Does the NFL need a developmental/minor league?

[Pats726]

Yes...but there are obstacles to this. Certainly if they are going to shove 18 games down the throat of the players and fans, taking two preseason games away, there will be more need for someting like that. Two games does NOT leave any time to see some young players under game conditions at all. Maybe fans do not understand that, but those two preseason games helped a lot in evaluating young talent. THAT is where a developmental league would really help.
It is a large undertaking and if it broke even or even lost a bit I think it would be worth it. Firstly, the big issue is how many teams would make up this league?? For many who wish to see a Patriot team and a Steelers team etc..I think that would be foolish and would not make it, Having 60 extra players would just be too many per team. That would not make economic sense either...so it would have to be less. I am thinking 8 teams...with basically players from 4 teams making up the roster. That would be about 15 players or so per team...meaning the P Squad...and a few others. (I do think rosters will need to be expanded as well as PSquads and rule changes about IR etc. BUT those are other topics.) So 8 teams..one game against all others, tthree weeks of play offs...10 weeks of Spring football.
I would start this in February post Super Bowl..so it would be done by Draft time and NOT interfere with mini camps OTAs etc.
It would give players a CHANCE to play against competition..learn amd basically take steps to improvement. I am not sure what the issues would be, but the timing would be just fine as that is one window of opportunity for viewers who enjoy the game.
Not sure of the down side of this...although I am sure there is...but I hope the NFL would look at this closer.

 

[patfanken]

I don't see how a minor league would result in NFL teams not having practice squads. Most guys, I would think, would still rather be on an NFL practice squad then start in the UFL, Arena, etc. And teams would still want guys who would practice in their system, etc. the way practice squad players do now.

That's why having a team affiliation is so important. The minor league team would use the NFL team's base offense and defense. They would speak the "same language", using the NFL Team's terminology to call plays on offense and D. Run the same drills in practice, etc

The most difficult task a rookie has coming in is literally learning a "new language". As anyone who has had to take a language in HS or College. It takes a while. This would be a HUGE help to the "big team".

Here is one scenario that would work for a minor league playing IN SEASON For giving financial support to their "minor league club", the Parent clubs might gain the incentive to drop their pro roster to 45, and that would save a few million that they currently pay. THAT say 3 million would go a long way to financially secure a minor league team whose average salary would be around $35K - 50K

OTOH the minor league club could be used for 2 days a week as the scout team helping the big team to prepare for games, and save on wear and tear on the big squads smaller roster. And for the NFL coaches who decry even the 53 man rosters, can deal with the 45 man rosters because they will have ANOTHER 45 guys available to call up if necessary. Players who are using their terminology, who will be ready to step in if needed. So you wouldn't even need an 8 man practice squad, since each team would have what amounts to a "practice team"

That team playing a 12 game season, say on Saturday nights. Maybe they'd start their season 2 weeks before the NFL season. Then after week 10 of the NFL season NFL squads could expand their roster to 53 and call up 8 players from their minor league teams. Sort of like the September call ups and roster expansion they have in Baseball.

I believe there would be 30-40,000 fans would would be willing to pay $20-40/seat to come down to Gillette and watch the Foxboro Minutemen play the Pottstown Firebirds (Eagles). It would be a fun and affordable (relatively) night to take your kids to see professional football -

I also think you could make an equal case for a spring league, but it would have to set up differently

The key I think is that you have to each team have an affiliated team. Again 4 eight team leagues sprinkled around the country. Maybe at the end of the season the 4 league winners could have a 2 round playoff and crown a Minor league champion. but now I am rambling. Better stop here

 

[patfanken]

If I may add another facet to the above post. I think its fiscally possible. WHY, because I know there are 32 very wealthy guys who would be willing top put down 10-20MM to own one of these franchises over the $500MM-$1B dollars to own an NFL franchise. The tax write off and depreciation alone would be worth it for at least 7 years, even if you didn't make a dime in ticket and merchandising.

The big club would put up $3-4MM and perhaps allow the use of the stadium (for a share of the gate of course) and other operating cost like travel and equipment. And then there are the broadcast rights. Not much but maybe around a Million of the radio AND TV rights, say to Comcast and 98.5. So if to take it farther, if the club averaged 30K at $30/ticket that would put the gate at almost $1MM/game. Add the 4 million from the big club, and 1.5MM from broadcast and merchandising. That would be about a 12MM operating budget. Player salary at an average of around $40K is only around $2MM

That leaves a good chance to even make a profit, not that should matter to some rich jock sniffing corporate entrepreneur who can parlay this small investment into some profitable synergy...if not a tax dodge.

 

[Pats726]

If I may add another facet to the above post. I think its fiscally possible. WHY, because I know there are 32 very wealthy guys who would be willing top put down 10-20MM to own one of these franchises over the $500MM-$1B dollars to own an NFL franchise. The tax write off and depreciation alone would be worth it for at least 7 years, even if you didn't make a dime in ticket and merchandising.

The big club would put up $3-4MM and perhaps allow the use of the stadium (for a share of the gate of course) and other operating cost like travel and equipment. And then there are the broadcast rights. Not much but maybe around a Million of the radio AND TV rights, say to Comcast and 98.5. So if to take it farther, if the club averaged 30K at $30/ticket that would put the gate at almost $1MM/game. Add the 4 million from the big club, and 1.5MM from broadcast and merchandising. That would be about a 12MM operating budget. Player salary at an average of around $40K is only around $2MM

That leaves a good chance to even make a profit, not that should matter to some rich jock sniffing corporate entrepreneur who can parlay this small investment into some profitable synergy...if not a tax dodge.

The overhead would be enormous for a developmental team AS WELL as the NFL franchise...and UNLESS there are the same owners..itwould not make much sense..one owner for the NFL team another for teh "miner league franchise"..no connection other than players etc..If the coaches were not in teh similar philosophy then..there would be a real disconnect and NO real advantage to having 32 teams..

 

[VJCPatriot]

Isn't there already a world football league? I think teams used to allocate players there but perhaps that practice is over by now. I just don't know if there's a need. If there was, wouldn't the NFL already have instituted it?

I don't think that football will ever have a minor league like baseball. Guys that get drafted pretty much have to contribute right away, and a player's career lifespan is so short, why would he want to waste 2-3 years of that earning potential on a minor league roster rather than on the big club itself?

 

[Pats726]

Isn't there already a world football league? I think teams used to allocate players there but perhaps that practice is over by now. I just don't know if there's a need. If there was, wouldn't the NFL already have instituted it?

To me this is something that is needed if the NFL is going to 18 games..minus 2 preseason games. I think THAT brings up the whole developmental aspect of what teams do. There are still some that thought the 6 games were needed...CoachB a few years ago said that some players only need 2 games to be ready, while other players woud make good use of 6...(I believe these comments were made on WEEI after one of the early games in teh 09 season) SO it's more a reaction to what the NFL proposes in 18 games. Rosters will need to be larger and more backups need to be ready..so player development is needed more so.

I don't think that football will ever have a minor league like baseball. Guys that get drafted pretty much have to contribute right away, and a player's career lifespan is so short, why would he want to waste 2-3 years of that earning potential on a minor league roster rather than on the big club itself?

I am not sure one would consider improving and getting for the NFL wasted. Players have different learning curves..right now many DO NOT develop because there is no mechanism for that. The NFLE was as much a way to showcase the NFL as anything..not purely a developmental league.

 

[Rob0729]

Personally, I don't think the NFL needs a developmental or minor league. Football careers are too short. Rosters are too small. There are too many teams to allow players at the bottom of the roster to play 6-16 games elsewhere offseason.

I would be all for a minor league if players chose to come out early, but the NFL's deal with the NCAA would never allow this.

NFL Europe produced a handful of players who developed into at least solid role players in the NFL, but not enough to justify a new minor league. That league was used more to introduce American football to the European masses than to develop players for the NFL.