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When I was growing up they still had semi-pro football. Well... what happened to it? Does it still exist somewhere?
I know that we really want Mexicans and Germans and stuff to have NFL teams one day, but would there be any gate in putting guys just under the practice squad level into sanctioned NFL farm teams?
It seems that this has been asked and answered in the bowels of the NFL, I just don't know why. I'd kind of like to see a team that plays February-May or something in my local area. Actually in my local area you could just relegate the Redskins to be a farm team but I digress...
It would also blunt the "tournament" aspect of pro football... sure guys typically play 3 years and they're out... well, that would extend the careers of the healthy-but-not-great ones, and even turn up the odd overlooked gem that could make it in "the show." Meanwhile a lot more good football players get to play in lower tiers of football early in "real life." I don't know how the math, but maybe they could even be paid a middle-class wage (so they're not really semi-pro, they're more like "pro but not rich.")
Anybody know why the league doesn't run farm clubs?
I know that we really want Mexicans and Germans and stuff to have NFL teams one day, but would there be any gate in putting guys just under the practice squad level into sanctioned NFL farm teams?
It seems that this has been asked and answered in the bowels of the NFL, I just don't know why. I'd kind of like to see a team that plays February-May or something in my local area. Actually in my local area you could just relegate the Redskins to be a farm team but I digress...
It would also blunt the "tournament" aspect of pro football... sure guys typically play 3 years and they're out... well, that would extend the careers of the healthy-but-not-great ones, and even turn up the odd overlooked gem that could make it in "the show." Meanwhile a lot more good football players get to play in lower tiers of football early in "real life." I don't know how the math, but maybe they could even be paid a middle-class wage (so they're not really semi-pro, they're more like "pro but not rich.")
Anybody know why the league doesn't run farm clubs?