Which is more than anyone can say for the NFL right now. Zing!
With greater attention being given to the lockout, and to the UFL's possible role during the lockout, I think it's time the league started to think about looking into (gasp! Horror!) raising ticket prices.
Now, I get that this is not going to be a popular opinion. People tend to get very upset when the prices of things go up. Just look at all the rage directed at the recent surge in gas prices.
So why should the UFL look into a small price hike on tickets? Well, this Stanford University study suggests that a higher price tag may actually be a factor in how people perceive the value of their purchases. The study focused on wine, but its not a great leap to apply it to events. People still bash the UFL for being "bush league" or "semi-pro" when the quality of the play is actually not that far from an NFL game. What does it say for that perception when a ticket is $15, compared to a comparable NFL ticket that might be $90 or more? It suggests that what you are getting is of considerably lower value. Commissioner Hugyghue has been quoted as saying that the price of a UFL game was comparable to a night out at the theater. Trouble is, movies are seen as cheap entertainment. Pro sports carry the notion of the elite: that you are watching the best there is out there.
A price bump--say, $5-$10 or so--doesn't push the ticket price out of reach of the average family, helps build the idea of the UFL as a professional league (when prices are not as far out of range of the NFL's) and gives the UFL a much needed revenue boost. I'm a writer, sporadically employed and often working for free (sigh, thank you very much English degree) but even I wouldn't complain if I had to scrape up another $5 for season tickets.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Until a Few Days Ago...
...I hadn't really realized how much of a homer I was. My wife and I went to Maine for our anniversary. We took my car with its Colonials license plate holder. The key is dangling off of a keychain that also holds a Colonials mini banner. I took my Colonials hoodie because the weather was chilly and rainy on and off. I took my laptop to get some work done ( and blessedly did very little) and brought with it my Colonials mousepad.
Something about being so far north of CT just really made it hit home. I can't guarantee that any of this paraphernalia raised awareness of the team, but we can hope.
Something about being so far north of CT just really made it hit home. I can't guarantee that any of this paraphernalia raised awareness of the team, but we can hope.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Been a Little While, Hasn't it Blog?
So goes it when you're trying to write the next great American novel. Or a novel, at least.
Seriously. I'm writing a novel. Nothing to do with the UFL or football at all, but it has eaten up a lot of my time lately. The lack of updates has certainly not been because there's been nothing to talk about. For starters, the Colonials' protected players list has been out since late April and contained notable names such as Ahmad Carrol and Colt Brennan. Both pictured below.
But in even bigger news, the UFL draft took place yesterday night at 8:00, entirely over Twitter. Hartford held the first pick and used it, to my surprise, on Texas A&M QB Jerrod Johnson. The move may have been necessitated by the lack of a commitment by 2010 starting quarterback Josh McCown, who would not or could not give Jerry Glanville a definite answer as to any future he might have with the team.
I don't blame McCown for wanting to move on, given what he lost by sticking with the Colonials. I'd also note that despite the fact he had what was statistically the best year of any UFL passer, his stats on the year are buoyed by two tremendous performances at the beginning of the year. Without games 1 and 2, McCown has a 60.36 passer rating and only about a 52% completion percentage.
In short we'll be fine with Brennan or Johnson, whoever starts for the year. Johnson's interview on ESPN 1410 today shows he's a class act. He said he was thankful for the opportunity to play for the team, which is a good attitude to have. I'm sure he wants to be in the NFL, but you have to take the opportunities you're given. Perhaps when he's proven that his shoulder has recovered from his surgery last year the other league will come a knocking.
In any event, the complete details are up here. Hartford spent numerous picks early on offensive line talent, and sought out help on the D-line with its later picks. Other notables are center Cecil Newton Jr., brother of quarterback Cam Newton, and running back Phil Tanner out of Tennessee.
They'll have to look towards free agency for wide receivers. Here's hoping Markee White returns.
Seriously. I'm writing a novel. Nothing to do with the UFL or football at all, but it has eaten up a lot of my time lately. The lack of updates has certainly not been because there's been nothing to talk about. For starters, the Colonials' protected players list has been out since late April and contained notable names such as Ahmad Carrol and Colt Brennan. Both pictured below.
 |
| Colt wants to get rid of the ball. |
 |
| Carroll wants the ball. |
But in even bigger news, the UFL draft took place yesterday night at 8:00, entirely over Twitter. Hartford held the first pick and used it, to my surprise, on Texas A&M QB Jerrod Johnson. The move may have been necessitated by the lack of a commitment by 2010 starting quarterback Josh McCown, who would not or could not give Jerry Glanville a definite answer as to any future he might have with the team.
I don't blame McCown for wanting to move on, given what he lost by sticking with the Colonials. I'd also note that despite the fact he had what was statistically the best year of any UFL passer, his stats on the year are buoyed by two tremendous performances at the beginning of the year. Without games 1 and 2, McCown has a 60.36 passer rating and only about a 52% completion percentage.
 |
| 1st pick in the 2011 UFL draft, seen here looking for a high five. |
In any event, the complete details are up here. Hartford spent numerous picks early on offensive line talent, and sought out help on the D-line with its later picks. Other notables are center Cecil Newton Jr., brother of quarterback Cam Newton, and running back Phil Tanner out of Tennessee.
They'll have to look towards free agency for wide receivers. Here's hoping Markee White returns.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
NFL Draft Tonight: also, Goodell
We have at least one more NFL draft before the league collapses in a great nuclear inferno, Demaurice Smith riding the pale horse of the grim reaper, swaying through NFL HQ with the merciless scythe of death. According to Roger Goodell, this is what we can expect to happen if the players "win." His piece in the Wall Street Journal now holds the record for strawman argument with the widest audience.
Because it is either that or Goodell has become so detached from why the lockout occurred that he could only be suffering from dementia. Quotes like the following suggest that the commish either has no idea what is going on or (much more likely) did an incredibly poor hack job trying to spin the events of the lockout against the players.
For instance: "For six weeks, there has been a work stoppage in the National Football League as the league has sought to negotiate a new collective-bargaining agreement with the players."
But the league are the ones who decided that the current CBA wasn't good enough, and were incapable of negotiating a new one for a full two years after the decision was made to do away with the agreement at the time. NFL execs walked out of negotiations on at least one occasion, and seemed prepared to let the NFL float in limbo while player's savings dwindled away.
Another: "What would the NFL look like without a collectively bargained compromise?"
Well, Rog, we'll never know that because the players were also seeking a new CBA, and at no point was the idea of playing without one ever put on the table.
Wait, I take it back. If you want to know what the NFL would be like without a CBA, look to the early 90's. As far as I can tell, the league still exists and is even stronger than it was back then. So much for what he says afterward.
And another gem: "Rather than address the challenge of improving the collective-bargaining agreement for the benefit of the game..."
"Improving." Meaning, "you play more games for a lot less money because we say so."
How about this as a consequence of the players getting what they want: "No minimum player salary. Many players could earn substantially less than today's minimums."
So, the consequence of the greedy, nasty, goblin-like players wanting more money would be that they would arrange a deal where they made less? How in god's name does this make any sense?
 |
| Plague, Famine War... Demaurice Smith? Death-Maurice Smith? |
For instance: "For six weeks, there has been a work stoppage in the National Football League as the league has sought to negotiate a new collective-bargaining agreement with the players."
But the league are the ones who decided that the current CBA wasn't good enough, and were incapable of negotiating a new one for a full two years after the decision was made to do away with the agreement at the time. NFL execs walked out of negotiations on at least one occasion, and seemed prepared to let the NFL float in limbo while player's savings dwindled away.
Another: "What would the NFL look like without a collectively bargained compromise?"
Well, Rog, we'll never know that because the players were also seeking a new CBA, and at no point was the idea of playing without one ever put on the table.
Wait, I take it back. If you want to know what the NFL would be like without a CBA, look to the early 90's. As far as I can tell, the league still exists and is even stronger than it was back then. So much for what he says afterward.
And another gem: "Rather than address the challenge of improving the collective-bargaining agreement for the benefit of the game..."
"Improving." Meaning, "you play more games for a lot less money because we say so."
How about this as a consequence of the players getting what they want: "No minimum player salary. Many players could earn substantially less than today's minimums."
So, the consequence of the greedy, nasty, goblin-like players wanting more money would be that they would arrange a deal where they made less? How in god's name does this make any sense?
Friday, April 22, 2011
Six Teams in 2011?
According to the Las Vegas Review Journal, the UFL is still considering adding a 6th team for the 2001 season.
I find it hard to believe that the league could still be thinking of adding another team, but if a TV contract is riding on the line, there may not be much of a choice. The question is, what quality of play would we get from a hastily-added expansion team, only four months from the proposed kickoff date?
The one thing that I can say in favor of this is that the staff in Hartford is being assembled with amazing speed. Jerry Glanville was only hired last month but news about position coaches and coordinators arrives every other day.
But Hartford already had a tentative roster, uniforms, a stadium and so forth. A new team will not only have to contend with finding coaches and player personnel, but finding a venue, new uniforms, sponsors, etc. A tremendous task to go through in only a few months. I'll be thrilled if it happens, but color me skeptical about our odds of seeing, say, the Chattanooga Barracudas, the Portland Octopi or the Salt Lake Monsters.
The UFL is undecided on whether to add a sixth team, with Portland, Ore., Salt Lake City and Chattanooga, Tenn., under consideration. If a sixth team is added, the schedule will expand to 10 games. If the UFL remains a five-team league -- Las Vegas, Sacramento, Omaha, Hartford and Virginia (replacing Florida) -- the eight-game schedule will continue.
"We're still talking to possible investors," Huyghue said. "We think we could get that sixth team up and running fairly quickly."
I find it hard to believe that the league could still be thinking of adding another team, but if a TV contract is riding on the line, there may not be much of a choice. The question is, what quality of play would we get from a hastily-added expansion team, only four months from the proposed kickoff date?
The one thing that I can say in favor of this is that the staff in Hartford is being assembled with amazing speed. Jerry Glanville was only hired last month but news about position coaches and coordinators arrives every other day.
But Hartford already had a tentative roster, uniforms, a stadium and so forth. A new team will not only have to contend with finding coaches and player personnel, but finding a venue, new uniforms, sponsors, etc. A tremendous task to go through in only a few months. I'll be thrilled if it happens, but color me skeptical about our odds of seeing, say, the Chattanooga Barracudas, the Portland Octopi or the Salt Lake Monsters.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Quick Shot from ESPN
Link
2. Former Auburn quarterback Cam Newton may be the top pick in the upcoming NFL draft. Where is his ideal destination?
(Patrick) Hruby: The UFL's Hartford Colonials -- that way, Newton will be close to ESPN headquarters, where he can enjoy many more totally non-awkward quarterback classroom sessions with Jon Gruden.
2. Former Auburn quarterback Cam Newton may be the top pick in the upcoming NFL draft. Where is his ideal destination?
(Patrick) Hruby: The UFL's Hartford Colonials -- that way, Newton will be close to ESPN headquarters, where he can enjoy many more totally non-awkward quarterback classroom sessions with Jon Gruden.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
What's Going On
Update: As of minutes ago, Coach Larry Zierlein, most recently seen as the Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line coach in 2009, has been hired on as the Colonials O-line coach.
Just a quick recap of the recent additions to the Hartford roster, mostly on the coaching side of things.
The Colonials have added...
Tim Krumrie as their defensive line coach. Krumrie had an 11-year career with the CIncinnati Bengals and served as a D-line coach with the Chiefs from 2006-2010.
Turk Schonert at QB coach, whom I've posted about previously.
Former pro-bowl wideout Harold Jackson as wide receivers coach.
And most recently, ex-Eagles/Packers/others linebacker James Willis at linebackers coach.
Plenty of happenings all over the team. Perhaps biggest of all was the recent announcement of QB Colt Brennan to the Colonials, announced via various channels over the past few days.
The Colonials join the Cleveland Browns in the category of "teams with quarterbacks named "Colt"."
On a bit of a tangent, I'm find it interesting how much easier it is to find UFL-related news these days. There are many more media markets willing to run stories on the league, and not just in, say, Hartford or Omaha or Las Vegas. Sure, I used my own blog as a source just now, but the story linked up there has a couple of other sources of its own. Searching for any of the names above typically brings up at least four or five hits for entirely separate news outlets. It's a good sign that the UFL is indeed growing, and that this may very well be the year that it all gets turned around.
Just a quick recap of the recent additions to the Hartford roster, mostly on the coaching side of things.
The Colonials have added...
Tim Krumrie as their defensive line coach. Krumrie had an 11-year career with the CIncinnati Bengals and served as a D-line coach with the Chiefs from 2006-2010.
Turk Schonert at QB coach, whom I've posted about previously.
Former pro-bowl wideout Harold Jackson as wide receivers coach.
And most recently, ex-Eagles/Packers/others linebacker James Willis at linebackers coach.
Plenty of happenings all over the team. Perhaps biggest of all was the recent announcement of QB Colt Brennan to the Colonials, announced via various channels over the past few days.
The Colonials join the Cleveland Browns in the category of "teams with quarterbacks named "Colt"."
On a bit of a tangent, I'm find it interesting how much easier it is to find UFL-related news these days. There are many more media markets willing to run stories on the league, and not just in, say, Hartford or Omaha or Las Vegas. Sure, I used my own blog as a source just now, but the story linked up there has a couple of other sources of its own. Searching for any of the names above typically brings up at least four or five hits for entirely separate news outlets. It's a good sign that the UFL is indeed growing, and that this may very well be the year that it all gets turned around.
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