The Spring League is coming to Fox Sports

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MarkNelson
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The Spring League is coming to Fox Sports

Post by MarkNelson »

The Spring League’s six teams will play a 12-game schedule in San Antonio.
https://xflboard.com/news/the-spring-le ... ox-sports/

The Spring League will continue its 12-game schedule through November, leading up to their championship. Games are held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with 7 of the 12 games scheduled to be broadcast on FS1, and also on FoxSports.com and the Fox Sports app.

Week 1
Oct. 27: Alphas vs. Blues – 12:00 pm ET
Oct. 27: Aviators vs. Jousters – 4:00 pm ET
Oct. 27: Conquerors vs. Generals – 8:00 p.m. – FS1

Week 2
Nov. 4: Blues vs. Aviators – 5:00 pm ET – FS1
Nov. 4: Alphas vs. Conquerors – 10:00 pm ET – FS1

Nov. 5: Generals vs. Jousters – 8:00 pm ET

Week 3
Nov. 10: Jousters vs. Alphas – 8:00 pm ET – FS1
Nov. 11: Conquerors vs. Aviators – 3:00 pm ET
Nov. 11: Blues vs. Generals – 8:00 pm ET – FS1

Week 4
Nov. 17: Jousters vs. Conquerors – 8:00 pm ET – FS1
Nov. 18: Alphas vs. Blues – 3:00 pm ET
Nov. 18: Aviators vs. Generals – 8:00 pm ET – FS1

Week 5 – Playoffs
To be announced.
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Sounder
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Re: The Spring League is coming to Fox Sports

Post by Sounder »

It looks to me like Fox Sports has moved on and found their alternative football product. Where does that leave Rock now?
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Re: The Spring League is coming to Fox Sports

Post by GDAWG »

Sounder wrote: Mon Oct 12, 2020 1:39 pm It looks to me like Fox Sports has moved on and found their alternative football product. Where does that leave Rock now?
The Rock has TV connections, they will find TV partners.
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johnnyangryfuzzball
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Re: The Spring League is coming to Fox Sports

Post by johnnyangryfuzzball »

Sounder wrote: Mon Oct 12, 2020 1:39 pm It looks to me like Fox Sports has moved on and found their alternative football product. Where does that leave Rock now?
Look, not so fast. This is filler for a different time of season. Fox has already said they're willing to keep carrying the XFL.

I'll give you an example from Canada in TSN. TSN owns the rights to both the CFL and NFL there, and they also carry a lot of ESPN's college football games, too. Their slogan is "football lives here." TSN lost its national NHL rights about six years ago (it still has regional rights to some Canadian teams) so football is their real bread and butter.

Likewise, Fox doesn't have NBA or NHL rights. Remember, Fox needs as much live sports as it can get because it sold most of its in-house production to Disney last year. So it's a situation where TSL and the XFL absolutely can co-exist.
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Re: The Spring League is coming to Fox Sports

Post by 4th&long »

GDAWG wrote: Mon Oct 12, 2020 1:50 pm
Sounder wrote: Mon Oct 12, 2020 1:39 pm It looks to me like Fox Sports has moved on and found their alternative football product. Where does that leave Rock now?
The Rock has TV connections, they will find TV partners.
He does? Based on hat, being a star? This is different. I'm not saying they won't show him the courtesy but that's not connections. Unless you know of any specific?
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Re: The Spring League is coming to Fox Sports

Post by 4th&long »

Sounder wrote: Mon Oct 12, 2020 1:39 pm It looks to me like Fox Sports has moved on and found their alternative football product. Where does that leave Rock now?
Agreed. They clearly "moved" on.

This was announced a day after the XFL annouced NO GO on 2021. Coincidence? Doubtful.

And while its not the XFL - with the deal structure between FOX and TSL, this could morph/evolve into a more enhanced dev league or alternative league (eg XFL).

At the very least FOX is hedging its bets. At most its looking at TSL as alternative to XFL ptogramming.

It also tells me FOX was in talks with XFL and Rock & co snubbed it.
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Re: The Spring League is coming to Fox Sports

Post by 4th&long »

johnnyangryfuzzball wrote: Mon Oct 12, 2020 7:28 pm
Sounder wrote: Mon Oct 12, 2020 1:39 pm It looks to me like Fox Sports has moved on and found their alternative football product. Where does that leave Rock now?
Look, not so fast. This is filler for a different time of season. Fox has already said they're willing to keep carrying the XFL.

I'll give you an example from Canada in TSN. TSN owns the rights to both the CFL and NFL there, and they also carry a lot of ESPN's college football games, too. Their slogan is "football lives here." TSN lost its national NHL rights about six years ago (it still has regional rights to some Canadian teams) so football is their real bread and butter.

Likewise, Fox doesn't have NBA or NHL rights. Remember, Fox needs as much live sports as it can get because it sold most of its in-house production to Disney last year. So it's a situation where TSL and the XFL absolutely can co-exist.
Can yes - but clearly the timing of the announcement, which looked both as reaction to no-2021 XFL and rushed TSL scrambling to get 2020 fall together, points to "move on". Doesn't mean they can't revisit but XFL whiffed on 2021 decision.

TSL got this together (granted they had this partially going anyway) very quick - so did FOX. XFL had 6 months for a hybrid / bubble and passed - that is not a good sign. Fox isn't stupid.
Last edited by 4th&long on Mon Oct 12, 2020 11:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: The Spring League is coming to Fox Sports

Post by 4th&long »

MarkNelson wrote: Mon Oct 12, 2020 12:09 pm The Spring League’s six teams will play a 12-game schedule in San Antonio.
https://xflboard.com/news/the-spring-le ... ox-sports/

The Spring League will continue its 12-game schedule through November, leading up to their championship. Games are held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with 7 of the 12 games scheduled to be broadcast on FS1, and also on FoxSports.com and the Fox Sports app.

Week 1
Oct. 27: Alphas vs. Blues – 12:00 pm ET
Oct. 27: Aviators vs. Jousters – 4:00 pm ET
Oct. 27: Conquerors vs. Generals – 8:00 p.m. – FS1

Week 2
Nov. 4: Blues vs. Aviators – 5:00 pm ET – FS1
Nov. 4: Alphas vs. Conquerors – 10:00 pm ET – FS1

Nov. 5: Generals vs. Jousters – 8:00 pm ET

Week 3
Nov. 10: Jousters vs. Alphas – 8:00 pm ET – FS1
Nov. 11: Conquerors vs. Aviators – 3:00 pm ET
Nov. 11: Blues vs. Generals – 8:00 pm ET – FS1

Week 4
Nov. 17: Jousters vs. Conquerors – 8:00 pm ET – FS1
Nov. 18: Alphas vs. Blues – 3:00 pm ET
Nov. 18: Aviators vs. Generals – 8:00 pm ET – FS1

Week 5 – Playoffs
To be announced.
Smart to limit 1 game in week 1 which will be weak, but likely those teams will be loaded with more players with TSL history. Last 3 weeks will be better to watch as teams get play time under belt.
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Re: The Spring League is coming to Fox Sports

Post by GregParks »

4th&long wrote: Mon Oct 12, 2020 10:38 pm
GDAWG wrote: Mon Oct 12, 2020 1:50 pm
Sounder wrote: Mon Oct 12, 2020 1:39 pm It looks to me like Fox Sports has moved on and found their alternative football product. Where does that leave Rock now?
The Rock has TV connections, they will find TV partners.
He does? Based on hat, being a star? This is different. I'm not saying they won't show him the courtesy but that's not connections. Unless you know of any specific?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Bucks_Productions
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4th&long
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Re: The Spring League is coming to Fox Sports

Post by 4th&long »

GregParks wrote: Tue Oct 13, 2020 9:29 am
4th&long wrote: Mon Oct 12, 2020 10:38 pm
GDAWG wrote: Mon Oct 12, 2020 1:50 pm

The Rock has TV connections, they will find TV partners.
He does? Based on hat, being a star? This is different. I'm not saying they won't show him the courtesy but that's not connections. Unless you know of any specific?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Bucks_Productions
I guess my point is - he has no experience with TV Sports or putting on a sports production and connections there like Ebersol or VM had.

From the link - >>"The company predominately produces a variety of projects, directly in relation with Johnson's film slate." <<

Sounds like its a way to pay the Rock more $$ on his movies not really leading production, especially TV and Sports. There's multiple prod companies involved on each, not seeing them as driver. Its a good business move for him no doubt, but this is not the same as sports TV production connection like VM.

Agreed that his name will open doors, but getting a TV partner will require assurances they are financing a FB league and have the right people running it vs a movie set production.

I dont think finding TV partners is the issue, its convincing them you have a funded product and can pull it off.
TSL's Brian Woods was able to do that!! He's proven he can deliver in the minds of Fox Sports execs. If the XFL 3.0 is funded they will too. But they may need to be willing to accept little to no money or pay to be on TV.
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