Mike Mitchell on Markcast

[herns]

So the only question now, and it's a huge one, is how does everything come together in three months? We need major announcements, i.e. players, coaching staffs.

While thankfully it's the complete opposite of the AAF in that they got the infrastructure in place--even modified as it is for '22, it's a little late in the game to decide on the football side that TSL2.0 ain't it after all.

With the combine on the 8th I’d assume coaching announcements are coming. Mike said on Markcast the coaches have their contracts in hands. I don’t think they’re just now deciding it’s not TSL 2.o I more think it’s just the first time we’re hearing about it

[herns]

So the only question now, and it's a huge one, is how does everything come together in three months? We need major announcements, i.e. players, coaching staffs.

While thankfully it's the complete opposite of the AAF in that they got the infrastructure in place--even modified as it is for '22, it's a little late in the game to decide on the football side that TSL2.0 ain't it after all.

I see them having a similar player pool and dispersion as TSL, ie assigned players or maybe a limited draft of a pool of players. Once assigned moves and cuts will be team calls.

As far as coaches - unless they have bigger names than Gilbride, Mumme, Jones, Granville etc, I see at least some of these guys coming back.

Just because we haven't heard it doesn't mean things aren't in the works. What I don't want to see is a pissing match between Woods and Shanks. Woods would lose that battle anyway so I hope they avoid that.

Ya I don’t think woods really even could win that since it’s owned by Fox and Shanks has the head executive position. That said woods may not love the direction but I think he’s more suited for his current role where he’ll be more of a scout/evaluator for the league and gathering talent

[4th&long]

Jones would, or should, probably be the #1 HC announcement simply cause he has some staff at the ready. Dan Morrison and Dennis McKnight are coaching on Friday in the Sun Bowl but neither are going to be part of Jake Dickert's staff in '22 so they'd naturally be back with him I'd guess.

As I said previously, no need to trample over bowl games this week that have some USFL connections but some of this should have been done already.

Wade Phillips would be the big hire. I'd love to see Urban Meyer, the buzz would be huge. Gilbride could go USFL or XFL.

And despite what Shanks said, XFL will go for Hal Mumme, Gilbride etc...

[Gopher123]

Jones would, or should, probably be the #1 HC announcement simply cause he has some staff at the ready. Dan Morrison and Dennis McKnight are coaching on Friday in the Sun Bowl but neither are going to be part of Jake Dickert's staff in '22 so they'd naturally be back with him I'd guess.

As I said previously, no need to trample over bowl games this week that have some USFL connections but some of this should have been done already.

Wade Phillips would be the big hire. I'd love to see Urban Meyer, the buzz would be huge. Gilbride could go USFL or XFL.

And despite what Shanks said, XFL will go for Hal Mumme, Gilbride etc...

I think maybe you meant to say USFL instead of XFL in your last sentence. Regardless, I hope you’re right about Shanks not skipping over some good coaches solely because they were in the TSL. We posted months ago about it being important that the USFL should be a significant step above the TSL but passing on coaches for this reason seems to me to be a little extreme.

I am glad to see Shanks spearheading this and it seems there is a push to stepping this league up. I just hope that at the end of this, so called battle, we have strong spring football as opposed to each league destroying the other.

[herns]

Jones would, or should, probably be the #1 HC announcement simply cause he has some staff at the ready. Dan Morrison and Dennis McKnight are coaching on Friday in the Sun Bowl but neither are going to be part of Jake Dickert's staff in '22 so they'd naturally be back with him I'd guess.

As I said previously, no need to trample over bowl games this week that have some USFL connections but some of this should have been done already.

Wade Phillips would be the big hire. I'd love to see Urban Meyer, the buzz would be huge. Gilbride could go USFL or XFL.

And despite what Shanks said, XFL will go for Hal Mumme, Gilbride etc...

I think maybe you meant to say USFL instead of XFL in your last sentence. Regardless, I hope you’re right about Shanks not skipping over some good coaches solely because they were in the TSL. We posted months ago about it being important that the USFL should be a significant step above the TSL but passing on coaches for this reason seems to me to be a little extreme.

I am glad to see Shanks spearheading this and it seems there is a push to stepping this league up. I just hope that at the end of this, so called battle, we have strong spring football as opposed to each league destroying the other.

I agree with that about it’s huge that this is Shanks league and not woods, that said I do hope woods is able to talk him into keeping a few coaches around. That said I am glad that shanks isn’t letting woods run wild with what he wanted to do, his original idea was to take full rosters/teams and rebrand them for the USFL which I’m glad is no longer the case

[GregParks]

Of course this drops just as I was leaving the country on vacation. Still had to make time to give it a listen before I returned. From what I remember thinking as I listened...

-There are people really into the idea of this "war" between the USFL and XFL but I just don't see it. I'm not sure it would be a good thing for the long-term viability of each either, as it dilutes the talent pool of coaches and players for the two leagues. Certainly good for coaches and players, however, to create more opportunities for them. It's not close to what the AAF vs. XFL would've been, IMO. I just think it's a bit overblown at this point. I hope each minds its own and doesn't worry about what the other does, at least publicly.

-When it comes down to choosing XFL vs. USFL for players, to me, it's two things: (1) money and (2) NFL opportunity, which I think echoes what Mike talked about. The XFL is going to have the advantage in #2 because of the time the season runs, ending just before NFL training camps open and allowing players to latch on to teams before then. The USFL will run at least in part at the same time as NFL training camps. Perhaps the USFL will allow players mid-season to sign with NFL clubs, but that would hurt the continuity of the teams and league. Pay remains to be seen, but that's going to be a big factor I'd imagine.

-I agreed with Mike on a lot of his takes, but I don't ever see the XFL or USFL being a desired "destination" for a player. That's always going to be the NFL. As long as it pays the most and has the highest caliber of talent, that's where folks will shoot for. You may have a marginal college player who is realistic and whose goal is to play in the XFL or USFL, but on the off chance the NFL came calling, I can't see them turning down that opportunity to stay with either of those two leagues. There's also just so much history to the NFL that players grew up attached to the league and teams. Perhaps in time that will be the case for the XFL and USFL but those feelings will take generations to take hold.

[4th&long]

Of course this drops just as I was leaving the country on vacation. Still had to make time to give it a listen before I returned. From what I remember thinking as I listened...

-There are people really into the idea of this "war" between the USFL and XFL but I just don't see it. I'm not sure it would be a good thing for the long-term viability of each either, as it dilutes the talent pool of coaches and players for the two leagues. Certainly good for coaches and players, however, to create more opportunities for them. It's not close to what the AAF vs. XFL would've been, IMO. I just think it's a bit overblown at this point. I hope each minds its own and doesn't worry about what the other does, at least publicly.

-When it comes down to choosing XFL vs. USFL for players, to me, it's two things: (1) money and (2) NFL opportunity, which I think echoes what Mike talked about. The XFL is going to have the advantage in #2 because of the time the season runs, ending just before NFL training camps open and allowing players to latch on to teams before then. The USFL will run at least in part at the same time as NFL training camps. Perhaps the USFL will allow players mid-season to sign with NFL clubs, but that would hurt the continuity of the teams and league. Pay remains to be seen, but that's going to be a big factor I'd imagine.

-I agreed with Mike on a lot of his takes, but I don't ever see the XFL or USFL being a desired "destination" for a player. That's always going to be the NFL. As long as it pays the most and has the highest caliber of talent, that's where folks will shoot for. You may have a marginal college player who is realistic and whose goal is to play in the XFL or USFL, but on the off chance the NFL came calling, I can't see them turning down that opportunity to stay with either of those two leagues. There's also just so much history to the NFL that players grew up attached to the league and teams. Perhaps in time that will be the case for the XFL and USFL but those feelings will take generations to take hold.

The Spring FB WAR is about getting eyeballs and attention to garner a TV deal and maintain one. Agreed on your last point. Its always going to be NFL. That said XFL pay and league season timing vs USFL may tilt players one way or another. In the end they will merge and with RBC money, FOX/Woods with NBC and what ever else XFL brings to table. This could be really GREAT!

[GregParks]

Of course this drops just as I was leaving the country on vacation. Still had to make time to give it a listen before I returned. From what I remember thinking as I listened...

-There are people really into the idea of this "war" between the USFL and XFL but I just don't see it. I'm not sure it would be a good thing for the long-term viability of each either, as it dilutes the talent pool of coaches and players for the two leagues. Certainly good for coaches and players, however, to create more opportunities for them. It's not close to what the AAF vs. XFL would've been, IMO. I just think it's a bit overblown at this point. I hope each minds its own and doesn't worry about what the other does, at least publicly.

-When it comes down to choosing XFL vs. USFL for players, to me, it's two things: (1) money and (2) NFL opportunity, which I think echoes what Mike talked about. The XFL is going to have the advantage in #2 because of the time the season runs, ending just before NFL training camps open and allowing players to latch on to teams before then. The USFL will run at least in part at the same time as NFL training camps. Perhaps the USFL will allow players mid-season to sign with NFL clubs, but that would hurt the continuity of the teams and league. Pay remains to be seen, but that's going to be a big factor I'd imagine.

-I agreed with Mike on a lot of his takes, but I don't ever see the XFL or USFL being a desired "destination" for a player. That's always going to be the NFL. As long as it pays the most and has the highest caliber of talent, that's where folks will shoot for. You may have a marginal college player who is realistic and whose goal is to play in the XFL or USFL, but on the off chance the NFL came calling, I can't see them turning down that opportunity to stay with either of those two leagues. There's also just so much history to the NFL that players grew up attached to the league and teams. Perhaps in time that will be the case for the XFL and USFL but those feelings will take generations to take hold.

The Spring FB WAR is about getting eyeballs and attention to garner a TV deal and maintain one.

Both are certainly fighting for the same thing, as you mentioned, a well-paying TV deal. But it's not a zero-sum game, which I tend to think of when we use words like "at war." Fans don't have to choose one or the other; they can watch both. So theoretically, there is room for both in the TV deal landscape. Unlikely? Probably. But not impossible, especially as live sports becomes more and more important to broadcast and cable networks.

If they were going head-to-head, forcing viewers to choose to watch one or the other (and who knows, they might by the time the USFL season in mid-April 2023 rolls around while the XFL is in the second half of its season), then I'd agree.

[4th&long]

Of course this drops just as I was leaving the country on vacation. Still had to make time to give it a listen before I returned. From what I remember thinking as I listened...

-There are people really into the idea of this "war" between the USFL and XFL but I just don't see it. I'm not sure it would be a good thing for the long-term viability of each either, as it dilutes the talent pool of coaches and players for the two leagues. Certainly good for coaches and players, however, to create more opportunities for them. It's not close to what the AAF vs. XFL would've been, IMO. I just think it's a bit overblown at this point. I hope each minds its own and doesn't worry about what the other does, at least publicly.

-When it comes down to choosing XFL vs. USFL for players, to me, it's two things: (1) money and (2) NFL opportunity, which I think echoes what Mike talked about. The XFL is going to have the advantage in #2 because of the time the season runs, ending just before NFL training camps open and allowing players to latch on to teams before then. The USFL will run at least in part at the same time as NFL training camps. Perhaps the USFL will allow players mid-season to sign with NFL clubs, but that would hurt the continuity of the teams and league. Pay remains to be seen, but that's going to be a big factor I'd imagine.

-I agreed with Mike on a lot of his takes, but I don't ever see the XFL or USFL being a desired "destination" for a player. That's always going to be the NFL. As long as it pays the most and has the highest caliber of talent, that's where folks will shoot for. You may have a marginal college player who is realistic and whose goal is to play in the XFL or USFL, but on the off chance the NFL came calling, I can't see them turning down that opportunity to stay with either of those two leagues. There's also just so much history to the NFL that players grew up attached to the league and teams. Perhaps in time that will be the case for the XFL and USFL but those feelings will take generations to take hold.

The Spring FB WAR is about getting eyeballs and attention to garner a TV deal and maintain one.

Both are certainly fighting for the same thing, as you mentioned, a well-paying TV deal. But it's not a zero-sum game, which I tend to think of when we use words like "at war." Fans don't have to choose one or the other; they can watch both. So theoretically, there is room for both in the TV deal landscape. Unlikely? Probably. But not impossible, especially as live sports becomes more and more important to broadcast and cable networks.

If they were going head-to-head, forcing viewers to choose to watch one or the other (and who knows, they might by the time the USFL season in mid-April 2023 rolls around while the XFL is in the second half of its season), then I'd agree.

Agreed! it does not have to be a Zero-sum game. But a network making a commitment to one may limit opportunities for the other. Especially with FOX owning the USFL. I still see this ending up in a merger and I'm not sure whose the primary league winner (if not a merger of equals).

Agreed, Fans will not choose one or the other for the most part as they aren't overlapping, but they love the trash talk on Social-Fedia.

The WAR right now is mostly a PR war to get media attention. Buzz is low cost advertising. I love the hype. Spring FB can use the attention and I'm loving it!

[Sounder]

If I can direct a question toward Mike Mitchell it is this: I'm still not understanding what happened behind the curtain....why did Vince McMahon REALLY give up on the league after all the time and resource he put into it over two years? Was it dropping ratings? Potential cost of restarting? The realization that a paying tv deal after three years would be very unlikely?....because for five weeks it was really fun and it seemed to be succeeding somewhat.