Football (North America: NFL, CFL, Arena Football, minor leagues)

[LM117]

The Panthers have given Cam Newton the boot.

https://www.panthers.com/news/carolina-panthers-release-qb-cam-newton

[kwellada]

The Panthers have given Cam Newton the boot.

https://www.panthers.com/news/carolina-panthers-release-qb-cam-newton

This is a strange outcome for Newton.  You just don't expect a 1st overall pick who led his team to a Super Bowl to just get cut outright.  I don't think he's been the same since Von Miller gave him PTSD in the super bowl and his injuries are certainly a concern, but it's still surprising to see it happen. 

[oscar]

The Panthers have given Cam Newton the boot.

https://www.panthers.com/news/carolina-panthers-release-qb-cam-newton

After they signed Teddy Bridgewater, who turned in solid performances for the Saints while Drew Brees was recovering from his thumb injury.

IMO, a good exchange for the Panthers.

[Alps]

The Panthers have given Cam Newton the boot.

https://www.panthers.com/news/carolina-panthers-release-qb-cam-newton

This is a strange outcome for Newton.  You just don't expect a 1st overall pick who led his team to a Super Bowl to just get cut outright.  I don't think he's been the same since Von Miller gave him PTSD in the super bowl and his injuries are certainly a concern, but it's still surprising to see it happen. 

Recency (or lack thereof) bias? He was 1st overall many years ago, but past performance doesn't indicate current results.

[webny99]

It's embarrassing. It has to be a joke. HAS to be.

I don't know, you would hope so, but there is nothing at all on the internet saying it's a joke.
Yikes. I don't know who's more spooked right now, Browns fans after seeing that, or Steelers fans after seeing Big Ben gone total caveman. Both look like the furthest thing from an NFL quarterback at this point.

[jakeroot]

Yikes. I don't know who's more spooked right now, Browns fans after seeing that, or Steelers fans after seeing Big Ben gone total caveman. Both look like the furthest thing from an NFL quarterback at this point.

I hadn't seen that video. Beardy Ben!

[webny99]

Yikes. I don't know who's more spooked right now, Browns fans after seeing that, or Steelers fans after seeing Big Ben gone total caveman. Both look like the furthest thing from an NFL quarterback at this point.

I hadn't seen that video. Beardy Ben!

I hadn't either until it was played on the ATN podcast (which I recommend, by the way: great comic relief amidst tough times!!)

[Roadgeekteen]

RIP to Tom Dempsey, former Saints kicker. He used to hold the record holder for longest field goal, and was famous for having half of one foot. He died April 4th from Covid-19.

[SP Cook]

https://dailycaller.com/2020/04/10/xfl-operations-suspended-terminated-laid-off-employees/

And, as predicted, the XFL is no more.

WFL-USFL-XFL1-WLAF/NFLE-CFL USA-UFL-XFL2 

People say they want more football.  Until given more football.

[Eth]

People say they want more football.  Until given more football.

I see you've just awakened from a 6-week-long nap.

[Roadgeekteen]

https://dailycaller.com/2020/04/10/xfl-operations-suspended-terminated-laid-off-employees/

And, as predicted, the XFL is no more.

WFL-USFL-XFL1-WLAF/NFLE-CFL USA-UFL-XFL2 

People say they want more football.  Until given more football.

I don't think their shutting down for good. They still have a skeletal crew of employees.

[jakeroot]

People say they want more football.  Until given more football.

I see you've just awakened from a 6-week-long nap.

Not shit. To proclaim the XFL as dead thanks to anything other than COVID-19 is unfair. Viewership was perfectly adequate for a brand-new league.

[jeffandnicole]

People say they want more football.  Until given more football.

I see you've just awakened from a 6-week-long nap.

Not shit. To proclaim the XFL as dead thanks to anything other than COVID-19 is unfair. Viewership was perfectly adequate for a brand-new league.

While I didn't watch it myself, I think they did ok. Agreed that you can't blame this one on anything else than COVID.  It takes a lot of money to start up a new league, and to have it shut down roughly halfway into its 1st season gave them nearly no time to recoup that money spent.

[SP Cook]

Viewership was perfectly adequate for a brand-new league.

The league GAVE its TV rights away.  Viewership figures are thus irrelevant. 

[Roadgeekteen]

Texans traded for Brandin Cooks. Wouldn't it be great to have DeAndre Hopkins instead?

[jakeroot]

Viewership was perfectly adequate for a brand-new league.

The league GAVE its TV rights away.  Viewership figures are thus irrelevant.

So you're saying the XFL primarily made money by in-person viewership? The one thing that became impossible thanks to COVID-19?

[Alps]

Viewership was perfectly adequate for a brand-new league.

The league GAVE its TV rights away.  Viewership figures are thus irrelevant.

So you're saying the XFL primarily made money by in-person viewership? The one thing that became impossible thanks to COVID-19?

Yup. They went for "unpaid exposure". We know how that works.

[jakeroot]

Viewership was perfectly adequate for a brand-new league.

The league GAVE its TV rights away.  Viewership figures are thus irrelevant.

So you're saying the XFL primarily made money by in-person viewership? The one thing that became impossible thanks to COVID-19?

Yup. They went for "unpaid exposure". We know how that works.

In light of recent events...not fucking well

[Roadgeekteen]

Viewership was perfectly adequate for a brand-new league.

The league GAVE its TV rights away.  Viewership figures are thus irrelevant.

So you're saying the XFL primarily made money by in-person viewership? The one thing that became impossible thanks to COVID-19?

Don't sports leagues make the vast majority of their money off of TV?

[NWI_Irish96]

No new sports league was going to survive this pandemic, regardless of the sport or business model.

The model the XFL chose game them the greatest chance for sustained success, sacrificing short term revenue in an attempt to gain viewers.  It was working very well until this all happened.

[Roadgeekteen]

No new sports league was going to survive this pandemic, regardless of the sport or business model.

The model the XFL chose game them the greatest chance for sustained success, sacrificing short term revenue in an attempt to gain viewers.  It was working very well until this all happened.

I still think that there is a market for spring football, both leagues got kinda unlucky.

[1995hoo]

No new sports league was going to survive this pandemic, regardless of the sport or business model.

The model the XFL chose game them the greatest chance for sustained success, sacrificing short term revenue in an attempt to gain viewers.  It was working very well until this all happened.

I still think that there is a market for spring football, both leagues got kinda unlucky.

"Both"? There have been three, not counting the one run by the NFL. The USFL fell apart due to mismanagement. A lot of people blame the owner of the New Jersey Generals (whatever did happen to that guy, anyway?), and certainly he caused his share of problems, but the league had plenty of other issues aside from him.

[Roadgeekteen]

No new sports league was going to survive this pandemic, regardless of the sport or business model.

The model the XFL chose game them the greatest chance for sustained success, sacrificing short term revenue in an attempt to gain viewers.  It was working very well until this all happened.

I still think that there is a market for spring football, both leagues got kinda unlucky.

"Both"? There have been three, not counting the one run by the NFL. The USFL fell apart due to mismanagement. A lot of people blame the owner of the New Jersey Generals (whatever did happen to that guy, anyway?), and certainly he caused his share of problems, but the league had plenty of other issues aside from him.

I'm talking about the AAF and the XFL. Heard that the AAF folded under shady circumstances.

[SP Cook]

Don't sports leagues make the vast majority of their money off of TV?

Traditionally, yes.  The XFL v.2 had a different plan.  It gave the TV rights away for nothing.  Thus it was irrelevant how many were watching on TV.  All the league made was the live gate; along with small amounts from in-stadium billboards and logo wear. 

Even if it sold every single ticket at the full list price, it could not have made money.  And it was alleged that they "papered the house" (gave away free tickets to add to the excitement), which is probably true.  This was supposed to be for this year and the next.  As the league belong to 'raslin promoter Vince McMahon he was going to subsidize it from his 'raslin profits and hope to get a legitimate TV deal for 22.   

Thus the world shut down SAVED not cost McMahon $$ relative to this football venture, as he lost money on every game. 

[Henry]

At least there will be an NFL Draft, albeit in a very different format, as all teams will pick from their own headquarters instead of gathering at the league's big offices in New York. It's going to be televised on ESPN/ABC and the NFL Network, and will definitely be the most interesting draft ever, given the current state of the world in general.

As for the season, it's a whole different story, but the upside is, the NFL (and college football) are lucky that they play late in the year, so they should start on time.