The thing that would really be a downer about a D-League, at least from a fan's standpoint, is all of the posturing and sound bite-izing that would come out of the college coaches who love to air their feelings about anything that they don't like. Saban, Spurrier, Fisher, et al would be having press conferences every other hour of the day in order to try and develop a groundswell against the D-League.
As if they weren't already insufferable enough.
Quote:Having the backing of the NFL would give any league a higher level of legitimacy. There are already semi pro leagues all over the country. They're not feeding talent to the NFL.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but many of these leagues are "pay to play" and involve guys over 21 just trying to have fun. Ticket sales are not the main revenue source. They also tend to be in big cities like Boston.
If you came in with strong investors the way the XFL did, and established yourself in cities with few other entertainment options but lots of talent (Ocala for example), you could have something, NFL or not.
Quote:I think a well thought out developmental league with the proper backing would certainly challenge the NCAA. It won't topple it, but it could give them a run for their money.
The only way it
could potentially happen is if the NFL actually does the financial backing -- with sponsorships and the whole shebang -- where they actually commit to growing the players for the NFL. We know that is all but a pipe dream. If the NFL actually make a D-league, it would specifically design for those who went undrafted and needed more development -- not for the 18-19 year old.
Quote:There you go. Now what kind of 4-5 star recruits would ever go to those league and earn a couple hundreds dollar every two weeks when they can learn the game and play for renown college coaches, while getting an expense free education?
A D-league for those who went undrafted after college because they needed more seasoning could make sense. However, a D-leage for the 18-21 year old prospects? You might as well go watch high school football or Div III, because that's the quality you will get.
Football isn't like other sports i.e. soccer and football. Typical 18-19 year old aren't physically and mentally developed enough for the game without proper coaching. They simply cannot play professional level at 18-19.
If you have a good level of upfront investment, bringing in "renowned" coaches is easy. The quality of play is a function of the quality of players and coaches recruited. High upfront investment should give enough credibility to attract both. College football fans understand they are watching players develop. There is no reason why any other d-league couldn't find fans who also appreciate watching guys develop their talents.
The only way a D-league like that exists is if the NFL creates it. They will never do it; it will never happen. I don't know why some continue to suggest that an organized D-league can somehow challenge college football (or the NCAA to be exact). It's not possible.
Quote:The only way it could potentially happen is if the NFL actually does the financial backing -- with sponsorships and the whole shebang -- where they actually commit to growing the players for the NFL. We know that is all but a pipe dream. If the NFL actually make a D-league, it would specifically design for those who went undrafted and needed more development -- not for the 18-19 year old.
If the NFL could come up with a way to make money off of it, they'd pounce.
Quote:If the NFL could come up with a way to make money off of it, they'd pounce.
I disagree. Making money is not enough. Those guys have all the money they'll ever need. Preserving the brand comes before making money. In other words, they need more than the confidence that it'll turn a profit in one year or two years. They need to believe that in 10 years, it will have improved their entire operation and not at all upset their fans. They are a very risk-averse organization. As is the NCAA, for the same reason.