Why No Minor League Football?

by John B on Jun 20, 2009 1:38 PM EDT

The UFL Draft got me thinking. The NFL is the only major league in North America that does not sponsor some sort of minor league system. MLB and the NHL have for decades. Less than a decade ago, the NBA talked about absorbing Isiah Thomas' Continental Basketball Association before it folded. Since then, it has launched the NBDL as a farm system. The league used to sponsor NFL Europe, but that folded a few years back.

Coming off the failure in Europe, Roger Goodell is trying a new approach. Instead of a summer minor league system, the NFL will try to market abroad with regular season games and perhaps the Super Bowl in the near future. Just because minor league football did not work across the pond does not make it a bad idea.

Imagine a 32 team AAA version of football. It would give young players like Erik Ainge, who would never see the field, a chance to get game experience and learn the system. A place like Fargo, North Dakota, could host the Vikings' minor league affiliate. Kids out there would actually get the chance to see the future stars of their favorite team in person. It could be a venue to more fully flesh out experiments like moving Kareem Brown to tight end. He would actually get a chance to develop. In the current system, the Jets will not be able to use up a valuable roster spot on him unless he makes immediate strides.

This venture probably would not be a money-maker, but it also would not bankrupt the league. Once the economy gets better, many sponsors would jump at the chance to become associated with something involving the NFL. People are so desperate to see football that ESPN has contracted minor college conferences like the MAC to play weeknight games. Surely Matthew Stafford's debut with the Grand Rapids Lions would be more interesting to viewers. The league could also test out potential expansion cities for fan support.

The NFL is the most successful league in the country. It probably wants to maintain the status quo. Why use up money for a developmental league when there are leagues like the UFL it can just poach players from? Still, the league might be missing an opportunity to invest in its future by passing on this idea.

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Would an NFL sponsored minor league be a good idea?

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Comments

Great Idea Fanwise

But it would cost the NFL and there franchises to much to have a team, build a stadium, pay the players, ect, and the NFL is all about money these days, I would love to see it happen, but I dont think it will

by Civardi on Jun 20, 2009 7:16 PM EDT reply actions

I don’t think the cost would be that high. The minor league stadiums wouldn’t need to be NFL caliber palaces. They could be college or even high school stadium. You could also use minor league baseball parks.

The players on the roster would mostly be marginal players. You could pay them below the league minimum.

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by John B on Jun 21, 2009 9:58 AM EDT up reply actions

I think the NFL does it right especially given the failure of NFL Europe/Europa. Let other leagues make or lose money trying to start a league. Even the one season XFL gave the NFL quite a few players.

Look at what might be considered the #2 league behind the NFL, the AFL had to suspend operations this year and they have a TV Deal. Theres no money to be had with sponsoring a developmental or minor league for the NFL. Once they fix the Rookie Salaries, a lot of problems with the young guys coming in will be taken care of. No one wants a Sanchez or a Stafford (just for example) getting these huge contracts and riding the pine.

BTW, if I was the UFL I’d be going after some former NFL Players, but what I’d really go for are talented kids who couldn’t pass the tests to get into college. There has to be a dozen such players in quite a few states. Create new stars instead of looking like a league filled with has beens and never was players.

by Mark D on Jun 21, 2009 2:15 PM EDT reply actions

I like it .

M.L.B doing it why not the N.F.L?, thats the problem with the great U.S.of.A ,spend mellions to get talent over sea’s ,not to mention the baseball camps that the U.S. fan’s pay for but thats another topic. You wright WebBard the European N.F.L was a waste keep it in the U.S A. start a N.F.L semi-pro league cause college football is over rated it aint like it use to be there’s more un-proven player’s getting payed more than proven player’s , there’s better talent out there all they need is a chance.OVER AND OUT BOMBERJET!!!!!

by bomberjet on Jun 21, 2009 10:37 PM EDT reply actions