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Post by veerwego on Apr 5, 2019 9:54:55 GMT -6
The MLS has had a pretty good model for starting a league. Started small and slowly scaled up to the point that they have begun getting some big name players past their prime from Europe. It has taken patience, but they have built something substantial. Many businesses have died by trying to get too big, too fast.
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Post by bobgoodman on Apr 5, 2019 12:24:08 GMT -6
Personally, I think the big lesson here for any upstart football league is to: A:) Keep costs (especially player and coach salaries and other overhead) under control B:) Embrace being different and really set yourself apart from the NFL, rather than trying to look like a knock-off of it. I agree with that, and also think that you should start small and build slowly, including by acquisition. Legends Football League. An interesting thing is that it wasn't the first to try to sell the sex in women's football, the New York Gems were. But the Gems didn't try to do it in lingerie, so they were unprofitable just as the other women's leagues other than LFL have been. The other women's leagues looked down on LFL as unserious, but...the money is serious!
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Post by Wingtman on Apr 5, 2019 12:39:21 GMT -6
I had a friend coach minor league arena ball. He was told by the owner.. you know how make a million dollars in arena? Start with two.
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Post by coachd5085 on Apr 7, 2019 7:49:27 GMT -6
In 2001 I was offered a contract to coach in the FIRST XFL. One thing you have to do (as a Coach) is to get your money put in ESCROW. If they won't do that, don't accept the position! Not really sure how that applies or is terribly practical here. The fact that you mention escrow account means that you believe the contract will potentially not be honored from the payer's side. If you are worried about the difficulties being cashflow, demanding the company set aside salaries up front (ie not cash flowed) and being placed in an escrow account would only increase the burden on the league's resources and constrict cashflow further. Not to mention that if the league suspended operations mid season like the AAF, it could easily be argued in court that you were indeed paid the wages you were entitled to, since you were no longer coaching once the league was suspended. So in addition to wanting an escrow account, you would also have to have the contract be guaranteed whether you were working or not for your escrow idea to make any sense. Why not just demand full payment, all up front?
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Post by fantom on Apr 7, 2019 8:42:37 GMT -6
I hate that it couldn't last, but I can't say I didn't see it coming. It was good to see football in the spring, but the whole thing just had so many fundamental issues that it was always going to be even more of an uphill battle than it needed to be. I feel terrible for the players, workers, and vendors who got screwed over when the league folded. Those people will likely never get paid. Some of them are owed millions. Hopefully the XFL re-launch can learn some things from this. Personally, I think the big lesson here for any upstart football league is to: A:) Keep costs (especially player and coach salaries and other overhead) under control B:) Embrace being different and really set yourself apart from the NFL, rather than trying to look like a knock-off of it. The Lingerie Football League (or whatever it calls itself now) has been more successful than the AAF and all its TV backing was. Think about that... From what I heard, the main issue was the reliance on a sole financial backer who decided his vision was different than the "football people" Ironically, that is somewhat similar to the USFL, which was a viable league until Trump's vision differed with others. . There seem to big differences, though. Trump wanted an NFL franchise. The AAF wanted to be a true minor league. Their problem was that they wanted NFL practice squadders and the NFLPA said no.
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Post by coachd5085 on Apr 7, 2019 8:46:01 GMT -6
From what I heard, the main issue was the reliance on a sole financial backer who decided his vision was different than the "football people" Ironically, that is somewhat similar to the USFL, which was a viable league until Trump's vision differed with others. . There seem to big differences, though. Trump wanted an NFL franchise. The AAF wanted to be a true minor league. Their problem was that they wanted NFL practice squadders and the NFLPA said no. The similarities are that with the USFL, TRUMP wanted the NFL franchise and he was able to wrangle almost unilateral control from other owners. His VISION was different than the other owners..and that sank the league. The AAF, the controlling financial partner's vision differed, and he suspended his financial backing because of the NFLPA's position. The "others" (Ebersol, Polian etc) did not wish to suspend league operations over the disagreement.
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