Pro football – actual games – won’t disappear from TV screens
Youth Byron Maxwell Jersey , mobile devices and the American consciousness once the Super Bowl ends next February.
The Alliance of American Football will kick off the following Sunday. On network television (CBS) as well as through a multitude of free digital
platforms.
Yes, spring football. We know, from the USFL to the World League to the XFL, the idea has not worked. Here’s why the Alliance has a strong chance of
succeeding: the folks involved.
The Alliance is the creation of Pro Football Hall of Famer Bill Polian, one of the most respected and accomplished executives in NFL history, and Charlie
Ebersol, a longtime TV and film producer. Ebersol’s father, Dick, defined NBC
Sports’ programming for more than two decades and created ”Sunday Night
Football.” Dick Ebersol, who also pioneered NBC’s Olympic broadcasts, will serve
on the board of directors.
Former players such as Justin Tuck, Hines Ward and Jared Allen will have significant roles in a league the younger Ebersol calls a ”true
partnership.”
”That’s the best way a league can perform and will be ultimately the key to success, having an interwoven product,” he says.
”Whenever you have an endeavor that involves the kind of teamwork football involves,” Polian adds, ”it implies a partnership, the need to get their buy-in
and do things, particularly in a startup, that represent their best interest …
to make sure players know we have their best interests at heart. That is the
guiding philosophy.”
Co-founder Polian, who built the Bills, Colts and Panthers into Super Bowl teams, will oversee the football side, helped by former player and front office
executive J.K. McKay
http://www.texansauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jordan-akins-jersey , who has been involved in other startups.
The league will have eight teams – cities and stadia to be announced, though look for complementary sites, not NFL venues, and warmer climates given the
February-late April schedule. Rosters will be culled from NFL cuts to the 53-man
maximum after preseason, which Polian calls ”the core of our constituency”;
collegians who have gone undrafted, including underclassmen who have lost any
remaining eligibility; players looking to return to the sport; and free agents
from the CFL or elsewhere.
As a single entity, the Alliance will own all contracts and players will be dispersed in a variety of manners. If someone played in the NFL or in college
for a Florida team or school, he’d likely wind up on a Florida-based franchise,
for example. There also will be a mechanism after those allocations for a team
interested in a certain player to get his rights. And then coaches of specific
teams will have access to a group of players outside the allocations.
A draft of players in late fall after the college season concludes – ”Players who probably are coming off injury or some other situation where they want to
perhaps play in our league in order to enhance their draft status,” Polian
explains – also is planned.
With an eye on player safety, the Alliance also will eliminate kickoffs. There is a unique plan for onside kicks, with the team wanting to try one
instead taking possession at its 35 yard-line on a fourth-and-10 to try one play
to keep the ball.
”This eliminates two plays that if you were reinventing the game are plays you would probably leave out,” Polian says.
The three-point stance for linemen, judged by many a dangerous technique, also could be banned.
The preponderance of video reviews by officials won’t be an issue in the Alliance, Polian says. Each coach will be allowed two challenges and that’s it
for replay.
And here’s one everybody but a placekicker will love: all extra points are 2-point conversion plays from the 2-yard line.
Ebersol has spent three years putting together the Alliance. He and Polian, backed by the numbers showing America’s passion for the sport, see a huge void
the league can fill.
”Football is so dominant for six months of the year,” Ebersol says. ”It even hides a number we focused on: millions of fans who stop watching the top five
sports in America when football is off the air. Millions of football fans who
don’t want to watch other sports.
”And there are 59 million who play fantasy sports, 29 million of them stopped when football ended.
”So what to do to really empower our fans? Fans are investors. They invest time and emotion and money … and what they get in return is the thrill of
victory and agony of defeat. We wanted to empower the fans so they will be
rewarded for being fans of their team, so fans have a real stake in the
league.”
How will they do so?
Ebersol mysteriously says to ”stay tuned.”
—
Carolina is a long shot to make the playoffs. Coach Bill Peters is still looking for a strong finish for the Hurricanes.
Justin Faulk scored midway through the second period, and Carolina beat the Washington Capitals 4-1 on Friday night to remain in the postseason race.
It was the fourth win in five games for the Hurricanes, who haven’t made the playoffs since 2009. Carolina must win its final four games while Florida and
New Jersey lose their remaining games in regulation to play beyond the regular
season.
Asked if the playoffs were a realistic goal
Authentic Customized Rams Jerseys , Peters answered tersely: ”No.” But Peters believes there are genuine incentives for his team.
”You’ve got to play,” he said. ”These guys are pros. You’re paid to play.”
Metropolitan Division-leading Washington had won five in a row. Michal Kempny scored his first goal with the Capitals after he was acquired in a February
trade with Chicago.
”We’ve been playing great the last month,” Capitals forward Devante Smith-Pelly said. ”I don’t want to say this was expected, but a game like this
maybe was going to happen eventually. It was probably better tonight than
Sunday.”
Washington visits Pittsburgh on Sunday, and the teams have a long history.
”Overall, obviously we don’t like those guys,” Smith-Pelly said. ”It’s a huge game. We’ll be back.”
Carolina goaltender Scott Darling stopped 20 shots, and Braden Holtby had 26 saves for Washington.
Capitals coach Barry Trotz thought his team was simply outplayed.
”This league is way too good if you have a little bit of an off-night or you’re not on your `A’ game, this league can humble you in a very hard way and a
quick way,” Trotz said. ”We didn’t have enough invested. We didn’t have enough
guys pulling on the rope.”
Kempny put the Capitals in front at 2:35 of the second, but Carolina’s Derek Ryan quickly responded. He beat Holtby for his 14th goal at 3:15.
”There’s pride on the line,” Ryan said. ”We’re not quite in the playoff race. We’re not eliminated, but we realize where we’re at. We’re just continuing to
play our game. We’re not thinking about it. We have four games, so we’re going
to make those games count.”
Faulk’s eighth goal of the season put the Hurricanes ahead to stay at 11:43. It was Faulk’s first goal since he scored three times in a 7-3 victory over the
Los Angeles Kings on Feb. 13.
Sebastian Aho’s 28th goal at 14:36 of the third made it 3-1, and Brock McGinn added an empty-netter at 17:50.
NOTES: Trotz said he enjoyed the story of emergency goalie Scott Foster’s outstanding performance for Chicago on Thursday night. Trotz doesn’t know who
the Capitals’ emergency goalies are. ”I just know that we have them,” Trotz
said. ”Someone has a phone book with numbers. If you need a goalie, you start
phoning. … I’d like to meet them, just not on our bench.” … Washington F Lars
Eller played in his 600th career game. . Capitals F T.J. Oshie, who had an
assist on Kempny’s goal, logged just 14 minutes of playing time, his lowest
since Dec. 30. Trotz said Oshie was being checked for an injury, but wouldn’t
comment on its specifics. … Carolina D Jaccob Slavin had two assists.
UP NEXT
Hurricanes: Host New York Rangers on Saturday
Capitals: Visit Pittsburgh on Sunday
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