Comments on: UFL pondering possibilities for pilfering NFL players during lockout

By: bearsfan63

bearsfan63 — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 11:25:44 +0000

If the UFL were smart they would seize this opportunity and compete with the NFL head to head like the old AFL Did only this time offer the star players a percentage of ownership and pay them a cut based on the teams profitability. If each team were to sign say 10 NFL starters with 2-3 star players they could compete against the NFL and fill stadiums. Also with a rookie cap they could afford to outbid the NFL for incoming players. Over a few years they could become a very effective competitor. Maybe the NFLPA should consider investing in the league

By: j0hnnyv

j0hnnyv — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 05:20:33 +0000

ufl is a joke

By: MichaelEdits

MichaelEdits — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 03:11:21 +0000

A brand new copy of QUARTERBACK OF THE FUTURE has just arrived at my home in Hanoi.

We now return you to our regularly scheduled programming.

By: palinforpresidentofnorthkorea

palinforpresidentofnorthkorea — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 00:45:00 +0000

NFLPA* players feeling ‘dissed by the NFL?

Wait until they see the after-game “buffet” in the UFL!

“My dog won’t eat that $hit!”

“No valet service in this cheap-a$$ motel?”

By: bigbeefyd

bigbeefyd — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 00:14:59 +0000

@FinFan68 – excellent point! They do, indeed, have an option (at least if they are not under contract) – I’d be surprised if the owners’ legal team doesn’t bring that up. At which point the players would say “yeah but it doesn’t pay as well” – oh, wait, they’ve already said it’s not about the money…

By: tommytd

tommytd — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 23:55:08 +0000

They would have to get them paid but I say GO FOR IT. I would watch them…the hell with the NFL…you can work stoppage your way into oblivion for all I care.

By: jefeweiss

jefeweiss — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 23:39:31 +0000

If I were the UFL, I would do everything that I could to try to get NFL players, even if it were only for a few games. The amount of extra exposure would be completely worth it.

I would offer shares in the ownership of teams to NFL players to entice them to come play. In fact, I think offering shares of teams is a win/win proposition because either the league survives and they are worth something or the league folds and they aren’t worth anything anyway.

By: trickbunny

trickbunny — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 23:15:57 +0000

Are you listening, Brady Quinn? Here’s your chance to go from worst to first! Hurry!- before your Locos uniform turns back into a pumpkin!!

By: FinFan68

FinFan68 — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 22:48:05 +0000

The very fact that the UFL is an option (regular football in the USA) for the players should make them worry about their litigation a little. By definition, a monopoly has no competition in the market and that is no longer the case for the NFL. It is another option that the players are not prevented from taking if they don’t like the lucrative situation the NFL provides.

By: thefiesty1

thefiesty1 — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 22:43:01 +0000

The UFL better have DEEP pockets for those greedy jerks. They would never be satisfied with your pay scale. The UFL won’t last a full season trying to pay those guys.

By: jakek2

jakek2 — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 22:05:09 +0000

Who assumes liability for players injured while playing for the UFL and therefore unable to honor their NFL contracts?
——————–
Great question laeagle fan.

As apparently the only poster on this site with more than a high school education, let me opine that the NFL OWNERS would likely (stress likely) be legally liable to the players in such instance. If a NFL player under contract is not getting paid thereunder due to the owners’ lockout, that NFL player has a right to obtain other gainful employment to support himself. If he gets hurt, he should be able to sue the owner for the balance of his contract (which he is doing anyway in the Brady case) as those injuries are a reasonably foreseeable consequential damage of the owners’ breach. If the player could prove that the owner should have had reason to believe that the player would play elsewhere, that enhances the players’ case of proven reasonable foreseeability against the owner.

It would be no different if the player tore an ACL in the grocery parking lot while wheeling in carts for Stop and Shop.

By: peanutbutter&jelly

peanutbutter&jelly — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 21:41:46 +0000

how about all nfl players go play for the ufl for a season at the ufl pay rate while they are thinking about how unfair that the owners are being

By: livenbreathefootball

livenbreathefootball — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 21:25:28 +0000

Yeah, after the “promises” last year that a player can go to the NFL after the UFL season ends, I don’t see a lot of players falling for this. You think the players don’t trust the NFL owners? That’s nothing compared to their distrust of the UFL.

By: toe4

toe4 — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 21:20:58 +0000

The UFL can have the District of Columbia Sunburns. The entire organization. And take the Cowboys while your at it.

By: jhorton83

jhorton83 — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 21:20:26 +0000

I don’t think that NFL players are going to be very interested given that the UFL seems to have problems paying people.

By: worstposterever

worstposterever — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 21:19:36 +0000

The UFL should quickly expand to 32 teams and start asking for permission form cities to use each NFL stadium in the event of a lockout.

Figure something out so that the players stay on their current teams, just use a different team name.

Wonder how the owners would like that one…

By: thegonz13

thegonz13 — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 21:04:18 +0000

There is STILL a UFL????????????

By: richm2256

richm2256 — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:47:32 +0000

There’s simply no reason for an NFL player to risk losing his ability to earn at the NFL level if he’s not earning much at the UFL level.
————————————————
Nobody accused many of these guys of being rocket scientists either, though.

By: discostu570

discostu570 — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:46:13 +0000

The money will follow the players, not the owners. If enough players went to the UFL, the UFL could sell the broadcast rights for much more, players would just have to wait until the broadcast rights are sold to figure out how much they’ll be able to make.

If they need some startup cash, the UFL could conduct their own college draft and sell the broadcast rights to that, nothings stopping them from offering rookies contracts. Rookies might also be more inclined to stick around with their UFL teams for more than half a season, since they need the cash now.

By: discostu570

discostu570 — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:46:02 +0000

If they need some startup cash, the UFL could conduct their own college draft, nothings stopping them from offering rookies contracts. Rookies might also be more inclined to stick around with their UFL teams for more than half a season, since they need the cash now.

By: ursushorribilis

ursushorribilis — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:45:03 +0000

Adrian, here is your chance! Show those “slave-owning” NFL franchises you are bolting for the UFL! Take Drew Brees with you!

You don’t need NO stinking money!

Freedom, Adrian!……join the UFL!

(Not a Vikings or Saints fan!)

By: prmpft

prmpft — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:42:48 +0000

HEY – you just leave the PILFERING to the NFLPA and players thank you very much!!!

By: carson9

carson9 — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:42:36 +0000

The UFL can have Adrian Peterson, after his “slave” remark the Vikings don’t want his ass anymore.

By: crackills

crackills — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:41:42 +0000

If there is no NFL and UFL gets a few big names in and sets up Fantasy UFL leagues on yahoo, etc….

You better bet your ass they’ll get some viewers.
Any football is better then NO football. UFL stands only to gain from NFLs ineptitude.
In the end it’s a win-win for the fans.. once NFL realizes they’re loosing players or UFL is growing in interest.. they’ll be more inclined to work out a deal.

By: Lou Pickney

Lou Pickney — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:39:01 +0000

The UFL might be wise to target the best of the undrafted players, guys who NFL teams typically try to snatch up as soon as the draft ends. Absent a new CBA, there will be no wild west style sprint to sign those guys by NFL teams. Moreover, the UFL represents an opportunity for some of those guys to prove themselves in a professional league and, in turn, potentially parlay success there into a nice NFL contract.

By: mmickute

mmickute — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:38:59 +0000

But what kind of slave wants to take a million dollar pay cut to work for the UFL?

By: aschwartz2011

aschwartz2011 — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:38:44 +0000

I think they might be able to lure some 6th/7th round draftpicks who want to get more practice at a professional level will sign.

I would bet a bunch of the “big-name” undrafted FAs who would usually sign with an NFL team right away will go to the UFL since the NFL can’t sign them until a new CBA. This would give them the chance to show there stuff in hopes of getting a better contract.

By: dukemarc

dukemarc — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:38:37 +0000

Any NFL player that would do this would be blackballed even after the UFL folds up shop.

By: laeaglefan

laeaglefan — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:38:14 +0000

Who assumes liability for players injured while playing for the UFL and therefore unable to honor their NFL contracts?

By: toe4

toe4 — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:36:43 +0000

The UFL would be better served starting its season in May and ending in July because anyone with a chance at an NFL training camp won’t want to be playing UFL ball when they could be getting a call from an NFL team as soon as the lockout is over.