Why cant the NFL have a spring/summer league like the NBA?

[Steve0x]

Why cant they use teams practice squads and play 12 games total and see how it goes? If Crowds are small then why not play in small college stadiums like NBA uses high school gyms. Like Ravens could play at Unitas Stadium.  

[Willbacker]

They tried this with NFL Europe. Apparantly not a moneymaker. I wouldn't mind seeing a 6 game schedule with 1 championship game during the beginning of the reg season as a sort of minor league system with teams made up of 8 division teams(AFC EAST for ex) with players under contract to certain teams and being unavailable to be plucked away by other teams until after 8 NFL games( a week after minor league season closes). Practice squad players can be plucked under the rules now but not under these rules until after 8  weeks.

 

Edited July 11, 2016 by Willbacker

[Steve0x]

Like NFL spring league should separate into two categories Eastern league 16 teams and Western League 16 teams. and only eastern teams play eastern teams only same goes for western teams. Total 12 games 6 home 6 on road and no conferences. 4 best teams in playoffs top 2 gets home game. And then Championship game plays at team best record just like the old days on the NFL the pre super bowl era. and all games start 7PM on Saturdays.  

[Willbacker]

I totally agree with you Steve that the NFL needs a minor league system basically for game experience the way the NFL plays ball but a spring game( I know us jonesing fans crave more football) is not a good idea mainly cuz of wear and tear (lot of football in one year) and to run it actually costs NFL teams money. They're looking for revenue streams lol.

[Steve0x]

Fans want more football. Thats the point.Nobody wants to see reruns of games last season on NFL Network though. Why cant the NFL network can air some of the CFL games ?

Edited July 11, 2016 by Steve0x

[Inqui]

On 11/07/2016 at 3:48 PM, Steve0x said:

Why cant they use teams practice squads and play 12 games total and see how it goes? If Crowds are small then why not play in small college stadiums like NBA uses high school gyms. Like Ravens could play at Unitas Stadium.  

It wouldn't even be remotely worth it. Bear in mind that the people who play in these leagues in the NBA and MLB are the people who are just trying to crack a big-league squad (so they're bubble players at best). People get sick of preseason after four weeks, and 12 weeks of watching a league where Omar Brown is one of the best safeties would be comparable to watching paint dry. And that's not to mention the high injury rates that someone mentioned earlier.

The only people who'd actually be interested in a league like that are fans of the really crappy teams who don't want to wait another two months to see their latest top 10 pick in action because they know they have nothing else to look forward to. And that's coming from someone who's a fan of one of those NBA-equivalent teams. No-one cares about the summer league enough to actually pay to watch it unless their team sucks.

When it comes to broadcasting CFL and Arena Football and stuff, I can't believe I'm saying this but you actually do have a point there. If the price was right there might actually be a decent market for that kind of thing. I'm not sure why they don't broadcast that kinda stuff over there, unless they already do.

[Nightman]

Some ideas, first use NFL referees, so have year round officials can be justified,   Have the teams in places where there's no NFL or MLB franchises.  Try and keep the top ticket prices around $35 at most.