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Post by EvilVodka on Feb 15, 2017 14:08:23 GMT
What if you had a league kick off right now? I'd be watching it
I think the market is out there for another pro league. Arena Football and the XFL were too gimmicky...If you just had something that was basic football, maybe with 12 min quarters...
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Post by FLORIDA HERD FAN on Feb 15, 2017 14:59:33 GMT
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Post by Bevo on Feb 15, 2017 16:01:16 GMT
It wasn't working in the spring, for most franchises. The ones in cities having no pro baseball were doing OK in attendance. But, many of the others (even Houston, with a really good team) were struggling financially.
Moving to the fall was an "all-or-nothing" move to try to force a merger with the NFL. They thought they had an air-tight anti-trust case. Actually, they did. They "won"..... But, juries can be fickle, and/or stupid. That's something the G5 conferences might want to keep in mind, should they ever decide to pursue an anti-trust case against the CFP.
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Post by FLORIDA HERD FAN on Feb 15, 2017 18:34:40 GMT
It did work in the spring for the franchises that followed the rules.
I used to go to the Tampa Bay Bandits games, which was a lot more enjoyable than watching the Buccaneers.
The blame for the demise of the USFL has generally been attributed to Donald Trump. But, I'm sure that several others did their fair share to contribute to its downfall.
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Post by Bevo on Feb 15, 2017 19:16:56 GMT
The blame for the demise of the USFL has generally been attributed to Donald Trump.
By who? I've never read that anywhere? No place that's credible anyway.
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Post by Bevo on Feb 15, 2017 19:24:41 GMT
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Post by FLORIDA HERD FAN on Feb 15, 2017 19:57:44 GMT
The blame for the demise of the USFL has generally been attributed to Donald Trump.
By who? I've never read that anywhere? No place that's credible anyway.
Old news. Try to keep up. (just kidding) "1. Trump is widely blamed for the demise of the USFL Soon after Trump bought the Generals after the USFL's inaugural season, which was played in the spring of 1983, he started pushing his fellow owners to move the league's games to the fall and go head-to-head with the NFL. "If God wanted football in the spring," Trump once said, "he wouldn't have created baseball." After the league's third season, the owners agreed to move to a fall schedule in 1986. "I think it was a big mistake," said Dr. Ted Diethrich, one of the league's original owners. "When that decision was made, the course for this was charted, and it was going to be a wreck." www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/13255737/five-things-know-donald-trump-usfl-experience |
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Post by FLORIDA HERD FAN on Feb 15, 2017 20:06:38 GMT
It was a monumentally stupid idea that was doomed to fail. Trump believed, unrealistically, that the NFL would want to merge with the USFL. That was delusional. There was zero chance of that ever happening. Trump's backup plan was to sue. How many ways was the $3.00 divied up? Also, from the ESPN article: "Several teams were having financial difficulties at the time, and the league lacked the fall TV contracts that supported the NFL. The USFL instead tried to take on the NFL in the courts by filing an antitrust lawsuit. The hope was that the USFL would either merge with the established league or win a sizable settlement. The merger never happened, and despite winning the lawsuit, the USFL was ultimately awarded only $3 for its troubles. The league soon folded, and Trump's push for the fall schedule and a lawsuit against the NFL is generally cited as the main reason." |
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Post by Bevo on Feb 16, 2017 3:59:37 GMT
It was a monumentally stupid idea that was doomed to fail. I tried to bet money that you would say that, but... the odds were astronomically poor. The league was NOT making money, even after three years... MANY of the owners couldn't continue. They had to do something. It wasn't crazy to think a merger could happen, at least for a few of the better teams. That is how the NFL dealt with the AFL threat not THAT many years before. Nor was it unreasonable to think a large settlement might be achievable in an anti-trust suit. The NFL was guilty, very guilty, of anti-trust behavior. HALF of the jurors were prepared to make a huge award... half weren't. It was close. At that point, the USFL owners were just lookin to recover some of the money they'd lost. They had a good shot at it. For the record, I don't consider ESPN to be a credible source on anything involving Trump. The LA Times article I linked was from the time of the suit. There was ZERO mention of Trump in the entire article. It wasn't JUST Trump.. The league required a 2/3'rds vote of owners to move to the fall. For sure, Trump was pushing for it. But, he only had ONE vote. They didn't have much choice. |
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Post by FLORIDA HERD FAN on Feb 16, 2017 5:44:18 GMT
The odds were that I would call it a monumentally stupid idea -- because it was.
The USFL was highly entertaining, but it wasn't quality football. Two mediocre boxers can put on an entertaining show. The AFL, at least, had teams that were capable of playing competitively with some NFL teams.
The USFL found a niche in which it could have been successful -- had it stuck with its original model and guidelines.
Somehow, I have a feeling that no matter the source I provided, you would have found it to be unreliable. When I did a simple Google search for Trump and the USFL, there were pages and pages of references about how he was responsible for the USFL's demise.
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Post by Bevo on Feb 16, 2017 12:59:12 GMT
The USFL found a niche in which it could have been successful -- had it stuck with its original model and guidelines. There's the biggest flaw in your argument that Trump ruined it all: Several teams/owners had already strayed from the original model and guidelines before Trump had even purchased the Generals. They were floundering. Somehow, I have a feeling that no matter the source I provided, you would have found it to be unreliable. When I did a simple Google search for Trump and the USFL, there were pages and pages of references about how he was responsible for the USFL's demise. Yes... I saw them too. From a bunch of liberal rags like Salon.com, New York Times, ESPN, Mother Jones, etc, etc... Most written in the past few years... (ie: after Trump entered the political realm) I trust VERY LITTLE that I see on TV or read in the paper anymore. These people are out of their freaking minds. I am more persuaded by articles written NEAR THE TIME the USFL existed. Trump was a leader in the decision to switch to the fall and to sue. He was not alone. It didn't work. But, that doesn't change the fact that the league was failing, and bold moves were needed. AFTER the court loss, two networks offered much more substantial TV packages for the Spring. No owner wanted to continue. Basically, I think they were done BEFORE the suit, and were just hoping to recoup some losses. |
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Post by FLORIDA HERD FAN on Feb 16, 2017 15:20:59 GMT
The inept ownerships problems were correctable. The move from the spring to the fall that doomed the USFL was not correctable. I had not seen any of the articles from recent years until I did the Google search. My recollection that Trump was responsible for the demise of the USFL was contemporaneous with the time. It is unlikely that you will find articles from the time online because the Internet wouldn't become mainstream for another decade. I just did another Google search for "trump USFL". Every search result, except one, linked to an article that blamed Trump for killing the USFL. Most were harsh, and some were more gentle (Fox Sports and Wikipedia). The singular exception was Trump's own recollection, in which he rationalized his personal financial losses by claiming that he received a billion in free publicity. Whether or not that is the case, his ego and actions did result in the successful team owners losing everything. Here is another history lesson: www.esquire.com/news-politics/a41135/donaldTrump's take: www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/trump-defends-usfl-readies-bid-bills-article-1.1780131 |
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Post by Bevo on Feb 17, 2017 14:50:54 GMT
My recollection that Trump was responsible for the demise of the USFL was contemporaneous with the time. LOL! Yea, I believe that. You might have a future working at the CNN VFN Division.  I loved the USFL. Was a big fan of Jim Kelly and the Houston Gamblers. But, the Gamblers (despite success on the field) were losing money... unsustainably so. I actually had no recollection of Trump even being part of the USFL until I recently read about it in his book. Trump was NOT the first thing on everyone's brain back then. It is unlikely that you will find articles from the time online because the Internet wouldn't become mainstream for another decade. I already found one, and posted it.... Naturally, you didn't bother to read it. It was the LA Times, contemporaneous...They don't blame Trump for the league's failure.
Not so much of a history lesson as it is a fine example of an "agenda-oriented' news article. I will give them credit for one thing: Even this hit piece admitted that the "league was failing" BEFORE the attempt to move to the fall.
"USFL, which has lost nearly $200 million in its three years of existence, "
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Post by FLORIDA HERD FAN on Feb 17, 2017 19:34:19 GMT
Ho hum...
Trump doesn't have many defenders on this, but I am sure that he appreciates your going to bat for him.
I enjoyed the Tampa Bay Bandits. Good franchise, did most things the right way. Good young coach -- Steve Spurrier.
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Post by Bevo on Feb 17, 2017 19:50:55 GMT
Ho hum... Trump doesn't have many defenders on this, but I am sure that he appreciates your going to bat for him. I enjoyed the Tampa Bay Bandits. Good franchise, did most things the right way. Good young coach -- Steve Spurrier. LOL You just want to give Trump more credit than he deserves.
I say: He tried, and failed, to save a dying league. You say: He killed the league.
To each his own.
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