OT: What Happened to Semi-Pro?

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?

PatsFanInVa said:

Anybody know why the league doesn't run farm clubs?

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I think it is simply a dollars and cents business decision. The NFL's minor league is the NCAA, and that doesn't cost the league anything to run. By contrast NFL Europe was costing the league a net loss of millions annually, and only producing a handful of players.

My guess is that semi-pro leagues have gone the way of the eight track for a couple other reasons as well. The NFL is so much more popular now than say, for example in the 50s or 60s that there isn't much left in terms of a 'slice of the pie' for sports fans/football fans to draw interest for semi-pro leagues. If anything arena football has somewhat filled that void. This may also be a situation where costs (including liability insurance) make semi-pro football such a losing proposition that would be impossible to sustain such an endeavor.

The leagues weren't profitable.

There seems to be a dearth of talent at the "skill" positions, QB for example how many current teams are using a QB that might be second string or clipboard holders for another team??..

The realization about CTE is discouraging the development of younger players ascending the NFL ladder...

There is not a lot of coaching talent either, and those who are good often crap themselves...

Not sure the product that would be produced would draw that much interest, minor league games are not much of a draw.. consider the current Calder Cup Playoffs in Hockey, last night the Syracuse- Providence drew about 6,000 people..

The closest we will come in Football is the college game..

Not sure if a semi pro league could compete with the CFL today.

Was always hoping for a sequel

About the NEFL | New England Football League

There are many of these leagues around the country.
There still is an EFL too, which has been around forever.

patstrips65 said:

About the NEFL | New England Football League

There are many of these leagues around the country.
There still is an EFL too, which has been around forever.

Click to expand...

There are many semipro leagues throughout the country.

Thank you guys. I went back to look for this thread because Don Yee just started another, and I thought I named the same salary number here.

Yee has a new wrinkle... make his league "instead of college."

Always interesting.

PatsFanInVa said:

Thank you guys. I went back to look for this thread because Don Yee just started another, and I thought I named the same salary number here.

Yee has a new wrinkle... make his league "instead of college."

Always interesting.

Click to expand...

Brady's Agent to Start NFL Developmental League

Froob said:

Was always hoping for a sequel

Click to expand...

Was always hoping I could forget the first

NFL has a free farm system in the NCAA - and they have a great deal of control over it, as Maurice Clarett found out.