USFL Birmingham reach Deal

The USFL has hit the field. Discuss it here!
4th&long
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USFL Birmingham reach Deal

Post by 4th&long »

>>Today it was announced that the USFL and Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center (BJCC) had reached a tentative Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to bring the relaunch season of the USFL to Birmingham, Alabama.<<

https://xflnewshub.com/alt-football/pot ... -in-total/


>>USFL, BJCC reach tentative MOU to bring relaunch season to Birmingham<<

https://www.al.com/sports/2021/10/usfl- ... ngham.html
laxtreme56
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Re: USFL Birmingham reach Deal

Post by laxtreme56 »

It's interesting the USFL is reportedly owned the The National Spring Football League (NSFL) If you type that into google the TSL is the first result to pop up. Seems like B. Woods is still in charge but just not putting his name front and center. Things that make you go hmm.
herns
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Re: USFL Birmingham reach Deal

Post by herns »

laxtreme56 wrote: Mon Oct 18, 2021 7:10 pm It's interesting the USFL is reportedly owned the The National Spring Football League (NSFL) If you type that into google the TSL is the first result to pop up. Seems like B. Woods is still in charge but just not putting his name front and center. Things that make you go hmm.
The listed location of NSFL HQ is the location of Fox HQ. I assume it’s the fox version of Alpha entertainment
4th&long
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Re: USFL Birmingham reach Deal

Post by 4th&long »

herns wrote: Mon Oct 18, 2021 7:13 pm
laxtreme56 wrote: Mon Oct 18, 2021 7:10 pm It's interesting the USFL is reportedly owned the The National Spring Football League (NSFL) If you type that into google the TSL is the first result to pop up. Seems like B. Woods is still in charge but just not putting his name front and center. Things that make you go hmm.
The listed location of NSFL HQ is the location of Fox HQ. I assume it’s the fox version of Alpha entertainment
FOX played tough and got a good deal. Costs savings are good for the leagues longterm chances.

If the new USFL goes into Phily, NY, Houston, and LA then the other 4 can be from small markets like Birmingham. Those 4 alone have 15%+ of the TV market. XFL had 22% and AAF only approx 9.25%. So being in those 4 allows for smaller markets with more rabid fan bases.

My original USFL city list was:

Central - Houston, Dallas, OKC, St Louis
- allows lots of bus travel

Coastal (or East-West) - NY, Philadelphia, TB, LA (or if they avoid calif then AZ).
- bus only NY to/fro Philly

But with Birmingham lets go with:

East - NY, Philadelphia, TB (or Orlando) and Birmingham

West - Houston, SA, LA, St Louis

If they go with Orlando over TB that's 4 NFL Large markets and 4 non markets and still gets to almost 19% ( I think they will target 17-20% nielsen TV market share).
Last edited by 4th&long on Mon Oct 18, 2021 9:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
herns
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Re: USFL Birmingham reach Deal

Post by herns »

4th&long wrote: Mon Oct 18, 2021 9:51 pm
herns wrote: Mon Oct 18, 2021 7:13 pm
laxtreme56 wrote: Mon Oct 18, 2021 7:10 pm It's interesting the USFL is reportedly owned the The National Spring Football League (NSFL) If you type that into google the TSL is the first result to pop up. Seems like B. Woods is still in charge but just not putting his name front and center. Things that make you go hmm.
The listed location of NSFL HQ is the location of Fox HQ. I assume it’s the fox version of Alpha entertainment
FOX played tough and got a good deal. Costs savings are good for the leagues longterm chances.

If the new USFL goes into Phily, NY, Houston, and LA then the other 4 can be from small markets like Birmingham. Those 4 alone have 15%+ of the TV market. XFL had 22% and AAF only approx 9.25%. So being in those 4 allows for smaller markets with more rabid fan bases.
Ive got to agree, I think this league getting that deal really sets it up for success. I’ve seen a lot of love for New Orleans as a market also. Can someone explain to me why so many are rooting against this league?
4th&long
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Re: USFL Birmingham reach Deal

Post by 4th&long »

herns wrote: Mon Oct 18, 2021 9:58 pm
4th&long wrote: Mon Oct 18, 2021 9:51 pm
herns wrote: Mon Oct 18, 2021 7:13 pm

The listed location of NSFL HQ is the location of Fox HQ. I assume it’s the fox version of Alpha entertainment
FOX played tough and got a good deal. Costs savings are good for the leagues longterm chances.

If the new USFL goes into Phily, NY, Houston, and LA then the other 4 can be from small markets like Birmingham. Those 4 alone have 15%+ of the TV market. XFL had 22% and AAF only approx 9.25%. So being in those 4 allows for smaller markets with more rabid fan bases.
Ive got to agree, I think this league getting that deal really sets it up for success. I’ve seen a lot of love for New Orleans as a market also. Can someone explain to me why so many are rooting against this league?
Its like sports and politics, the USFL is the new kid and people had alot of emotional investment in their XFL "their team". People get invested in their "side" and miss the big pic. I wouldn't mind if either or both make it. Been through this rodeo enough to know its not easy and better to have any then none as long as its good FB.
laxtreme56
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Re: USFL Birmingham reach Deal

Post by laxtreme56 »

herns wrote: Mon Oct 18, 2021 9:58 pm
4th&long wrote: Mon Oct 18, 2021 9:51 pm
herns wrote: Mon Oct 18, 2021 7:13 pm

The listed location of NSFL HQ is the location of Fox HQ. I assume it’s the fox version of Alpha entertainment
FOX played tough and got a good deal. Costs savings are good for the leagues longterm chances.

If the new USFL goes into Phily, NY, Houston, and LA then the other 4 can be from small markets like Birmingham. Those 4 alone have 15%+ of the TV market. XFL had 22% and AAF only approx 9.25%. So being in those 4 allows for smaller markets with more rabid fan bases.
Ive got to agree, I think this league getting that deal really sets it up for success. I’ve seen a lot of love for New Orleans as a market also. Can someone explain to me why so many are rooting against this league?
I don't believe many are rooting against the league, in fact I'd venture most on this board are more pro alternative football as opposed to pro XFL. As Shakespeare said, "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." What we want, however, is transparency. The latest article doesn't mention anything about Fox being owners, merely the NSFL. Of course the NSFL is just a pseudonym for the TSL, which we know is owned by Brian Woods. If Fox were the majority owner why haven't they announced anything yet, nor any of the national sports media outlets picked up on it yet? Surely Sports Business Journal would have the inside scoop by now.

As for the HQ being at Fox Sports, sure I believe it. My company works out of a NewsCorp location, the parent company of Fox News. I'm not employed by Fox News, but my work mail is delivered to a NewsCorp address. Did TSL have an actual HQ beforehand. Especially in this new Covid world, it's really not necessary to pay a lease on hundreds of thousands of square footage when most of the work can be done virtually. For all we know the USFL HQ can be a tiny room tucked into an obscure corner, just like the old Arena Football exhibit located in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
herns
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Re: USFL Birmingham reach Deal

Post by herns »

laxtreme56 wrote: Mon Oct 18, 2021 11:10 pm
herns wrote: Mon Oct 18, 2021 9:58 pm
4th&long wrote: Mon Oct 18, 2021 9:51 pm

FOX played tough and got a good deal. Costs savings are good for the leagues longterm chances.

If the new USFL goes into Phily, NY, Houston, and LA then the other 4 can be from small markets like Birmingham. Those 4 alone have 15%+ of the TV market. XFL had 22% and AAF only approx 9.25%. So being in those 4 allows for smaller markets with more rabid fan bases.
Ive got to agree, I think this league getting that deal really sets it up for success. I’ve seen a lot of love for New Orleans as a market also. Can someone explain to me why so many are rooting against this league?
I don't believe many are rooting against the league, in fact I'd venture most on this board are more pro alternative football as opposed to pro XFL. As Shakespeare said, "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." What we want, however, is transparency. The latest article doesn't mention anything about Fox being owners, merely the NSFL. Of course the NSFL is just a pseudonym for the TSL, which we know is owned by Brian Woods. If Fox were the majority owner why haven't they announced anything yet, nor any of the national sports media outlets picked up on it yet? Surely Sports Business Journal would have the inside scoop by now.

As for the HQ being at Fox Sports, sure I believe it. My company works out of a NewsCorp location, the parent company of Fox News. I'm not employed by Fox News, but my work mail is delivered to a NewsCorp address. Did TSL have an actual HQ beforehand. Especially in this new Covid world, it's really not necessary to pay a lease on hundreds of thousands of square footage when most of the work can be done virtually. For all we know the USFL HQ can be a tiny room tucked into an obscure corner, just like the old Arena Football exhibit located in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
https://xflnewsroom.com/news/the-spring ... -new-usfl/

All reports out of Birmingham were woods isn’t involved as well. It wouldn’t make sense for fox to announce anything until it’s official because if they announced it and something happened they’d look foolish. They being said they’re moving forward as if it’s official but sounds like still ready for the small chance something happens
4th&long
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Re: USFL Birmingham reach Deal

Post by 4th&long »

laxtreme56 wrote: Mon Oct 18, 2021 11:10 pm
herns wrote: Mon Oct 18, 2021 9:58 pm
4th&long wrote: Mon Oct 18, 2021 9:51 pm

FOX played tough and got a good deal. Costs savings are good for the leagues longterm chances.

If the new USFL goes into Phily, NY, Houston, and LA then the other 4 can be from small markets like Birmingham. Those 4 alone have 15%+ of the TV market. XFL had 22% and AAF only approx 9.25%. So being in those 4 allows for smaller markets with more rabid fan bases.
Ive got to agree, I think this league getting that deal really sets it up for success. I’ve seen a lot of love for New Orleans as a market also. Can someone explain to me why so many are rooting against this league?
I don't believe many are rooting against the league, in fact I'd venture most on this board are more pro alternative football as opposed to pro XFL. As Shakespeare said, "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." What we want, however, is transparency. The latest article doesn't mention anything about Fox being owners, merely the NSFL. Of course the NSFL is just a pseudonym for the TSL, which we know is owned by Brian Woods. If Fox were the majority owner why haven't they announced anything yet, nor any of the national sports media outlets picked up on it yet? Surely Sports Business Journal would have the inside scoop by now.

As for the HQ being at Fox Sports, sure I believe it. My company works out of a NewsCorp location, the parent company of Fox News. I'm not employed by Fox News, but my work mail is delivered to a NewsCorp address. Did TSL have an actual HQ beforehand. Especially in this new Covid world, it's really not necessary to pay a lease on hundreds of thousands of square footage when most of the work can be done virtually. For all we know the USFL HQ can be a tiny room tucked into an obscure corner, just like the old Arena Football exhibit located in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
LA-X

All reports from local affiliates of major networks in Birmingham was that FOX made the presentation and representating themselves as owning the league. Per an old tweet by the late Josh Davis from late June - Woods was taking a position with Fox. TSL was a test bed and once Fox made the decision they were 100% USFL and TSL is no longer needed.

AL.com reported last week

https://www.al.com/news/2021/10/usfl-pr ... -2022.html

>> City officials and the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center Authority are considering a proposal to bring the re-launch of the United States Football League to Birmingham in the spring of 2022.

The league, which originally launched in 1983 and lasted three seasons, announced its return in June under the ownership of an entity called The Spring League. Fox Sports owns the league and has committed $150 million over three years to its operations. It’s also the league’s official broadcast partner.<<

USFL is owned by FOX now and Woods works for them (unless something has happened - look at the "TSL Out" thread for what the Josh Davis tweet states.

Clearly NSFL was just a company (Fox subsidiary) created to own the league which is owned by Fox.
Gopher123
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Re: USFL Birmingham reach Deal

Post by Gopher123 »

herns wrote: Mon Oct 18, 2021 9:58 pm
4th&long wrote: Mon Oct 18, 2021 9:51 pm
herns wrote: Mon Oct 18, 2021 7:13 pm

The listed location of NSFL HQ is the location of Fox HQ. I assume it’s the fox version of Alpha entertainment
FOX played tough and got a good deal. Costs savings are good for the leagues longterm chances.

If the new USFL goes into Phily, NY, Houston, and LA then the other 4 can be from small markets like Birmingham. Those 4 alone have 15%+ of the TV market. XFL had 22% and AAF only approx 9.25%. So being in those 4 allows for smaller markets with more rabid fan bases.
Ive got to agree, I think this league getting that deal really sets it up for success. I’ve seen a lot of love for New Orleans as a market also. Can someone explain to me why so many are rooting against this league?
Also, I think there are a lot of us spring football fans who aren’t cheering against as much as just being understandably cautious. Many of us have seen leagues crash and burn in seemingly every imaginable way. The fall of XFL 2.0 was the most disheartening for many. Until we know the money is there and the plans actually are put in place and are official, some will turn a cold shoulder to any league starting out.
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