BREAKING: Season canceled.

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steinerfhc
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Re: BREAKING: Season canceled.

Post by steinerfhc »

XtremeFanForever wrote: Fri Mar 13, 2020 6:51 pm Player travel expenses back home are also being covered by the league. They're handling this as best as one could hope for.

https://mobile.twitter.com/JoeJHoyt/sta ... 57154?s=19
I agree they have and what sounds small. I think will go a long way for the league and any player who had second thoughts about joining the league. Seeing that they tack care of the players and not deny anything from them. AAF legit left there players high and dry. XFL did not do that. And plus seeing tweets from a lot of players being positive about there XFL experience. This is going to give a good turn over from a players stand point in 2021 season.
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Regular Joe
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Re: BREAKING: Season canceled.

Post by Regular Joe »

I never really got into the AAF which is weird with the whole USFL, UFL, WFL, WLAF, CFL, AFL, interest.

Think because I felt like maybe they were trying to undercut the XFL, thereby maybe damaging spring football chances.
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johnnyangryfuzzball
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Re: BREAKING: Season canceled.

Post by johnnyangryfuzzball »

Regular Joe wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 5:44 am I never really got into the AAF which is weird with the whole USFL, UFL, WFL, WLAF, CFL, AFL, interest.

Think because I felt like maybe they were trying to undercut the XFL, thereby maybe damaging spring football chances.
Well, anyone who looked at the AAF could tell that they had a bad business model and it was a rush job trying to cut Vince off at the pass. It didn't work, of course. I always called it the Alliance of American Foolery.
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Re: BREAKING: Season canceled.

Post by Tank55 »

The model was basically the same, it was just undercapitalized and less well executed. Sort of like Charlie Weis running Bill Belichek's playbook at Kansas.
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Re: BREAKING: Season canceled.

Post by 4th&long »

johnnyangryfuzzball wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 7:46 am
Regular Joe wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 5:44 am I never really got into the AAF which is weird with the whole USFL, UFL, WFL, WLAF, CFL, AFL, interest.

Think because I felt like maybe they were trying to undercut the XFL, thereby maybe damaging spring football chances.
Well, anyone who looked at the AAF could tell that they had a bad business model and it was a rush job trying to cut Vince off at the pass. It didn't work, of course. I always called it the Alliance of American Foolery.
The thing with the AAF was that Charlie Ebersol blatantly lied about the funding from the get go - Intro news conference. He snake oil salesman the entire thing. PFT's Florio was sympathetic to AAF because of Ebersol's father being the head of NBC sports previously for a long time. He has connections at NBC. But despite XFL numbers blowing AAF out of the water, he is more skeptical of XFL. Though in a recent news video segment he said he liked it and watches all the games.

IF AAF had budgeted their exp to their cash investment, they would have survived into 2020 as well, and maybe affiliated with NFL in new CBA. MAJOR FU by charlie and Dundon - imo
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XtremeFanForever
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Re: BREAKING: Season canceled.

Post by XtremeFanForever »

Tank55 wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 10:14 am The model was basically the same, it was just undercapitalized and less well executed. Sort of like Charlie Weis running Bill Belichek's playbook at Kansas.
Seems like they never intended to make a serious run at a lucrative TV deal, though, given the markets they chose. Even with better funding I think their only plan to achieve long term viability was to somehow convince the NFL to partner with them.
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DefenderStratocaster
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Re: BREAKING: Season canceled.

Post by DefenderStratocaster »

The AAF was an absolute disaster. When the decision was made to shutter operations, players were booted from their hotel rooms and were forced to pay their own travel expenses and medical bills. The league seemingly came out of nowhere, with no financial infrastructure and no coherent plan to address the NFLPA and media networks.
The XFL has already demonstrated they are in a different league (pun intended). A better organization with better players and a better overall product. This is not the worst scenario for the XFL. In fact, it may be a blessing in disguise. Fans are left wanting more, and the organization is left with a nice 5-game sample size to evaluate progress and address potential changes. The doomers and gloomers were ready to pounce on the declining ratings, especially heading into March Madness season.
But the XFL has an out now, and plenty of time to consider what DID and DID NOT work in its first 5 games (potentially moving the Wildcats to a new market, potentially tweaking some rules, etc...).

For all it’s promise, the XFL still needs a more accurately-defined identity if it plans on expanding its coalition. What is the XFL’s identity? More ball, less stall? A faster-paced game with more trick plays and higher scoring opportunities? Is any of this true? And more importantly, if it is true, is it enough of an identity to reach new demographics of fans?
So far, average points-per-game are actually lower compared to NFL. Margins of victory are higher (games are more lopsided). First quarters are crazy slow. 55% of all game entered the second quarter with 7 points or less. Some enter scoreless.
Games are still clocking in at the 3 hours, compared to the goal of 2:40-2:45. Pace of play is still interrupted by spot measuring, tedious booth reviews, and inevitable injuries. More trick plays? maybe a couple. Maybe.

This is all a symptom of contradictory game design. A faster play clock = more plays = more scoring opportunities. But that’s all offset by a running game clock. More creative overtime rules = more exciting finishes. But that’s offset by PAT rules that make OT less likely to happen. NFL had 2 OT games in its first week. Who knows when we’ll see these awesome new XFL OT’s. More transparency will = more fan engagement. Also not true. Less is more in football. The less we know about Bill Belichick, the more mythical his play-calling becomes and he more fans either love him or hate him. The less we cut to the sideline during a Ravens/Steelers game, the more mythical the rivalry becomes. The less we see inside the review booth, the more sophisticated we think the process is. We are engaged because of what we don’t know.

I’m sure I’ll get some hate for this, but unlike the hack beat writers, I actually WANT the XFL to succeed. I am rooting for the league, especially after seeing how they handled the virus. But i think a little constructive criticism in an environment full of Yes Men would do the league good.
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Re: BREAKING: Season canceled.

Post by Tank55 »

LOL, that's gotta be youngorst.
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Re: BREAKING: Season canceled.

Post by 4th&long »

DefenderStratocaster wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 3:37 pm The AAF was an absolute disaster. When the decision was made to shutter operations, players were booted from their hotel rooms and were forced to pay their own travel expenses and medical bills. The league seemingly came out of nowhere, with no financial infrastructure and no coherent plan to address the NFLPA and media networks.
The XFL has already demonstrated they are in a different league (pun intended). A better organization with better players and a better overall product. This is not the worst scenario for the XFL. In fact, it may be a blessing in disguise. Fans are left wanting more, and the organization is left with a nice 5-game sample size to evaluate progress and address potential changes. The doomers and gloomers were ready to pounce on the declining ratings, especially heading into March Madness season.
But the XFL has an out now, and plenty of time to consider what DID and DID NOT work in its first 5 games (potentially moving the Wildcats to a new market, potentially tweaking some rules, etc...).


For all it’s promise, the XFL still needs a more accurately-defined identity if it plans on expanding its coalition. What is the XFL’s identity? More ball, less stall? A faster-paced game with more trick plays and higher scoring opportunities? Is any of this true? And more importantly, if it is true, is it enough of an identity to reach new demographics of fans?
So far, average points-per-game are actually lower compared to NFL. Margins of victory are higher (games are more lopsided). First quarters are crazy slow. 55% of all game entered the second quarter with 7 points or less. Some enter scoreless.
Games are still clocking in at the 3 hours, compared to the goal of 2:40-2:45. Pace of play is still interrupted by spot measuring, tedious booth reviews, and inevitable injuries. More trick plays? maybe a couple. Maybe.

This is all a symptom of contradictory game design. A faster play clock = more plays = more scoring opportunities. But that’s all offset by a running game clock. More creative overtime rules = more exciting finishes. But that’s offset by PAT rules that make OT less likely to happen. NFL had 2 OT games in its first week. Who knows when we’ll see these awesome new XFL OT’s. More transparency will = more fan engagement. Also not true. Less is more in football. The less we know about Bill Belichick, the more mythical his play-calling becomes and he more fans either love him or hate him. The less we cut to the sideline during a Ravens/Steelers game, the more mythical the rivalry becomes. The less we see inside the review booth, the more sophisticated we think the process is. We are engaged because of what we don’t know.

I’m sure I’ll get some hate for this, but unlike the hack beat writers, I actually WANT the XFL to succeed. I am rooting for the league, especially after seeing how they handled the virus. But i think a little constructive criticism in an environment full of Yes Men would do the league good.
Good post

Agree with the bold - except the LA part - they want the TV market there.

The game is being SERIOUSLY slowed down by OVERUSED and UNNECESSARY replay (Italic above). Sky judge was supposed there for EGREGIOUS mistakes not every play. That is a MAJOR turnoff to causal viewer. And then they miss an obvious clock stoppage....

Overall though it was v good and they will learn and improve.
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Firecop
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Re: BREAKING: Season canceled.

Post by Firecop »

I agree that as disappointing as the early finish is, it can turn into a case of making lemonade out of lemons! I hope the league, its coaches and front office folks take a long hard look at what worked and what didn't in terms of a faster paced and more enjoyable product. While football is enjoyable in and of its own, it can't hurt to further tweak and "streamline" the game, so here's hoping!
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