OT: Assessing a New League, the Alliance of American Football

[Centrum Hockey]

https://www.tsn.ca/dundon-aaf-considering-discontinuing-1.1280574

Will this have any effect on the canes if dundon lost a significant amount of money

 

[cutchemist42]

Will this have any effect on the canes if dundon lost a significant amount of money

It was often mis reported about the investment of $250 mil that it wasnt guaranteed. That news is now a few weeks old so wonder how much Dundon spent keeping it afloat? Might not have been that much.

 

[cutchemist42]

Been thinking and reading about it more and have more thoughts...

-You go in wanting to be a minor league but have no leverage in making the NFL accept it. Dundon has no leverage here so why proclaim this only weeks after becoming chairman?

-The Alliance is already dealing with a weird tight class of players. They arent getting good college players early as they are using the NFLs age rule. However they arent getting anyone connected to the NFL or CFL system so you're dealing with a small in between class of player. What about this ultimatum saves your league? Will more people watch because the league gets marginally better with practise roster level of players? What about this ultimatum makes their business better unless they are hoping the NFL covers salary costs?

-the league still has a market problem where they went directly into 2 NFL markets and have suffered badly from the minor league status. At the same time, the time of the year really limits what markets you can go to...

 

[Mightygoose]

Been thinking and reading about it more and have more thoughts...

-You go in wanting to be a minor league but have no leverage in making the NFL accept it. Dundon has no leverage here so why proclaim this only weeks after becoming chairman?

-The Alliance is already dealing with a weird tight class of players. They arent getting good college players early as they are using the NFLs age rule. However they arent getting anyone connected to the NFL or CFL system so you're dealing with a small in between class of player. What about this ultimatum saves your league? Will more people watch because the league gets marginally better with practise roster level of players? What about this ultimatum makes their business better unless they are hoping the NFL covers salary costs?

-the league still has a market problem where they went directly into 2 NFL markets and have suffered badly from the minor league status. At the same time, the time of the year really limits what markets you can go to...

Been thinking the same along these lines. If having the PA on board is key to this league being viable, why wasn't this addressed prior to launch. never mind before Dundon got involved.

Apparently, he will make a decision in 2 days. So if he pulls the plug, do they still complete the season or just end it now and call the Orlando Apollos champs, a la Canadian Baseball League in 2003.

Seems like they're just passing the buck while preparing the wind this down.

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

 

[cutchemist42]

Sources: Despite Investing $70 Million, New AAF Owner Is Threatening to End League | The Action Network

First time I've seen the actual amount Dundon has spent, $70 mil only got him a couple of weeks?

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

Sources: Despite Investing $70 Million, New AAF Owner Is Threatening to End League | The Action Network

First time I've seen the actual amount Dundon has spent, $70 mil only got him a couple of weeks?

Its funny how it's so widely reported and assumed he has already invested the full 250 mill.

 

[GindyDraws]

Its funny how it's so widely reported and assumed he invested the full 250 mill.

Dundon's not that dumb; he was only going to invest a certain amount, and would have invested more if he saw returns. He sees no returns, and as the majority owner, can decide to pull the plug on everything.

 

[BigZ65]

Dundon's not that dumb; he was only going to invest a certain amount, and would have invested more if he saw returns. He sees no returns, and as the majority owner, can decide to pull the plug on everything.

He's likely also one of the AAF's biggest creditors.

 

[awfulwaffle]

Dundon's not that dumb; he was only going to invest a certain amount, and would have invested more if he saw returns. He sees no returns, and as the majority owner, can decide to pull the plug on everything.

Why would he invest in the first place? Why would the AAF be looking for an investor this soon after starting? Did he not do his due diligence?

 

[GindyDraws]

Why would he invest in the first place? Why would the AAF be looking for an investor this soon after starting? Did he not do his due diligence?

I assume that he would have been able to turn around and sell it to the next sucker suitor to continue the endeavor, and make a little extra money on the side.

 

[Svechhammer]

Dundon was on the radio right after the sale of the league to him, and he made it very clear. He didn't spend $250m up front. It was basically a promissory note that he would leave $250m available to be used by the league over time, and he left himself the option to shut it down if it wasn't moving in the direction he wanted with little to no loss of his personal investment.

 

[Acesolid]

I think what will happen is that the league will be about to go broke the day before the final game of the season... and at that moment Vince McMahon will swoop in and buy the AAF for pennies on the dollar and merge it with his XFL project.

Vince always wins.

 

[objectiveposter]

I think what will happen is that the league will be about to go broke the day before the final game of the season... and at that moment Vince McMahon will swoop in and buy the AAF for pennies on the dollar and merge it with his XFL project.

Vince always wins.

Outside of wrestling vince mcmahon has been an epic failure in business.
XFL, casinos, WWE films, his wifes bid to become a senator and other projects all crashed and burned.
Vince always wins in wrestling, always loses outside of wrestling

 

[TheLegend]

Outside of wrestling vince mcmahon has been an epic failure in business.
XFL, casinos, WWE films, his wifes bid to become a senator and other projects all crashed and burned.
Vince always wins in wrestling, always loses outside of wrestling

Until yesterday his wife had been part of Donald Trump’s cabinet.

She just resigned to return to the private sector. While that could mean anything the timing is curious.

 

[GindyDraws]

I think what will happen is that the league will be about to go broke the day before the final game of the season... and at that moment Vince McMahon will swoop in and buy the AAF for pennies on the dollar and merge it with his XFL project.

Vince always wins.

Minor league hockey, Cape Cod Coliseum, IcoPro, the World Bodybuilding Federation, WWF New York/the World, Linda McMahon's senatorial bids, and the original XFL would like to have a word with you on that.

 

[Newsworthy]

A lot of talk now that Kyler Murray if drafted by Arizona Cardinals in the NFL will not sign. He will holdout for a better opportunity in this league.

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

A lot of talk now that Kyler Murray if drafted by Arizona Cardinals in the NFL will not sign. He will holdout for a better opportunity in this league.

Haha

 

[ConcernedOilersFan]

Meh, football as a sport is pretty much done for when OJ dies and the CTE diagnosis comes in - should be interesting to see how it impacts hockey, though.

 

[BigZ65]

I think what will happen is that the league will be about to go broke the day before the final game of the season... and at that moment Vince McMahon will swoop in and buy the AAF for pennies on the dollar and merge it with his XFL project.

Vince always wins.

AAF isn't even worth a penny. No liquid assets aside from soiled uniforms, they don't own any facilities or strong leases. There's no reason for someone trying to start a league to buy the AAF.

 

[Brodie]

Meh, football as a sport is pretty much done for when OJ dies and the CTE diagnosis comes in - should be interesting to see how it impacts hockey, though.

I mean I know OJ is much more high profile but Aaron Hernandez already proved this particular theory verrrrry true

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

Not surprising. I barely watched this league but from the few minutes I did watch the quality of play was shit.

 

[Hoser]

Called it.

Frankly I don't believe the AAFL will actually generate the requisite revenue to pay their players as much as they've purported they will, and the fact they have a 10-game season is one of the biggest reasons why.

Again, this isn't the first time this has been tried, nor the first time the proposed league has made promises of higher salaries, and every time said new league has quietly faded away within few years (if they even made it past year one) because they didn't make anywhere near enough money to cover costs.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

Well, it was fun while it lasted.

 

[Kane One]

Not sure why investors keep thinking the NFL needs or wants a developmental league. One already exists and doesn’t pay their players anything; it’s the NCAA.