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UNFL plans to be feeder league not a rival to NFL
Michigan
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in Sports Talk
NFL teams drafted 252 players in seven rounds spread over two days and then on Sunday night began their pursuit of those who went undrafted. Not all of the players who sign or go to training camp can or will land roster spots on the 32 teams, due to inexperience or the simple need for more time to develop their skills.
Perhaps what's required is an internship. And that's what the United National Football League (UNFL) hopes to provide — a gateway to the top echelon of the sport as a feeder league.
The UNFL hopes to begin a 10-week season in 2009 with eight teams, each carrying 60 players. It would be almost like a junior college, with the players limited to two UNFL seasons before they "transfer." Salaries: $1,000 a week.
"There is an abundance of players who can play in the NFL but they don't have the right opportunity or the right management," says Marvin Tomlin, the league's CEO and founder. "These are young men who went to college who think the NFL is similar to the college game but it isn't. They have to get acclimated to the speed of the game. We plan to give them 14 weeks (including four preseason games) to do that."
Tomlin, 39, a businessman based in New Haven, Conn., played in the Canadian Football League. He knows that the NFL's periodic competitors, even when they focus on the late winter and spring, rarely survive the struggle. So he positions this start-up as anything but a rival.
The recently named UNFL commissioner is Joe Cribbs, the former Buffalo Bills running back, who also played in the USFL, which lasted from 1983-85. Cribbs also was involved with the AAFL, which ran into funding issues and is now on hold until next year. The XFL lasted only one season, and at least one more league has pushed its debut into 2009. The NFL's own off-brand, variously known as the World League of American Football, World League, NFL Europe and NFL Europa, expired last spring.
Rather than fight the NFL, Tomlin wants to feed it and "showcase" players who aren't quite ready for prime time. He says he has three stadium agreements in place, three team owners lined up and two more that are "pending." He's hopeful of regional and local TV broadcasts and expects tickets to sell for about $11 a game.
Finding players shouldn't be too difficult, says agent Ronald Todd II, who often works with athletes from smaller schools.
"These kids have got to find a place to play and they can't all go to Canada or the Arena Football League. It would be an asset for them to be able to play under the lights and have current film for the NFL," he says.
Rosters would feature 60 players — 40 from Division I-A and the rest from lower levels. To limit costs, no player would be paid more than another, all salaries would come from the league office and players would have to move on after two years. They would be ineligible once they sign with a pro team.
Providing a bridge or training ground, somewhat like the NBA's D-League, could provide an avenue into pro football, other than Canada or Arena football.
"This," Tomlin says, "gives players the chance to fight each week for their dream."
Perhaps what's required is an internship. And that's what the United National Football League (UNFL) hopes to provide — a gateway to the top echelon of the sport as a feeder league.
The UNFL hopes to begin a 10-week season in 2009 with eight teams, each carrying 60 players. It would be almost like a junior college, with the players limited to two UNFL seasons before they "transfer." Salaries: $1,000 a week.
"There is an abundance of players who can play in the NFL but they don't have the right opportunity or the right management," says Marvin Tomlin, the league's CEO and founder. "These are young men who went to college who think the NFL is similar to the college game but it isn't. They have to get acclimated to the speed of the game. We plan to give them 14 weeks (including four preseason games) to do that."
Tomlin, 39, a businessman based in New Haven, Conn., played in the Canadian Football League. He knows that the NFL's periodic competitors, even when they focus on the late winter and spring, rarely survive the struggle. So he positions this start-up as anything but a rival.
The recently named UNFL commissioner is Joe Cribbs, the former Buffalo Bills running back, who also played in the USFL, which lasted from 1983-85. Cribbs also was involved with the AAFL, which ran into funding issues and is now on hold until next year. The XFL lasted only one season, and at least one more league has pushed its debut into 2009. The NFL's own off-brand, variously known as the World League of American Football, World League, NFL Europe and NFL Europa, expired last spring.
Rather than fight the NFL, Tomlin wants to feed it and "showcase" players who aren't quite ready for prime time. He says he has three stadium agreements in place, three team owners lined up and two more that are "pending." He's hopeful of regional and local TV broadcasts and expects tickets to sell for about $11 a game.
Finding players shouldn't be too difficult, says agent Ronald Todd II, who often works with athletes from smaller schools.
"These kids have got to find a place to play and they can't all go to Canada or the Arena Football League. It would be an asset for them to be able to play under the lights and have current film for the NFL," he says.
Rosters would feature 60 players — 40 from Division I-A and the rest from lower levels. To limit costs, no player would be paid more than another, all salaries would come from the league office and players would have to move on after two years. They would be ineligible once they sign with a pro team.
Providing a bridge or training ground, somewhat like the NBA's D-League, could provide an avenue into pro football, other than Canada or Arena football.
"This," Tomlin says, "gives players the chance to fight each week for their dream."
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Comments
<< <i>"These kids have got to find a place to play and they can't all go to Canada or the Arena Football League. It would be an asset for them to be able to play under the lights and have current film for the NFL," he says. >>
yes, it would be a shame if they had to fall back on their college education to support themselves
<< <i>
<< <i>"These kids have got to find a place to play and they can't all go to Canada or the Arena Football League. It would be an asset for them to be able to play under the lights and have current film for the NFL," he says. >>
yes, it would be a shame if they had to fall back on their college education to support themselves >>
What has education got to do with college football other than the location of the stadium is usually on a college campus?
<< <i>Yea, but who's gonna pay enough to watch these games to support the league? Simply put...a bad idea that won't work...basically a scheme to scam some naive rich people out of their money. >>
I have my doubts about this as well.
<< <i>
<< <i>Yea, but who's gonna pay enough to watch these games to support the league? Simply put...a bad idea that won't work...basically a scheme to scam some naive rich people out of their money. >>
I have my doubts about this as well. >>
The scam "sales pitch" is probably going to be that minor league baseball is fairly popular and this could be like that - football doesn't work that way, and some sucker rich people will eventually find that out, when their "investment" becomes worthless.
I believe that the NFL will file suit to prevent them from using this name with National Football League in the name - these operators with this idea probably already know this and are doing it anyway to generate publicity - this thing has got SCAM written all over it in my opinion.
The scam "sales pitch" is probably going to be that minor league baseball is fairly popular and this could be like that - football doesn't work that way,
Sorta like MLB and the NFL are apples and oranges and what works for one may not work or may not be needed for the other?
Only way it could work is if it had the backing of the NFL.
Steve