USFL Debuts Today

[Mr. Nielsen]

Saturday night...
FOX - 1.43 million
NBC - 1.52 million

[🏀]

My FIL was excited about the USFL on Saturday night. Was excited to "watch football again" since he has abandoned the NFL because of politics. At one point direct quote "This is as good as the No Fun League." I started laughing at him.

[MU82]

My FIL was excited about the USFL on Saturday night. Was excited to "watch football again" since he has abandoned the NFL because of politics. At one point direct quote "This is as good as the No Fun League." I started laughing at him.

I thought the rule mandating that any player who takes a knee during the anthem gets shot on the spot was just a little extreme, but that's probably what won over your FIL.

[The Sultan]

Saturday night...
FOX - 1.43 million
NBC - 1.52 million

How did that compare against the Golden State / Nuggets game?

[🏀]

I thought the rule mandating that any player who takes a knee during the anthem gets shot on the spot was just a little extreme, but that's probably what won over your FIL.

Especially since the executioner is a randomly selected fan who is concealed carrying at the game.

[The Sultan]

Hold on a second.  Every game for the entire season is being played in Birmingham?  Why?

[Mr. Nielsen]

Hold on a second.  Every game for the entire season is being played in Birmingham?  Why?

I don't remember who said it within the USFL, to save on travel cost and get the product on the field going. Playoff and championship games will be played in Canton, Ohio,

[Pakuni]

Hold on a second.  Every game for the entire season is being played in Birmingham?  Why?

I imagine it saves a ton of money. Realistically, this is a made-for-TV product anyhow.
FWIW, the playoffs are in Canton.

[JWags85]

I don't remember who said it within the USFL, to save on travel cost and get the product on the field going. Playoff and championship games will be played in Canton, Ohio,

Its completely financial.

Additionally, Birmingham is the only one of the franchise locations that doesn't have an NFL team, so that probably helped with subsidies or other football related scheduling/perks/whatever for the city they wouldn't have gotten elsewhere.

[The Sultan]

I imagine it saves a ton of money. Realistically, this is a made-for-TV product anyhow.
FWIW, the playoffs are in Canton.

Sure it save money, but how many games are the citizens of Birmingham going to actually show up and watch?  I think we have learned that having crowds in the stands helps with the television product.   How are the citizens of <insert city> going to develop any attachment to that team if they aren't going to at least have the option to watch them in person?

[Jockey]

Sure it save money, but how many games are the citizens of Birmingham going to actually show up and watch?  I think we have learned that having crowds in the stands helps with the television product.   How are the citizens of <insert city> going to develop any attachment to that team if they aren't going to at least have the option to watch them in person?

They are doing this as a favor to the fans in the other cities.

[Dish]

My kids bus stop this morning had more people at it than the games in Birmingham had yesterday.

[lawdog77]

Sure it save money, but how many games are the citizens of Birmingham going to actually show up and watch?  I think we have learned that having crowds in the stands helps with the television product.   How are the citizens of <insert city> going to develop any attachment to that team if they aren't going to at least have the option to watch them in person?

I would think special effects have improved enough to make it look like the stands are full.

[Mr. Nielsen]

How did that compare against the Golden State / Nuggets game?

4.5M

[muwarrior69]

If they can do this, then they can use technology to call balls and strikes.  They are already using it for TV.

How about fouls in college basketball? They could put a chip in the basketball to accurately call goal tending, steals where only the ball was touched, not the player; even jump balls.

[Hards Alumni]

How about fouls in college basketball? They could put a chip in the basketball to accurately call goal tending, steals where only the ball was touched, not the player; even jump balls.

I see you don't understand how these things work.

[jficke13]

I see you don't understand how these things work.

There's a "chip" so it can do magic, right?

[The Sultan]

There's a "chip" so it can do magic, right?

If you put a microchip in the basketball, could someone manipulate it with a remote control?  It might solve our shooting woes. 

[jficke13]

If you put a microchip in the basketball, could someone manipulate it with a remote control?  It might solve our shooting woes.

Pretty sure this is one of those "slippery slopes" that led to all those basketballs voting in Chicago for the Daleys.

[lawdog77]

If you put a microchip in the basketball, could someone manipulate it with a remote control?  It might solve our shooting woes.

Been done before:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SI2hYjlZ1c

[StillAWarrior]

Been done before:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SI2hYjlZ1c

And more recently, with a volleyball.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Soccer has had goal line technology (not VAR) for years.  No reason the NFL couldn't use the tech

[tower912]

Soccer has had goal line technology (not VAR for years.  No reason the NFL couldn't use the tech

It would help sometimes.  Still will have those instances where they are trying to determine where the ball was when the knee hit.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

It would help sometimes.  Still will have those instances where they are trying to determine where the ball was when the knee hit.

No doubt.  But it's better than 2 guys running in from the sidelines trying to mark a spot in a 15 man pile.

[tower912]

I'm not sure it changes that.