Post by sportspro2018 on Mar 12, 2018 0:36:07 GMT -5
Dear to anyone that's really into football:
There are over a thousand semi pro football teams around the country filled with players who just love playing the game for fun or are developing their skills to one-day play professionally in the NFL, CFL, or AFL. For those wanting to play professionally, there aren't a lot of opportunities to do so if they don't make it on their first try. There are some players that are really good and could make the NFL, but need a little extra time to develop their skills. However, with football being such a physical and exhausting sport the players can only play the game so much. Unless they can play professionally right after college, their chances of going pro are almost zero. Many investors for decades have tried to form a new pro football league, but none of them have come close to being successful (at least not more than a few years).
I have been studying the business of sports leagues for quite some time and have come with a creative idea on how to form a new professional football league. If anyone has been following the saga of American Soccer in the past decade will know that there are two main components for success: loyal fan base and club recognition. That's how lower level soccer clubs have been able to move up to higher levels on the US Soccer Pyramid (Orlando City SC, Montreal Impact, and Minnesota United FC are the best examples of this).
Passionate fans following the club with tremendous attendance at games has lead the club to being promoted to the highest level of soccer, not solely because the owner(s) has the money to do so. It's true there has to be money for any club to become a professional business, but having the fans who attend games in any weather, buy merchandise at any price, and give generous donations to the club are what gives the owner(s) the motivation to offer the highest quality of soccer possible.
The most passionate fans for soccer clubs are refer to as "supporters’ groups". They are the ones that keep the club afloat and drive the potential to move the club up the soccer pyramid. Also, they let the community know of the club's existence, which helps the club's brand recognition. Supporters clubs have really helped grow the popularity of soccer in the United States on all levels especially the amateur/semi-pro clubs. If it wasn't for them, the clubs would hardly have anyone outside of family and friends attending the games. The clubs have a really strong fan base as an amateur/semi-pro club, but the popularity would go up exponentially if it were to become professional.
I feel the same can be true for several amateur/semi-pro football teams around the country. What I mean is the success that US soccer clubs have made can be passed on to clubs of other sports as well. Some teams have great attendance and support from the fans, but can have an even greater following if they are able to play at a higher level. The quality of play among the elite clubs are very good, but not enough people show up to see them in action. It's challenging to get the casual fans to come out and see football that's not top quality.
I'm sure all of the clubs are doing a good job of creating a fan base and marketing themselves the best they can, but with all organizations there is always room to grow. The infrastructure to have a club become professional is there, but finding a way to make it happen is tough. Having a good business model is critical to being financially successful and pleasing the fans. Nowadays there are many different and creative business models that can accomplish both of those things. Here are some of the different business models that a club and/or new league can use:
1. Single Proprietorship
2. Partnership (most teams use this with one being the principle owner)
3. Limited Liability Partnership
4. LLC (most teams and leagues use this)
5. C-Corporation (like the Edmonton Eskimos)
6. S-Corporation
7. Public traded Corporation (like most European teams)
8. Non-Profit Corporation (like the Green Bay Packers)
9. Community-owned (like the Winnipeg Blue Bombers)
10. Supporters-owned (very popular in European countries)
11. A hybrid of partnership and supporter-owned (like the Seattle Sounders FC and San Francisco City FC)
12. Non-Profit Organization
13. A regular company, but allows the fans to vote on certain club decisions including play calling (fanchise is a new company that promotes this concept)
There's more than one way to do this, so finding a model that works can be a fun and challenging experience. Most importantly, it's critical that the fans have access to the club whether it's through social media, owning stock, board making decisions, or being a part of team operations. In today's society, if the fans feel excluded they won't care about them or watch any of their games. Attendance and TV ratings in the established leagues are currently having a slight decline because of some fans feeling aliened. The point I'm trying to make is there are ways of having both a passionate fan base and a financially profitable club at the same time.
Starting a new league is great, but the question many people have is how is it different. It's confusing because people want NFL quality football, but people also don't want to see an exact duplicate of the NFL. That's how many upstart leagues have come and gone or worse not even play at all. The CFL, The Arena Football League, and many indoor football leagues are notable exemptions. Even though their versions of football are different, they are able to attract players with NFL potential and play at the highest level. Some organizations such as the XFL and UFL have had success by playing traditional 11-man football with a few rule changes, however they folded due to financial difficulties. For a new football league to be successful the game play would have to be recognizable for the fans, but also have a few rule changes to make it unique. So people would want to know which league(s) would most of the rules come from:
1. National Football League
2. Canadian Football League
3. Arena Football League
4. NCAA
5. IFAF
6. NFHS
7. Indoor Football League
8. National Arena League
9. A7FL
10. A combination of two or more of the above leagues
It's easy to use an existing rule book as a starting platform and that's ok because each one is about 200-300 pages long with details on different ruling scenarios. It's best not to make too many rule changes because than the fans could get confused and may not want to watch, but without some differences it would practically be an exact duplicate of what's already out there. Here's a list of possible rule changes that can help a new pro football league gain a foothold in the competitive market:
Allow one or more receivers to be in forward motion before the snap (CFL, AFL, NAL, IFL, XFL)
Make long field goals worth 4 points (NFL Europe) and/or make missed field goals returnable (CFL, AFL)
Make touchdowns worth 7 points (WFL)
Make safeties worth more than 2 points
Replaces touchbacks with the rogue/single worth 1 point (CFL, NAL, IFL)
Permit bump and run contact anywhere on the field (NCAA)
Ball carriers cannot intentionally run out of bounds except in the final minutes of each half (AFL, IFL, NAL)
Limited the amount of defensive rushers (AFL, UFL)
The ground can cause a fumble if the ball carrier loses control
On a fumble that goes out of bounds, whoever touches the ball last gets possession (CFL)
One or two feet in bounds for a completed pass
No fair catches-the kicking team must give the returner a 5-yard halo zone (CFL, WFL, XFL, AFL)
Establish a rule that the kicking team could recover a punt traveling a certain distance (XFL)
Eliminate PAT kicks and make them run or pass for the point(s) (WFL, A7FL, XFL) and/or add a 3-point conversion (XFL)
Offense needs 15 yards for a 1st down (6-man football) or has only 3 downs to get 10 yards (CFL)
Institute a weight limit on the players and/or Restrict player substitutions
Shorten the play clock from 40 seconds to 35 seconds between plays (NFL Europe, NAL) or 20-25 seconds starting on the referees ready for play (NFHS, IFL, CFL)
In the final minute(s), if the offense is leading they must gain positive yardage or the clock stops (AFL, IFL, NAL)
Briefly stop the clock for 1st downs to reset the chains either for the whole game (NCAA, NFHS, IFAF) or in the final minutes of each half (CFL, XFL, IFL, USFL), and/or briefly stop the clock after sacks (Former NFL)
Start the clock on the referees ready for play after incomplete passes (CFL, XFL, NFL Europe)
Eliminate all timing rules and institute a running clock for the majority of the game (AFL, IFL, NAL, A7FL)
Give the non-penalized team the option to add time to the game clock (AFL)
Clock starts on snap if team leading in final minute(s) commits a foul (NCAA, IFAF)
More severe penalties given for intentional delay of game penalties (CFL, NFL)
Alter the height and/or width of the goal posts (2015 NFL Pro Bowl Experiment)
Use a field that's a little wider and/or longer than the traditional American sized field
Use end zones that are a little shorter (AFL, NAL, IFL) or longer (CFL) than the normal 10 yards
Alter the distance between the center hash marks
Align the field markings using the metric system instead of the imperial system (1977 NCAA metric system experiment)
Eliminate overtime for preseason and regular season games or adopt a completely different overtime system (WFL)
Use a point system to determine team standings (NHL, MLS) and/or adopt a bonus point system for good play (most Rugby Union competitions)
Replace the chain gang with a faster method of measuring first downs (WFL)
Use a different sized ball than what the NFL uses (CFL, USFL)
Reduce the amount of timeouts a team is allow to use in a half/game (CFL)
Teams must have a certain number of local/domestic players on their rosters (CFL, IFL)
Keep most of the rules the same with the exception of ball placement on certain situations (IFAF, CFL)
Create a simpler rule book with fewer penalties, but also make the game safer by prohibiting dangerous tackles
Fans want to see professional football games that are fast, fun, hard hitting, exciting, and have lots of good plays. I believe we can come up with a set of rules that can not only provide the fans what they want, but also make the game safer so players can have longer playing careers. NFL games are too long (over three hours) and have very little action while other sports are quicker (about 2-2.5 hours) and have almost non stop action. The CFL and AFL have most of their games last between 2.5-3 hours long and have more action than NFL games, so I believe aiming for that timing range is ideal. It would also be good idea to take suggestions from the fans on what they want to see happen during the games.
There are other aspects in starting a new football league such as when to play the season (Spring-Summer or traditional Fall), how long the season should be, how many games a player can play, what markets would work best, what ownership structure should be used, what the League's mission should be, etc. However, in order for a new football league to be established there has to be a solid commitment from many clubs that want to make it happen. There is a huge demand for pro football and the NFL is not going to be able to serve every market that wants a team, so it makes total sense to create a new league for places that the NFL deems unfit for them.
I really have a good feeling if anything goes well and we are able to overcome all of the obstacles that could be in the way America can finally have the alternative football league it has been waiting so long for. If anyone is interested wanting to try to form a new pro football league, please let me know as soon as you can. I'm in no way asking for money of any kind, just asking for feedback if anyone is interested in taking on this venture. Thank you all very much for your time and I hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Nolan Blake
valleysports2020@gmail.com
valleysports2020@yahoo.com
There are over a thousand semi pro football teams around the country filled with players who just love playing the game for fun or are developing their skills to one-day play professionally in the NFL, CFL, or AFL. For those wanting to play professionally, there aren't a lot of opportunities to do so if they don't make it on their first try. There are some players that are really good and could make the NFL, but need a little extra time to develop their skills. However, with football being such a physical and exhausting sport the players can only play the game so much. Unless they can play professionally right after college, their chances of going pro are almost zero. Many investors for decades have tried to form a new pro football league, but none of them have come close to being successful (at least not more than a few years).
I have been studying the business of sports leagues for quite some time and have come with a creative idea on how to form a new professional football league. If anyone has been following the saga of American Soccer in the past decade will know that there are two main components for success: loyal fan base and club recognition. That's how lower level soccer clubs have been able to move up to higher levels on the US Soccer Pyramid (Orlando City SC, Montreal Impact, and Minnesota United FC are the best examples of this).
Passionate fans following the club with tremendous attendance at games has lead the club to being promoted to the highest level of soccer, not solely because the owner(s) has the money to do so. It's true there has to be money for any club to become a professional business, but having the fans who attend games in any weather, buy merchandise at any price, and give generous donations to the club are what gives the owner(s) the motivation to offer the highest quality of soccer possible.
The most passionate fans for soccer clubs are refer to as "supporters’ groups". They are the ones that keep the club afloat and drive the potential to move the club up the soccer pyramid. Also, they let the community know of the club's existence, which helps the club's brand recognition. Supporters clubs have really helped grow the popularity of soccer in the United States on all levels especially the amateur/semi-pro clubs. If it wasn't for them, the clubs would hardly have anyone outside of family and friends attending the games. The clubs have a really strong fan base as an amateur/semi-pro club, but the popularity would go up exponentially if it were to become professional.
I feel the same can be true for several amateur/semi-pro football teams around the country. What I mean is the success that US soccer clubs have made can be passed on to clubs of other sports as well. Some teams have great attendance and support from the fans, but can have an even greater following if they are able to play at a higher level. The quality of play among the elite clubs are very good, but not enough people show up to see them in action. It's challenging to get the casual fans to come out and see football that's not top quality.
I'm sure all of the clubs are doing a good job of creating a fan base and marketing themselves the best they can, but with all organizations there is always room to grow. The infrastructure to have a club become professional is there, but finding a way to make it happen is tough. Having a good business model is critical to being financially successful and pleasing the fans. Nowadays there are many different and creative business models that can accomplish both of those things. Here are some of the different business models that a club and/or new league can use:
1. Single Proprietorship
2. Partnership (most teams use this with one being the principle owner)
3. Limited Liability Partnership
4. LLC (most teams and leagues use this)
5. C-Corporation (like the Edmonton Eskimos)
6. S-Corporation
7. Public traded Corporation (like most European teams)
8. Non-Profit Corporation (like the Green Bay Packers)
9. Community-owned (like the Winnipeg Blue Bombers)
10. Supporters-owned (very popular in European countries)
11. A hybrid of partnership and supporter-owned (like the Seattle Sounders FC and San Francisco City FC)
12. Non-Profit Organization
13. A regular company, but allows the fans to vote on certain club decisions including play calling (fanchise is a new company that promotes this concept)
There's more than one way to do this, so finding a model that works can be a fun and challenging experience. Most importantly, it's critical that the fans have access to the club whether it's through social media, owning stock, board making decisions, or being a part of team operations. In today's society, if the fans feel excluded they won't care about them or watch any of their games. Attendance and TV ratings in the established leagues are currently having a slight decline because of some fans feeling aliened. The point I'm trying to make is there are ways of having both a passionate fan base and a financially profitable club at the same time.
Starting a new league is great, but the question many people have is how is it different. It's confusing because people want NFL quality football, but people also don't want to see an exact duplicate of the NFL. That's how many upstart leagues have come and gone or worse not even play at all. The CFL, The Arena Football League, and many indoor football leagues are notable exemptions. Even though their versions of football are different, they are able to attract players with NFL potential and play at the highest level. Some organizations such as the XFL and UFL have had success by playing traditional 11-man football with a few rule changes, however they folded due to financial difficulties. For a new football league to be successful the game play would have to be recognizable for the fans, but also have a few rule changes to make it unique. So people would want to know which league(s) would most of the rules come from:
1. National Football League
2. Canadian Football League
3. Arena Football League
4. NCAA
5. IFAF
6. NFHS
7. Indoor Football League
8. National Arena League
9. A7FL
10. A combination of two or more of the above leagues
It's easy to use an existing rule book as a starting platform and that's ok because each one is about 200-300 pages long with details on different ruling scenarios. It's best not to make too many rule changes because than the fans could get confused and may not want to watch, but without some differences it would practically be an exact duplicate of what's already out there. Here's a list of possible rule changes that can help a new pro football league gain a foothold in the competitive market:
Allow one or more receivers to be in forward motion before the snap (CFL, AFL, NAL, IFL, XFL)
Make long field goals worth 4 points (NFL Europe) and/or make missed field goals returnable (CFL, AFL)
Make touchdowns worth 7 points (WFL)
Make safeties worth more than 2 points
Replaces touchbacks with the rogue/single worth 1 point (CFL, NAL, IFL)
Permit bump and run contact anywhere on the field (NCAA)
Ball carriers cannot intentionally run out of bounds except in the final minutes of each half (AFL, IFL, NAL)
Limited the amount of defensive rushers (AFL, UFL)
The ground can cause a fumble if the ball carrier loses control
On a fumble that goes out of bounds, whoever touches the ball last gets possession (CFL)
One or two feet in bounds for a completed pass
No fair catches-the kicking team must give the returner a 5-yard halo zone (CFL, WFL, XFL, AFL)
Establish a rule that the kicking team could recover a punt traveling a certain distance (XFL)
Eliminate PAT kicks and make them run or pass for the point(s) (WFL, A7FL, XFL) and/or add a 3-point conversion (XFL)
Offense needs 15 yards for a 1st down (6-man football) or has only 3 downs to get 10 yards (CFL)
Institute a weight limit on the players and/or Restrict player substitutions
Shorten the play clock from 40 seconds to 35 seconds between plays (NFL Europe, NAL) or 20-25 seconds starting on the referees ready for play (NFHS, IFL, CFL)
In the final minute(s), if the offense is leading they must gain positive yardage or the clock stops (AFL, IFL, NAL)
Briefly stop the clock for 1st downs to reset the chains either for the whole game (NCAA, NFHS, IFAF) or in the final minutes of each half (CFL, XFL, IFL, USFL), and/or briefly stop the clock after sacks (Former NFL)
Start the clock on the referees ready for play after incomplete passes (CFL, XFL, NFL Europe)
Eliminate all timing rules and institute a running clock for the majority of the game (AFL, IFL, NAL, A7FL)
Give the non-penalized team the option to add time to the game clock (AFL)
Clock starts on snap if team leading in final minute(s) commits a foul (NCAA, IFAF)
More severe penalties given for intentional delay of game penalties (CFL, NFL)
Alter the height and/or width of the goal posts (2015 NFL Pro Bowl Experiment)
Use a field that's a little wider and/or longer than the traditional American sized field
Use end zones that are a little shorter (AFL, NAL, IFL) or longer (CFL) than the normal 10 yards
Alter the distance between the center hash marks
Align the field markings using the metric system instead of the imperial system (1977 NCAA metric system experiment)
Eliminate overtime for preseason and regular season games or adopt a completely different overtime system (WFL)
Use a point system to determine team standings (NHL, MLS) and/or adopt a bonus point system for good play (most Rugby Union competitions)
Replace the chain gang with a faster method of measuring first downs (WFL)
Use a different sized ball than what the NFL uses (CFL, USFL)
Reduce the amount of timeouts a team is allow to use in a half/game (CFL)
Teams must have a certain number of local/domestic players on their rosters (CFL, IFL)
Keep most of the rules the same with the exception of ball placement on certain situations (IFAF, CFL)
Create a simpler rule book with fewer penalties, but also make the game safer by prohibiting dangerous tackles
Fans want to see professional football games that are fast, fun, hard hitting, exciting, and have lots of good plays. I believe we can come up with a set of rules that can not only provide the fans what they want, but also make the game safer so players can have longer playing careers. NFL games are too long (over three hours) and have very little action while other sports are quicker (about 2-2.5 hours) and have almost non stop action. The CFL and AFL have most of their games last between 2.5-3 hours long and have more action than NFL games, so I believe aiming for that timing range is ideal. It would also be good idea to take suggestions from the fans on what they want to see happen during the games.
There are other aspects in starting a new football league such as when to play the season (Spring-Summer or traditional Fall), how long the season should be, how many games a player can play, what markets would work best, what ownership structure should be used, what the League's mission should be, etc. However, in order for a new football league to be established there has to be a solid commitment from many clubs that want to make it happen. There is a huge demand for pro football and the NFL is not going to be able to serve every market that wants a team, so it makes total sense to create a new league for places that the NFL deems unfit for them.
I really have a good feeling if anything goes well and we are able to overcome all of the obstacles that could be in the way America can finally have the alternative football league it has been waiting so long for. If anyone is interested wanting to try to form a new pro football league, please let me know as soon as you can. I'm in no way asking for money of any kind, just asking for feedback if anyone is interested in taking on this venture. Thank you all very much for your time and I hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Nolan Blake
valleysports2020@gmail.com
valleysports2020@yahoo.com