The USFL has achieved a failure in the last two attempts at spring football. In other words, we have passed the first season.
This is a big issue as the league prepares for the championship game between Birmingham Stallions and the Philadelphia Stars at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio on Sunday night. Become.
Fox Sports President Eric Shanks announced earlier this week that the USFL will return next season. Ratings are stable, with an average viewership of Fox and NBC games of 10.34 million. Including USA Network and FS1 games, the overall average is low (715,000).
These ratings are slightly above the 2019 Alliance of American Football, which went out of service eight weeks later, but below the average XFL audience of 1.9 million in 2020. increase. The XFL went down in the middle of the season, primarily due to a coronavirus pandemic.
"I think I've pretty consistently said that the biggest goal of the season is to be able to watch at the same level as other sports that have long been on the Spring calendar. (Formula 1, Major League Soccer, English Premier League). Fox Sports Executive Vice President Michael Mulvihill said:
The league has all the regular season matches in Birmingham, Alabama. Playing has taken a big step towards ensuring financial stability. League officials said 17,500 fans participated in the first match between Stallion and New Jersey Generals on April 16. I announced, but I didn't announce the numbers for the other 39 games that seemed to have played in an almost empty stadium.
Next year's plan will include the same eight teams, but play the game in at least two cities or up to four cities.
The league was able to adapt to concerns throughout the season. The sensors inside football for tracking were changed in response to feedback from quarterbacks and kickers. The league was also changed at the end of the year. The roster has been expanded due to concerns about injury.
"This league was put together by people who understand what an alternative football league is," said Bad Andrus of Philadelphia. Said. "People may have experienced other parts of it, lost the league, or didn't get it done, but they understand what it needs. I think that's the difference. "
In addition to Shanks, the USFL has former Dallas Cowboys prominent player and Fox NFL commentator Daryl Johnston as vice president of the football business. As the founder of the Spring League, Brian Woods, is the president of the football business, including Mike Pereira. As the secretary general.
"We always see ourselves as an independent professional football league and hope to continue to build relationships with the NFL," Johnston said. "There are some internal discussions and I hope they will come true. We want to create synergies with them. It's a relationship that benefits both sides."
The average USFL game is 2 hours 58 minutes, or 14 NFL games. A few minutes faster than. League officials are happy with the pace of the game, but want more play and more attempts with 2 and 3 point conversions.
The USFL averages 158 plays per game, 20 less than the NFL. The team was able to try a 3 point conversion from the 10 yard line after the touchdown, but it only happened 5 times during the normal season and one conversion was successful.
The USFL works with the NFL but doesn't want to be seen as its evolving league. But it's also not a challenge to the NFL, which puts it at a strange midpoint.
The 2023 season will begin in mid-April so that the USFL does not have to play against NCAA basketball tournaments or the Masters. The XFL is scheduled to start on February 18th, the week after the Super Bowl, and plans to return next season.
However, the main focus of the weekend will be Sunday. The Stars (6-4 regular season) confused General 9-1 19-14 in the semifinals last weekend. Stallion (9-1) advanced by defeating New Orleans Breakers (6-4) 31-17.
Philadelphia is headed by Kickoff Returner league leader Maurice Alexander. On the other hand, Birmingham linebacker Demarquis Gates had 10 tackles and 5 1/2 sack. Stallion won the first meeting on May 15th 30-17.
Johnston also wants to make sure everyone is taking the time to celebrate the end of the season once the trophy goes up.
"I told everyone about this," he said. "Let's take the time to stroke each other to celebrate what we have achieved. This was a great effort by the many really really good people who have guided us up to this point."
