With most of the NFL media currently gathered in Indianapolis to focus on the Scouting Combine, we welcome the opportunity to give them a chance to chase a story not relating to grown men in UnderArmour who are participating in the various events of the Underwear Olympics.
So here it goes.
A strong rumor has reached PFT headquarters that the NFL recently tried to buy the UFL.
The specific rumor is that the NFL offered within the past few days payment of $50 million for 51 percent of the one-year-old minor league. The second part of the rumor is that the UFL responded by offering 49 percent for $49 million.
The NFL surely wants to take control of the UFL, for reasons directly related to the protracted game of part-chess, part-chicken unfolding between the NFL and the players’ union. With the NFL at a minimum trying to make the NFLPA believe that a lockout is coming and at worst planning to padlock the gates of team facilities throughout the league in 2011, 51-percent ownership of the UFL would give the NFL control of the primary alternative source of American pro football tournament during the 2011 season — for players, NFL employees, and most importantly fans.
The rumor currently is unconfirmed (and I can hear the dialing of the Sprint phones at the Scouting Combine from here). We’ve requested a response from the NFL and we’ll be communicating with the NFLPA and the UFL on this issue as well.
The acquisition would raise plenty of issues, especially with the UFL broadcasting games during the Friday-Saturday window that, when done from September through early December, nullifies antitrust exemptions.
Remember for now that it’s a rumor. And, as a rumor, there might be nothing to it. But it’s definitely being talked about by people in pro football, and thus the topic falls squarely within the purview of the address you typed or the bookmark you clicked to get to this page.
We’ll leave it to the actual journalists out there who often confuse the coverage of sports with the coverage of politics and other truly important matters that people don’t follow for entertainment to debate whether we should have published the existence of a rumor before determining whether or not the rumor was accurate. We’re moving on, but not moving out.
UPDATE: NFL spokesman Greg Aiello says via e-mail that the rumor is “flat wrong” and that “no such offer was made,” based on his information from people who have “had discussions with the UFL.”
This was what I used to like about PFT, the unsubstantiated rumors. Fewer articles that preach, more that spread rumors please!
There is no need for the NFL to try and buy the UFL, the UFL will go under in no time.
I think only you care about the UFL. Nobody watches it, tickets sell for $5 online and it is not entertaining. I could see the NFL buying the CFL maybe, but not the UFL. Why do you keep trying to say that the league is threatening the NFL? The NFL is the powerhouse of sports in America. I would watch bowling rather than the UFL
Well, there’s no way the NFL would purchase a non-controlling interest in this league. And the UFL would be foolish to sell right now, provided they’ve got the means to keep the league running for another year.
If the labor issues remain cloudy at this time next year, something tells me the NFL’s offer might be just a touch more than 50 million for the only professional football product out there.
Seems to me this is just the league further putting the screws to the union, trying to take away any alternative means of income from the players.
I don’t think the NFL should ever outright own the UFL. 49%/partnership at the most!
If the NFL wants to go to a 18 game schedule they need a deeper talent pool and they recognize that could be the UFL.
This rumor is almost as stupid as the rumor that has NBC buying PFT….Oh wait
“It will go under in no time.”
Yeah, I am not quoting Mikey D, I am quoting the media back when the AFL first came to be.
The UFL has picked the perfect time to create itself. With the NFL on the verge of a huge dispute and possibly a lockout. It is likely the UFL will be our only source of football, except Canada (but who likes them?) and the Arena football.
Frankly I think the UFL is not the XFL or the World Football League, I think it is something new and can find a niche.
I remember a quote from the father of one of the owners of an AFL team back in the day. He was asked about his son losing one million dollars at the end of the first AFL season. The rich father responded “Well at that rate he can afford to keep going for 100 years”
Given today’s labor environment between the No Fun League and its players, you never know what might happen.
Would love to see the new upstart kick the NFL in the shins. Go for it guys…others have tried with no success but that’s academic.
Let’s bring in another league that will compete with an entity that’s had its own way for far too long. Who knows, maybe they’ll even kill instant replay!!!
Hey I thought the owners were “losing money”.
You have got to be kidding me. PFT has a Headquarters?
The rumors could be true, maybe they did hire lawyers to see if they can buy 51% of the UFL, as like Florio said for an alternative source for players to play during the lockout year. It could also be a smoke screen for the NFLPA to shake in their boots.
Owner of the UFL isnt that dumb,well i atleast hope not with all the drama and possible work stoppage next yr with the No Fun League
UFL is no different than having to watch 4 preseason games.
Did watch 2 games last year during their season and the finale. Not all bad.
The UFL should be indepent and people do watch it. Come on. I lve the NFL a much a anyone but i do not sit there and think of it as a god. Itsgood for the ecconomy and all and is the favortie sport in the united states. The UFL shoud go and when the lockout or strike comes then the league will get a boost. Go bills and locos.
The UFL would be stupid to do this deal right now. They stand at an opportunity to get some high end rookies in there next season instead of losing a year “striking”. As it’s often been said, as well, that if teams start moving overseas, the rookies they draft when there is football going on may opt to play in the UFL for a year to get with an American team. The UFL will probably fold, but if the NFL screws itself with lockouts and too many changes, the UFL may come out of it as the premier football league years down the road. They may as well give it a shot.
Aiello’s non denial, denial is quite interesting.
“UPDATE: NFL spokesman Greg Aiello says via e-mail that the rumor is “flat wrong” and that “no such offer was made,” based on his information from people who have “had discussions with the UFL.”
1. “flat wrong”. That’s not a denial it just means the facts are incorrect.
2. “no such offer was made”. There’s no denial an offer was made, it just means the offer details were different than reported
3. “based on his information from people who have had discussions with the UFL”. So there are discussions underway on some type of deal. And he shouldn’t be informed of details of the conversations so he can perform his job while maintaining plausible denial without his nose growing.
Aiello’s denial is about as intriguing as Florio’s rumor. Sounds like there’s a deal, or at least an NFL offer in the works.
MickyD you idiot the UFL got Jim Haslett hired to be D coordinator of the Redskins, and got about 20 other players signed by NFL teams. So this “minor league” got players noticed. You “simpleton.” Keep on being the manwhore for the No Fun League.
Useless Football League?????
This is the RUMORMILL anyone who has a problem with Florio posting rumors shouldnt come back to this section of the website. Thats basically the whole point of why this website was started and why we continue to visit it.
We want to know whats being talked about in league circles. If you want to read facts go to NFL.com this is called the rumor mill not the Upcoming-Announcements-by-NFL-Teams-100%-Accurate-Mill.
Id rather Florio post unconfirmewd rumors he has heard through his connections then read him give his opinion of what he thinks is going to happen.
I dont come here because I think Florio has more incite then me into what football teams will do. I think he has less to be honest. The only reason I come here is because Florio has connections to people I dont know so he gets to here what NFL insiders are talking about.
So if you gotta complain about something it should be when Florio gives his opinion of what he thinks is going to happen. Just dont complain about him reporting rumors he has come across. Because we all listen to rumors that most of the time arent true and even if every rumor Florio posts isnt confirmed the connections he has makes his rumors more reliable and I want to here what he has heard .
If you all complain when he gets a rumor wrong he will stop posting them and then we will be forced to listen to some rumor that was probably made up by some guy in his moms basement who doesnt know a single person involved with the NFL and just made up a rumor because he thinks or wants it to happen.
Florio, trust me, you are right on this one. I have always been skeptical of Mike Huyghue’s role with the UFL. Goodell and Huyghue came up together in the league offices in the late 80s and early 90s, and both worked with Paul Tagliabue. They have a good relationship, and I actually believe he is a plant by the NFL and the goal is to test run some of the cities such as Orlando, Vegas and San Antonio to see the viability of these markets for some of the depressed franchises in the league. This story is not offbase at all.
I find that hard to believe, and i think the rumors came from the UFL. The UFL in one year of existence is barely a blip, didn’t make any money, and has a brand value of next to nothing.
the NFL would gain nothing, by spending any money to acquire it. If they need a farm system they already had it with the World League, so there’s no reason. As for buying “competition”, I don’t imagine the UFL is competition for the NFL. Did anyone not buy a NFL ticket, or watch a NFL broadcast so they could watch the UFL? Does anyone even watch the uFL?
I think the UFL is trying to increase its name value by floating rumors of being worth $100 million, when it’s clearly not.
How is the UFL worth $100 million?