03 Δεκ The Spring League Rules
On June 3, 2021, Woods announced that he had acquired the remaining United States Football League brands with plans to create a USFL league in 2022, with Fox Sports remaining a partner of the new USFL. [88] What would happen to the Spring League remained an unresolved issue at the time, but according to the initial announcement, TSL was to continue,[89] probably as a screening showcase or development operation. On May 12, after the end of the first week, TSL announced that former Super Bowl champion Brandon Marshall would join the Generals[26] after strong performances at HUB football camp,[27] but prior to the Generals` Week 2 game, it was announced that Marshall had decided to pursue NFL opportunities instead of joining the league. [28] [9] All kickoffs are from the 25-yard line; All players on the competing team must be within one yard of 25. The receiving team must have eight players between its 35- and 45-yard lines. The ball is live as soon as it travels 20 meters. The goal of these rules is to create more gaming potential while ensuring player safety. The league also featured three international players: kicker Tadhg Leader (Aviators) of the Republic of Ireland, defensive linemen Orlovicius Laurynas (Blues) of Lithuania and catcher James Tyrrell of Canada. The league held trial matches in various cities in October and November 2017, as well as in February 2018. On December 7, 2017, the Spring League announced that it would play its second season in Austin, Texas, beginning in late March 2018.[28] The league is also expected to have a football-specific technology forum and a joint internship program with the University of Texas` Center for Sports Leadership & Innovation. [29] Turner Sports announced in mid-January 2018 that while league games would be broadcast live on its new streaming service, B/R Live, the league would also sign a contract for practices and games at the Circuit of the Americas near Austin, Texas. On February 14, the league announced the signing of Heisman Trophy winner and former first-round pick of the Cleveland Browns, Johnny Manziel.[30] The matches will take place on April 7 and 14. [31] Other previous NFL commitments in the league include former Cleveland Browns first-round pick Kellen Winslow Jr.
and former Baltimore Ravens running back Lorenzo Taliaferro. On March 3, the league did not terminate the contract for the 2018 season on the Circuit of the Americas and instead announced events at the Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex in Round Rock, Texas.[32] [33] According to league records, as of May 2021, more than 100 former players had signed contracts with a National Football League (NFL) team. [4] “The USFL will have the best officials who are not currently in the NFL,” said Mike Pereira, the USFL`s officiating officer. “Our association with the NFL officiating department clearly serves the USFL by providing officials ready to call games at the highest level, and it also benefits the NFL by providing professional gaming experiences for those who are just one step away from working on Sundays in the fall. In fact, I expect several officials calling USFL games this spring to officiate in the NFL later this year. “We are very fortunate to have this exceptional team of experienced leaders to lead the development of the new USFL as we head towards launch this spring,” said Shanks. The USFL is partnering with Strategic Education, Inc., a leading provider of online education, to offer its players and league staff a tuition-free, debt-free college program. After the first season, NFL scouts seemed to like the league`s structure, but gave mixed reactions. The value was perceived by scouts when they received updated information about forgotten players or saw a player with a conditioned arm, but otherwise the talent level was lower than what NFL teams expected from an established development league. Some scouts expected younger players who had attended a few NFL training camps, but in the wrong system.
Woods pointed out that older names and big names have drawn attention to the league, which has the secondary purpose of providing an annual showcase for veterans. The Spring League was an American football development league and scouting event (Pro Showcase) that ran from 2017 to 2021 and was founded by Brian Woods.[9] The goal of the league, which catered to professional athletes but paid no salary or expenses, was to “serve as an educational league and showcase for professional football talent.” [1] [2] The National Football League (NFL) has not had an official development league, NFL Europe, since 2007. Several other non-NFL affiliated development leagues have emerged, such as the FXFL, the Gridiron Developmental Football League, and the Rivals Professional Football League.[5] [6] We know the coaches, we know how to watch on TV or in person, we also know the schedule. But now we get information about some of the specific rules. One thing that caught the attention of many XFL fans was their unique approach to overtime. Unfortunately, we never had the opportunity to see him. The registration fee for players for the 2021 season was $2,000, except for players who have attended an NFL training camp in the past three years and did not have to pay. [7] [8] According to league general manager Brian Woods, coaches, players and staff at TSL preferred to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before the season began.
Otherwise, they were asked for proof of a negative test on arrival and were tested daily afterwards. [9] “Fans are the USFL`s top priority, so our rules are designed to give fans the traditional physical game they know and love, while adding modern, fast-paced elements,” said Pereira, who leads the USFL. In November 2020, amid the resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic, TSL announced that the league would cancel the final week of the season. The top two teams met in the final on September 15. He played at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The Generals finished the tournament as the first TSL champions after defeating the Aviators 37–14 in the final. [75] [76] [77] The Spring League derives additional revenue from a grant provided by the State of Texas to host its events there, as well as from organizations that wish to test the equipment and change the rules. In 2019, the XFL was the Spring League`s largest source of revenue, paying the league “six-figure amounts” to test its rulebook,[12] a payment that allowed the Spring League to make a profit for the first time that year. [11] [13] In October 2020, the league entered into a multi-year agreement with FS1 to transfer the Spring League as well as the option to acquire a minority stake in the league. [14] The USFL has officially unveiled some changes to the traditional rules of football aimed at stimulating offensive potential and great play, improving the flow of play, giving subsequent teams more scoring chances as time passes, increasing player safety, and getting official calls in a manner that is fair to both teams. For the 2019 season, the Spring League partnered with the XFL to test the rule changes the new league wanted to implement for its own 2020 season. One rule change originally proposed by Pro Football Talk in 2017 was to replace overtime with a two-point conversion shootout that took place simultaneously in both end zones with five rounds in the HSB.
[37] The tap dancing rule, which allows a referee to sideline a player for less than one infraction, was also tested. [38] The rules and formation of the kick-off were then implemented in the XFL. The Spring League has also been hired by the XFL to host three mini-tryout camps. With this revenue stream, the league`s revenue would exceed one million dollars and have its first profitable year. The two leagues are in preliminary talks for the Spring League to become the official development league of the XFL. [12] CEO Woods founded The Spring League in early 2016. [15] On December 22, 2016, SiriusXM NFL Radio initially reported that the league belonged to the NFL, but removed it at the end of the day. [16] The NFL has informed its teams of the league`s existence and plans to operate April 5-26, 2017.
[8] The 2017 Spring League season consisted of a three-week four-team round-robin in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia at the Greenbrier Resort[9] and a two-team exhibition game in Napa, California in July. The teams in each tournament were identified only by vague geographical names such as North, South, East, West, and California. The league said two CFL teams and 10 NFL teams visited their scouts, while 20 others requested video footage. After the April games, about two dozen players were invited to NFL rookie minicamps.