NFL Minor league?

[meatface]

I was more thinking that it would be players coming out of College but if you want to look at it like a true minor league then players could choose to sign with an NFL Developmental team or go to college. It works with other sports, the only concession is that you would either need to expand the draft to high school players or limit how much a team can sign these kids for.

 

[goheels22002]

I was more thinking that it would be players coming out of College but if you want to look at it like a true minor league then players could choose to sign with an NFL Developmental team or go to college. It works with other sports, the only concession is that you would either need to expand the draft to high school players or limit how much a team can sign these kids for.

I like the idea if it is set up along the lines of MLB's system where you can option players up and down as needs dictate, and give guys time on the farm team while rehabbing injuries so that they come back in game shape. The trade opportunities would be endless. It would also bebetter to pick up a guy who still wants to play who's been practicing with other football players than to have him come off the couch.

The D-Linemen that came in last season struggled early but looked good late once they got into a rhythm and saw live action. Aging or recently cut younger QBs would definitely benefit from a minor league. There's a bunch of guys like Jimmy Clausen, Brady Quinn, Seneca Wallace, even Tebow, who would be more valuable in a pinch if they were in a minor league setting running plays with real players than working out in a gym.

Gronkowski is an example of a guy who could benefit from a stint with a minor league team to test out his injury du jour before taking the stage with the big boys. It would be a huge benefit to the guys on the farm team to play some elite players from time to time.

 

[Snake Eyes]

From an economic/business viewpoint, I cannot imagine a developmental league ever generating anywhere near as much interest (and revenue) as colleges, specifically conferences such as the SEC.

From an NFL point of view, they don't need to, all it needs to do it be profitable and better prepare the players for the NFL.

I think if they got the top players that would otherwise go to college they'd generate plenty of interest.

 

[Avenger]

College hockey and minors coexist. College baseball and minors coexist. You could even take a kid who went to college, draft him on day 3 and send him to the D-league for a year than would otherwise be a year riding pine and playing ST if he's lucky.

 

[1960Pats]

Providence Steamrollers could be the Pats minor league team, bring back a historic NFL name. They were NFL champs in 1928!

The Pats minor league team should play in Fenway Park and be called the Boston Patriots.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

A minor league?
Attached to the NFL?
Isn't that the NCAA Division I?

 

[PatsFanSince74]

The Pats minor league team should play in Fenway Park and be called the Boston Patriots.

Yeah, a lot better than playing in New Jersey and being called the Jets.

 

[patfanken]

Again there are 2 key issues here. One is connecting to the fans. To do this there HAS to be a connection to an individual team. Its one thing to go to a "professional" game, at a decent price. But without a fan connection to a known brand or identity it won't work long term.

The other issue (and one I didn't really work out in my original post) would be the timing of when the minor league would play and for how many games. 8-12 would be my preference, and some time that would be timed to be the most effective use of the players by the parent club.

My original thought was to start the league about a month or so before the start of the NFL season, and end it by the end of October. Then allow a roster exemption to add 3 or 4 players who stood out. The issue I'm having with that is most of the players you want in a minor league would be still be on NFL 90 man rosters when the minor league was in play.

So how about this. After TC there would be a draft of all the players that the didn't make a final roster or PS. That should account for about 30 guys per team to the 32 team in 4 divisons. Then they could sign the additional 15-20 guys as FA from local leagues. The D-League season would start TC in March and the games would run from April thru June. The NFL club would have about 2 weeks of exclusivity to sign as many players to their 90 man roster as they want. After that players can be signed by any other NFL team.

In this scenario the teams can best use of the development of the players in the league. There is less disruption in the existing flow of the NFL season. Ideally I'd love the idea of a league that started more in the fall and ended at the start of November, but to do that you'd have to eliminate the 37 players from each team that are part of the 90 man rosters. The exact players who you'd hope would benefit from a minor league.

Another possible plus to this scenario is that the minor league team could play in the major league team's facilities.

The other possibility might work would be to have a league that started with a TC in September and had a short season that ran from 10/1 to 12/15. In this scenario, you'd be able to get use of those 30 players and still be able to play in the fall.

 

[jmt57]

From an economic/business viewpoint, I cannot imagine a developmental league ever generating anywhere near as much interest (and revenue) as colleges, specifically conferences such as the SEC.

What if they got the best college players and former NFL players?

From an NFL point of view, they don't need to, all it needs to do it be profitable and better prepare the players for the NFL.

I think if they got the top players that would otherwise go to college they'd generate plenty of interest.

The interest at a major college program comes from alumni and regional interest/pride, that has been built up over generations. While a new d-league might eventually generate some regional civic pride, that's going to take a long time to develop (if ever). The college football rivalries have been built up over decades, passed along to children from the day they were born. Even if the best college players go to a d-league, I doubt very many fans are not going to switch their primary interest from their SEC team to an Orlando or Birmingham minor league team.

How much interest is there in other professional minor leagues? Going to watch the PawSox or Providence Bruins may be a fun diversion, but it is not in the same conversation as the amount of interest to see Alabama or Florida or Notre Dame play football, and it never will.

In New England it might work because college football isn't that big, probably due in part to there being so many colleges. However, in most of the rest of the country fandom for the local/regional college football team is intense; I just can't fathom those people suddenly becoming more interested in a minor league team - even if they had the best college-age players - than their favorite college team.

Between an NFL team, a college team, and perhaps the local high school team, I don't see there being room in an average football fan's social life and free time to also support a minor league team whose schedule overlaps that of those three other teams.

 

[Snake Eyes]

The interest at a major college program comes from alumni and regional interest/pride, that has been built up over generations. While a new d-league might eventually generate some regional civic pride, that's going to take a long time to develop (if ever). The college football rivalries have been built up over decades, passed along to children from the day they were born. Even if the best college players go to a d-league, I doubt very many fans are not going to switch their primary interest from their SEC team to an Orlando or Birmingham minor league team.

How much interest is there in other professional minor leagues? Going to watch the PawSox or Providence Bruins may be a fun diversion, but it is not in the same conversation as the amount of interest to see Alabama or Florida or Notre Dame play football, and it never will.

In New England it might work because college football isn't that big, probably due in part to there being so many colleges. However, in most of the rest of the country fandom for the local/regional college football team is intense; I just can't fathom those people suddenly becoming more interested in a minor league team - even if they had the best college-age players - than their favorite college team.

Between an NFL team, a college team, and perhaps the local high school team, I don't see there being room in an average football fan's social life and free time to also support a minor league team whose schedule overlaps that of those three other teams.

I think a Spring/Summer league would work well, at that point you're competing with other football. If college football still continues to be popular, great, I still think there's value in it as a talent farm but the best players would be properly groomed in the NFL minor league. A minor league system works in other sports despite colleges having those same sports, I see no reason why it wouldn't also work in the NFL.

 

[meatface]

I like the idea if it is set up along the lines of MLB's system where you can option players up and down as needs dictate, and give guys time on the farm team while rehabbing injuries so that they come back in game shape. The trade opportunities would be endless. It would also bebetter to pick up a guy who still wants to play who's been practicing with other football players than to have him come off the couch.

The D-Linemen that came in last season struggled early but looked good late once they got into a rhythm and saw live action. Aging or recently cut younger QBs would definitely benefit from a minor league. There's a bunch of guys like Jimmy Clausen, Brady Quinn, Seneca Wallace, even Tebow, who would be more valuable in a pinch if they were in a minor league setting running plays with real players than working out in a gym.

Gronkowski is an example of a guy who could benefit from a stint with a minor league team to test out his injury du jour before taking the stage with the big boys. It would be a huge benefit to the guys on the farm team to play some elite players from time to time.

Yeah I would have to think that the Players union would want to push for this as it gives a lot more guys jobs, obviously not paying the same but they can more easily get back into the league if their is a minor league.

 

[neuronet]

I have some very strong ideas about this. Some might even have some merit since I am probably the only one here who has actually played for an NFL supported minor league team. But some background first (for those who might not know the story).

[...]

That is an awesome, informative post. Thanks a lot for posting! Sounds like it was a lot of fun

 

[meatface]

The biggest thing here would probably be who pays the players, in the MLB all of the players on all the minor league teams are paid by the MLB team. In the NHL though most of the players are signed with the NHL team but some are paid by minor league teams. I have no idea how a prospective NFL one would work

 

[Deus Irae]

The biggest thing here would probably be who pays the players, in the MLB all of the players on all the minor league teams are paid by the MLB team. In the NHL though most of the players are signed with the NHL team but some are paid by minor league teams. I have no idea how a prospective NFL one would work

In the NFL minor league, the players are paid by the colleges and the boosters.

 

[meatface]

Apparently a D-League is something that the NFL is considering
http://nfltraderumors.co/nfl-could-bring-back-developmental-league-if-preseason-games-get-cut/

 

[Gameoverluke]

Would be a sweet idea.