What did you think of AFA football?
- Thread starter scgamecockfan
- Start date
There was so little promotion that I completely forgot it was on Saturday, despite the fact that there was a local team playing that night the Atlanta Legends.
That should be telling.
That should be telling.
I thought it looked sort of disorganized, what little I got to watch.
But that was in first half and first game, etc. It might've gotten better.
But that was in first half and first game, etc. It might've gotten better.
Haven't seen it. The AAF games this weekend were pretty entertaining though!
I think it could be better than the USFL but they need to market it more. The talent level is good, they didn’t tweak too many rules to make it look like “silly football”(arena league, etc).
The good....it’s football, Spurrier is back on the sidelines.
The bad....it’s clearly cash strapped and the football isn’t great.
Unfortunately this will die off soon and the XFL jumping in next year to compete will only hurt not help.
I think there’s room for this in America. It needs to be sponsored properly, keep the season short, keep salaries down and needs to be promoted well....I would compare it to minor league baseball. With the right ownership it could flourish. With the wrong leadership it will be bankrupt in 2 seasons.
Ticket prices need to be much cheaper. Why would I pay $80 to see a guy cut from the NFL play ball? I can pay that to see my favorite college or pro team.
The bad....it’s clearly cash strapped and the football isn’t great.
Unfortunately this will die off soon and the XFL jumping in next year to compete will only hurt not help.
I think there’s room for this in America. It needs to be sponsored properly, keep the season short, keep salaries down and needs to be promoted well....I would compare it to minor league baseball. With the right ownership it could flourish. With the wrong leadership it will be bankrupt in 2 seasons.
Ticket prices need to be much cheaper. Why would I pay $80 to see a guy cut from the NFL play ball? I can pay that to see my favorite college or pro team.
I was hoping they’d only have teams in states that didn’t have an NFL team. Wish SC had gotten one.
I watched the Sat game and the early Sun game. I'm happy there's football on tv to watch.
Lack of name recognition is what I see as the biggest drawback right now. Hopefully a little time will take care of that as (hopefully) some stars emerge and make names for themselves.
As much as I still hold it against SOS for the way he left us, I can't deny that it was good to see him back on the sideline.
I'm okay without the kickoff. I'm not crazy about the illegal formation for the D rushing more than 5.
The mic'd-up QBs is pretty cool.
Are all of the decent NFL announcers too busy in the off season that they couldn't get them to call a few games? Breaking in newbie announcers is tough - not something I want to do.
The biggest thing though that I've taken away was that the receivers need a llllllllllllottttttt more time on the Juggs machine! It was disturbing how many dropped passes I saw in those games. (Of course, one could argue that that's why those guys aren't playing in the NFL.)
I was impressed with the QB for the Iron though - Luis Perez - he looked pretty dang good.
Lack of name recognition is what I see as the biggest drawback right now. Hopefully a little time will take care of that as (hopefully) some stars emerge and make names for themselves.
As much as I still hold it against SOS for the way he left us, I can't deny that it was good to see him back on the sideline.
I'm okay without the kickoff. I'm not crazy about the illegal formation for the D rushing more than 5.
The mic'd-up QBs is pretty cool.
Are all of the decent NFL announcers too busy in the off season that they couldn't get them to call a few games? Breaking in newbie announcers is tough - not something I want to do.
The biggest thing though that I've taken away was that the receivers need a llllllllllllottttttt more time on the Juggs machine! It was disturbing how many dropped passes I saw in those games. (Of course, one could argue that that's why those guys aren't playing in the NFL.)
I was impressed with the QB for the Iron though - Luis Perez - he looked pretty dang good.
I'm not OK with any football without the kickoff. I also think they ought to restore the jump ball in basketball in every situation in which it used to be employed. I hate alternating possessions.
I was pleased with it for the most part.No lengthy commercials.Not too many tweaks to the rules.And l also liked seeing SOS on the sidelines.I like the 2 point conversions and the 4th and 12 instead of on side kick rule.I think it could grow.Ticket prices do need to come down though.And I'd like to see a SC team as well.
It's AAF (Association of American Football) and I'll admit that I'm far more interested in the business side of things than the actual games. Even so, my impressions:
- Fans will indeed watch spring football, even if it's minor leagues: They averaged just over 20,000 fans per game (right on the mark needed to support their business model) and they posted a 2.1 TV rating for Saturday's double-header which is better than either the Big XII or Pac 12 average for their games.
- I like the rule changes: Games are only 2 1/2 hours long thanks to no TV timeouts, 60% fewer "full screen" commercials, and a 35-second play clock. Also, no kick returns. Every series starts at the 25 yard line. And no PATs either. You have to go for a 2-pt conversion after every TD which adds drama. And I like their OT rules (each team gets 1 possession with the ball at the opposing 10 yard line, have to score a TD to win, and have to go for 2 after a TD). Other than that however, not a lot of gimmicks. It's real football. In fact, they don't have a targeting rule and the San Diego QB got absolutely drilled in a hit that knocked his helmet off, yet no penalty flag was thrown.
- Decent quality of play, but not many "stars": These are all guys that just barely missed making NFL rosters. Most were in NFL camps this past August. So, the overall athleticism is comparable to the very best teams in college football and actually a bit better than just your average P5 team. That said, you'll only recognize a handful of players as the "stars" are all in the NFL or still in college. This is where the XFL hopes to differentiate itself next year by drafting college freshmen and sophomores that aren't yet eligible for the NFL draft and paying up to $200,000 for star players.
- Apparently, they fully-embrace gambling: Not sure what this actually means, but I get the impression that you can place bets with a phone app right in the stadium.
Only time will tell if this will be a short-term curiosity or something that can last, but both the AAF and XFL will learn from the mistakes of prior spring football league attempts and I think they are much better positioned to survive this time around.
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It more resembles football than the NFL does because players can actually hit each other.
I enjoyed watching. Once baseball starts that’ll have an impact on ratings. The Saturday game got equal ratings with the NBA game on that evening...so that’s strong.
One thing is ESPN will not promote this league because of the XFL coming, and because they have no rights to televise games. You can see the ESPN people being overly negative and dismissive about this league. There are some great coaching names and they are doing the right thing by trying to keep local players on those local teams.
It could be bigger than the CFL for sure if it can keep its’ footing. But again, doesn’t help that ESPN guys are dismissing it. People need to watch and decide for themselves rather than letting the network tell them what they should and shouldn’t watch.
One thing is ESPN will not promote this league because of the XFL coming, and because they have no rights to televise games. You can see the ESPN people being overly negative and dismissive about this league. There are some great coaching names and they are doing the right thing by trying to keep local players on those local teams.
It could be bigger than the CFL for sure if it can keep its’ footing. But again, doesn’t help that ESPN guys are dismissing it. People need to watch and decide for themselves rather than letting the network tell them what they should and shouldn’t watch.
I rather enjoyed watching it Saturday and Sunday. it was better than the typical Thursday night MAC CFB game, and I watch those.
I liked the rules tweaks, especially going to 2 every TD.
It's fun to watch HBC coach. They're trying to get the games over quicker.
I recognized some decent names out there both days, though parity is clearly not there. Overall, it was good to me, but we've seen it before with the other upstart leagues. There were maybe 150 of the players' and coaches' relatives in the stands.
Did anyone else notice the unis are by Starter??? LOL
IDK what happened to them. They were top notch in the early 90's. Next thing I know, they're a WalMart brand. LOL
I joked with my buddy that I'm gonna go get some Orlando gear while AAF is still a thing. He told me wait a couple months and I can get it at Goodwill.
I liked the rules tweaks, especially going to 2 every TD.
It's fun to watch HBC coach. They're trying to get the games over quicker.
I recognized some decent names out there both days, though parity is clearly not there. Overall, it was good to me, but we've seen it before with the other upstart leagues. There were maybe 150 of the players' and coaches' relatives in the stands.
Did anyone else notice the unis are by Starter??? LOL
IDK what happened to them. They were top notch in the early 90's. Next thing I know, they're a WalMart brand. LOL
I joked with my buddy that I'm gonna go get some Orlando gear while AAF is still a thing. He told me wait a couple months and I can get it at Goodwill.
[QUOTE="Coyote89, :
Who would be so stupid as to place a bet on any of these teams so early?
- Apparently, they fully-embrace gambling: .[/QUOTE]
Who would be so stupid as to place a bet on any of these teams so early?
I haven't seen it, but sounds like street football, avoid mailboxes, parked and on coming cars...
Awe come on, think of all the games you could watch and come back and tell us what coaches need to be fired!
few yrs back it was called the afl......they offered a breath of fresh air, retread players, new faces & most important a wide open game
Uhmmm? Everything you suggested is exactly what it is. Ticket prices are $18-28 for decent seats. It is managed by former players and coaches, not by money hungry team owners like the NFL and what the XFL will be.
Obviously you didn't watch much nor did you actually listen to commentators as they explained the game. Also, how could you not like football with 60% fewer commercials, ends 45min-1hr quicker with them speeding the pace of game. Then getting to listen to the coaches and players mic'd up, listening to ref calls, I think this has a lot of what NFL has lost. I would watch this any day before NFL.
I for one hope it lasts. Spurrier's play calls and comments were awesome. Miss the Kick Return but love being able to hit the QB without flags. I love the fact that these guys are a step away from college and don't have that prima-donna syndrome.
Some caller on Bobby Hartin's show said she saw that 4 tickets were about $130.00 and each came with a Coke and a Hotdog.
For the Atlanta Legends, individual game tickets start at $30 and you can get tickets on the 40-yard line for $40. And they have a $136 family fun pack that includes 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, and 4 drinks. Plus, there's no booster club fees or seat licenses.
So, it's not expensive unless you want club seats or something like that.
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I was wondering about that too. He is declaring failure on a league that is literally a week old. Then the better idea he describes is basically the same thing
I think there's a market for a cola beverage, somebody just has to get the formula right. It needs to be sweet, have some caffeine, and feature a familiar red and white label that conjures nostalgia
Totally agree. No one knows the future of the AAF at this time, but the management has plenty of past train wrecks to show "what-not-to-do". It could succeed and the people behind it are not stupid.
Yep, stick with the spring season so you don't compete with more prominent leagues, control costs through a single-entity structure, and incorporate changes that make the game appealing (fewer commercial breaks, go for 2 after every TD, enable in-stadium gambling, etc.), but maintain real football and don't turn it into a gimmick.
And I think the XFL is even better positioned to succeed next year because Vince McMahon is putting $500 million into it and they'll be in bigger media markets and better stadiums.
Not sure if both leagues will make it, but I'll bet a handful of teams in each league will do well enough that a combined league could survive long-term.
We have some fake news going on here. Atlanta Legends tickets lower level are $40-$84 a ticket. You can get in for $20 and see birds flying under you. I wouldn’t charge over $20 for any ticket to see this.
Yes you can get some nosebleeds for the family and a hot dog for $136. That’s the $20 nosebleeds with a couple bucks added on for the drink and hot dog.
These are guys cut from the NFL trying to make a roster, long shots at that. We see better at Williams Brice many Saturdays. You can’t charge for this what we pay for SEC football and expect a great showing. It’s okay for a start but once the novelty wears off you best have a way of putting butts in the seats.
As for the how can I not like football comment....I enjoy watching GOOD football. I can see BAD football on a little league field for free. Did you watch the Memphis Express? Akron could beat them.
As for the backers not being stupid....guess no one has ever heard of the USFL, World League, XFL, etc....I’m sure those supporters knew it would go bad and just did it for charity purposes.
If anyone would like to bet this league lasts beyond 2020 I’ll take your money.
Yes you can get some nosebleeds for the family and a hot dog for $136. That’s the $20 nosebleeds with a couple bucks added on for the drink and hot dog.
These are guys cut from the NFL trying to make a roster, long shots at that. We see better at Williams Brice many Saturdays. You can’t charge for this what we pay for SEC football and expect a great showing. It’s okay for a start but once the novelty wears off you best have a way of putting butts in the seats.
As for the how can I not like football comment....I enjoy watching GOOD football. I can see BAD football on a little league field for free. Did you watch the Memphis Express? Akron could beat them.
As for the backers not being stupid....guess no one has ever heard of the USFL, World League, XFL, etc....I’m sure those supporters knew it would go bad and just did it for charity purposes.
If anyone would like to bet this league lasts beyond 2020 I’ll take your money.
I've adopted Orlando because of Spurrier and Elliott Frye.
Hope Spurrier wins, would hate to see him resign or retire mid season.
Is it possible for this league or the XFL to offer high school or college players since they are developmental leagues attached to NFL.
