CFL more desperate than we thought

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4th&long
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Re: CFL more desperate than we thought

Post by 4th&long »

wbbfan wrote: Sun Mar 14, 2021 8:30 pm
Tank55 wrote: Sun Mar 14, 2021 12:02 pm
wbbfan wrote: Sat Mar 13, 2021 11:15 pmThe XFL has gone under twice in less than a season and a half.
People keep saying this as if the CFL didn't also lose their season in 2020.
The xfl was minutes away from an asset forfeiture auction. It was on the verge of failing since the heavy ratings drops in 1-2 and week 3. Covid gave a humane exit, thats all.
Oh Please, ratings were expected to drop, it was a Huge success
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Re: CFL more desperate than we thought

Post by Tank55 »

MGB01 wrote: Sun Mar 14, 2021 9:01 pmYoungorst is that you?
LOL!
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johnnyangryfuzzball
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Re: CFL more desperate than we thought

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wbbfan wrote: Sun Mar 14, 2021 8:30 pm
Tank55 wrote: Sun Mar 14, 2021 12:02 pm
wbbfan wrote: Sat Mar 13, 2021 11:15 pmThe XFL has gone under twice in less than a season and a half.
People keep saying this as if the CFL didn't also lose their season in 2020.
The xfl was minutes away from an asset forfeiture auction. It was on the verge of failing since the heavy ratings drops in 1-2 and week 3. Covid gave a humane exit, thats all.
No, it was not "on the verge of failing."

ESPN, for reasons that still perplex me, just gave a $400 million contract to the NHL, a league that had worse ratings in America than the XFL even at its worst. Of course ratings were going to fall as casual viewers eased their way out of the traditional football season, outside weather began to improve, and the novelty wore off. XFL attendance was steady and in a couple of cases like St. Louis, it was even rising. Furthermore, we know that until COVID forced him to retrench, Vince McMahon had been willing to put up to a half-billion of his own money into the league to get it onto solid footing. In fact, it probably was pretty close to solid footing had they not lost that gate revenue.

This was not Charlie Ebersol and the AAF. For a first-year league, the XFL did as well as any league can expect to do.
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Re: CFL more desperate than we thought

Post by 4th&long »

johnnyangryfuzzball wrote: Mon Mar 15, 2021 7:10 am
wbbfan wrote: Sun Mar 14, 2021 8:30 pm
Tank55 wrote: Sun Mar 14, 2021 12:02 pm

People keep saying this as if the CFL didn't also lose their season in 2020.
The xfl was minutes away from an asset forfeiture auction. It was on the verge of failing since the heavy ratings drops in 1-2 and week 3. Covid gave a humane exit, thats all.
No, it was not "on the verge of failing."

ESPN, for reasons that still perplex me, just gave a $400 million contract to the NHL, a league that had worse ratings in America than the XFL even at its worst. Of course ratings were going to fall as casual viewers eased their way out of the traditional football season, outside weather began to improve, and the novelty wore off. XFL attendance was steady and in a couple of cases like St. Louis, it was even rising. Furthermore, we know that until COVID forced him to retrench, Vince McMahon had been willing to put up to a half-billion of his own money into the league to get it onto solid footing. In fact, it probably was pretty close to solid footing had they not lost that gate revenue.

This was not Charlie Ebersol and the AAF. For a first-year league, the XFL did as well as any league can expect to do.
It's like I told you johnny, NHL was going to score big. Their last contract was 10 yrs ago. $200 million is pocket change today.
ESPN NEEDS Live programming BADLY to get viewers and therefore justify its cable carriage fees. Same works for streaming which is nothing more than cable without a specific provider (ie Cablevision or Comcast-Xfinity vs any provider). They NEED content to justify getting on cable systems or to get ESPN+ direct paying customers.
And the NHL has a loyal fan base and the NHL is not going to fold. And don't forget the related talk programs.

You are right XFL did have better ratings - BUT new ownership passed on 2021 and that was a big mistake. They need to see COMMITMENT. VM had it and dropped it. DG/RBC/Rk haven't shown any.

Also NHL production cost are smaller than a FB game

NHL will end up north of $600mm a year in rights fees while XFL can't because VM pulled the plug to soon and DG/RBC/Rk and more hot air than doers. IF VM didn't file bankrupcty (he gambled on buy back and lost) or D-R-R had put on a short 2021 season it would have signaled they are serious. So far nothing and now 2022 is on hold. The nets want them to put skin in the game so to speak before investing in a viewing contract.

Perhaps XFL NEEDS CFL to justify that long term or any TV contract.

This is where we are.

-4th&long

PS - Even the AAF had solid ratings - they are just in smaller markets and they don't translate into ratings as well, hence the VM-XFL approach
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johnnyangryfuzzball
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Re: CFL more desperate than we thought

Post by johnnyangryfuzzball »

I use the AAF as an example not because of its ratings (which were indeed respectable, especially given the less prominent outlets) but as a league that was neither financially sound nor honest.
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Re: CFL more desperate than we thought

Post by 4th&long »

johnnyangryfuzzball wrote: Mon Mar 15, 2021 4:54 pm I use the AAF as an example not because of its ratings (which were indeed respectable, especially given the less prominent outlets) but as a league that was neither financially sound nor honest.
Agreed all points
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Re: CFL more desperate than we thought

Post by Migs »

Tank55 wrote: Sun Mar 14, 2021 12:06 pm Can we please be nice to all of our new Canadian friends? There's like six of us on this board as it is, and one of them is 4th&long.
Apologies for some of my fellow Canadians.

Great to be here, lover of all football leagues. I think a CFL/XFL merger or partnership is a great thing with lots of exciting possibilities. Looking forward to what the future holds!

Go Roughriders!
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