OT: New professional football league to provide alternative to college

[Upstream]

http://www.wsj.com/articles/new-football-league-charts-an-alternate-path-to-nfl-1484128801

The Pacific Pro League, a 4-team professional league to be launched in 2018, plans to be an alternative to college for athletes aspiring to join the NFL. The Pac Pro League is positioning itself as a developmental league, limited to players between 18 and 22. The league expects to attract players who are not interested in college because of financial, academic, or other reasons. Player compensation will average $50,000.

 

[ruready4somefootball]

$50,000, why would any kid,whether he didn't have the grades or money to get in to college go there, when he could go to any SEC school for a lot more money.:sunglasses:

 

[ScarletDave]

Interesting. At the surface you'd say wow could this be the beginning of the end for CFB ... at the same time, if you go to this league and don't make the NFL, you have no degree. So idk. The teams also have no fanbases, let's face it the best Alabama player probably goes to dinner with his donor and gets benefits anyway etc.

 

[czxqa]

It'll go the way of the World League, USFL, and XFL. No way they get any kid who can get a schollie to a D1 school. Not one.

 

[LotusAggressor]

The USFL did pretty well until Trump got involved.

 

[Rokodesh]

Ole Miss pays at least 4 times that.

 

[Saint Puppy]

$50k? - wow that's really good, thought it would be a lot less.

 

[MadRU]

I won't watch this, I only watch the Lingerie League,

 

[RUChoppin]

This looks like it'll be kids who have no hope at an FBS offer, or who are in real financial dire straits. Possibly also for kids who declare early for the draft and don't get picked up - they can't go back to college, so this would be an option.

 

[RU4Real]

California Penal League.

 

[zappaa]

Wouldn't walk across the street to watch it

 

[RUChoppin]

I suppose it would also be an option for players who ran into legal troubles in high school that teams are shying away from, or players who have eligibility problems (either academic or otherwise). And maybe rookies who were released from NFL practice teams to get an extra shot.

 

[RU#1fan]

[eyeroll]

The USFL did pretty well until Trump got involved.

Hope that's not a sign of things to come.

 

[newell138]

why would any kid who could get a free education opt for a 50K payout for what 4-5 years on average? Short term thinking for anyone who goes regardless of your financial situation unless they provide you with a way to get your degree as well.

 

[RU_Planning]

why would any kid who could get a free education opt for a 50K payout for what 4-5 years on average? Short term thinking for anyone who goes regardless of your financial situation unless they provide you with a way to get your degree as well.

Why can't a kid earn $50k a year playing football while earning a degree during the off season? Because it will make your fall Saturday's less interesting?

 

[waretown]

The USFL did pretty well until Trump got involved.

it was the russians

 

[RU31trap]

I'm sure it will fail for multiple reason such as lack of advertising revenue, lack of viewership and finally a lack of competition. They have nothing to attach their brand to i.e a University name or State. This is an attempt at creating a minor league which would take NFL financing and support.

However, I do have concerns that even if it is marginally successful it will be a shot across the bow to colleges throughout the country. Because sooner or later the NFL will get involved in a (profitable) minor league feeder type system and the NCAA and colleges will have no choice but to adjust. Think about earning $55K (12 games) and getting a shot at 5.5 million. If successful this would cripple college football. JMHO

 

[RUfinal4]

supposedly they will pay for Junior College classes for the players.

Also, it is likely for:
- hs seniors that haven't qualified for college so they can't accept a scholarship (a really talented kid that can't score on the SATs and has a low C avg in school)
- kids who accept an FBS schollie but run into issues (ie. legal, gf gets preggers, parents out of work, etc..)
- kids on schollie that can't break the depth chart at a top school (backup QB at Michigan, Ohio St, Bama, etc...)

 

[Scarlet_Scourge]

I'm sure it will fail for multiple reason such as lack of advertising revenue, lack of viewership and finally a lack of competition. They have nothing to attach their brand to i.e a University name or State. This is an attempt at creating a minor league which would take NFL financing and support.

However, I do have concerns that even if it is marginally successful it will be a shot across the bow to colleges throughout the country. Because sooner or later the NFL will get involved in a (profitable) minor league feeder type system and the NCAA and colleges will have no choice but to adjust. Think about earning $55K (12 games) and getting a shot at 5.5 million. If successful this would cripple college football. JMHO

Yeah, cause that totally happen with the NBA minor leagues...no wait..

 

[RU31trap]

Yeah, cause that totally happen with the NBA minor leagues...no wait..

I don't understand your sarcasm. Did it work in the NBA or not, I'm not a big basketball fan other than March madness.

 

[RU_Planning]

I don't understand your sarcasm. Did it work in the NBA or not, I'm not a big basketball fan other than March madness.

The NBA D League has become a very good minor league system for NBA teams that utilize the league properly, particularly teams that are investing in their own affiliate team. However, it isn't an alternative to college like a baseball minor league system.

However, you have seen highly talented high school players forgo college to play professionally overseas and then jump to the NBA. As someone else eluded to, this approach would need to be taken over by the NFL at some point for it to have any real impact on NCAA.

Perhaps it could take on a model like the D-League and allow for younger players to be better prepared to play in the NFL which would improve the overall level of play that seems to have been suffering due to young players taking roster spots from more experienced veterans due to salary cap implications.

 

[RUaMoose]

The USFL did pretty well until Trump got involved.

This is a Trump criticism that's warranted. He did spearhead the effort to move the league to the Fall to compete against the NFL. Bad move. Not sure the USFL would have survived as a Spring League long term. I would think a spring football league is feasible at some level given FB's popularity.

 

[Scarlet_Scourge]

I don't understand your sarcasm. Did it work in the NBA or not, I'm not a big basketball fan other than March madness.

It didn't hurt NCAA Men's Basketball. The best players still all want to play college ball, at least for one year.

 

[newell138]

Why can't a kid earn $50k a year playing football while earning a degree during the off season? Because it will make your fall Saturday's less interesting?

well for one, any money you earn would require you to pay taxes and you would also have to pay for your education. So your not really gaining much financially in the long run. Also less motivation to go to school if no one is requiring you to in order to play. You get hurt and your done. At least if you get hurt in college you are still getting a degree.