NY UFL Franchise

[Strong Island Sound]

Interesting article in today's Newsday about a possible UFL franchise being placed in NY. Charles Wang, owner of the NHL NY Islanders and AFL NY Dragons is reported to be the potential owner. The article further stated that the team may play their home games at Hofstra University.

If this pans out, it make sense to play at a venue of that size, a CAA level college program. Not sure of the capacity, but probably around 10,000.

The XFL tried to play at NFL sized stadiums and that was not successful.

[S.Sox]

SIS,
Sounds good , the UFL has a great Sports Mgt. make up. The addition of Mr. Wang would be huge!

Any links to the story?

S.sox

[Fran]

http://www.newsday.com/sports/...5nov03,0,6815881.story

New pro football team headed to New York?
BY BOB GLAUBER | bob.glauber@newsday.com
November 3, 2007
Article tools
E-mail Share
Digg Del.icio.us Facebook Fark Google Newsvine Reddit Yahoo Print Single page view Reprints Reader feedback Text size: A new professional football league scheduled to begin play next August is looking seriously at the possibility of a New York team that would play its home games at Hofstra University in Hempstead. New York Islanders owner Charles Wang is seriously considering a bid to become the team's owner, according to two people with knowledge of the situation.

The United Football League, organized by Wall Street investor William Hambrecht and Google executive Tim Armstrong, will be an eight-team league that will feature players with NFL experience. The season would run from August through November, followed by playoff games in December.

UFL commissioner Michael Huyghue, a former executive with the Jacksonville Jaguars who later founded Axcess Sports & Entertainment, confirmed in an interview that the Hofstra venue is being considered for one of the league's franchises. Huyghue would not confirm that Wang is a potential owner. Wang could not be reached last night for comment.




Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has publicly expressed an interest in owning a UFL franchise. "Nothing is finalized yet, but we anticipate that we'll have an announcement in December," Huyghue said of the ownership groups.

Other potential franchise sites include Austin, Birmingham, Columbus, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Louisville, Memphis, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Raleigh, Sacramento and San Antonio.

Huyghue said the league is already discussing openings for general manager positions and other executive offices, and several NFL personnel have expressed interest. The league is headquartered on Park Avenue in New York. The NFL's offices are also on Park Avenue.

Franchises will cost $30 million each, and there will be a $20-million salary cap for each team. Huyghue said the teams will have a draft next spring. Rosters will be 50 players each, with five players on practice squads. Huyghue said that because of the salary-cap rules, teams will be able to pay some players around $1 million per season.

"It was obvious that other [pro football] leagues had done a poor job, but we have the right ingredients," he said. "We have a bulletproof financial plan. There's been a tremendous amount of interest from NFL players, executives, and ownership groups, so I'm really encouraged about where we are."

Huyghue pointed to his experience with the Jaguars' expansion franchise as a blueprint for the new league. "At the time we started, Green Bay had Brett Favre, Matt Hasselbeck and Mark Brunell, and Mark would never have gotten a snap in the NFL," he said of Brunell, who eventually turned into a Pro Bowl quarterback. "There are a lot of talented players who only need an opportunity."

Huyghue said the league was in discussions with several cable television outlets for broadcasting rights. He would not confirm whether ESPN is a part of those talks. "Television is a critically important part of it," he said, "and I don't think people will have to search their dials very hard to find it."

[logoguru]

Hartford has been mentioned which would be a better choice than NY. Smaller stadiums? The WLAF had no problem filling smaller markets like Sacto and Birmingham.

[preeths]

I think you need your mix of big markets as well to help with TV and sponsorships. NY has really shown solid support for alternative leagues including the USFL, XFL and WLAF.

[dmbishop]

If this pans out, it make sense to play at a venue of that size, a CAA level college program. Not sure of the capacity, but probably around 10,000.

The XFL tried to play at NFL sized stadiums and that was not successful.

FYI, James M. Shuart Stadium (Hofstra) holds 15,000 for football.

It would be interesting to see what kind of attendance a minor-league football team would get in the area, especially with the Jets moving their practice facility over to NJ in 2009.

[logoguru]

NY is certainly big enough, but the Fall schedule has me worried about attendance.

[Strong Island Sound]

I also feel a league such as this would be better served in the spring. Even with the lower priced option, it will be a hard sell with both the Jets and Giants playing their schedules. The UFL is planning on playing on Friday nights, so the NFL and college games will not interfere, but I'm not sure how many people in NY will come out and support it.

[uflorlandofan]

I think the smartest thing the UFL has done is plan a tradional fall football league. Spring is for other sports. And think about this, every league, think about it, the XFL, SFL, WLAF, USFL, and maybe we will see the AAFL have all made the same exact mistake with spring schedules. FOOTBALL IS A FALL SPORT! The only alternative league to survive was the AFL, the only alternative fall football league, and of course they merged with the NFL.

[rams80]

I think the smartest thing the UFL has done is plan a tradional fall football league. Spring is for other sports. And think about this, every league, think about it, the XFL, SFL, WLAF, USFL, and maybe we will see the AAFL have all made the same exact mistake with spring schedules. FOOTBALL IS A FALL SPORT! The only alternative league to survive was the AFL, the only alternative fall football league, and of course they merged with the NFL.

Look up World Football League.

[Shootmaster_44]

Well the CFL has been in existence in one form or another since the 1920s and as the CFL since 1958 and it isn't a fall league per se. So I'd say they're a pretty successful spring league.