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

[Alps]

After hearing that name for most of my life, I finally bothered to look up what an "Alouette" is.  It apparently means "lark"; as in the bird.

That is why you plumerai la tete.

[Stephane Dumas]

The newest incarnations of the USFL and the XFL had merged to form the United Football League.
https://www.espn.com/xfl/story/_/id/39215302/merged-xfl-usfl-rebranded-united-football-league

[sturmde]

The newest incarnations of the USFL and the XFL had merged to form the United Football League.
https://www.espn.com/xfl/story/_/id/39215302/merged-xfl-usfl-rebranded-united-football-league

It's an interesting set up:

United Football League (UFL)
XFL Conference:
Arlington Renegades (defending champions)
D.C. Defenders (Washington, Audi Field)
St. Louis Battelhawks
San Antonio Brahmas

USFL Conference:
Birmingham Stallions (defending champions)
Houston Roughnecks (the Gamblers staff and roster, but instead of playing in Memphis, they'll be in Houston taking the XFL nickname)
Memphis Showboats
Michigan Panthers (Detroit, Ford Field)

At least the 8 teams they're going with... all have actual venues: they'll all practice in Arlington, but play in their namesake cities, so there's that.  And they kept the best teams with decent venues...

Dispersal drafts will happen in each conference.  XFL teams get first crack at Seattle, Orlando, Vegas, and XFL Houston players.
USFL teams get first crack at Canton-based New Jersey and Pittsburgh, Philadelphia (Detroit based) and New Orleans (Memphis based) players.  Expect Michigan to take Stars players, and Memphis to take Breakers... 
Then there will be a second draft where any team can pick from any signed player.  There was some talk to "merging" the two Houston rosters, but instead, the Houston XFL coaching staff is taking over the San Antonio Brahmas.

My inside friend noted they tried to come up with a 10 team solution, no venue/attendance potential other than Seattle made sense... Canton might have worked, but the travel into Canton is a pain.  Seattle at least has a major airport, as do the starting 8 cities.

Parked identities for future expansion:
Seattle Sea Dragons (likely first expansion team)
Tampa Bay Bandits
Pittsburgh Maulers
Philadelphia Stars
Other desirable markets:
San Diego, Portland, Phoenix, Atlanta
Nothing else made any initial list.  Vegas and Orlando weren't cutting it... too many other things to compete against, and there's the venue problem...  Vegas has only an NFL stadium and small college stadium.  Need an "in between".

[triplemultiplex]

Well, I think this is going probably fail again and I think I know why.  It's that they are trying to create a second national pro league, but what they are delivering is clearly a sort of minor league.  And the thing about minor leagues is that they do not have national appeal.  They're best suited for regional audiences.  They don't nationally broadcast AAA baseball games (unless a superstar is on a rehab assignment?).  They plunk themselves down in cities that do not have a pro team and then offer a fun day/night out for way cheaper than going to a major league venue.

To some extent that's what they're doing with this UFL, but they clearly have ambitions to duplicate what the original USFL did in the 80's and try and compete at the same level as the NFL.  Which failed because they couldn't deliver as good a product as the NFL.  There's an open niche, potentially, for minor league football that isn't trying to be major league football and if the UFL can just admit that what they're doing is minor league football, that could lead them to make decisions that will get this to stick. Otherwise, it'll just be another failed league that will stump bar patrons on trivia night in a decade.

[NWI_Irish96]

Well, I think this is going probably fail again and I think I know why.  It's that they are trying to create a second national pro league, but what they are delivering is clearly a sort of minor league.  And the thing about minor leagues is that they do not have national appeal.  They're best suited for regional audiences.  They don't nationally broadcast AAA baseball games (unless a superstar is on a rehab assignment?).  They plunk themselves down in cities that do not have a pro team and then offer a fun day/night out for way cheaper than going to a major league venue.

To some extent that's what they're doing with this UFL, but they clearly have ambitions to duplicate what the original USFL did in the 80's and try and compete at the same level as the NFL.  Which failed because they couldn't deliver as good a product as the NFL.  There's an open niche, potentially, for minor league football that isn't trying to be major league football and if the UFL can just admit that what they're doing is minor league football, that could lead them to make decisions that will get this to stick. Otherwise, it'll just be another failed league that will stump bar patrons on trivia night in a decade.

Unlike AAA baseball, this league is playing outside the "major" league's season, so there's one advantage.

I've said this before, but this league needs to be heavy on primetime games. Weekend afternoons are full of auto racing and golf, but weekend evenings are light on sports. Their weekend schedule needs to be (times ET):

Saturday 7:30
Sunday 4:00 and 7:30
Monday 7:30

Make the first Sunday night game a battle of the league champions.

[Alps]

At least they've achieved independence from the entire northeastern market. Yeah that's gonna fail real quick.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I think if a secondary pro football league really wanted to be successful, they should play on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during the NFL/college seasons. People have been inside watching football all winter. They[re not going to sit at home all weekend when the weather is much better watching second-rate football games. Even football fans I know go "I watch other things during this time, this isn't football season to me".

Remember that not all NFL fans are general football fans and vice versa as well.