Whats unique is the game will be televised by both Fox and NBC, which is the first time two broadcast networks have scheduled to air the same sports event at the same time since both NBC and CBS aired Super Bowl I. That player is free to pursue an NFL opportunity after they get done playing for their USFL team. You can short-change players on salaries, but you are still going to have to pay anywhere from 320 to 400 players, depending on how many teams you have. [33] The team will play all of its home games at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, which will also serve as another "hub"" site for the league to host multiple teams at in addition to Birmingham. the league will not finish its first season in Birmingham. Brian Woods, who founded The Spring League and served as CEO of the developmental organization from 2017 to 2021, will be the USFL's president of football operations. Since January, trademarks for the 1980s spring league had been acquired by Woods and TSL, sparking questions about their intentions. Or perhaps, its because the AAF and XFL showed enough hints of how receptive the market can be towards pro football in the spring. Daily conversations took place, pieces began taking shape, and in June 2021, FOX announced the new United States Football League would begin play in April 2022. Learn how your comment data is processed. Though this USFL has no association with that USFL, the eight-team league bares a striking resemblance to the previous league. During training camp, all USFL players will get $850 a week. Woods was equally non-committal about the leagues presence in Birmingham beyond season one, beyond the Stallons. All of the heavy lifting has really been accomplished at this point, Woods said. Teams will have three scrimmage-play options to attempt a point(s) after touchdown: Two-point conversion from the three-yard line (same as the NCAA). We certainly want to see what we can do this year in terms of making sure that theres some local feel to each team, even if its only a few players. "To attract Mike Riley and Todd Haley, two former NFL head coaches, Bart Andrus, a former head coach in NFL Europe and CFL, plus an experienced college head coach in Kevin Sumlin, to . More hours for not much more money? I must admit that I have never heard of this league until now. I think the NFL can absolutely benefit from an alternative football league in a lot of ways. Each coach will be allowed one replay challenge per game, and will signal their intent to challenge by throwing a red flag. According to Steve Ehrhart, former USFL executive director, he still owns the league rights and the "USFL still exists", while stating that the league officials still get monthly royalty checks. [53], The league draws revenue of less than $10 million, making it ineligible to seek P visas for players from outside the United States; Liam Dobson, a Canadian offensive lineman, was disqualified from playing in the USFL because of the league's lack of revenue. We have bigger plans behind the scenes right now with FOX, that well be announcing in the upcoming weeks in terms of 2022 and beyond.. Thats the end game here. BREAKING: Pittsburgh Maulers Reveal Official USFL Rebrand, Highlights from Week Three of The Spring League. Our teams will be reporting to training camp on March 22, and were scheduled to kick off on Saturday, April 16. Why would someone leave school for the USFL? IF THERE IS ONE PERSON WHO CAN MAKE THE PROPOSED USFL WORK , BRIAN IS THE RIGHT LEADER. Fox Sports CEO and executive producer Eric Shanks called the USFLs relaunch a landmark day for football fans and Fox Sports. Many wishfully believe that FOX will take a larger stake in the league and start covering half the costs moving forward. Birmingham, Alabama, is where the league will be based in its inaugural season. For the 2022 season's first three weeks, the game clock will be stopped after each incomplete pass, no matter which point of the game it occurred. He adds: We would not risk the eligibility status of a young player to sign with USFL club unless our player personnel department felt very confident that that young man was going to be signed. The league announced the 2022 season will be played "with a minimum of eight teams. What will raise some antennas is that college sophomores, depending on their talent level, will be eligible to play. Of the nearly two dozen different team names that the USFL has retained the rights for, most of them will be put on the back burner for the future and not used in 2022. Since then, the relationship has grown. Were positioned very well and have met all of our critical deadlines. The USFL relaunches next year. In theory, its great, but history has shown with these leagues how difficult it is to get reliable ownership. (Only exceptions: A handful of high-profile college players who in the transform portal, are two years removed from high school and one year away from NFL draft eligibility and want to get paid rather than play another collegiate season. The City of Birmingham, Jefferson County, and the Jefferson County Visitors & Convention Bureau have committed up $3.5 million to fund any losses, betting the investment will reap many-fold in tax revenue and other benefits, like the uncalculatable value of promised exposure on FOX and NBC, the two broadcast kahunas that will televise most of the games. When the USFL relaunch was first announced, it was right in the middle of The Spring League Season. Players also received win bonuses of $850 per win and $10,000 for winning the championship. TSL CEO Brian Woods Teases Major Announcement in Upcoming Weeks. Team names from the USFLs past, like the Generals, were already in play with the Spring League, but others like the Stars, Showboats, Gold, Gamblers, Express, Bandits, Breakers, and Blitz were all trademarked in early June. Your email address will not be published. I think our scouts have done a really good job in evaluating players and even finding some that have slipped under the radar that have gone unnoticed. Were going to have really good talent to display in this league. I thought we had worked something out [with the USFL] but at least we still have the league playing their regular-season games here., Theres also this: Almost all players, according to Woods, will be paid $4,500 each week they are active on a teams 38-person roster, along with an $850 weekly win bonus. "I think you can make a strong argument that had the USFL stayed in the spring, just the first iteration of the USFL I speak of back in the 1980s. The first season is everything, Woods, the leagues head of football operations, shared with me not long ago. This change, announced on the eve of Week 4, was adopted in an effort to reduce game lengths to up to 180 minutes. Despite the failings of leagues like this in the past, surprisingly, I get the sense that there is still hope out there that the USFL could finally be the league that finally bucks history. ", "On this date in 1945, the United States Football League folded", "BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS TAKE THE USFL CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE", "Nearly 40 years after its first game, USFL announces return", "BJCC officials in discussions to host all United States Football League games in Birmingham", "WATCH: Gene Hallman talks possibility of USFL coming to Birmingham", "Birmingham Parks and Rec Board votes to put Legion Field in play for the USFL", "USFL announce plans for inaugural season in Birmingham", "USFL proposes hosting relaunch season in Birmingham in Spring 2022", "USFL Reaches Media Rights Agreement with NBC Sports", "Ahead Of Spring 2022 Reboot, Fox Sports' USFL Sets Senior Exec Team", "USFL to have a "player selection meeting" on February 2223", "USFL Training Camps Start Mar 21st, "Player Selection Meeting" Feb 22nd", "4 USFL teams reveal their head coaches for upcoming season", "Tampa Bay Bandits announce Todd Haley as head coach and general manager", "Official Site of the United States Football League", "Fisher, Fedora fill final two USFL coach openings", "USFL announces Birmingham as official headquarters, host city for 2022 season", "USFL Inaugural Game Tickets Now On Sale, Only $10 Each, Kids Free", "USFL announces inaugural playoffs, championship game in Canton, Ohio", "USFL Draft time, player pool, pick order & more: A guide to how the 2022 USFL Draft will work", "USFL Teams Unveil New Uniforms For Reboot Season", "USFL back for second season, says Fox's Shanks", "USFL inks scouting data partnership with HUB Football", "Roy S. Johnson: USFL football VP knows 'first season is everything', "Talks continue to bring spring football league to Birmingham", "Did the new spring football league get permission to use the USFL name? After scoring their touchdown, a team must indicate whether they will go for 1, 2, or 3 points. So they were throwing money around they didnt have. The new . Colors and names just plastered on a bunch of guys in Orlando and Houston pretending to be 8 cities doesnt sound next step to me, but just TSL renamed something else. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Embed from Getty Images [15], The proposal included an eight-team 10-week season with two additional playoff rounds, from April 16 through July 3, 2022, with the broadcast proposal as follows: 25% each on Fox, NBC, FS1 and USA. If its going to be a regional/bus small ball leaguewhy call it the USFL? They may have been associated with this organization before or after these years as well. The United States Football League announced Thursday that it . A coin toss (called by the visiting team) will determine which team will go on offense or defense first, and which end zone will be used (both offenses will attack the same end zone, just as soccer shootouts are attempted at the same goal). The United States Football League (USFL) is a professional American football minor league[2][3] that began play on April 16, 2022. [60], On December 15, 2022 USFL player representatives (United Football Players Association and United Steelworkers[61]) and the league parent company FOX Sports tentatively agreed on a new three-year collective bargaining agreement starting at the 2023 season, six months after the league players voted to unionize. Were not so sure if thats the case, just yet at least. Its definitely more adventurous to us with the Birmingham Stallions this year than any other team. Justifiably. Then you had the league raiding top college talent as well as some NFL talent. It might still be a viable model even if better days are ahead in a post-vaccination world. His lazy butt was gifted a team that won in the decidedly average spring league. Its going to cost them tens of millions of dollars yearly to operate. Had they continued to operate in the spring, they might still be here today", said Woods. Catch all the action next year on FOX Sports.Listen as @USFLOfficials iconic #22 @DougFlutie weighs in on the leagues return in 2022. pic.twitter.com/K0Hw0N54rp. Despite very little promotion and fanfare this spring, TSL broadcasts averaged 408,000 viewers per telecast Saturday afternoons on the FOX Network. [63] The proposed CBA includes an annual opt-out option. We feel that not only can our league be a standalone, professional sports property and be dominant in the spring football space, but we also can offer players the opportunity to become a professional football player a little sooner than what might be [currently] allowed.. The championship game will be played on July 3. Youre not chasing your dream in the USFL, youre living it. They will be able to take classes online (Capella) or in-person (Strayer),[56] giving them the flexibility to pursue associate, bachelors or masters degrees in business, healthcare, IT and education. To this point, FOX has seen their involvement with Woods and his league as a low-risk, low-cost proposition. Perhaps its because of FOXs involvement or the theory that sooner or later, its going to work. No laminated sheet of choreographed lines, circles, and Xs behind which Brian Woods, architect of the new United States Football League, may shield his mouth while shouting commands. The move piqued a few ifs, prompted a few here-we-go-again rolled eyes. On January 6, 2022, four of eight teams unveiled their head coaches and general managers on The Herd with Colin Cowherd. The truth is that the plan by Brian Woods and FOX to bring back the USFL brand has been in the works for quite some time. There is no denying that Phillips would lend great credibility to the league. Some have speculated in the past that TSL is looking to get FOX to buy-in to their product, looking to sell part of the company to the media conglomerate. Hes a self promoting lazy old coot. That doesnt sound like the USFL to me but a bait and switch. The past meets the future in 2022. So the likelihood of the Gunslingers riding again in the new USFL is a good one. The FXFL had a myriad of financial and legal issues, and long after the smoke cleared, settlements were made, with plaintiffs being rewarded $300,000. Even if FOX, Brian Woods, and company decided to run a barebones league. Despite that shortfall, Woods is confident in this USFLs incubator mode, which, he says will save millions in travel, insurance, and other costs. There would be no expansion that year, and the league would continue to use a hub model, with "two to four" locations housing all eight teams. Its quite telling that on the day of the USFL announcement in June that Doug Flutie was front and center in the promotion selling the return of the league with a New Jersey Generals hat on. Therein lies the rub. [27], On February 16, 2022, the league announced that the 2022 Playoffs would be held in Canton, Ohio, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium instead of Birmingham due to conflicting scheduling with the 2022 World Games. Last month, at the splashy confirmation at Protective, Fox Sports CEO Eric Shanks said nothing was in stone for year two. It will be a ten-game season with a postseason but if you're interested in attending a game, you won't see the Maulers in Pittsburgh for at least a year. If you were to ask fans, what would be a sign of success for the USFL? Copyright 2022 XFL News Hub. [19], On January 4, 2022, NBC Sports reported that a player selection meeting would be held on February 22 and 23 to set teams. The two spoke about the opportunities that The Spring League looks top provide for football players that are out of the college program, but not quite ready for the NFL. [38][39] In response, the league attorneys claimed "The new USFL registered its intellectual property rights in 2011". They havent been able to finish a season. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. No principals from the former USFL are involved in the current league's ownership; Brian Woods, who had previously launched the Fall Experimental Football League and The Spring League, was initially the primary owner of the new league. [11], On October 12, 2021, Tad Snider, the executive director of the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority, announced that the league was in serious discussions with the board of directors of the BJCC about the possibility of the USFL playing all of its games in Birmingham, Alabama. MIKE YOUR STORY ON THE NEXT PRO FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENTAL LEAGUE IS ACCURATE WITH GOOD DETAIL. Football USFL from Twitter/USFLStars A look at the new uniforms that will be worn by the Philadelphia Stars during the inaugural seasons of the new USFL. We would like to have at least two to three players on each team that have ties to that market, Woods says. Three-time Super Bowl champion and former Dallas Cowboys fullback Daryl "Moose" Johnston will serve as Executive Vice President of Football Operations. Running a Pro Football League is an expensive proposition. This captivated Shanks. We want to make sure that the markets have what they need in terms of resources, maybe potentially local investor operators. Hey, Sam Mills was one of my favorites, and if it wasnt for the USFL, I dont know if he would have turned into the star he became. The league will be mostly comprised of younger unknown players. "We were only around three seasons, but the USFL was a classy, well-respected name," Erhart said. The league's "Replay Command" center, based at. You guys really need to pump the brakes on the Mumme train. February 10, 2022, 5:51 PM. The same way the Spring League did in 2021. Were paying a good wage to players who can call themselves professional football players. In time, we can become even more player-centric. [29] The day after that the league announced the draft order for the 2022 USFL Draft. It all looks good on paper until the bills come due. If the challenge is not in the favor of the coach who called it, his team will lose a timeout; if successful, he will keep the challenge and receive an additional challenge. The question is, are they going all-in? Hell no but anyone who blames Trump solely is doing it based on politics and not reality. Again. Im hoping Woods and Fox Sports arent low balling this, because fans will bail quickly if its a misrepresentation of what the USFL was. The original USFL played from 1983 to 1985 and folded when the league decided to compete directly with the NFL during the fall of 1986, at the urging of New Jersey Generals majority owner Donald Trump, in an effort to force a league merger. There will be a handful of those players. All rights reserved. The USFL failed the first time around because the league tried to compete with the NFL. Manage Settings So now, all of the Ts are crossed and Is dotted on contracts to play 40 games at Protective Stadium and Legion Field. The proposed agreement increases minimum salaries and provides a stronger benefits package than they previously received, and slightly higher than most XFL salaries. Glanville has coached in the Spring League their last two seasons. Especially if the plan remains having eight to ten teams residing in individual markets. The question is two-fold, which teams will launch in season one of the new USFL, and where will they play? Thats what were hoping to create with the new USFL. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'xflnewshub_com-leader-2','ezslot_24',135,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-xflnewshub_com-leader-2-0');Utilizing a hub city model in 2022 would save the USFL on travel and facility expenses and potentially sell the leagues teams to markets, prospective owners, and sponsors. The transfer portal has certainly provided opportunities for us, Woods said. St. Louis Battlehawks Open Upper 300 Level For Season Tickets. The names attached as head coaches for the USFLs teams will be the faces of their franchises and will help draw attention in the leagues early stages. Number of Units: 393 Offices of the Board of Directors and their Duties . Why would other cities cover a team that doesnt really play there? Theres no question were looking at a D-I quality of football, the quality of the on-field product will be pleasantly surprising to our fans, he promised. Our plan is to be a dominant stand-alone spring professional football property. Ninety-eight percent of our rules come directly from the NFL rulebook, he said. Woods wouldnt speak to specificity regarding any NFL rule tweaks the USFL may showcase, lead. And it would not surprise me if the hiring of Steve Spurrier is the USFLs first big announcement. I would go one step further to those players: If Im not in a Power Five Conference, Im not getting the TV exposure I would get in the USFL on broadcast television. Former Gunslinger safety Jim Bob Morris told the Express that he has been in talks with an executive from the new USFL regarding the potential of bringing a franchise to San Antonio. Brian Woods was the perfect choice for the USFL's CEO position, given his experience in establishing football leagues. The move was necessitated, league officials said, by a too-close-for-comfort calendar conflict with the World Games opening ceremonies, long been slated for July 7 at Protective Stadium. Nearly four decades after the most infamous spring pro football league flew too close to the sun and drowned into a sea of its own doing. February 10, 2022 / 4:38 AM Many of the players in this league are going to be talented. The clock will stop for first downs after the. We have players ready to be drafted Feb. 22 and Feb. 23. It will take at least six figures plus for the league to get Spurrier to sign on the dotted line. [30], On June 27, 2022, Fox Sports confirmed to Sports Business Journal that the USFL would return for another season in 2023. If plane flights are too expensive then this is really an AA minor league. [36] Ehrhart would later explain that he was only "trying to protect the league legacy". They need extra repetitions, they need to remain relevant.. [35] The Spring League, and later the NSFL, acquired most of the USFL's trademarks after the last attempt to revive them, the A-11 Football League, let them go dormant after its own failed launch in 2014. Back in April, on this site, an article raised the possibility of a returning USFL. For the first year of the CBA, the roster size will stay at 50 (40 active/10 inactive), while from the second year going forward the makeup changes to 42 active and 8 inactive. Former Steelers assistant coach Kirby Wilson will serve as the Maulers head coach. The main list of investors is not something that the league is disclosing at this time. Woods was a walk-on at the University of Mississippi. The previous incarnation of the USFL did not. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'xflnewshub_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_22',133,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-xflnewshub_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0');Finding reliable owners willing to invest big money in sports franchises is easier said than done. Hall of Famer and all-time great Reggie White also got his professional start in the USFL. The USFL has trademarked the San Antonio Gunslingers and other team names from the leagues past. By October 2021, Woods had been demoted to a vice president role[34] as Fox Sports set up a subsidiary, the National Spring Football League, to operate the league.