverse calls when needed 

Yep, it's not hard to do this stuff. The NFL simply refuses.

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