UFL 2025: Make Or Break Season for Spring Pro Football

[4th&long]

I don't think we can just poo-poo this because Mike is citing sources in the UFL saying this.

The optimist in me says this is people in the league setting the bar low so people will be impressed as long as they don't fall on their faces in 2025. 

Or just a way to get the most of the staff - ie no sitting back, we need everyone going all out... that  kinda thing. 

And this is after a very solid TV year, best since 2020 which was only half a season.  There may be expectations for Friday night which might have an outsized impact on a decision.  But when u had your best year in 2024 (USFL 2022/23 and XFL 2023) and sports are taking over TV, you'd think all parties want this to continue to rise.  They got 1.6million viewers for the championship that was a 25-0 blow out, a better game and more parity in the season has got to help.

Now could certain markets be an issue... that's more likely.

[MGB01]

I don't think we can just poo-poo this because Mike is citing sources in the UFL saying this.

The optimist in me says this is people in the league setting the bar low so people will be impressed as long as they don't fall on their faces in 2025. 

Well they will go away if certain markets don't pick it up, that's not news. But who are these sources and why are they coming out and going all Tom Dundon-lite? (although that may have been answered in another thread)

These saboteurs I mentioned six months ago?

[4th&long]

The SA Express-News sure doesn't it make it sound like the UFL is going anywhere:

 https://www.expressnews.com/sports/arti ... 817959.php

You'll hae to work around the page but it certainly sounds like UFLis looking to be around...

[Coffeeeyes]

TSN’s Dave Naylor spoke on this article, saying he’s not surprised, and saying he believes the number one issue the UFL is facing is distinguishing itself from being a developmental league. The CFL and UFL have similar talent levels but the Grey Cup means something in Canada, the UFL championship is a diet-ring. 

[4th&long]

TSN’s Dave Naylor spoke on this article, saying he’s not surprised, and saying he believes the number one issue the UFL is facing is distinguishing itself from being a developmental league. The CFL and UFL have similar talent levels but the Grey Cup means something in Canada, the UFL championship is a diet-ring. 

The UFL is what it is - exciting spring FB.  People watch - more per game than the CFL, sure America is bigger, but that's why CFL is capped but UFL can reach new heights.  CFL exists because NFL hasn't gone into Canada - if they do CFL only survival is to be a spring league.

The player 54 crapola is GONE, brutal marketing ploy.  Perhaps the comments from Johnston is why Fox is shying away from saying former UFLer during NFL games when Aubrey Turpin or Bates etc... make a play.

Naylor is also wrong:
>>“I think the primary difference between spring football and CFL, and God I hope the CFL never goes there, is that those are development leagues. Those leagues are in the business of developing players to try to make the National Football League. That is not the business of the CFL. Some players could use it that way, but the mission of the CFL is that nine teams are competing for a Grey Cup. That, period. It’s not developmental football. But those leagues are. You’re not going to have players playing in the UFL for five, six, seven or 10 years like you do in the CFL. You’re going to see guys there a few seasons at a time. They either want it to happen in the NFL or move on to the CFL.” <<

REALLY - How many players are entering their 3rd, 4th or 5th even spring season.  Considering how long Spring-FB has been around - that's good.
Perez - 2019 AAF, 2020-XFL, 2021-TSL, 2022-USFL, 2023-XFL, 2024-UFL.  There are others like Sal Canella and Yarbary etc...
Get your facts right Naylor.

The SA-News article has Russ Brandon talking about being in SA for "years to come".

I'll say this - will Mike M's reach inside the UFL be crimped now that he printed such an article.  His insider status may be limited in 2025 season, just a thought. 

[MGB01]

TSN’s Dave Naylor spoke on this article, saying he’s not surprised, and saying he believes the number one issue the UFL is facing is distinguishing itself from being a developmental league. The CFL and UFL have similar talent levels but the Grey Cup means something in Canada, the UFL championship is a diet-ring. 

Dave Naylor=DaveDaHammer, change my mind

[mnrlgrey]

Hyperbolic speculation. 

Not worthy of a response. 




 

I agree to a degree. But MM wrote on it and James L, the two unique league insiders, used similar terminology (actually a few weeks before) in a podcast.  It may be legit or not and what constitutes a good year?  Who the F--- even knows?  I could just be a way to get the troops more motivated, or just bs.

At any rate the league has a strong hire in Whisenhunt, is moving forward with more showcases and 2025 season.  The cost structure is low (relative) and they don't have a merger to contend with.  Granted economic impact is not helping with cost and fan disposable income but coming off asolid 2024 they should have a good 2025.  Friday nights may be a key.

Personally I don't feel like Mitchel or Larson are much of insiders. I always look back to the merger, not a single one of these amateur journalists (I guess Mitchell is a bit more professional these days but even still) had a single clue it was happening. It was some random lady from Forbes who broke the story, someone who never reported on spring football before or since. In fact all these guys considered it so unlikely they were getting annoyed with the idea even being presented anymore. 

So personally I take all of them with a grain of salt. I don't think either of those two, let alone the rest, have any serious sources inside the league office. If they didn't even find out the merger was taking place weeks before it happened I doubt they have a crystal ball into a league shutdown a year into the future.

[johnnyangryfuzzball]

Mitchell did have some inside connections giving him the attendance figures fwiw. He may well have connections but not in the same department that was negotiating the merger. 

Larsen OTOH had so many wrong reports on that merger lead-up (10 teams! No, 12 but all the USFL teams and six hubs! No...) that it was laughable. He is a click chaser.

[laxtreme56]

I believe Mitchell was more connected with XFL brass than the USFL. Now that Fox seems to be steering the ship more than Redbird, Mike Mitchell is probably more of an outsider than insider at this point.

[4th&long]

Hyperbolic speculation. 

Not worthy of a response. 








 

I agree to a degree. But MM wrote on it and James L, the two unique league insiders, used similar terminology (actually a few weeks before) in a podcast.  It may be legit or not and what constitutes a good year?  Who the F--- even knows?  I could just be a way to get the troops more motivated, or just bs.

At any rate the league has a strong hire in Whisenhunt, is moving forward with more showcases and 2025 season.  The cost structure is low (relative) and they don't have a merger to contend with.  Granted economic impact is not helping with cost and fan disposable income but coming off asolid 2024 they should have a good 2025.  Friday nights may be a key.

Personally I don't feel like Mitchel or Larson are much of insiders. I always look back to the merger, not a single one of these amateur journalists (I guess Mitchell is a bit more professional these days but even still) had a single clue it was happening. It was some random lady from Forbes who broke the story, someone who never reported on spring football before or since. In fact all these guys considered it so unlikely they were getting annoyed with the idea even being presented anymore. 

So personally I take all of them with a grain of salt. I don't think either of those two, let alone the rest, have any serious sources inside the league office. If they didn't even find out the merger was taking place weeks before it happened I doubt they have a crystal ball into a league shutdown a year into the future.

I called it on just plan Common Sense - never should have started separate XFL - been saying (POSTING on here) all along merge!  Esp after the XFL 2023 Championship - I said RBC should be on the phone now with Fox/USFL - There's no room for 2 leagues.  Neither side blinked so it was merge merge merge 

For some reason Reid and MM and others had this idea the leagues were that different to merge- they weren't!  I mean down to the hub, TV, salary ranges, # of teams players etc...