USFL exec speaks on this season and next

The USFL has hit the field. Discuss it here!
4th&long
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Re: USFL exec speaks on this season and next

Post by 4th&long »

Tank55 wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 5:22 pm You're all over the place. On the one hand, you're saying that USFL's problem is one of perception/framing; on the other, you're saying that most people only care about what's happening on the field (except when politics are involved?). It's totally incoherent.
Come on- you know what I mean.

The NBA court was a political statement - painted. I am saying people don't care if there are people in the stands , they certainly may care what the players are doing in their face. Different- and it showed up in ratings and was toned down 99% in 2022 and ratings returned.

I am not saying there is a major viewership issue with USFL due to low attenance. But for those questioning it and influenced by it (yes there are some) the USFL did itself a disservice not being explicit. Can we agree on that?
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Re: USFL exec speaks on this season and next

Post by Tank55 »

4th&long wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 5:28 pm Come on- you know what I mean.
I really don't. Sometimes you say the only thing people care about is what's happening on the field. Sometimes other things seem to matter. You say "people don't care if there are people in the stands", but also that "Not setting audience expectation on attendance" has "hurt the viewer numbers".

Attendance doesn't matter, but expectations on attendance does? What?
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4th&long
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Re: USFL exec speaks on this season and next

Post by 4th&long »

Tank55 wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 5:56 pm
4th&long wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 5:28 pm Come on- you know what I mean.
I really don't. Sometimes you say the only thing people care about is what's happening on the field. Sometimes other things seem to matter. You say "people don't care if there are people in the stands", but also that "Not setting audience expectation on attendance" has "hurt the viewer numbers".

Attendance doesn't matter, but expectations on attendance does? What?
Tank

We all know its the action on the field that people are watching - if they don't like that 500k in stands aint helping. Agreed?
My point is more the twitter hysteria - the majority of people watch to be entertained. They may be concerned about USFL fan support for multiple reasons (like concern it won't last), and some yes some just don't like the look - so USFL could have done a better job and blunted these concerns by explaining to the audience. Don't you agree?
Also I DO think explaining that to the intended local markets couldn't hurt.

But overall the ratings are what I expected sans that rain delayed NJ/NOLA game. They need to address these rain delays. And Joel Klatt/Curt Menefeee have been awesome.

Have you enjoyed the games?
herns
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Re: USFL exec speaks on this season and next

Post by herns »

All I’ll say is I think the hub is fine for a year anything beyond and viewership will probably drop hard, I doubt 2 hubs would make a huge difference because as we’ve seen this year people hate no fans in stands but based off viewership numbers will put up with it. Testing their luck of continuing the hub may save money but would be a big risk still. I think at worst they need to get 4 teams in markets like was originally planned
Tank55
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Re: USFL exec speaks on this season and next

Post by Tank55 »

4th&long wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 8:21 pm We all know its the action on the field that people are watching - if they don't like that 500k in stands aint helping. Agreed?
No, I don't agree. I'd much, much rather watch a sloppy game with 500K people in the stands than a sloppy game with 50 people in the stands. Just because that's not something you value doesn't mean it's not something other people value.
4th&long wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 8:21 pm USFL could have done a better job and blunted these concerns by explaining to the audience. Don't you agree?
I agree it probably couldn't hurt. I just don't think it would make much of a difference.
4th&long wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 8:21 pm Have you enjoyed the games?
Not really. Opening night was fun.
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4th&long
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Re: USFL exec speaks on this season and next

Post by 4th&long »

Tank55 wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 9:18 pm
4th&long wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 8:21 pm 1-We all know its the action on the field that people are watching - if they don't like that 500k in stands aint helping. Agreed?
No, I don't agree. I'd much, much rather watch a sloppy game with 500K people in the stands than a sloppy game with 50 people in the stands. Just because that's not something you value doesn't mean it's not something other people value.
4th&long wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 8:21 pm 2-USFL could have done a better job and blunted these concerns by explaining to the audience. Don't you agree?
I agree it probably couldn't hurt. I just don't think it would make much of a difference.
4th&long wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 8:21 pm 3-Have you enjoyed the games?
Not really. Opening night was fun.

#3 - Well Tank if you don't enjoy watching - you don't. All I'll say the play between, AAF/XFL/USFL isn't all that much diff - imho

#2 - We slightly disagree - I think it would be helpful

#1 - You are mixing up what I said. I said if people do not like what they see on the field having 500k people in the stands won't make them watch. e.g. Non-Soccer fans won't care if 80k show up in Seattle for a Sounders game, they don't like Soccer, they won't watch. People don't watch things they don't like because there are people in the stands, period.
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Re: USFL exec speaks on this season and next

Post by GDAWG »

If I am the USFL, for the other 7 markets, I would try really hard to go smaller stadiums. Birmingham's Protective Stadium seats 47,100, which should be the largest stadium in the league. All others should be under 47,000 seats. If they put this rule in place for 2023, that would eliminate the NFL stadiums in the other 7 markets plus Franklin Field in Philadelphia and Rutgers in New Jersey (not to mention Michigan and Michigan State). And the USFL then looks at college and pro soccer stadiums under the 47,000 threshold, leaving:

Houston- Rice Stadium (47,000), TDECU Stadium (40,000), PNC Stadium (22,000) and Panther Stadium in suburb Prairie View (15,000)
Michigan- Kelly/Shorts Stadium in Mount Pleasant (30,255), Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo (30,200), Rynerson Stadium in Ypsilanti (30,200), Houseman Field in Grand Rapids (8,000)
New Jersey- Princeton Stadium (27,200) and Red Bull Arena (25,000)
New Orleans- Yulman Stadium (30,000) and Tad Gormley Stadium (26,500)
Philadelphia- Subaru Park (18,500)
Pittsburgh- Highmark Stadium (5,000)
Tampa- Al Lang Stadium (7,200)
4th&long
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Re: USFL exec speaks on this season and next

Post by 4th&long »

GDAWG wrote: Fri May 20, 2022 12:05 am If I am the USFL, for the other 7 markets, I would try really hard to go smaller stadiums. Birmingham's Protective Stadium seats 47,100, which should be the largest stadium in the league. All others should be under 47,000 seats. If they put this rule in place for 2023, that would eliminate the NFL stadiums in the other 7 markets plus Franklin Field in Philadelphia and Rutgers in New Jersey (not to mention Michigan and Michigan State). And the USFL then looks at college and pro soccer stadiums under the 47,000 threshold, leaving:

Houston- Rice Stadium (47,000), TDECU Stadium (40,000), PNC Stadium (22,000) and Panther Stadium in suburb Prairie View (15,000)
Michigan- Kelly/Shorts Stadium in Mount Pleasant (30,255), Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo (30,200), Rynerson Stadium in Ypsilanti (30,200), Houseman Field in Grand Rapids (8,000)
New Jersey- Princeton Stadium (27,200) and Red Bull Arena (25,000)
New Orleans- Yulman Stadium (30,000) and Tad Gormley Stadium (26,500)
Philadelphia- Subaru Park (18,500)
Pittsburgh- Highmark Stadium (5,000)
Tampa- Al Lang Stadium (7,200)
In general I agree - 12k-30k or abouts smaller stadiums at least in the near & mid term.

Like the Houston, NOLA, NJ (redbull) and Philly locals

Philly Subaru park, is actually not in the city and avoids all the cost associated with the Linc and FF. It could also serve as a Hub for Philly/NJ and/or Pitt. If the USFL tests the philly market next season they should put both at least one NJ/Philly game there. I posted similar and also below.

NOLA - while a small market - Has no MLB or NHL to compete with. It's busing distance from Birm and is the natural 2nd hub - it would increase the number of "games in front of a home audience by 8 games. Due to the busing distance, likely low cost - I think NOLA is a natural. They can still practice all week in Birm. I still see them putting some games in Houston too, 2-5 - Houston is busing Distance to NOLA.

But its all speculation. Ultimately a merger of sorts of USFL/XFL is likely.
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Re: USFL exec speaks on this season and next

Post by Gopher123 »

GDAWG wrote: Fri May 20, 2022 12:05 am If I am the USFL, for the other 7 markets, I would try really hard to go smaller stadiums. Birmingham's Protective Stadium seats 47,100, which should be the largest stadium in the league. All others should be under 47,000 seats. If they put this rule in place for 2023, that would eliminate the NFL stadiums in the other 7 markets plus Franklin Field in Philadelphia and Rutgers in New Jersey (not to mention Michigan and Michigan State). And the USFL then looks at college and pro soccer stadiums under the 47,000 threshold, leaving:

Houston- Rice Stadium (47,000), TDECU Stadium (40,000), PNC Stadium (22,000) and Panther Stadium in suburb Prairie View (15,000)
Michigan- Kelly/Shorts Stadium in Mount Pleasant (30,255), Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo (30,200), Rynerson Stadium in Ypsilanti (30,200), Houseman Field in Grand Rapids (8,000)
New Jersey- Princeton Stadium (27,200) and Red Bull Arena (25,000)
New Orleans- Yulman Stadium (30,000) and Tad Gormley Stadium (26,500)
Philadelphia- Subaru Park (18,500)
Pittsburgh- Highmark Stadium (5,000)
Tampa- Al Lang Stadium (7,200)
The USFL is not going to stadiums that seat less than 10,000 people. They may not care about attendance as much this year but by the time they start placing teams in their home markets they will and expectations should be more than that.
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Re: USFL exec speaks on this season and next

Post by GDAWG »

Gopher123 wrote: Fri May 20, 2022 9:07 am
GDAWG wrote: Fri May 20, 2022 12:05 am If I am the USFL, for the other 7 markets, I would try really hard to go smaller stadiums. Birmingham's Protective Stadium seats 47,100, which should be the largest stadium in the league. All others should be under 47,000 seats. If they put this rule in place for 2023, that would eliminate the NFL stadiums in the other 7 markets plus Franklin Field in Philadelphia and Rutgers in New Jersey (not to mention Michigan and Michigan State). And the USFL then looks at college and pro soccer stadiums under the 47,000 threshold, leaving:

Houston- Rice Stadium (47,000), TDECU Stadium (40,000), PNC Stadium (22,000) and Panther Stadium in suburb Prairie View (15,000)
Michigan- Kelly/Shorts Stadium in Mount Pleasant (30,255), Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo (30,200), Rynerson Stadium in Ypsilanti (30,200), Houseman Field in Grand Rapids (8,000)
New Jersey- Princeton Stadium (27,200) and Red Bull Arena (25,000)
New Orleans- Yulman Stadium (30,000) and Tad Gormley Stadium (26,500)
Philadelphia- Subaru Park (18,500)
Pittsburgh- Highmark Stadium (5,000)
Tampa- Al Lang Stadium (7,200)
The USFL is not going to stadiums that seat less than 10,000 people. They may not care about attendance as much this year but by the time they start placing teams in their home markets they will and expectations should be more than that.
2,000 people in a massive NFL stadium would be a terrible look for the USFL. 2,000 people in a smaller 10,000 seat stadium would not look too bad.
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