Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

The AAF was running short of cash, but the owner of the Carolina Hurricanes bailed the league out with a $250 million investment.

The Athletic website reported that the league wasn't going to be able to make payroll before the bailout, but a spokesperson denied that.

https://theathletic.com/825580/2019/02/ ... -infusion/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2 ... 913018002/

Thirty million dollars per franchise, for eight minor league football teams... none of which are located in North Carolina. Oh well, it was his money.

Franchises in financial trouble after only two weeks of play. Will this be another one and done league?

Mark L. Ford wrote:Thirty million dollars per franchise, for eight minor league football teams... none of which are located in North Carolina. Oh well, it was his money.

The NFL is giving the AAF a lot of exposure through NFL Network, and some people looking at the situation feel it's a given that the NFL will purchase the AAF in short order and establish the league as its minor league. In other words, he's hoping to cash in on the sale.

Historically, it's never been a given that the NFL would buy someone else's minor league. They created their own developmental league when they operated NFL Europe. Before 1970, a few of the NFL and AFL teams had a farm team until the league owners prohibited it.

Mark L. Ford wrote:Historically, it's never been a given that the NFL would buy someone else's minor league. They created their own developmental league when they operated NFL Europe. Before 1970, a few of the NFL and AFL teams had a farm team until the league owners prohibited it.

Wasn't the World League of American Football of the early 90's also considered an NFL developmental league? Was it totally owned by the NFL?

Rupert Patrick wrote:

Mark L. Ford wrote:Historically, it's never been a given that the NFL would buy someone else's minor league. They created their own developmental league when they operated NFL Europe. Before 1970, a few of the NFL and AFL teams had a farm team until the league owners prohibited it.

Wasn't the World League of American Football of the early 90's also considered an NFL developmental league? Was it totally owned by the NFL?

It was only partly funded by the NFL, even though it was their developmental league. In 1990 it was reported that the NFL's initial investment was $1.3 million dollars with a $200,000 line of credit. Each franchise cost $11 million dollars. The Frankfurt Galaxy and Ohio Glory (1992 expansion team) were the only teams solely owned by the league.

When the league suspended operations (before becoming WLAF/NFL Europe) at least a few of the owners were given settlements. It was reported that the Riders' owner Larry Benson was given $2 million dollars.

To be honest I do find it highly unlikely that the NFL would be willing to fund a D league for any significant amount of time when college football is basically their minor league system already. And they don't have to pay anything for that. They may fund a 'D' league as long as they were making money or at least breaking even off of it. But as soon as they started losing money the league they were funding would be gone in a heartbeat.

lastcat3 wrote:To be honest I do find it highly unlikely that the NFL would be willing to fund a D league for any significant amount of time when college football is basically their minor league system already. And they don't have to pay anything for that. They may fund a 'D' league as long as they were making money or at least breaking even off of it. But as soon as they started losing money the league they were funding would be gone in a heartbeat.

I agree with you. I doubt that a D league would ever produce more than a handful of players who can play in the NFL, and even those few would be marginal at best. In a sense each team has its own little cache of minor-league in the form of a practice squad. Now and then, a fairly good player emerges from a practice squad, but it's a rarity.