PFT: NFL Europa finished [merged]

[pats1]

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

POSTED 3:01 p.m. EDT, June 22, 2007​

ADIEU, NFL EUROPA?​

An industry source tells us that this weekend's World Bowl is expected to be the last act for NFL Europa, before it is flushed down the Toilet Bowl.​

If that happens, it will mean the end to an experiment that began back in 1991, named the World League of American Football. The league, which was initially run by the guy who pulled the trigger on the Herschel Walker trade, originally had 10 teams, with six in the U.S. and four on foreign soil (Montral, Barcelona, London, Frankfurt). ​

We recall being mildly fascinated by the helmet cam, but thoroughly disinterested in the on-field product.​

By 1995, the league went fully European, and eventually picked up the brand-building moniker "NFL Europe." In 2007, a local flair was added to the title, with the "Europe" becoming "Europa," thereby giving heterosexual American men yet another reason not to pay attention to it.​

Perhaps the best evidence of the coming NFL Europa euthanasia is the fact that (as one reader points out) the Yello Strom World Bowl XV will be held this weekend, and there's not a peep about it on the NFL's official web site. ​

So why isn't it mentioned? If no one knows about it, no one will watch it, and the league's anemic ratings will be even lower, making it easier to justify putting it out of our misery.​

Besides, who needs watered-down NFL football in Europa when the real thing is coming in 2007? With the league fully committed to hitting the pads overseas, and with Fins owner Wayne Huizenga recently suggesting that London could end up with three or four regular-season NFL games per year, there's no reason to export a lesser product.​

Finally, the developmental benefits aren't as compelling as they used to be. Players allocated to NFL Europa miss out on their teams' entire offseason program, during which upwards of 90 percent of the offense and defense is installed in advance of the coming season. So while the allocated players have more "live" game reps come August, they're woefully behind the other guys with whom they are competing for roster spots.​

Think about it -- at one point a list of European success stories could be rattled off pretty quickly (Brad Johnson, Kurt Warner, etc.). We can't think of the last guy who starred in Europe before becoming a big deal in the States.​

So adieu, NFL Europa. We can't say that we'll miss you, because we barely even noticed you.​

​

 

[BelichickFan]

Re: PFT: NFL Europa finished

Hopefully in 10 years we'll read the same thing about playing NFL games in Europe.

 

[MetalBleachers]

Re: PFT: NFL Europa finished

Finally, the developmental benefits aren't as compelling as they used to be. Players allocated to NFL Europa miss out on their teams' entire offseason program, during which upwards of 90 percent of the offense and defense is installed in advance of the coming season. So while the allocated players have more "live" game reps come August, they're woefully behind the other guys with whom they are competing for roster spots.

This means the most, I think. I used to enjoy NFL Europe because the Pats would send a half-dozen players and I could keep an eye on them, but as the years went on, very few New England allocated players made the final 53. Rohan Davey getting cut after making NFLE MVP the season before was the surest sign that overseas success meant little.

Hopefully in 10 years we'll read the same thing about playing NFL games in Europe.

Agreed. It seems as though only Germans enjoy the NFL (note the current team locations), and that's only a relative few. Most Europeans seem more than happy with their version of football.

 

[Pujo]

Re: PFT: NFL Europa finished

I don't know what the mean by there being nothing about the World Bowl on NFL.com, it's one of the main headlines on their front page.

 

[Kontradiction]

Re: PFT: NFL Europa finished

I've never watched this anyway. Nor Arena football.

 

[pats1]

Re: PFT: NFL Europa finished

I don't know what the mean by there being nothing about the World Bowl on NFL.com, it's one of the main headlines on their front page.

Florio has corrected that.

 

[PATRIOT64]

Re: PFT: NFL Europa finished

Joins the USFL, XFL and soon to be Arena Football for all wannabes in the sport known as the NFL - often imitated, never duplicated.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Re: PFT: NFL Europa finished

Didn't Mark Cuban want to come up with an NFL copycat league? He should heed the death knell of NFL Europe before he lays down the cash. Just my opinion. I suppose he's got money to burn so he can waste it if he wants to.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Re: PFT: NFL Europa finished

The product gets bad reviews because the early season games are raw, more practice then game. You don't start getting a more professional product until mid-season, by then folks have turned away from it because the early games are so shaky. Hopefully this is another empty obituary.

 

[SoonerPatriot]

Re: PFT: NFL Europa finished

Joins the USFL, XFL and soon to be Arena Football for all wannabes in the sport known as the NFL - often imitated, never duplicated.

I disagree with you about Arena Ball. It's been around since 1987 and attendance has been rising. The league average is 12,000 per game at last count and ESPN bought a stake in it last year, ensuring games are on TV regularly, usally on the duece.

You may not like it, and honestly my interest in it is light, but that doesn't mean its a failure like the XFL and USFL. 20 years is a long time. Those leagues were in business for about 5 minutes.

 

[PATRIOT64]

Re: PFT: NFL Europa finished

I disagree with you about Arena Ball. It's been around since 1987 and attendance has been rising. The league average is 12,000 per game at last count and ESPN bought a stake in it last year, ensuring games are on TV regularly, usally on the duece.

You may not like it, and honestly my interest in it is light, but that doesn't mean its a failure like the XFL and USFL. 20 years is a long time. Those leagues were in business for about 5 minutes.

We have a minor arena league team whose home stadium is 5 minutes from my home - They are called the Pioneers

Big in this area of 120,000 or so but don't care for it myself and never attended a game..I just think it will fade away like disco,buttonfly jeans or pet rocks or any other fad,but a bit slower perhaps.

 

[SoonerPatriot]

Re: PFT: NFL Europa finished

We have a minor arena league team whose home stadium is 5 minutes from my home - They are called the Pioneers

Big in this area of 120,000 or so but don't care for it myself and never attended a game..I just think it will fade away like disco,buttonfly jeans or pet rocks or any other fad,but a bit slower perhaps.

If you're in Scranton, you have an AF2 team. That's the minor league to AF. AF teams are in bigger cities like Dallas and Philly and LA. Sure, it might fade out, but there's no real sign of that happening. It's really not a bad game, as long as you're not trying to compare it to the NFL. Two vastly different games. My biggest beef with it is there's no defense.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Re: PFT: NFL Europa finished

What the NFL should do, is move NFL Europa back to the smaller cities in the States. Play in the Spring and make the teams regional, or even better divisional.

Think of it, an AFC East team, made up of designees from the Pats, Jets, Bills, and Phins.

Anyway you want to field the teams if you made an 8 team spring league and put it in smaller cities, close to home of the designee teams, I bet it would draw

 

[gomezcat]

Re: PFT: NFL Europa finished

NFL Europa would never sell the sport to the extent needed to sustain franchises, which is why games either need to be the real thing or not at all.

I think that the idea of an NFL franchise or conference in Europe is possible at some point, at least from a logistical point of view.
Bear in mind that it takes 6 hours to fly across the Atlantic from the East Coast, which is a similar in time to flying to LA. Of course, the Pats have to travel to Oakland very rarely, but then trips to Europe could be made equally rare as well.

 

[Pats726]

Re: PFT: NFL Europa finished

What the NFL should do, is move NFL Europa back to the smaller cities in the States. Play in the Spring and make the teams regional, or even better divisional.

Think of it, an AFC East team, made up of designees from the Pats, Jets, Bills, and Phins.

Anyway you want to field the teams if you made an 8 team spring league and put it in smaller cities, close to home of the designee teams, I bet it would draw

I think this might be feasible...although each team would need to designate 15 players to the SPRING team, it would also allow players to be more in touch with offseason things..and mini camps..which is one thing NFLE can not do...I like the concept..but I wonder if it's logistics are feasible??

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Re: PFT: NFL Europa finished

The World Bowl has some nice attendance today, the play-by-play man also reported this season set attendance records.

For our Decori Birmingham fan: After one quarter, he's had a couple decent KRs and looks good in the passing game, but hasn't been able to do much in the running game against the front four of Hamburg.
4:28 left in the first half, Decori had two good runs back-to-back starting just outside the Hamburg 10 to punch in Frankfort's second TD.
Decori had a good passing game right up to the end when he caught the ball on the sideline just short of the 1st down mark in the 2-minute drill, unfortunately as he turned upfield and before he made a "football move", he was decleated by the MLB and lost the ball for an incomplete pass. He did a great job on KR.

Former Pat Shawn Mayer has been good against the run, but hasn't looked his best in the passing game.
Former Pat Justin Kurpeikus has been fairly quiet. He's 30 and trying to use this NFLE season to prove to 4-3 teams that he can be a DE. He didn't like the Pats trying to make him an OLB, then Cleveland also tried to convert him, so he's trying to prove he's better as a 4-3 DE. Kurpeikus got a strip sack in the third quarter.
Former Pat J.T. O'Sullivan has gotten his team into the end zone once. His club has been unable to get the running game going. Update: O'Sullivan was strip sacked twice, though his OL jumped on both. He also had a play where he tried to pull back a throw and lost it for an incompletion.

Hamburg got the old Barcelona franchise three years ago and are in their first World Bowl. Midway through the second quarter, QB Casey Bramlet (Redskins) has led them to three touchdowns on three offensive possessions against the home team. At the half: Hamburg 23 Frankfort 14 - Hamburg has scored on every offensive series, Frankfort has hurt themselves with personal foul and false start penalties, and they're the home team. Hamburg finally failed to score on an offensive series, after the FG kicker missed a chip shot. They were hurt by the 35 second clock/delay of game because they had to run the length of the field and get set up at the Frankfort 7. Hamburg wins the World Bowl on a nice all around effort by O, D, & STs. Frankfort hurt themselves with penalties and slippery footballs.

Oh Horrors!!! NFLE is indeed washed up - they are using Meatloaf as the half time act!

 

[VJCPatriot]

Re: PFT: NFL Europa finished

Well I think it would be interesting if the NFL instituted a minor league system. That way pro teams could develop players that they feel are still a ways off but have potential. And those players would get the benefit of playing against each other in real games. It would have to be in the US imo though. And the tickets of course should be very cheap.

 

[Pats726]

Re: PFT: NFL Europa finished

I saw some of that as well..great reporting Box....!!!!
The problem with a minor league is the cost..FIRST there is no way they could have a league of 32....so then divided how?? A team for each division??
It makes sense..but then there has to be agreeent somehow between each 4 team division...how to split costs etc.. MIGHT make some sense..but I fear the logistics of it all would make it almost impossible. Maybe talking to some involved of the nuts/bolts might throw water on it all. I wonder what BB would think of it?? What HIS suggestions might be...

 

[MetalBleachers]

Re: PFT: NFL Europa finished

It's really not a bad game, as long as you're not trying to compare it to the NFL. Two vastly different games. My biggest beef with it is there's no defense.

I'd say that's why it's enjoyed some measure of success: it doesn't really try to compete with the NFL, just complement it in spring. I think catering to quick-strike offenses (short fields, multiple motions, two-way players who aren't natural defenders) makes that particular game more exciting in that setting. Kind of like watching guilty pleasure TV as opposed to a major film.

 

[bbabin]

NFL Europa Done for Good

Apparently NFL Europa is being canceled. Doesn't really bother me, but is kind of surprising. I apologize if this is old news or has already been posted.

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/2007/06/rip_nfl_europa_1.html

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/football/more/06/29/nfleuropa.folds.ap/index.html