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All-American Football League (Defunct)

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AJHawkfan

AJHawkfan

Wanna make $14 the hard way?
I hadn't seen anything on this yet, but think it's extremely interesting. Mods, if this fits better in the Pro forum, feel free to move it.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/2006-07-25-new-league_x.htm

New pro football league to start up on college campuses

Posted 7/25/2006 8:34 PM ET
By Steve Wieberg, USA TODAY

Are you ready for a little more football?

A group of former college officials headed by former NCAA President Cedric Dempsey will unveil plans Wednesday in New York for a new spring minor league with a twist — the eight teams will use colleges as their bases, and feature players from those schools and their affiliated conferences and surrounding regions.

They'll play their games in the schools' stadiums or in bowl facilities. All 44-48 players per team must have graduated from college and exhausted their college eligibility.

"When you look at some of the minor leagues that failed, this is a different model," says Dempsey, chairman of the All American Football League's managing board. "I think it'll have a lot of interest from a fan standpoint."

The league will start play in 2007, with each team probably playing a 14-game schedule from the second week of April to the end of June. Beyond tying them to the Big Ten, Southeastern and Atlantic Coast conferences, Dempsey declined to specify which schools will be affiliated.

The AAFL will start stocking rosters after the NFL's April draft. Players, who'll be employed by the league, will earn about $100,000.

Dempsey and other league founders have talked to some coaches, primarily college and pro retirees, but don't have any commitments, he says. The group is exploring television options. A single businessman whom Dempsey also declined to name initially is bankrolling the league. It hopes ultimately to sell franchises for an initial $2-3 million investment and overall cost of $13-15 million per team.

Affiliated schools will receive $3 million in stadium rent and be permitted to keep revenue from parking and concessions, an arrangement Dempsey says should earn them up to $5 million at a time when their facilities typically are unused.

The college-degree requirement is seen as an incentive for current college players to graduate. Among others involved in putting the league together are former university presidents and chancellors Charles Young (UCLA and Florida), Martin Massengale (Nebraska), Charles Wethington (Kentucky) and former Tennessee athletics director Doug Dickey.
 
My gut instinct reaction was, "Gentlemen, please, for the love of God, keep your money-grubbing hands off of college football"

But, the point about requiring a degree for entry in to the league - and exhausting one's eligibility sounds like a good idea (at least in terms of protecting the greatest sport in the world, College Football.)
 
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I don't think it sounds like a bad idea at all. It'll give the fans what they want (more football) and it'll give the undrafted seniors a second chance to prove that they belong in the NFL. I really can't think of a downside to it at this point.
 
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exhawg said:
Cbus would have to be one of the bigger money makers. Just bring in undrafted players from the Ohio schools and maybe some surrounding states that aren't directly north.
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I think they would have a problem filling the 'Shoe though. Remember the Ohio Glory? They didn't fare so well. I'd like to learn a little more about this proposed league, but as of now I'm all for it.
 
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ScarletInMyVeins said:
I think they would have a problem filling the 'Shoe though. Remember the Ohio Glory? They didn't fare so well. I'd like to learn a little more about this proposed league, but as of now I'm all for it.
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I doubt that they would actually expect to fill stadiums that large, especially at first. Regardless, sounds like a good alternative to nfl europe to me
 
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They cannot be expecting to fill stadiums the size of the 'Shoe.

If Columbus were selected, and they set the rosters up so that the players on the Columbus team played for the Big Ten and MAC schools, the team would be very successful.
 
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Given the status of Ohio State as one of, if not the top NFL "factory", the local enthusiasm for college football, the lack of an NFL team, and the facilities that Ohio State can offer, I don't see how they would not strongly consider Columbus for one of these teams.
 
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One of the things to keep in mind about Cbus and a pro team (even if minor league) is what I call the Minnesota Gopher effect. Simplified it is this:

Before the Minnesota Vikings took up residence in Minnesota, the Gophers were the only football to be interested in. (Much like Cbus, although probably a little moreso, since the closet team to Minneapolis in 1960 was Green Bay) If you look at the history of the Gophers, you can see they went from being "traditional power" to inconsequential right about the time the Vikings arrived.

Minnesota Vikings first game: 1961
Minnesota Gopher's last National Championship: 1960, last Big 10 Championship: 1967.

Would that happen in Cbus? I dont know.. probably not.. But, something to consider.

Anyway, there aren't many good college/pro cities... LA is the only one I can think of off the top of my head that has has sucessful pro and college teams with any degree of consistency... there may be others, but I think they'd be the exception and not the rule.
 
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