WEBVTT 1 00:00:06.240 --> 00:00:09.919 Well here we are back here and Mike adjusting this camera. That's good. 2 00:00:09.960 --> 00:00:15.279 Looks great, sounds great. UFL twenty twenty four Season one is in the 3 00:00:15.320 --> 00:00:18.399 books. We're gonna kind of recap that. I know Mike wants to talk 4 00:00:18.440 --> 00:00:21.719 about the title game, but let him talk football. We're gonna talk kind 5 00:00:21.719 --> 00:00:25.120 of, you know, how did the season perform and live up to expectations? 6 00:00:25.399 --> 00:00:28.920 And then we do actually have a lot of plans confirmed, seemingly for 7 00:00:29.079 --> 00:00:34.159 Mouse Johnston, which you know I was parading I kind of networking with at 8 00:00:34.159 --> 00:00:37.399 the bar there in Saint Louis. That was fun, so lots to talk 9 00:00:37.439 --> 00:00:40.520 about that. Lots of instel both on the podcast and off with that. 10 00:00:40.600 --> 00:00:43.600 But we have UFL insider Mike Mitchell here. Mike, how are you doing. 11 00:00:44.000 --> 00:00:46.799 I'm doing well. Read Thank you as always for having me on. 12 00:00:47.520 --> 00:00:49.320 It'll be good. Yeah. We try to do these, you know, 13 00:00:49.399 --> 00:00:52.640 mid season and then posts after the XFL last year we did, and then 14 00:00:52.679 --> 00:00:57.240 the USFL and the mid season so I can subscribe. Working on a new 15 00:00:57.280 --> 00:01:00.359 giveaway, was talking about doing some season tickets. Not sure if that will 16 00:01:00.359 --> 00:01:03.679 work out anymore, but we will figure out a giveaway so I get subscribe. 17 00:01:03.679 --> 00:01:07.000 Support the channel, get us up to four thousand subscribers. We have 18 00:01:07.280 --> 00:01:10.599 Jason Hussein and I are doing CFL content every Monday. Now. This will 19 00:01:10.599 --> 00:01:12.719 be the episode today and then we'll start doing CFL guests. So hopefully here 20 00:01:12.760 --> 00:01:18.280 if we get the podcast going again following this week, Mike, the season's 21 00:01:18.319 --> 00:01:22.480 done, Stallions, we'll talk the game. I don't want to do too 22 00:01:22.519 --> 00:01:25.040 much because I want this to be a little evergreen, but obviously we'll get 23 00:01:25.040 --> 00:01:29.640 your thoughts on that. This was really not a great game. Yeah, 24 00:01:29.760 --> 00:01:37.040 unfortunately for san Antonio. Yeah, sometimes in the bills for Yeah, for 25 00:01:37.120 --> 00:01:40.200 Birmingham, it was tremendous. Yeah, anytime you get to see if you're 26 00:01:40.200 --> 00:01:44.920 a Birmingham supporter, fan, believer, advocate, et cetera, is tremendous. 27 00:01:44.920 --> 00:01:47.200 You get to see them, you know, during the postseason. This 28 00:01:47.280 --> 00:01:49.480 is how good they are. You know, they always step up to the 29 00:01:49.519 --> 00:01:53.599 occasion. So kudos to them, Skip holt Zachary Potter, that whole team. 30 00:01:53.959 --> 00:01:56.239 They're going to have a bunch of players signed on with the NFL. 31 00:01:56.319 --> 00:01:59.359 Same thing as last year. Whatever it was. There was like eighteen or 32 00:01:59.400 --> 00:02:02.200 nineteen different guys, So kudos to Birmingham. I don't want to take anything 33 00:02:02.200 --> 00:02:05.840 away from them. But for san Antonio, We've seen this in sports. 34 00:02:05.920 --> 00:02:08.879 Sometimes teams get to a championship game and they lay an egg and the most 35 00:02:08.960 --> 00:02:13.039 unfortunate side of it to me, and I've been pretty harsh on him, 36 00:02:13.120 --> 00:02:19.240 but I'm sorry Chase Garber's I thought his performance was dreadful. I know, 37 00:02:19.280 --> 00:02:21.360 you look at the stats and you go, hey, it wasn't too bad, 38 00:02:21.439 --> 00:02:24.479 high completion percentage, etc. But he played scared. Now, in 39 00:02:24.520 --> 00:02:29.680 his defense, he came back from a pretty serious injury, which is cool, 40 00:02:29.919 --> 00:02:32.599 and so he hurt and then he had a wrist injury. So there 41 00:02:32.680 --> 00:02:36.639 was like some iffness about whether or not he would play in the XFL Conference 42 00:02:36.680 --> 00:02:39.240 championship game. He eventually did, right, So okay, right, he's 43 00:02:39.280 --> 00:02:43.439 trying to protect himself. And a lot of times coaches will tell their quarterbacks 44 00:02:43.520 --> 00:02:47.120 learn how to slide, learn how to slide. Okay, fine, but 45 00:02:47.240 --> 00:02:52.800 in the championship game, when your team is struggling to convert on offense, 46 00:02:52.960 --> 00:02:55.960 you got to put yourself on the line. So if he's protecting himself for 47 00:02:57.039 --> 00:03:00.240 an NFL contract, And I think I said this online if I as an 48 00:03:00.280 --> 00:03:01.879 NFL team and I watched that game. I don't want that guy on my 49 00:03:01.960 --> 00:03:06.960 team. So anybody who's selfish, not looking out for the team, not 50 00:03:07.039 --> 00:03:09.240 putting it all out, because how many opportunities is Chase Garber is gonna get 51 00:03:09.240 --> 00:03:15.080 it to be a starting quarterback anywhere and have an opportunity to win a championship. 52 00:03:15.159 --> 00:03:19.280 So that might be his last time he's ever playing in a championship game 53 00:03:19.319 --> 00:03:23.280 at any level anywhere. So maybe he'll be like a third stringer or whatever 54 00:03:24.719 --> 00:03:29.759 somewhere by accident like in Canada, so and end up getting a ring or 55 00:03:29.800 --> 00:03:36.400 something like that. But but that so that was and you know, just 56 00:03:36.439 --> 00:03:39.680 to pull back the curtain, like, there's a lot of stuff that we 57 00:03:39.800 --> 00:03:45.479 share with each other in our infamous chat behind the scenes that I can't really 58 00:03:45.520 --> 00:03:47.120 share publicly. So I thank you and all the guys. We've got some 59 00:03:47.319 --> 00:03:53.840 you know, some interesting guys incognito in our chats who actually pay attention to 60 00:03:53.879 --> 00:03:58.039 what we're I'm assuming what we share. But there were certain things I said 61 00:03:58.080 --> 00:04:00.560 about Garber's that I can't say publicly. What do you say at your show? 62 00:04:01.120 --> 00:04:05.240 But you know he was pussy footing around during that game, I'll say 63 00:04:05.280 --> 00:04:09.120 that much. And that was like a disappointing element. I talked to people 64 00:04:09.159 --> 00:04:13.080 on the Brahmas staff. They were very disappointed. There's some people on that 65 00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:16.879 team that were disappointed with their quarterback. We saw wide receiver Katie Cannon being 66 00:04:16.879 --> 00:04:20.639 pretty vocal about his usage and how he didn't want to be a part of 67 00:04:20.639 --> 00:04:24.279 that team anymore. That tells you something right there. I'm not saying that 68 00:04:24.360 --> 00:04:28.079 Katie Cannon's in the right for making that making those comments on social media, 69 00:04:29.480 --> 00:04:31.800 but you know, there was a lot of infighting there. Seemed like the 70 00:04:32.120 --> 00:04:36.480 team was gonna explode during the game. So it was an ugly and for 71 00:04:36.639 --> 00:04:41.399 what was otherwise a tremendous season for the Bramas. Mark lily Bridge did a 72 00:04:41.399 --> 00:04:45.160 tremendous job with that roster. We just saw Cole Lavau signed with the New 73 00:04:45.240 --> 00:04:47.959 York Jets. Awsome signing by the Jets. Great for Colavau, coming from 74 00:04:48.079 --> 00:04:53.759 indoor football into spring pro football and now getting an opportunity in the NFL. 75 00:04:54.560 --> 00:04:58.199 You know, Wade Phillips can't say enough great things about him. What a 76 00:04:58.240 --> 00:05:01.480 true legend. It wasn't a shining moment. I'm friendly with him and I 77 00:05:01.560 --> 00:05:04.680 respect him, but it wasn't a shining moment for aj Smith, But it's 78 00:05:04.720 --> 00:05:09.040 kind of a little bit, a little bit hard when your quarterback plays like 79 00:05:09.079 --> 00:05:13.279 that. They could have made a switch. They just decided to dink and 80 00:05:13.360 --> 00:05:17.360 dunk. They didn't take any chances. I think them relying on what they 81 00:05:17.399 --> 00:05:21.399 did the first time against Birmingham where they only scored nineteen points against Birmingham at 82 00:05:21.399 --> 00:05:25.639 home where they beat in nineteen to nine. That the only loss, only 83 00:05:25.680 --> 00:05:29.720 blemish on Birmingham's record is against San Antonio. In that game, the promise 84 00:05:29.800 --> 00:05:31.319 it wasn't like they lit up the world. They only scored nineteen points. 85 00:05:31.319 --> 00:05:34.079 They had one of their touchdowns was on a wide receiver touchdown pass. So 86 00:05:34.120 --> 00:05:38.839 it wasn't like, let's rely on what we did prior to them. You 87 00:05:38.879 --> 00:05:42.920 know, you didn't light up the world. Their defense hung on for as 88 00:05:42.920 --> 00:05:46.199 long as they could. Skip Holtz made tremendous adjustments and they you know, 89 00:05:46.439 --> 00:05:48.680 you talked about this and Andy Murray did a tremendous job. You guys recap 90 00:05:48.720 --> 00:05:53.639 in the game, but I think like removing the football aspect of it, 91 00:05:53.800 --> 00:05:58.560 and what's interesting here is what happens next with the coaches, Wade Phillips, 92 00:05:58.560 --> 00:06:01.360 Skipholtz. They love to be a part this league, but we don't know 93 00:06:01.439 --> 00:06:04.199 for sure if they will be back. Their contracts expire at the end of 94 00:06:04.240 --> 00:06:08.519 the month. We'll see what happens. Yeah, so would that be in 95 00:06:08.600 --> 00:06:11.759 terms of that And also the question of like the Aj Smith of it, 96 00:06:11.759 --> 00:06:13.920 because a lot of people thought, well, like if he goes away, 97 00:06:14.000 --> 00:06:15.639 does AJ move up or does he go to a different team to get an 98 00:06:15.680 --> 00:06:19.279 opportunity? Do you think that changes that for Aj? And then yet, 99 00:06:19.319 --> 00:06:23.360 what is the status kind of on the coaches right now? I know that 100 00:06:23.399 --> 00:06:26.480 you obviously with the Hines Warreth of it all and Wade move it. But 101 00:06:26.519 --> 00:06:29.199 as far as you know kind of what is it, what status are react 102 00:06:29.240 --> 00:06:32.079 with the eight coaches? You know, like I said, their contracts expire 103 00:06:32.120 --> 00:06:34.120 at the end of the month. So it's just a matter. I know 104 00:06:34.160 --> 00:06:38.120 the guys like Anthony Beck, I've been in contact with coaches Anthony Beck, 105 00:06:38.360 --> 00:06:42.240 Bob Stoops, even Wade Phillips, all these guys, Skip Holtz, they 106 00:06:42.240 --> 00:06:45.560 would love to still be coaching in the league as far as ag Smith goes, 107 00:06:46.199 --> 00:06:48.000 if by chance some of these veteran coaches don't come back. Whatever it 108 00:06:48.040 --> 00:06:50.040 is with Stoops, I think a lot of it has to do with the 109 00:06:50.079 --> 00:06:54.240 timeline how it fits his life. If they go back to the week after 110 00:06:54.279 --> 00:06:56.800 the Super Bowl, which that's still in talks, we'll get into that. 111 00:06:57.240 --> 00:06:59.839 But if they go back to that period, I think Stoops will want to 112 00:06:59.839 --> 00:07:03.199 come back. If they move more towards like a mid April, late April 113 00:07:03.319 --> 00:07:08.360 to July kind of thing, I don't think Stoops is in. One thing 114 00:07:08.399 --> 00:07:12.680 Stoops did that was great, which a lot of coaches did that was great. 115 00:07:12.920 --> 00:07:17.519 They selflessly agreed to the new contract terms, the seasonal contract terms, 116 00:07:17.759 --> 00:07:21.720 in order to protect their assistance. That's something hines Ward did not do. 117 00:07:21.879 --> 00:07:25.800 And a lot of those Brahmas assistant coaches ended up out of the league. 118 00:07:25.879 --> 00:07:29.800 The Darius Bells, those guys, unfortunately, they ended up without a job. 119 00:07:29.839 --> 00:07:30.839 They thought for sure they were going to be part of this league. 120 00:07:30.879 --> 00:07:35.319 So guys like Stoops, Anthony Beck, they made sure to protect their assistants 121 00:07:35.360 --> 00:07:41.120 so they kept their jobs. So what you would like to see in these 122 00:07:41.199 --> 00:07:43.680 leagues, You know, it's awesome if they go out, like say a 123 00:07:43.800 --> 00:07:46.000 John Gruden or somebody decides to come in and coach or something. That'd be 124 00:07:46.079 --> 00:07:48.560 kind of cool, right for the cachet of it. It's kind of fun, 125 00:07:48.639 --> 00:07:53.279 right, But it would be awesome to see some of these assistant coaches 126 00:07:53.480 --> 00:07:56.759 if by chance, some of these veterans leave. Be nice to see that 127 00:07:56.839 --> 00:08:00.439 progression of guys who have already been in Spring pro Leagues that you know, 128 00:08:00.600 --> 00:08:03.959 have kind of earned their they've been waiting in line. So like an aj 129 00:08:03.160 --> 00:08:07.040 Smith, even though he was on the sidelines this year and he's well loved 130 00:08:07.079 --> 00:08:09.680 in the community, Jaron Horton, would be nice to see him get an 131 00:08:09.720 --> 00:08:13.319 opportunity as a head coach. He did such a phenomenal job with the Mahler's 132 00:08:13.399 --> 00:08:16.319 Defense, So you'd like to see guys like that. So it would be 133 00:08:16.360 --> 00:08:20.959 cool if the Spring pro Leagues not only like elevate the players to get NFL 134 00:08:20.000 --> 00:08:24.399 opportunities, but actually elevate these assistants to be head coaches on these teams. 135 00:08:24.800 --> 00:08:28.720 Sometimes if you get an outsider like a Jeff Fisher or somebody with like name 136 00:08:28.759 --> 00:08:31.720 recognition, you don't know where their heart is at, whether they're going to 137 00:08:31.759 --> 00:08:33.960 treat the job like a vacation, come to practice with flip flops and let 138 00:08:35.000 --> 00:08:37.159 one of the assistants run the practices, you know, that kind of deal. 139 00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:43.639 So you know these young, hungry assistants on these staffs would love that 140 00:08:43.679 --> 00:08:46.080 opportunity. So if by chance, let's hope Wade Phillips comes back. He's 141 00:08:46.080 --> 00:08:50.679 a It's great having him part of the league, right. His energy's tremendous, 142 00:08:50.799 --> 00:08:54.240 the legacy that he carries with him, son of bum. Let's hope 143 00:08:54.279 --> 00:08:58.000 he comes back. But if he doesn't, if for whatever reason, the 144 00:08:58.039 --> 00:09:01.240 money isn't right and he doesn't like to set up and the league wants to 145 00:09:01.279 --> 00:09:05.200 go, I hate to put it this way, the cheaper route, maybe 146 00:09:05.320 --> 00:09:07.519 AJ Smith will get a chance to be a head coach. I don't want 147 00:09:07.519 --> 00:09:11.600 to say it just because he's affordable, but it would be nice to see 148 00:09:11.720 --> 00:09:15.279 young coach like that get an opportunity to lead and sink or swim. You 149 00:09:15.320 --> 00:09:16.840 know, Anthony Beck had never been a head coach before, and I know 150 00:09:16.919 --> 00:09:20.080 some people are critical of his performance, but he's actually he's done a pretty 151 00:09:20.080 --> 00:09:24.600 good job from a leadership standpoint. You know, maybe sometimes you can go 152 00:09:24.759 --> 00:09:28.320 quick about the x's and o's and decision making. The ended in an XFO 153 00:09:28.320 --> 00:09:33.320 Conference game wasn't the greatest moment for him. I think they should have cut 154 00:09:33.320 --> 00:09:35.840 it down a one score lead and attempted for the twelve for some reason, 155 00:09:35.879 --> 00:09:39.159 they're hanging on still trying to get in the ends on what seconds left anyhow, 156 00:09:39.240 --> 00:09:45.360 But somebody thinks stay with me, you know so and I'm a huge 157 00:09:45.399 --> 00:09:48.080 Anthony Beck fan. So it's the way it goes. You wonder from the 158 00:09:48.120 --> 00:09:52.720 championship game whether or not if AJ mccaron was healthy, whether or not the 159 00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:56.639 promise would have gotten to that point. But san Antonio. Nevertheless, san 160 00:09:56.639 --> 00:10:01.159 Antonio did a tremendous job this season. So you'd like to see Wade Phillips 161 00:10:01.159 --> 00:10:03.879 back. If he's not, maybe we'll read the defensive coordinator or ag Smith 162 00:10:03.879 --> 00:10:09.960 gets that show. In terms of the contract difference is here, right, 163 00:10:09.000 --> 00:10:11.600 because we've talked about that, and Andy and I have been asked kind of 164 00:10:11.600 --> 00:10:15.559 on the Monday recaps all season. You know, well Stoop's back, as 165 00:10:15.600 --> 00:10:18.000 we whoever back, And I know you were talking about the scheduling with Seops, 166 00:10:18.039 --> 00:10:20.399 but to me, uh, you know, and we had Rick on 167 00:10:20.679 --> 00:10:24.240 mid season talking about the coach rates as well getting paid and maybe they you 168 00:10:24.240 --> 00:10:28.080 know, some of them are getting overpaid or whatever. I'm just curious that 169 00:10:28.200 --> 00:10:30.919 if that money comes into it too, if you know, if Stoops is 170 00:10:30.960 --> 00:10:33.720 your guy for whatever he's getting paid now, And if I'm getting paid a 171 00:10:33.759 --> 00:10:37.600 third of that, maybe I'm not your guy anymore. Right. You had 172 00:10:37.600 --> 00:10:39.480 a guest on this season on your on your podcast, you have so many 173 00:10:39.480 --> 00:10:43.919 great guests on that talked about how the coaches were making too much money. 174 00:10:43.000 --> 00:10:46.639 I'm trying to remember which I think it was Rick. I'm pretty sure Rick, 175 00:10:46.799 --> 00:10:48.720 Yes, yes, yes, And so Stoops is. You know, 176 00:10:48.759 --> 00:10:54.320 it's no secret and Stoops has a pretty decent contract. When the XFI went 177 00:10:54.399 --> 00:10:56.960 bankrupt, you know, because of COVID and all that kind of stuff, 178 00:10:56.960 --> 00:10:58.360 it kind of became public knowledge of how much he was making, how much 179 00:10:58.399 --> 00:11:01.200 did we go to make, cetera, et cetera. Money is definitely a 180 00:11:01.200 --> 00:11:07.039 factor read So what are these guys going to be even if they are seasonal 181 00:11:07.080 --> 00:11:09.279 for just a few months, what are they going to be paid? You 182 00:11:09.279 --> 00:11:11.279 know, they're not going to come in and work for peanuts. So, 183 00:11:11.840 --> 00:11:16.559 and you know, the talk was that Stoops is making upwards of over six 184 00:11:16.679 --> 00:11:20.519 hundred thousand dollars maybe seven point fifty, so he was the highest paid coach 185 00:11:20.559 --> 00:11:22.799 in the league. He's not going to be getting that anymore. So, 186 00:11:24.919 --> 00:11:28.879 Hindesward was getting paid a pretty penny before he decided to walk away. What's 187 00:11:28.919 --> 00:11:31.399 any drop off just as far as you know what's to drop off to the 188 00:11:31.480 --> 00:11:37.519 USFL coaches contract, I would think low six figures would be the max on 189 00:11:37.960 --> 00:11:43.639 the USFL side, maybe ninety K hundred k only paying. If you're paying 190 00:11:43.679 --> 00:11:48.519 somebody for I guess this job wouldn't tell about I mean, it's year round 191 00:11:48.519 --> 00:11:50.159 because you have the draft and analyzing players and all that kind of stuff. 192 00:11:50.200 --> 00:11:54.120 But you're paying somebody on the clock for six months, you know, it's 193 00:11:54.200 --> 00:11:56.919 kind of like, you know, uh, the league probably figures, why 194 00:11:56.919 --> 00:12:00.759 are we going to pay this guy to be home for half of the year. 195 00:12:00.840 --> 00:12:03.799 So I would assume, I don't know what Skip Haltz is deal. 196 00:12:03.840 --> 00:12:07.559 He might have a better contract than let's just say, like CJ. Johnson 197 00:12:07.600 --> 00:12:11.480 and all these other guys, but it wasn't to the level of what Stoop's 198 00:12:11.519 --> 00:12:16.799 got, what Wade Phillips got, what Anthony Beck got. So so that's 199 00:12:16.879 --> 00:12:20.279 kind of the story there. So it's gonna be an interesting The cool thing 200 00:12:20.399 --> 00:12:24.799 is, and you could see it like Wade Phillips could he be back in 201 00:12:24.840 --> 00:12:28.240 the NFL? Sure? Why not? Like not as a head coach. 202 00:12:28.279 --> 00:12:31.080 I don't think so. I'm sorry, but uh not to say that he's 203 00:12:31.120 --> 00:12:33.000 not worthy of that opportunity. I just think that like that ship is sailed 204 00:12:33.039 --> 00:12:37.960 because he's in his late seventies now as a senior defensive assistant that kind of 205 00:12:39.000 --> 00:12:41.879 thing. Maybe assistant head coach, sure, but I think he likes the 206 00:12:41.919 --> 00:12:48.120 gig. I don't see him going to Canada so per se. So you 207 00:12:48.120 --> 00:12:50.519 know, so, I mean the league should make some changes in coaching. 208 00:12:50.759 --> 00:12:56.320 We saw de Philippo was crying after the Memphis victory where they you know, 209 00:12:56.399 --> 00:13:01.000 secure the first picker and every and every draft possible. We saw him crying 210 00:13:01.000 --> 00:13:03.080 because he doesn't know if he's going to be back or not. He's had 211 00:13:03.159 --> 00:13:05.720 a very emotional story, like health wise and everything to get back to this 212 00:13:05.759 --> 00:13:11.879 point. So you feel for guys like that. But I hate to say 213 00:13:11.879 --> 00:13:13.440 this, I get in trouble for this stuff. But a couple of changes 214 00:13:13.440 --> 00:13:16.039 wouldn't be such a bad thing. You just want to write people in those 215 00:13:16.039 --> 00:13:22.759 shoes. Let's transition here, excuse me to let's talk ratings, championship ratings, 216 00:13:22.799 --> 00:13:26.480 and then we can kind of parlay that into kind of other thoughts. 217 00:13:26.519 --> 00:13:30.320 Performance for the season, here and then obviously move into looking to next year. 218 00:13:30.960 --> 00:13:33.360 One point five nine to six million. I think I had said over 219 00:13:33.440 --> 00:13:37.519 under was one point four. I had it slightly under that. I think 220 00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:41.240 that this is great in terms of being over that thoughts first of all on 221 00:13:41.320 --> 00:13:46.480 the championship game. Obviously not the most compelling on the field, and we've 222 00:13:46.519 --> 00:13:48.960 talked about that. It was funny because, like I said on the Monday 223 00:13:48.960 --> 00:13:52.720 recap, we did. Even some of the people I saw in the lobby 224 00:13:52.799 --> 00:13:54.879 were like, yeah, this was a great game. I said, well, 225 00:13:54.879 --> 00:13:58.000 as long as you're saying it, because I'm always mister negative Nancy, 226 00:13:58.120 --> 00:14:01.960 So as long as you're saying it wasn't the best game. My thoughts on 227 00:14:01.000 --> 00:14:05.519 this performance and just kind of overall TV ratings for the year, sure, 228 00:14:05.600 --> 00:14:11.320 you know, just tracking it, reporting the ratings every week for Sports Illustrated 229 00:14:11.080 --> 00:14:15.320 the week prior. I you know, I talked the big theme after, 230 00:14:15.600 --> 00:14:18.159 you know, the playoff ratings were very positive, was whether or not they 231 00:14:18.159 --> 00:14:22.200 could surpass what this what the previous leagues had done. They certainly did that. 232 00:14:22.279 --> 00:14:24.360 When this number came in, when I got it directly from Nielsen and 233 00:14:24.440 --> 00:14:31.080 then the network, I was I was mildly surprised, and I think and 234 00:14:31.120 --> 00:14:33.440 then I started thinking to myself almost immediately, Good lord, what could they 235 00:14:33.440 --> 00:14:39.440 have potentially done if the game was exciting or close or came down to the 236 00:14:39.480 --> 00:14:41.600 wire. You see the pea happen while Tom Brady. You got a picture 237 00:14:41.639 --> 00:14:45.879 of Tom Brady up there on the screen. Brady was in the booth around 238 00:14:45.960 --> 00:14:48.120 six' ten I want to say, he stayed for about ten minutes or 239 00:14:48.120 --> 00:14:52.519 so, and and what you call it their highest peak I believe was in 240 00:14:52.559 --> 00:14:56.559 that six fifteen to six thirty. So no coincidence there, And that was 241 00:14:56.559 --> 00:15:01.480 a big social media moment because all the main stream sites as soon as Brady 242 00:15:01.519 --> 00:15:03.600 was in the booth put that out on social media. Hey Brady's in the 243 00:15:03.600 --> 00:15:07.080 booth. Brady's in the booth and all like he had all the aggregators and 244 00:15:07.120 --> 00:15:11.360 everything. Man, yeah, football whatever, Yeah, everyone going crazy, 245 00:15:11.440 --> 00:15:13.679 Ari Myrov and and all these other guys that were out there that were, 246 00:15:13.840 --> 00:15:18.240 uh that went. So I'm not surprised that that the peak should have been 247 00:15:18.320 --> 00:15:20.080 at the end of the game, But why would it be at the end 248 00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:22.960 of the game when you had a game like that twenty five nothing slow plotting, 249 00:15:24.399 --> 00:15:26.519 you know, nearly a zero zero first half until Birmingham kind of caught 250 00:15:26.519 --> 00:15:31.399 on late so in that quarter, so I think they could have done much 251 00:15:31.399 --> 00:15:35.559 better. It makes you wonder it wasn't considering that it's Father's Day, right, 252 00:15:35.679 --> 00:15:39.559 considering the timeframe, which I know five o'clock's not that bad. It's 253 00:15:39.559 --> 00:15:43.879 not exactly prime time, but consider you know, it's whatever two o'clock on 254 00:15:43.919 --> 00:15:48.240 the West Coast, whatever it is four o'clock on Central Time or whatever. 255 00:15:48.600 --> 00:15:52.480 So they I think in a primetime slot would be more ideal spot. And 256 00:15:52.679 --> 00:15:56.759 obviously most important aspect of this is the quality of the game. I think 257 00:15:56.759 --> 00:16:03.080 it was unfortunate that the game itself wasn't great, because you know, with 258 00:16:03.240 --> 00:16:07.240 any championship game, you're going to get some eyeballs of people who don't watch 259 00:16:07.360 --> 00:16:11.320 during the season, and you know, this is the highest rating of the 260 00:16:11.399 --> 00:16:17.600 year, but it isn't overly, you know, like they had the UFL 261 00:16:17.639 --> 00:16:19.000 had a couple of games within that one, two, one three range, 262 00:16:19.039 --> 00:16:22.039 that kind of deal, So this isn't like all of a sudden they shot 263 00:16:22.120 --> 00:16:26.399 up to two million, But it makes you want to get a lot of 264 00:16:26.399 --> 00:16:29.080 casuals. So they got some casuals here, But I think they would have 265 00:16:29.120 --> 00:16:32.720 had a better number overall if the game was good, and you want that 266 00:16:32.799 --> 00:16:37.919 sample audience to come watch this rocking, awesome Electric game and go, damn, 267 00:16:37.960 --> 00:16:40.759 you know what, I screwed up not watching during the whole season. 268 00:16:40.759 --> 00:16:42.759 I'm going to come back and watch. I don't know if this championship game 269 00:16:42.759 --> 00:16:45.440 gave you that. If you're a casual guy, you probably tune in and 270 00:16:45.440 --> 00:16:48.639 go ahead. And the players are not too good. Look at this guy, 271 00:16:48.679 --> 00:16:51.200 he's trying to protect himself. He's not trying to get first downs, 272 00:16:51.720 --> 00:16:53.519 you know, Garber's guy, and he got clowned by a lot of the 273 00:16:53.559 --> 00:17:00.399 mainstream sites out there for doing that. What's the saying, business decision right? 274 00:17:00.519 --> 00:17:04.559 Yeah, so so anyhow so so maybe it didn't leave the greatest impression. 275 00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:07.480 The broadcast is great, Joe Clad is great. I don't know so 276 00:17:07.559 --> 00:17:12.720 much about that Robo dogrob That thing was wild because it was there. And 277 00:17:12.759 --> 00:17:18.720 then I watched the highlights. We're sitting in what I mean, and that 278 00:17:18.759 --> 00:17:22.359 could almost be PTSD if you were like you know some of those you know, 279 00:17:22.519 --> 00:17:25.720 I we had this. I gotta tell you, I'm not I'm not 280 00:17:26.119 --> 00:17:29.119 I'm not a hunter. I'm not a violent person. I love dogs, 281 00:17:29.400 --> 00:17:32.200 but if I saw one of those robo things in my yard, I might 282 00:17:32.519 --> 00:17:37.519 go get a weapon and neutralize it. It like creepy out. I don't 283 00:17:37.519 --> 00:17:40.480 know, strange, but I get it. But it wasn't you know, 284 00:17:40.519 --> 00:17:42.079 it's just an added thing. You saw the look on Kurt Warner's face. 285 00:17:42.119 --> 00:17:47.200 It wasn't It wasn't exactly going for it. But yeah, so I thought 286 00:17:47.200 --> 00:17:49.519 the broadcast was good. Its sleek looked great. Joe Clad is amazing. 287 00:17:49.920 --> 00:17:52.440 This is such a great job with it. It's unfortunately the game was great. 288 00:17:52.519 --> 00:17:56.400 I don't think about it for us, you know, fans like me 289 00:17:56.039 --> 00:18:00.000 advocates my whole life since the USFL in the eighties. I'll be back. 290 00:18:00.359 --> 00:18:03.920 But but you what I'm thinking about is the league's growth. So I'm thinking 291 00:18:03.920 --> 00:18:07.359 about how can you lure people in for the next year. And I don't 292 00:18:07.359 --> 00:18:11.759 think they like destroyed that possibility, But they serve as hell didn't capture that 293 00:18:11.839 --> 00:18:15.799 moment. Not their fault. Sometimes these championship games suck. Yeah, I 294 00:18:15.839 --> 00:18:19.000 don't I agree with that. I don't. I don't know if it was 295 00:18:19.440 --> 00:18:25.039 if it was like blown by it, but it's certainly and it's to no 296 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:26.599 follow their own like I said, I was talking to league people like you 297 00:18:26.640 --> 00:18:30.640 can't, you can't. I mean, this is this is why I never 298 00:18:30.680 --> 00:18:33.440 made sense when you know, wwe ever had storylines that weren't happy, you 299 00:18:33.559 --> 00:18:37.640 didn't satisfy the audience, because it's like you are able to, you know, 300 00:18:37.720 --> 00:18:40.960 craft this narrative exactly how you want to. Uh, you know, 301 00:18:41.039 --> 00:18:44.759 you can't control that. But in terms of it just feels like, yeah, 302 00:18:44.799 --> 00:18:47.440 like a missed opportunity. Like a lot of these like well, we're 303 00:18:47.680 --> 00:18:49.240 we're not gonna do this Umple Metal draft this year. We're not gonna do 304 00:18:49.279 --> 00:18:53.359 this. This has just felt like another like we could have something could have 305 00:18:53.400 --> 00:18:57.680 been if this game would have been great. I'm curious your thoughts on like 306 00:18:57.759 --> 00:19:02.720 the BattleHawks of it not being there. I know we were well on and 307 00:19:02.799 --> 00:19:06.640 I heard back from people that were not happy with my comments about that. 308 00:19:06.720 --> 00:19:10.039 But you know, even if you had turned on the game and there was 309 00:19:10.039 --> 00:19:11.680 thirty thousand Ballahawks people there, I think it would have made a difference. 310 00:19:11.720 --> 00:19:15.680 Do you have thoughts on that? And we've been asked like would Saint Louis 311 00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:18.480 host again? Like I don't think they go back to Saint Louis. I 312 00:19:18.480 --> 00:19:21.720 feel like that was the opportunity. I'm here's your thoughts. Well, I'll 313 00:19:21.759 --> 00:19:25.880 say this point right, so before I get into all that, I love 314 00:19:25.920 --> 00:19:27.480 your show. You've done a tremendous job into space for four years. But 315 00:19:27.519 --> 00:19:32.000 I don't always agree with your takes. But that's it's important that we have 316 00:19:32.079 --> 00:19:34.200 different takes, right, So, I think maybe you were a little bit. 317 00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:40.400 I get where you're coming from. I definitely I get where you're coming 318 00:19:40.400 --> 00:19:44.079 from. Though I know that they the League of League sources I spoke with, 319 00:19:44.119 --> 00:19:47.519 they had they were they felt that they were going to have at least 320 00:19:47.559 --> 00:19:52.920 forty five k in attendance for that game had Saint Louis made it, I 321 00:19:52.000 --> 00:19:55.960 believe they would have been in that neighborhood, no question about it. If 322 00:19:56.000 --> 00:19:59.279 they you know, I get it. I look, with this league, 323 00:19:59.359 --> 00:20:00.799 I'm a fan for the entire league. I want the fan the league to 324 00:20:00.839 --> 00:20:04.880 exist because it means thousands of jobs and opportunities for four players. Right, 325 00:20:06.319 --> 00:20:08.160 So, I don't have a team that I root for, per se, 326 00:20:08.160 --> 00:20:11.400 So I'm rooting for the entire league, but I get the fandom aspect of 327 00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:14.839 it. I'll just say this, I know this is like a fairy tale 328 00:20:14.880 --> 00:20:18.480 world. Thing. But like if I had tickets to the Super Bowl at 329 00:20:18.480 --> 00:20:21.880 MetLife and the Jets had gotten to an AFC championship game, I realized, 330 00:20:21.920 --> 00:20:23.960 that's fairy tale stuff. But if they had gotten to I mean, it's 331 00:20:23.960 --> 00:20:26.519 been however many years they did it two years on a Rex Ryan, but 332 00:20:26.920 --> 00:20:30.359 that was like seventy years ago. But anyhow, But if the Jets had 333 00:20:30.359 --> 00:20:36.519 gotten AFC championship and they lost in bitter fashion and not gotten a Super Bowl, 334 00:20:37.720 --> 00:20:41.839 I'd have a heart. From a fandom aspect, I'd have a hard 335 00:20:41.880 --> 00:20:45.160 time going to MetLife and watching, say, I don't know, let's just 336 00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:48.119 say the Bills beat the Jets. Watching watching the Bills win a Super Bowl, 337 00:20:48.160 --> 00:20:52.079 I'd root against the Bills likely if I went there. I know that's 338 00:20:52.119 --> 00:20:56.720 petty. So when people when BattleHawks fans weren't attendance, booing Wade Phillips for 339 00:20:56.799 --> 00:21:02.279 the game, I got I as a fan, I get it. Take 340 00:21:02.319 --> 00:21:04.319 it off the journalists cap, the writing cap, all that. As a 341 00:21:04.319 --> 00:21:07.960 fan, I totally get it. For those who didn't show up, I 342 00:21:07.000 --> 00:21:10.440 get it. I can tell you when the Jets lost to the Steelers, 343 00:21:10.599 --> 00:21:12.519 when the Jets lost to the Cults and the AFC Championship and they didn't get 344 00:21:12.519 --> 00:21:15.680 to the super Bowl. It was kind of a fairy tale year. They 345 00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:19.759 won nine games that season and they fell short against Paint Manning and then Indianapolis. 346 00:21:19.839 --> 00:21:23.119 I watched the Super Bowl with the Cults the next week when the Jets 347 00:21:23.160 --> 00:21:27.160 lost to the Steelers. That next year when they went and they beat Brady 348 00:21:27.200 --> 00:21:33.240 and Belichick in New England and Peyton Manning in Indianapolis. When they lost that 349 00:21:33.279 --> 00:21:37.000 game to the Steelers, I didn't watch the Super Bowl. So and that's 350 00:21:37.039 --> 00:21:40.359 the first sup Bowl. I hadn't watched it a long time, and that's 351 00:21:40.480 --> 00:21:45.920 my fandom there. So I say that to say that I understand if any 352 00:21:45.960 --> 00:21:51.960 Saint Louis fans. This shows you how passionate they were about the league and 353 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:56.119 their team. I understand the league, but of course, but like that 354 00:21:56.319 --> 00:22:00.799 they've already proved like Saint Louis. I'm not saying the entire hire city of 355 00:22:00.839 --> 00:22:03.680 Saint Louis, but Saint Louis has already proven that they're in on this league. 356 00:22:03.720 --> 00:22:07.559 Like if we're nobody should get a pass, right, but if we're 357 00:22:07.559 --> 00:22:11.920 gonna, if we're gonna, like rank the fan bases, who's most invested 358 00:22:11.920 --> 00:22:17.279 in this league. It kind of like Saint Louis above everybody else. I'm 359 00:22:17.319 --> 00:22:19.599 sorry, this is the most beloved team in spring pro football, most beloved 360 00:22:19.599 --> 00:22:23.839 team we've seen in this concept for a long time, right, So, 361 00:22:25.039 --> 00:22:27.279 I mean that's just kind of the story there. So I'm a little hesitant 362 00:22:27.319 --> 00:22:30.480 to be harsh on them now whether or not they'd ever come back to Saint 363 00:22:30.519 --> 00:22:36.000 Louis. We knew this was the possibility that like if st we knew, 364 00:22:36.039 --> 00:22:40.240 if Saint Louis gets there, they're gonna have a chance to beat the modern 365 00:22:40.319 --> 00:22:44.200 day Spring pro football record. I know USFL in the eighties, CFL in 366 00:22:44.240 --> 00:22:48.440 America had some Baltimore Stallions had some hugely attended games, but they were talking 367 00:22:48.480 --> 00:22:51.880 for or five decades ago, right, So if they had, we know, 368 00:22:51.920 --> 00:22:53.920 if Saint Louis had gotten to the championship game, they would have threatened 369 00:22:55.200 --> 00:22:57.160 to, you know, surpass whatever it was forty thousand for their opener this 370 00:22:57.279 --> 00:23:02.720 year. So the fact that they we know, like again with this attendance 371 00:23:02.759 --> 00:23:04.240 stuff, I get it. This is in the venues, they give you 372 00:23:04.279 --> 00:23:07.160 the number, right, and then so this is what happens in Major League 373 00:23:07.160 --> 00:23:11.839 Baseball, NHL hockey. They give you. That's why I purposely put attendance 374 00:23:11.960 --> 00:23:15.720 figure, not actual attendance, because this is the attendance figure they give you. 375 00:23:15.799 --> 00:23:21.119 So twenty seven k was not in that building, right, we know 376 00:23:21.240 --> 00:23:25.359 that. But you know, it's tickets paid and tickets distributed. There's like 377 00:23:25.400 --> 00:23:29.680 a fine line there too, becauseicket tickets distributed could be sponsors and stuff they 378 00:23:29.680 --> 00:23:32.680 get comps, and it could also be tickets. So they were just given 379 00:23:32.720 --> 00:23:37.000 away for free whatever. Your local gas station had a slurpy thing, so 380 00:23:37.079 --> 00:23:40.880 whatever, whatever it was. You know. So so twenty seven k, 381 00:23:41.119 --> 00:23:42.599 they definitely they would have surpassed that. They you know, I'm not saying 382 00:23:42.599 --> 00:23:45.720 they would have doubled that, but they would have surpassed that by a huge 383 00:23:45.799 --> 00:23:48.039 margin. Whether or not they'll be back in saying Louis it all depends on 384 00:23:48.079 --> 00:23:51.160 venue availability a lot of these things. It's kind of a tricky thing they 385 00:23:51.160 --> 00:23:53.039 get into with these spring leagues. Like Michigan Panthers. They you know, 386 00:23:53.039 --> 00:23:56.599 they lost in the last game of the season, but they almost won the 387 00:23:56.680 --> 00:24:00.599 USFL and then you know, the conference and then didn't host the game because 388 00:24:00.599 --> 00:24:04.440 Fordfield is unavailable because of a convention. So a lot of this has to 389 00:24:04.480 --> 00:24:08.359 do a venue availability. I think considering the circumstances, the bitterness of the 390 00:24:08.359 --> 00:24:11.160 BattleHawks losing, I thought I thought they did Okay, it could have been 391 00:24:11.200 --> 00:24:15.319 a lot worse. If that game was in Memphis. How many fans do 392 00:24:15.319 --> 00:24:18.000 you think we draw? Yeah, if that game was in Houston, how 393 00:24:18.039 --> 00:24:22.720 many fans do you think we draw? So, even whatever whoever's in attendance, 394 00:24:22.799 --> 00:24:26.119 whatever the attendance figure is, I don't know, you'd have a hard 395 00:24:26.119 --> 00:24:29.680 time getting twenty seven k in a lot of these places. Can't say that. 396 00:24:29.680 --> 00:24:32.279 Far Aready Field obviously, because they're they're max is. If you really 397 00:24:32.319 --> 00:24:34.720 push at twenty k, you know, if you had some seating here and 398 00:24:34.759 --> 00:24:40.279 there. So I mean, but but I don't think they're You know, 399 00:24:40.480 --> 00:24:45.000 if the Brahmas San Antonio they didn't have I think their number was twenty two 400 00:24:45.079 --> 00:24:48.079 k for the XFL Championship, they didn't actually have twenty two k. It 401 00:24:48.160 --> 00:24:51.920 seemed like maybe that crowd was larger than what we saw in Saint Louis. 402 00:24:51.960 --> 00:24:53.200 I don't know. It's hard to stay with those stadiums sometimes, but you 403 00:24:53.240 --> 00:24:56.680 were there, so, I mean, I did like people arguing with me. 404 00:24:56.720 --> 00:25:00.160 One, I guess someone is sad and I was upstairs and downstairs for 405 00:25:00.200 --> 00:25:03.039 both games, I can tell you. But yeah, it's fine. I 406 00:25:03.039 --> 00:25:06.000 mean, I don't the heart too much on that, but I'm just with 407 00:25:06.079 --> 00:25:08.160 curious your thoughts. Yeah, there are people, there are people. There 408 00:25:08.160 --> 00:25:12.160 are people who get free tickets. Unfortunately they don't go, and then you 409 00:25:12.240 --> 00:25:15.559 have that and then that sucks. But like and then and then you have 410 00:25:15.599 --> 00:25:19.160 you know the issue with Yeah, I hate making excuses for these things, 411 00:25:19.200 --> 00:25:22.920 but you know, in Father's Day is definitely a factor too in terms of 412 00:25:22.920 --> 00:25:27.119 selling tickets. And ideally your championship game would not be a day where families 413 00:25:27.119 --> 00:25:30.000 are together honoring their dad unless your dads a football fan, you got them 414 00:25:30.079 --> 00:25:36.039 ticket, so that kind of deal. So anyhow, on an alternative note, 415 00:25:36.079 --> 00:25:37.119 and we because we took my mom to Mother's Day, I mean, 416 00:25:37.480 --> 00:25:44.680 Mariners Baseball sold out on Father's Day, so I mean it's there is yeah, 417 00:25:44.759 --> 00:25:48.200 And but the thing is, and we go through this with the CFL 418 00:25:48.240 --> 00:25:52.599 too, Right when the CFL crowd comes out there and ignorantly goes after some 419 00:25:52.680 --> 00:25:56.839 of these newer leagues, Yankees, Mariners, all these different friends they've been 420 00:25:56.880 --> 00:26:02.559 around forever. There it's like a built in institution. There are waiting lists 421 00:26:03.640 --> 00:26:07.640 over generations for these they these these leagues are not been around for generations. 422 00:26:07.640 --> 00:26:11.200 They're not have been around for decades to build up that popularity. They're not 423 00:26:11.279 --> 00:26:18.200 at the level I don't I hate using the term, but these are considered 424 00:26:18.319 --> 00:26:21.720 minor league. This is considered a minor league because obviously the NFL is a 425 00:26:21.759 --> 00:26:26.200 premier league. They're above everybody, but so in comparison to the NFL, 426 00:26:26.279 --> 00:26:30.400 this is a minor league. I don't like that term, but I get 427 00:26:30.440 --> 00:26:33.279 it if you're going by that definition. So, yeah, the Mariners do 428 00:26:33.319 --> 00:26:36.880 well in Father'sday. The Yankees do well on Father's Day. The Mets do 429 00:26:36.960 --> 00:26:40.039 well on Father's Day. There are New York Rangers in hockey, they do 430 00:26:40.079 --> 00:26:42.799 well in Fathers whatever franchises are out there that are established and been around for 431 00:26:42.839 --> 00:26:48.279 thirty forty fifty plus years. Yeah, Red Sox great on Father's Day. 432 00:26:48.880 --> 00:26:52.720 It's a little bit. These these leagues are still these leagues, and these 433 00:26:52.720 --> 00:26:56.200 teams are still in the early stages where it's not a must see. They're 434 00:26:56.839 --> 00:27:02.519 an alternative maybe option. They're not we gotta go, we gotta go see. 435 00:27:02.519 --> 00:27:06.480 The Mariners they are like, maybe I'll try that out, and then 436 00:27:06.680 --> 00:27:11.160 it has to fit into until it becomes a smashing like whatever the fever with 437 00:27:11.319 --> 00:27:14.160 Kate and Clark were now to can demand as old, let's go see it, 438 00:27:14.160 --> 00:27:17.559 it's an event. They haven't reached that point yet. There's still planning 439 00:27:17.559 --> 00:27:21.799 seeds and trying to grow. Last question on that or right, I guess 440 00:27:21.799 --> 00:27:26.839 here let's move into I'm just making time code notes. In terms of overall, 441 00:27:27.240 --> 00:27:30.079 I think the execs have to be really happy this year, right, 442 00:27:30.119 --> 00:27:33.119 I think in terms of TV, we saw a lot of growth. Obviously 443 00:27:33.160 --> 00:27:37.319 the football was good. We expected that, you know, the championship game 444 00:27:37.319 --> 00:27:38.359 aside, and like I said, you can't kind of control that. But 445 00:27:38.839 --> 00:27:41.359 thoughts here that kind of round out this part of it and then we'll move 446 00:27:41.480 --> 00:27:45.480 into next season. But you know what do they think? Because I've my 447 00:27:45.559 --> 00:27:49.480 only hesitation and I'm always the one with being hesitant, is you know, 448 00:27:49.480 --> 00:27:52.160 we saw these TV games this year, You're not going to see it again 449 00:27:52.160 --> 00:27:56.880 next year, especially moving games to Friday unless you really really make a marketing 450 00:27:56.920 --> 00:27:59.720 push on that. So I guess before we move into next year, what 451 00:27:59.839 --> 00:28:03.559 did your sense of how people felt both on the field and off the field 452 00:28:03.599 --> 00:28:07.119 for this year? Sure, like the expectation level was that the ratings were 453 00:28:07.160 --> 00:28:10.400 going to go up. And that's something I wrote about, talked about a 454 00:28:10.400 --> 00:28:14.559 million times. The more games you have on big network television, on broadcast 455 00:28:14.599 --> 00:28:17.599 network television, the better your ratings are going to be. I mean, 456 00:28:17.640 --> 00:28:21.480 the XFL last year is crazy that they had, you know, the same 457 00:28:21.519 --> 00:28:23.640 regular season numbers as the USFL, or a little bit better, you know, 458 00:28:25.000 --> 00:28:29.000 considering the fact how many they only had six games or five games during 459 00:28:29.000 --> 00:28:33.680 the actually six games whatever it was during the season on ABC, which by 460 00:28:33.680 --> 00:28:36.799 the way, they averaged over a one point one million viewers on ABC the 461 00:28:36.920 --> 00:28:40.240 entire season, and they were on there they had good ratings. So the 462 00:28:40.319 --> 00:28:45.960 fact that they had so many big network games through ABC and Fox, by 463 00:28:45.039 --> 00:28:48.880 default the ratings were going to go up. So I'm not surprised at all. 464 00:28:48.960 --> 00:28:52.599 And then of course they averaged I want to say it was nine hundred 465 00:28:52.599 --> 00:28:56.519 and forty five thousand on the big networks, the broadcast networks. Cable I 466 00:28:56.559 --> 00:29:00.359 think was six thirty or something like that. Overall they were eight thirty, 467 00:29:00.720 --> 00:29:06.799 right, so when you combine cable in the network. So so I'm not 468 00:29:06.880 --> 00:29:10.480 surprised. And then nobody and nobody inside the league should be surprised at the 469 00:29:10.559 --> 00:29:15.720 year over year growth that they saw and whether or not they can carry that 470 00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:18.160 into next year, that remains to be seen. I just wrote an article 471 00:29:18.200 --> 00:29:21.319 about the attendance at Sports Illustrated. I was down from the XFL in twenty 472 00:29:21.319 --> 00:29:23.640 twenty three. Not by a lot, but it was down right. So 473 00:29:23.680 --> 00:29:26.920 it was like about a thousand factored into about one thousand fans per game. 474 00:29:26.960 --> 00:29:32.279 Of that adds up right. So XFL I think did over six hundred and 475 00:29:32.319 --> 00:29:36.759 thirty thousand last year and the UFL just finished up at five eighty one I 476 00:29:36.759 --> 00:29:40.200 believe five eighty one k. So they definitely need to work on the attendance 477 00:29:40.279 --> 00:29:44.759 aspect. Now, you know Danny Garcia, you know I put her quote 478 00:29:44.759 --> 00:29:48.519 in the article, or her talking about having a full off season and more 479 00:29:48.519 --> 00:29:52.000 of a time to make a sales pitch. That'll that'll help out for them, 480 00:29:52.039 --> 00:29:56.160 at least in theory. And of course they're sticking with the eight markets. 481 00:29:56.160 --> 00:29:59.960 They got to make it work. You wait and see on what strategy 482 00:30:00.079 --> 00:30:07.440 they use to boost attendance and interest locally, and it's it's a big question 483 00:30:07.519 --> 00:30:11.000 mark for them whether they whether they or not thinking boost popularity. I would 484 00:30:11.039 --> 00:30:15.480 be surprised. And I'm hopefully I'm wrong on this if they if they're ahead 485 00:30:15.480 --> 00:30:18.559 of the game next year in TV ratings with some hard work, with some 486 00:30:18.640 --> 00:30:22.559 hard work, they could be ahead of the game in attendance because they didn't 487 00:30:22.599 --> 00:30:26.920 do that great this year. In terms, it's just funny here with this 488 00:30:26.119 --> 00:30:30.880 article, you know, the home or the XFL Homer and me would say, 489 00:30:30.880 --> 00:30:33.000 well, it's because you said, you know, you subbed out some 490 00:30:33.119 --> 00:30:37.519 of these, you know, cashman Field that was mocked for six thousand was 491 00:30:37.559 --> 00:30:41.519 celebrated for six thousand, the Memphis you know, so like there is some 492 00:30:41.599 --> 00:30:47.359 of that where I think you subbed out for even for poor XFL home markets 493 00:30:48.359 --> 00:30:52.640 outperformed, you know, presumably the four you know home markets of the USFL. 494 00:30:52.720 --> 00:30:56.279 For that, I want to make sure we touch on just real quick 495 00:30:56.319 --> 00:31:02.559 here. Players already getting signed have to be celebrated by that, you know, 496 00:31:02.599 --> 00:31:04.039 that the leagues are happen that that's coming out Jake Bates and all that. 497 00:31:04.519 --> 00:31:07.480 Thoughts on that just in terms of you know, players already making the 498 00:31:07.559 --> 00:31:11.680 transition, and I know you had already talked this sweek about how excited you 499 00:31:11.720 --> 00:31:12.599 are to see that be able to track that, but I want to make 500 00:31:12.599 --> 00:31:15.799 sure that we touch down on that. Sure. As a football nerd, 501 00:31:15.839 --> 00:31:19.160 I love this stuff, so it's you know, I'm into rosters in the 502 00:31:19.240 --> 00:31:22.079 draft. The second best draft predictor on the planet, by the way, 503 00:31:22.559 --> 00:31:26.880 this best year. But anyway, but no, I love roster stuff. 504 00:31:26.960 --> 00:31:29.759 Like right now, I have a list off to my left of how many 505 00:31:29.839 --> 00:31:33.400 actual roster spots are available in the NFL right at this moment, and it's 506 00:31:33.400 --> 00:31:37.960 fifteen. Most NFL teams are at ninety. That's fifteen. After all these 507 00:31:38.079 --> 00:31:41.880 UFL signings, I believe it's been a dozen. So I did this last 508 00:31:41.920 --> 00:31:45.720 year too. Somehow, the XFL last year had sixty nine players that were 509 00:31:45.720 --> 00:31:49.279 signed. I know everybody loves that number. Sixty nine players that were signed 510 00:31:51.000 --> 00:31:56.000 by the National Football League teams. The USFL ended up having forty two despite 511 00:31:56.039 --> 00:32:01.000 a later endto their season. So in order for these UFL players to have 512 00:32:01.000 --> 00:32:05.079 an opportunity, there's got to be openings, right, And then sometimes it's 513 00:32:05.160 --> 00:32:07.480 ironic and crazy how it works, Like in order for a UFL player to 514 00:32:07.519 --> 00:32:12.920 be signed, somebody loses their job gets cut to free it up. And 515 00:32:12.960 --> 00:32:14.920 then a lot of times I look at the player as being cut and I'm 516 00:32:14.960 --> 00:32:16.119 like, oh man, that guy was great at Georgia. Maybe he'll play 517 00:32:16.119 --> 00:32:20.400 in the UFL next year. So it's it's crazy how that works, right, 518 00:32:20.480 --> 00:32:22.279 you know, but ah that kind of you know, I see like 519 00:32:22.359 --> 00:32:24.839 Luke Barku get cut and it's like, wow, he was in the XFL 520 00:32:24.880 --> 00:32:28.000 last year doing a great job. And then you know, you see, 521 00:32:28.000 --> 00:32:31.359 like whatever, the Steelers add a UFL player, so maybe Carlos Davis will 522 00:32:31.359 --> 00:32:36.640 see But so it's I love the aspect of it. I'm a nerd. 523 00:32:36.960 --> 00:32:38.759 Like I said, I have a list of every team in the NFL off 524 00:32:38.759 --> 00:32:43.240 to my left ear how many players they actually have on their roster. Like 525 00:32:43.279 --> 00:32:45.720 the Bengals have eighty seven players right now, so I look at them waiting 526 00:32:45.720 --> 00:32:49.400 for them to sign a UFL players, you know, that kind of deal. 527 00:32:50.000 --> 00:32:52.400 So that's fluid, that changes every day. So so if it's twelve 528 00:32:52.400 --> 00:32:55.640 players that signed, yeah, and there's only fifteen spots, that means the 529 00:32:55.680 --> 00:33:00.680 max you can get his twenty seven. But I think we're not gonna have 530 00:33:01.039 --> 00:33:06.359 the one hundred and eleven players that signed from both leagues last year because of 531 00:33:06.400 --> 00:33:08.799 the timeline and everything else. But I think you'll have a healthy amount. 532 00:33:10.119 --> 00:33:15.119 It's great for these players and the players. Even if the players don't make 533 00:33:15.200 --> 00:33:19.480 the teams, the fact that this league is helping them get in additional opportunity 534 00:33:20.240 --> 00:33:23.279 is cool. There's no guarantees you're gonna make an NFL roster, you know, 535 00:33:24.160 --> 00:33:29.599 it's just at the percentage is very it's very challenging. So just these 536 00:33:29.599 --> 00:33:34.920 guys getting a second, third, first opportunity, you know, it's cool. 537 00:33:35.000 --> 00:33:37.119 You got a veteran like Garian Conley getting a chance for redemption. He 538 00:33:37.200 --> 00:33:40.960 might not make the Cowboys. You got Willie Harvey, maybe he is a 539 00:33:42.000 --> 00:33:45.240 star for Dallas. Who knows, right, Cole Levo, maybe he turns 540 00:33:45.240 --> 00:33:49.200 out to be terrific for the Jets. He's playing right next to Elijah Veritak, 541 00:33:49.359 --> 00:33:52.519 who knows. Maybe he doesn't, maybe gets cut. But the fact 542 00:33:52.559 --> 00:33:54.319 that these guys, and it's awesome. My guys who came from the indoor 543 00:33:54.400 --> 00:33:59.039 league and then tried spring leagues and ended up in the NFL. So it's 544 00:33:59.079 --> 00:34:01.680 fun for me. I know, I'm familiar with every single NFL roster, 545 00:34:02.119 --> 00:34:07.079 back end, front end, paying attention to your commanders, So I'm like 546 00:34:07.119 --> 00:34:09.599 looking at looking at potential players that you know they should sign from the UFL. 547 00:34:09.599 --> 00:34:13.000 They've already gone to worked out a bunch of kickers and all that. 548 00:34:13.079 --> 00:34:19.119 We'll see what is mesa med So it's a it's it's a fun aspect to 549 00:34:19.199 --> 00:34:23.320 this, and the people within the league are so proud of when NFL teams 550 00:34:23.320 --> 00:34:28.760 signed these players. They feel validation if you're a GM like a Zachary Potter 551 00:34:28.960 --> 00:34:32.440 or Von Hutchins, all these terrific guys. Mark lilly Bridge did such an 552 00:34:32.480 --> 00:34:36.400 awesome job with the Brahmas, right, He's got so many former NFL draft 553 00:34:36.400 --> 00:34:38.400 picks, Mark Wez, Stevenson's Anthony McFarland, who should be in an NFL 554 00:34:38.519 --> 00:34:43.719 roster. If you're these guys, you know, Dave Bowlers, you're proud 555 00:34:43.960 --> 00:34:47.840 of. It speaks to your work as a GM that you were, and 556 00:34:47.880 --> 00:34:52.159 then it speaks to your coaches. How good of a job Kyle Caskey did 557 00:34:52.199 --> 00:34:58.000 with the BattleHawks with guys like Jacob Sailors and Wayne Gollman playing special teams and 558 00:34:58.039 --> 00:35:00.920 bawling out. He also coached the special team, So when he sees a 559 00:35:00.960 --> 00:35:04.119 guy like Sailors get a chance, it's funny like with a lot of these 560 00:35:04.119 --> 00:35:08.639 guys like you know in NFL circles like the fan bases and the media celebrates 561 00:35:08.719 --> 00:35:13.239 all these undrafted signings and then they're like, oh, look, how great, 562 00:35:13.239 --> 00:35:15.880 this is a good older and then as soon as they're cut, people 563 00:35:15.880 --> 00:35:19.360 forget about the play and they don't even think about them. And that's why 564 00:35:19.360 --> 00:35:22.480 with Jacob Sailors, he got ten thousand dollars to sign with the Cincinnati Bengals 565 00:35:22.519 --> 00:35:25.280 out of East Tennessee State, he didn't make their team, impressed enough to 566 00:35:25.360 --> 00:35:30.239 land on the Falcons practice squad. The BattleHawks bring him in, he has 567 00:35:30.280 --> 00:35:32.360 a great season, and he's back in the NFL with the New York Giants. 568 00:35:32.400 --> 00:35:36.880 Now he's getting another shot. So I mean, so we'll see how 569 00:35:36.880 --> 00:35:39.360 it goes. But I think it's awesome for guys like that Sailors or Conley 570 00:35:39.679 --> 00:35:44.000 or whoever finds their way back in, and for the UFL fan, the 571 00:35:44.079 --> 00:35:47.000 die hard, it makes the preseason games and training camp moren't interesting because you're 572 00:35:47.000 --> 00:35:50.920 paying attention to how these guys do and you hope they end up like a 573 00:35:50.960 --> 00:35:53.000 Donald Parham, what's going on like his sixth straight season in the NFL. 574 00:35:53.039 --> 00:35:58.639 The PJ Walker somehow still surviving going the Elijah Campbell's one of the best special 575 00:35:58.679 --> 00:36:01.639 teams players in the NFL. Played for the DC Defenders back in twenty twenty. 576 00:36:01.679 --> 00:36:04.679 He's still in the league. He's played with the Jets, Dolphins, 577 00:36:04.719 --> 00:36:07.519 et cetera. So you root for these guys, and it's a testament to 578 00:36:07.559 --> 00:36:12.159 the value of these leagues when you know the Brandon Aubreys, Cavante Turpins, 579 00:36:12.199 --> 00:36:15.239 Young Way, Coups, de Ernest Johnson's, all these guys because of their 580 00:36:15.320 --> 00:36:22.960 playing in these leagues, I've been able to carve out extended pro careers well, 581 00:36:22.000 --> 00:36:25.239 and that's why. And I think that it's great. And you know, 582 00:36:25.639 --> 00:36:29.400 when you boil down the numbers and we saw you know, the players 583 00:36:29.400 --> 00:36:31.639 getting on and who actually sticks, I mean, I think it's tremendous. 584 00:36:31.679 --> 00:36:36.960 I think that's why this needs to be one of seventeen messages promoting the league 585 00:36:37.000 --> 00:36:39.920 and not the message promoting the right because you know, I think you get 586 00:36:39.920 --> 00:36:43.480 into that and I think even last year with the XFL and then it's like, 587 00:36:43.559 --> 00:36:45.360 oh, we had you know, one one guy or two whatever it 588 00:36:45.400 --> 00:36:47.920 was, it actually stuck when all was said and done, when we you 589 00:36:47.960 --> 00:36:51.119 know, and I know, things changed throughout the season and all of that 590 00:36:51.159 --> 00:36:53.480 for the NFL. But like that's why you can't build your entire marketing push 591 00:36:53.519 --> 00:36:57.199 for the league round like look at all the players we get and then yeah, 592 00:36:57.239 --> 00:36:59.639 and then like you said, the second that you know they get caught 593 00:36:59.679 --> 00:37:01.599 the with then it's like, okay, well hey we got you know, 594 00:37:01.639 --> 00:37:07.159 we got them on that accounts as a signing. So looking here, general 595 00:37:07.199 --> 00:37:13.599 consensus, I would you agree happy with everything given the circumstances this season, 596 00:37:13.639 --> 00:37:16.639 with the truncated offseason coming together, the late merger and all of that. 597 00:37:16.719 --> 00:37:21.840 Here like it feels okay, we're kind of I don't know, if not 598 00:37:22.159 --> 00:37:25.239 that this season was a punt, but almost just like, well we just 599 00:37:25.280 --> 00:37:28.679 tried to get through this year and now, really, the folks, is 600 00:37:28.679 --> 00:37:30.440 that kind of what you're sensing the focuses and I want to kind of start 601 00:37:30.480 --> 00:37:36.199 curtelling this now and looking towards next year, like like maybe this is UFL 602 00:37:36.320 --> 00:37:38.559 season point five and the next year is going to be one point zero or 603 00:37:38.599 --> 00:37:43.039 what it was this a beta season? How do you use it? Kind 604 00:37:43.039 --> 00:37:45.480 of had a look, yeah, it's a good point read. It kind 605 00:37:45.480 --> 00:37:47.639 of had a beta feel to it because of the short time frame that dispersal 606 00:37:47.760 --> 00:37:52.719 draft fine, which is fine. I think it lends itself to them potentially 607 00:37:52.760 --> 00:37:57.159 being better next year. We have more time to sell tickets on the football 608 00:37:57.159 --> 00:37:59.559 front, they'll have more time to scout. They can actually do things in 609 00:37:59.639 --> 00:38:02.960 unison now instead of just like taking a dispersal draft where you're divving up players 610 00:38:02.960 --> 00:38:07.079 from non existing teams. Now you can actually have multiple drafts, you can 611 00:38:07.119 --> 00:38:09.920 do you can do a lot of interesting things with the league. You can 612 00:38:09.960 --> 00:38:14.079 do full on scouting with the showcases. Everybody's working together. You know, 613 00:38:15.199 --> 00:38:17.960 late in the process last year, USFL teams were still conducting business as if 614 00:38:17.960 --> 00:38:21.320 they were you know, the generals and the Stars, all these guys signing 615 00:38:21.320 --> 00:38:24.079 players, you know, conducting as if they were pushing forward and they're going 616 00:38:24.119 --> 00:38:29.599 to have a standard season. So now they're all together in on the showcases, 617 00:38:29.639 --> 00:38:31.480 and you know, I've reached out to the league asking about another potential 618 00:38:31.480 --> 00:38:36.280 combine that's possible. Last year there was a centralized combine. People forget that 619 00:38:36.320 --> 00:38:38.800 stuff, the rookie draft the XFL had because this whole merger business came on 620 00:38:38.880 --> 00:38:44.599 down the road. So they have a chance to be a better football product 621 00:38:44.599 --> 00:38:47.360 because they have more time and preparation. They need to iron out what they're 622 00:38:47.360 --> 00:38:51.559 going to do with the coaching staffs and figure that all out that part of 623 00:38:51.599 --> 00:38:53.920 it, the gms, the front office. Hopefully everybody's back in play. 624 00:38:54.000 --> 00:38:57.480 I know a lot of people want to come back, right So the sooner 625 00:38:57.519 --> 00:39:02.000 you have that worked out, the better. But I think the broadcasting product 626 00:39:02.000 --> 00:39:05.760 and I think they can do a better job if they put in the effort. 627 00:39:05.920 --> 00:39:07.239 I'm not saying they're gonna knock it out of the park right because these 628 00:39:08.440 --> 00:39:10.920 some markets may not embrace the league, but I think they can do a 629 00:39:10.920 --> 00:39:14.679 better job with attendants if they have more time to sell tickets instead of like 630 00:39:14.679 --> 00:39:17.079 a week before, or I think they can strategize it. Whether or not 631 00:39:17.119 --> 00:39:23.320 they take the correct steps, that remains to be seen. But whether or 632 00:39:23.360 --> 00:39:28.320 not they implement a proper strategy to be more popular in these markets or at 633 00:39:28.360 --> 00:39:31.159 least get noticed a little more, you know, So so you know that 634 00:39:31.360 --> 00:39:35.000 it takes time. You know, you're you're you know if you want to, 635 00:39:35.159 --> 00:39:37.320 you know, Russ Brandon and other people said maybe had a little too 636 00:39:37.360 --> 00:39:42.119 much red wine. I've said things like this is gonna be a forever league, 637 00:39:42.599 --> 00:39:47.079 but they have they generally feel that we'll see but it takes in the 638 00:39:47.119 --> 00:39:51.280 early stages. It does take time. It's not some of these places are 639 00:39:51.320 --> 00:39:54.960 not going to be an overnight success. So now transition here the season two 640 00:39:55.360 --> 00:39:59.719 right and so obviously so we had and it was funny because this came out. 641 00:40:00.079 --> 00:40:01.199 It was like Monday. We were kind of you know, I'm reading 642 00:40:01.199 --> 00:40:04.599 there and I'm like, Okay, Darryl did an interview. Okay, who 643 00:40:04.679 --> 00:40:07.920 is this? Okay, Eric, because he like he works like in it's 644 00:40:07.000 --> 00:40:12.199 part of it with the if I could get this thing up here like Fox 645 00:40:12.239 --> 00:40:15.639 works at NFL, I reached out come the news anyway. So I'm like, 646 00:40:15.679 --> 00:40:17.480 Okay, who is this anyway? So I'm like, okay, well 647 00:40:17.519 --> 00:40:23.599 he's with Fox again. This is the kind of thing where missed opportunities. 648 00:40:23.760 --> 00:40:29.159 Uh, you know, I would think in a different world you could have 649 00:40:29.199 --> 00:40:32.119 a big announcement of or an announcement of, like we are excited to be 650 00:40:32.199 --> 00:40:36.920 back for all eight cities next year. We're making strong efforts towards this. 651 00:40:36.920 --> 00:40:37.840 This is a plan, this is what we're you know, we're going to 652 00:40:37.880 --> 00:40:42.840 be as Russ Brandon told me when they announced the XFL Hub two years ago, 653 00:40:42.880 --> 00:40:45.079 like we're going to be the first people into the markets. We're going 654 00:40:45.119 --> 00:40:47.159 to be the last people out. But instead we have this kind of in 655 00:40:47.159 --> 00:40:51.280 the line on the Fox sports dot Com article, like, you know we're 656 00:40:51.280 --> 00:40:54.119 going to be back next year. We're concentrating on that. Thoughts on it 657 00:40:54.199 --> 00:40:58.960 kind of you know, we've expected this, and there's been rumblings of this 658 00:40:59.039 --> 00:41:01.719 similar you know, kind of uh talking points, but kind of came out 659 00:41:01.760 --> 00:41:05.360 like this, and here we are. There's not going to be expansion next 660 00:41:05.400 --> 00:41:07.800 year, like we're just rolling with the eight Like, thoughts how that came 661 00:41:07.840 --> 00:41:10.400 out? Sure, the announcement is a tough one because how do you spin 662 00:41:10.480 --> 00:41:15.920 that as a positive? Like how do you say to the people we're not 663 00:41:15.079 --> 00:41:20.199 expanding, So those teams that we you know, abandon put on post mode, 664 00:41:20.239 --> 00:41:22.239 we're not bringing them back. And how do you say to some people 665 00:41:22.239 --> 00:41:27.039 who are vocally critical about some of the markets that didn't do so great, 666 00:41:27.840 --> 00:41:30.400 how do you say? How do you say to them, Hey, we're 667 00:41:30.440 --> 00:41:32.239 sticking it out with you. Don't worry about the five thousand and six thousand 668 00:41:32.280 --> 00:41:36.920 fans, don't worry about these two franchises that won one game all season or 669 00:41:36.960 --> 00:41:40.119 whatever. We're sticking it out. So it's kind of hard they're showing faith 670 00:41:40.199 --> 00:41:43.760 like what Moose told And I reached out to Eric and I, you know, 671 00:41:43.760 --> 00:41:45.760 I asked them, maybe I shouldn't say that, but I asked them 672 00:41:45.760 --> 00:41:49.639 a couple of questions, like did you ask Moose about the timeline for next 673 00:41:49.639 --> 00:41:52.199 season? And there isn't an answer on that quite yet. So I was 674 00:41:52.280 --> 00:41:53.440 trying to see if maybe I can. You know, Eric's good, he 675 00:41:53.480 --> 00:41:55.920 follows me. I follow him. Obviously, he did a very good job 676 00:41:55.960 --> 00:42:00.800 with it, and he got Moose to They wanted only part of it. 677 00:42:01.039 --> 00:42:06.199 They wanted to expand a year or two of the UFL. The fact that 678 00:42:06.239 --> 00:42:09.280 they're not tells you they you know, a couple different things. Now they 679 00:42:09.280 --> 00:42:13.159 won't say this publicly, but whether or not they're really financially to make that 680 00:42:13.280 --> 00:42:16.320 kind of commitment, and whether or not if they had more success, if 681 00:42:16.360 --> 00:42:21.400 the eight teams were more of a success, I think they'll be like, 682 00:42:21.400 --> 00:42:24.039 Okay, let's go to the next one. So the fact that they still 683 00:42:24.079 --> 00:42:30.639 feel that they need to do more building. We'repare fixing of their own current 684 00:42:30.719 --> 00:42:34.400 cars, Like they got eight cars on the lot, a few of them 685 00:42:34.440 --> 00:42:37.639 need some work. Let's work on that before we get new cars. Fact 686 00:42:37.679 --> 00:42:44.800 that they're doing that, it tells you it's not it's not the greatest message 687 00:42:44.800 --> 00:42:47.679 of growth. You love the fact that they're saying, we have faith in 688 00:42:47.760 --> 00:42:52.199 Memphis, we have faith in Michigan, we have faith in Houston. We're 689 00:42:52.239 --> 00:42:57.239 seeing this through. We're in this for the long run. You know, 690 00:42:57.320 --> 00:43:00.719 you love that sentiment, but it's how do you sell that in a pr 691 00:43:00.840 --> 00:43:05.159 kind of deal because a lot of people are expecting expansion, Like a lot 692 00:43:05.199 --> 00:43:08.000 of people were upset that it went from sixteen teams to eight in this space, 693 00:43:08.119 --> 00:43:12.079 a lot of teams, a lot of people want to see something that's 694 00:43:12.079 --> 00:43:15.679 a hook for year two of the UFL, like something that shows a level 695 00:43:15.719 --> 00:43:21.920 of growth, and they're trying to I guess grow from within. But yeah, 696 00:43:22.000 --> 00:43:24.039 I could more have been made about it. Sure, but there is 697 00:43:24.079 --> 00:43:30.119 the negative side of this that they're not I'm cool with them not expanding, 698 00:43:30.159 --> 00:43:32.880 but there is a negative side to them not expanding, and there is a 699 00:43:32.920 --> 00:43:37.199 negative side to them not relocating and like saying, you know what, it's 700 00:43:37.239 --> 00:43:39.840 not gonna work here, Let's go to a market where it will because we're 701 00:43:39.880 --> 00:43:43.239 going to see the same criticisms. I know, people don't like it. 702 00:43:43.239 --> 00:43:45.440 People were in the bubble that our UFL supporters don't want to hear it, 703 00:43:45.599 --> 00:43:50.559 but we're gonna see the same stuff read next year. If Memphis doesn't draw 704 00:43:50.639 --> 00:43:53.199 well, if certain teams doesn't do not drow well, they're gonna be like, 705 00:43:53.280 --> 00:43:58.119 why the hell did the league not leave? Well, I get what 706 00:43:58.159 --> 00:44:00.559 you're saying, and I think and I want to get it to the quote 707 00:44:00.599 --> 00:44:02.719 here and we talk about because we got the protective leads and we've got Michigan 708 00:44:02.719 --> 00:44:06.199 and kind of all of that. But I do think there's a way where 709 00:44:06.239 --> 00:44:08.880 you come out and I think you do a press conference. And we were 710 00:44:08.960 --> 00:44:14.119 coming back from the you know, we were doing the stream. Anthony got 711 00:44:14.159 --> 00:44:16.239 to the game early to do the media stuff. Andy and I were finishing 712 00:44:16.320 --> 00:44:20.360 up and then we made our way over. I know that like they were 713 00:44:20.360 --> 00:44:22.719 doing they had like a technology suite where you could go see like the drones 714 00:44:22.760 --> 00:44:27.679 and things like that. But you know, last year they had Danny and 715 00:44:27.679 --> 00:44:30.400 and Dwayne on the field pregame and I did attend that, and then they 716 00:44:30.480 --> 00:44:35.360 did the obviously the post game with the trophy presentation. But I do think 717 00:44:35.400 --> 00:44:39.119 that you get Danny there or Russ there, or Darryl or what's the but 718 00:44:39.199 --> 00:44:42.679 what's the message? Is it like a Wolf of Wall Street. We're not 719 00:44:42.800 --> 00:44:46.440 leaving hey, Memphis, We're not leaving you. It's like I'm not leaving 720 00:44:46.440 --> 00:44:52.000 my girlfriend. I'm staying with her. But I think I say, we've 721 00:44:52.000 --> 00:44:54.559 had tremendous growth this season. We've seen thirty you know, well the stuff 722 00:44:54.599 --> 00:44:57.920 that Mike mulva Hill posts all the time, you know, we've seen thirty 723 00:44:57.920 --> 00:45:00.239 five percent growth year over year, and the markets that we've stayed in that 724 00:45:00.639 --> 00:45:05.159 you know that we have year over year where battle Hawks increases. You just 725 00:45:05.199 --> 00:45:07.159 say, like, well, the you know, the markets, I hear 726 00:45:07.199 --> 00:45:09.159 you, and then you say, now we're making the commitment now for the 727 00:45:09.199 --> 00:45:12.880 next I just I think there's a way to do it and make an announcement 728 00:45:14.159 --> 00:45:15.639 where you know, we're investing in and we're going to be you know, 729 00:45:15.679 --> 00:45:19.920 we're going to be having the street teams in these markets over the next six 730 00:45:19.920 --> 00:45:22.440 months, and we're going to be looking to come out to community events and 731 00:45:22.440 --> 00:45:23.559 build. Like, I just think there's the way that you can do it 732 00:45:23.639 --> 00:45:28.519 versus like a throwaway line in the Fox Sports dot Com article and no disrespect 733 00:45:28.519 --> 00:45:30.360 to Eric Williams, but like, yeah, we're gonna make a commitment next 734 00:45:30.440 --> 00:45:34.760 year. I just think that there's a way to say not retreating I hear 735 00:45:34.840 --> 00:45:38.159 you like. To Moose's credit, I don't know Moose personally obviously, but 736 00:45:38.519 --> 00:45:42.480 to his credit, he's been very transparent with this stuff. So it's a 737 00:45:42.480 --> 00:45:45.400 lot of time. It's like admitting that, you know, we're not where 738 00:45:45.440 --> 00:45:47.760 we should be in these places. It's kind of like the gist of what 739 00:45:47.880 --> 00:45:52.760 he's been saying even earlier this season in Memphis media, talking about how you 740 00:45:52.800 --> 00:45:57.320 know so, and he obviously did that last year when the USFL was separate 741 00:45:57.320 --> 00:46:00.239 from the XFL, he was pretty down on Birmingham. So no surprise here 742 00:46:00.280 --> 00:46:05.920 we are in UFL and the attendance for Birmingham wasn't great all right, So 743 00:46:06.119 --> 00:46:08.840 I mean they could have like done something. Danny Garcia talked about how they 744 00:46:08.880 --> 00:46:14.159 didn't see the year over year growth that they wanted in attendance. So they 745 00:46:14.199 --> 00:46:19.400 think that with more time for sales to you know, to have they got 746 00:46:19.400 --> 00:46:22.079 a point there. You know, if you're if you're the they do, 747 00:46:22.440 --> 00:46:24.480 having more time could help in theory. It's how they implement it what they 748 00:46:24.519 --> 00:46:28.960 do. I don't disagree with that. They were kind of rushed into scheduling 749 00:46:29.039 --> 00:46:31.519 and all that. In terms of even the TV schedule like that, Moose 750 00:46:31.639 --> 00:46:35.840 mentioned the fact that you know, they less than idea that they had so 751 00:46:35.840 --> 00:46:38.400 many Battle of Hawks games going directly against Cardinals games. They ended Battlewks end 752 00:46:38.480 --> 00:46:43.760 up doing pretty decently altics considered, but you know, sometimes it was close 753 00:46:43.840 --> 00:46:47.960 to intended. So anyhow, it is what it is. But but yeah, 754 00:46:49.039 --> 00:46:52.760 I definitely could have painted it better, just in a simple throwaway I 755 00:46:52.800 --> 00:46:59.159 think people, with all due respect, I when I shared Eric Williams article, 756 00:46:59.599 --> 00:47:02.639 it was on X for maybe twenty minutes or so, I had zero 757 00:47:02.840 --> 00:47:07.199 likes, zero retweets, and then I shared it. Now he's got several 758 00:47:07.320 --> 00:47:09.079 hundred likes and all that kind stuff. So I'm glad that I was able 759 00:47:09.119 --> 00:47:13.280 to do that for him, because he's been writing good articles all year about 760 00:47:13.320 --> 00:47:15.639 the UFL, and he does a very good job with the NFL and all 761 00:47:15.679 --> 00:47:17.079 that, and sometimes these things get kind of lost. So I'm glad I 762 00:47:17.119 --> 00:47:20.320 was able to share it, if anything, on my timeline, and then 763 00:47:20.360 --> 00:47:22.480 all of a sudden, you know a lot of people like saw it, 764 00:47:22.559 --> 00:47:23.639 read it, Oh, look at that. There was some cool stuff in 765 00:47:23.679 --> 00:47:25.840 there. There was also an article for An Office Sports this week with a 766 00:47:25.840 --> 00:47:29.639 great quote from Oliver Luck that really didn't get a lot of attention. I 767 00:47:29.639 --> 00:47:32.480 was glad I was able to share that too out there. Oliver Luck pretty 768 00:47:32.480 --> 00:47:37.639 interesting opinions on things in terms of investing, spending money, and when the 769 00:47:37.679 --> 00:47:40.159 timeline of the league should be. So, yeah, it could probably be 770 00:47:40.199 --> 00:47:43.880 worded a little bit differently. I think they need to do more with their 771 00:47:43.920 --> 00:47:45.320 actions, like what are you doing in Memphis? What are you doing in 772 00:47:45.360 --> 00:47:50.360 Michigan, rather than just like some vague response about yeah, we're going to 773 00:47:50.400 --> 00:47:52.639 be first in the markets and the last ones out, and we're going to 774 00:47:52.679 --> 00:47:57.320 do this like show some things you're doing. Yeah. I like cause I 775 00:47:57.360 --> 00:47:59.719 was just looking at it. You know, I'll take I'll take a part. 776 00:47:59.760 --> 00:48:01.800 So for those impressions on there I did, I'm doing my job together. 777 00:48:01.920 --> 00:48:05.719 I'm to get there. I was happy. I said, oh my 778 00:48:05.800 --> 00:48:08.920 goodness, this has zero likes. Zero likes is pretty bad, you know, 779 00:48:09.039 --> 00:48:12.800 like at least you're like your grandmother will like it or something. I 780 00:48:12.840 --> 00:48:15.280 said, yeah, so zero likes, and I like boom. You know, 781 00:48:15.480 --> 00:48:16.679 it was good to see it, you know, people reading and checking 782 00:48:16.760 --> 00:48:20.119 out. Yeah, so I like just to make sure we touch on this 783 00:48:20.199 --> 00:48:22.960 if you haven't. And yeah, I was looking at the Olliver Leck thing 784 00:48:22.000 --> 00:48:24.960 and you know, maybe I don't even know what Oliver Luck is up to 785 00:48:25.039 --> 00:48:29.519 nowadays. Maybe track that own way here with with home markets. We got 786 00:48:29.519 --> 00:48:31.320 to build that trust there. We're not going to leave and that league isn't 787 00:48:31.360 --> 00:48:35.320 in the fold. We've got a couple of cities historically been partspering football. 788 00:48:35.360 --> 00:48:37.360 They've committed to the team, and the team is left. We've still got 789 00:48:37.360 --> 00:48:40.119 some trust to build in home markets. I think we were selling tickets for 790 00:48:40.199 --> 00:48:44.599 the home opener in Houston seven days out, in Michigan seven days out. 791 00:48:44.960 --> 00:48:47.039 Last year was getting the merger complete, getting everything in place, and then 792 00:48:47.079 --> 00:48:51.159 putting the season together. This year, we've already been planning for season two 793 00:48:51.159 --> 00:48:55.039 of the UFL nine months out. We've had lots of thing pieces during the 794 00:48:55.039 --> 00:48:59.400 season with Todd Murco former you know, we're in a football exach on here 795 00:48:59.400 --> 00:49:02.000 and even Dan Kaplan, the sports you know, business reporter for decades, 796 00:49:02.039 --> 00:49:06.559 and uh, what does that mean to you? Just more marketing. I 797 00:49:06.559 --> 00:49:08.199 mean we're doubling down. I want to talk leases here, but we're just 798 00:49:08.239 --> 00:49:10.920 kind of doubling down, Like what is your thoughts of what what does that 799 00:49:10.960 --> 00:49:15.559 mean for looking at the next year, scheduling earlier, like having an earlier 800 00:49:15.599 --> 00:49:20.880 schedule, come out, putting tickets on sale earlier, and then whether or 801 00:49:20.880 --> 00:49:22.119 not they do this or remains to be seen whether or not they want to 802 00:49:22.119 --> 00:49:28.519 put resources and having actual sales teams working. Uh they when they're doing seasonal 803 00:49:28.559 --> 00:49:31.360 employees, that makes it kind of difficult, right, so you know, 804 00:49:31.559 --> 00:49:35.840 and then you know, actually doing more things in the community, reaching out 805 00:49:35.880 --> 00:49:38.320 to high schools and youth programs and all this kind of stuff. And then 806 00:49:38.760 --> 00:49:44.559 if so be it, you have to give out some tickets, some comps 807 00:49:44.559 --> 00:49:47.960 to youth programs and people in the community that you get them to come out 808 00:49:47.960 --> 00:49:51.320 to the game, because maybe you have some young people that come out to 809 00:49:51.360 --> 00:49:52.320 the games and then go tell their dad and mom, I want to go 810 00:49:52.400 --> 00:49:55.440 back. You know. It was cool, like we saw a little bit 811 00:49:55.480 --> 00:50:00.400 in the UFL this season there was some young fans I'm forgetting the plea forgive 812 00:50:00.480 --> 00:50:04.079 me kid's name who was actually drawing all the logos to the UFL team. 813 00:50:04.159 --> 00:50:07.840 Yeah, but that's cool because I became when I was a kid, I 814 00:50:07.880 --> 00:50:12.800 became you know this crazy now, you know, dating myself here, but 815 00:50:12.880 --> 00:50:17.480 over four decades being a football fan. So it was pretty that I became 816 00:50:17.519 --> 00:50:22.920 a fan of the CFL and the USFL and of course the NFL and all 817 00:50:22.960 --> 00:50:24.960 this stuff as a kid and did the drawings and writing stuff and all that. 818 00:50:25.039 --> 00:50:29.119 So it's cool to see that you have to appeal to the young crowd. 819 00:50:29.480 --> 00:50:30.559 You know, when you appeal to the young crowd, you know, 820 00:50:30.639 --> 00:50:32.800 it's the way it goes to tickets, right, you know, they can't 821 00:50:32.800 --> 00:50:37.679 go to the games by themselves. So like this is why like Disney and 822 00:50:37.719 --> 00:50:42.199 animated stuff, all this stuff exists because instead of getting two adults coming into 823 00:50:42.239 --> 00:50:44.760 your game, you got mom and dad bringing a bunch of the kids. 824 00:50:45.039 --> 00:50:47.199 So that's how you multiply attendant. So I think they need to do certain 825 00:50:47.320 --> 00:50:52.440 have certain activities and more actions, just more time. They were late to 826 00:50:52.480 --> 00:50:57.000 the finish line. There was a couple of hang ups in the in terms 827 00:50:57.039 --> 00:51:00.639 of the paperwork they filed with the government for the merger. It was a 828 00:51:00.679 --> 00:51:06.280 clear cut they had to come back with paperwork in order to get the merger 829 00:51:06.360 --> 00:51:08.800 pushed through. So and there was a time where they and I was on 830 00:51:08.840 --> 00:51:13.679 your show, and so I know it's Funny people think they have receivets and 831 00:51:13.679 --> 00:51:15.440 stuff. But there was a time where this league was actually gonna have ten 832 00:51:15.519 --> 00:51:22.039 teams and so and but they decided on eight. So that was that was 833 00:51:22.079 --> 00:51:23.320 like at the end of the run there. They just didn't have enough time 834 00:51:23.320 --> 00:51:25.840 to even go beyond that. And the hope was that a year or two 835 00:51:25.840 --> 00:51:30.320 they would have more teams. But I don't think they feel their sound. 836 00:51:30.400 --> 00:51:34.320 It tells me that they don't feel there's sound enough at their base to start 837 00:51:34.679 --> 00:51:39.599 branching outward and so and then we'll talk about leases in a second, but 838 00:51:40.000 --> 00:51:43.679 that's also a factor in all this. So we'll see whether or not that 839 00:51:43.840 --> 00:51:46.599 changes the game plan what Moose is talking about, what he told Eric Williams, 840 00:51:47.079 --> 00:51:52.920 Uh, we'll see. Yeah, let's let's move on to that. 841 00:51:52.119 --> 00:51:57.000 So year, you know, I guess it's year four now. Of the 842 00:51:57.079 --> 00:52:00.639 USFL teams, right, a lot of them here, Ye're three of some 843 00:52:00.719 --> 00:52:05.039 of the XFL we're seeing lease issues or not least issues. But you know, 844 00:52:05.159 --> 00:52:07.559 Protective Field was on a Protective Stadium was on a three year at least. 845 00:52:07.639 --> 00:52:10.920 Right we're talking Detroit. We had and we looked at it beforehand. 846 00:52:12.639 --> 00:52:17.239 Mike with the Alternative Football Network talking about the Detroit Lions kind of least being 847 00:52:17.360 --> 00:52:22.800 up. Do we do any moving around there in terms of like Birmingham and 848 00:52:23.599 --> 00:52:29.480 Detroit or I know, Houston. We're talking to TDC where we stay in 849 00:52:29.519 --> 00:52:31.760 the markets and we're moving venues. Any thoughts on any of that. You 850 00:52:31.840 --> 00:52:35.800 got to look at all options. So like you know, a lot of 851 00:52:35.800 --> 00:52:37.119 times, you know, people don't focus in on the fact that some of 852 00:52:37.159 --> 00:52:40.880 these venues with the league, like the XFL had a very good deal with 853 00:52:40.960 --> 00:52:45.559 the Dome at America Center in terms of percentage of ticket sales beyond a certain 854 00:52:45.599 --> 00:52:51.480 point, et cetera. So where they actually exceeded that and were able to 855 00:52:51.519 --> 00:52:54.199 profit you know, you promise. So I don't know what the specifics are 856 00:52:54.199 --> 00:52:58.239 with ford Field, whether or not. You know, obviously the Tendants hasn't 857 00:52:58.559 --> 00:53:01.599 been great there. They you know, had some moments, but for the 858 00:53:01.639 --> 00:53:04.920 most part was great. So I don't know if they're gonna stay. You 859 00:53:04.920 --> 00:53:07.199 know, the least is important, Well they look at alternative options. In 860 00:53:07.239 --> 00:53:12.880 Michigan, they very well could you know, they got to make that decision 861 00:53:12.920 --> 00:53:17.079 relatively early and not let that stagnate and go on and not like with Vegas. 862 00:53:17.159 --> 00:53:21.599 We saw with the Vipers where they didn't have a location for the longest 863 00:53:21.639 --> 00:53:23.280 time and then they announced cash mean like were like almost at that, and 864 00:53:23.320 --> 00:53:27.440 they looked at like Bishop Gorman and all this other stuff, all these other 865 00:53:27.480 --> 00:53:30.519 alternative options there, so they didn't. They didn't. So if you're gonna 866 00:53:30.519 --> 00:53:36.000 make a move away from ford Field or whatever you're gonna you're gonna have, 867 00:53:36.119 --> 00:53:38.320 you need to do that as soon as possible. If you have to not 868 00:53:38.440 --> 00:53:42.599 wait until the mpteenth hour, you know, you got to get these deals 869 00:53:42.679 --> 00:53:46.239 done way in advance so you can set up scheduling and all that and then 870 00:53:46.280 --> 00:53:50.599 you can sell tickets early. I don't like the fact that tickets are sold 871 00:53:50.639 --> 00:53:58.400 so late you know in the process that that doesn't help in terms of selling 872 00:53:58.440 --> 00:54:01.400 tickets. I want to get your thoughts. And we talked a little bit 873 00:54:01.480 --> 00:54:07.440 during the pregame show for the UFL Championship game, but in terms of walking 874 00:54:07.480 --> 00:54:12.519 this line between being built just for TV or versus wanting to be in because 875 00:54:12.559 --> 00:54:15.400 a lot of what their words are saying, and we talked like the Darryl 876 00:54:15.480 --> 00:54:17.800 Johnson here, you know, it feels like they're saying the right things in 877 00:54:17.880 --> 00:54:22.239 terms of we want to build these home markets. But you see a lot 878 00:54:22.239 --> 00:54:24.719 of the actions, and we have all the time these debates about you know, 879 00:54:25.079 --> 00:54:30.880 gates and everything else. Like where does that line exist between them wanting 880 00:54:30.920 --> 00:54:34.280 to be built just for TV versus actually wanting to build these fan bases there 881 00:54:34.320 --> 00:54:37.960 and sell what's your wreath on that? I think that's the full Like a 882 00:54:37.960 --> 00:54:43.039 lot of people who are supporters of this league want to say that the UFL 883 00:54:43.119 --> 00:54:45.599 only cares about being a TV product, And I think the reason why the 884 00:54:45.639 --> 00:54:50.639 merger happened is because the USFL side, the Fox side, wanted to see 885 00:54:50.679 --> 00:54:54.320 people butts and seats. They wanted to see attendance improved. So they don't 886 00:54:54.360 --> 00:54:59.079 want to just be a TV of course that's important for Disney. For Fox, 887 00:54:59.360 --> 00:55:00.800 they like the fact that they own a league. They don't have to 888 00:55:00.800 --> 00:55:06.679 pay a rights fee, and they've got this like relatively and pro football is 889 00:55:06.719 --> 00:55:10.880 not cheap but relatively affordable programming, you know, so, and they don't 890 00:55:10.920 --> 00:55:15.239 have to pay a rights fee for it. So they want they want to 891 00:55:15.440 --> 00:55:19.719 they want to be more successful than they are. So I think this, 892 00:55:20.599 --> 00:55:22.000 like I've said a million times, like on your show and everywhere else I've 893 00:55:22.039 --> 00:55:28.920 ever been. This merger bought them more time and they've they have a respectable 894 00:55:28.960 --> 00:55:31.320 floor. They've done a good job with TV viewership. But I think that 895 00:55:31.840 --> 00:55:36.360 they see it, they think, and they would want to do much better 896 00:55:36.400 --> 00:55:38.400 than they have. So I think they you know, it's can they rope 897 00:55:38.440 --> 00:55:42.760 in more sponsors more than just Army. That was great. Army gave them 898 00:55:42.760 --> 00:55:45.800 ten million bucks. It was important Dwayne Johnson and everybody to go lobby basically 899 00:55:46.280 --> 00:55:51.119 to get that deal. And they had the whole showing in Congress and all. 900 00:55:51.360 --> 00:55:52.679 Yeah, yeah, so that was to do with well, no, 901 00:55:52.800 --> 00:56:00.239 it's like yes, it was very president yeah, and you know they and 902 00:56:00.280 --> 00:56:02.239 it helped having the rock for that right as salesman, you know that a 903 00:56:02.239 --> 00:56:07.559 lot of those people they were happy to you know, share rubbed shoulders with 904 00:56:07.280 --> 00:56:10.239 the with a movie star, athlete, et cetera. So they need to 905 00:56:10.320 --> 00:56:14.880 rope in more sponsors and then that helps with ratings. The Championship Game rating 906 00:56:14.920 --> 00:56:16.880 didn't hurt. You know, you can point to their year over year growth 907 00:56:19.400 --> 00:56:23.039 Fox and Disney. You know, they're they're they're happy with the product. 908 00:56:23.079 --> 00:56:27.000 They think they see the potential of it right now, whether or not they 909 00:56:27.000 --> 00:56:29.480 can get to the where they can create a new ceiling, where they can 910 00:56:29.519 --> 00:56:32.840 actually where this can become a hot property in the sports world. I think 911 00:56:32.840 --> 00:56:36.920 a lot of that's going to take them attracting more casual fans. They haven't 912 00:56:37.159 --> 00:56:39.920 really accomplished that yet. There's still a lot of people that are unaware of 913 00:56:39.960 --> 00:56:45.199 the product. They don't know it exists, or there are many who know 914 00:56:45.280 --> 00:56:47.320 that it's in the periphery, but they don't care about it to even watch. 915 00:56:47.559 --> 00:56:50.480 It's not on the radar. They don't care. They're more interested in 916 00:56:50.639 --> 00:56:54.519 NHL, NBA established leagues. Why would I want to watch that? So 917 00:56:54.559 --> 00:56:58.119 that's kind of story. So how do you convince some of those people to 918 00:56:58.159 --> 00:57:01.719 watch your league? And so that's the potential of these leagues. I think 919 00:57:01.760 --> 00:57:05.639 spring pro. I know a lot of people that in the community that you 920 00:57:05.679 --> 00:57:07.360 know right about the NFL that don't watch this league, and I would love 921 00:57:07.400 --> 00:57:10.599 I try my best to do the sales pitch, like you really should watch. 922 00:57:10.639 --> 00:57:14.039 The games are fun, the league is great, there's so many cool 923 00:57:14.039 --> 00:57:15.480 players. My goodness, this, that and the other. I'm like, 924 00:57:16.000 --> 00:57:20.559 if all I can only imagine, like me as an NFL fan, if 925 00:57:21.079 --> 00:57:23.480 I could watch a Jets game where Robert Salah was Mike the whole game talking 926 00:57:23.480 --> 00:57:28.679 to players. Good Lord, Like if NFL, I don't think they'll ever 927 00:57:28.920 --> 00:57:32.039 maybe the luncher who knows the NFL ever entered the type of access that you 928 00:57:32.159 --> 00:57:36.559 have during UFL games because these players, like for the casual fan, the 929 00:57:36.559 --> 00:57:38.960 players don't. The casual fan doesn't really know these players. But if you're 930 00:57:38.960 --> 00:57:44.239 watching an NFL game, you know, a sudden yeah, and Jayden Daniels 931 00:57:44.239 --> 00:57:46.400 on the sideline and him and Terry McLaurin are going at it, you know 932 00:57:46.519 --> 00:57:51.760 whatever, or or Dan quinns yelling at his defensive players and I mean you're 933 00:57:51.760 --> 00:57:55.239 seeing all that, yeah, right, or or or he's fired up, 934 00:57:55.280 --> 00:58:00.960 he's happy. So but you know, these all my I and even imagine 935 00:58:00.039 --> 00:58:05.519 how people would be blown away if you just took one NFL game and did 936 00:58:05.559 --> 00:58:08.199 what the UFL does, just one. And I don't like people. I 937 00:58:08.199 --> 00:58:12.039 think we're kind of spoiled people in the UFL space. So like it's like 938 00:58:12.480 --> 00:58:14.840 we're used to it by now, we've seen it for so long, but 939 00:58:14.880 --> 00:58:17.719 it's like such a cool feature that so anyway, it's how do you get 940 00:58:17.840 --> 00:58:22.639 and then you know, how do you brand these players? Because a lot 941 00:58:22.639 --> 00:58:24.400 of people, it's unfortunate a lot of people. There's still a lot of 942 00:58:24.440 --> 00:58:28.679 ignorant fools out there. I think these players are some kind of weird semi 943 00:58:28.719 --> 00:58:31.000 pro guys hang out at the bar, you know. You know, so 944 00:58:31.119 --> 00:58:35.559 it's not all these all Americans in college and SEC guys in former NFL draft 945 00:58:35.559 --> 00:58:37.320 picks. Over ninety percent of the players in the league have professional experience, 946 00:58:37.880 --> 00:58:42.400 you know. All that got young players too, They've been in NFL camps. 947 00:58:42.400 --> 00:58:44.880 They just haven't had an opportunity to break through and get playing time. 948 00:58:45.199 --> 00:58:50.119 So they're getting that chance now. So how do you attract without because the 949 00:58:50.159 --> 00:58:53.159 problem with the minor league in the G league thing is sure everybody says, 950 00:58:53.159 --> 00:58:57.639 oh, the NFL needs a G league, but people ignore minor leagues. 951 00:58:58.039 --> 00:59:01.440 If people think, I'm sorry, if people think the game the outcomes of 952 00:59:01.480 --> 00:59:06.440 the games don't matter. That's where that's that fine line the UFL has, 953 00:59:06.519 --> 00:59:08.599 you know. It's like it's it wants to be a great partner in the 954 00:59:08.639 --> 00:59:14.039 space, and it likes to promote the fact that their players are going to 955 00:59:14.079 --> 00:59:16.599 the NFL and that they're trying to get to the NFL. But you can't 956 00:59:16.639 --> 00:59:22.920 have what NFL Europe had. Their biggest weakness was that NFL teams sent bottom 957 00:59:22.079 --> 00:59:27.079 end guys off the roster there and they were mandated to play a certain amount 958 00:59:27.079 --> 00:59:30.599 of reps, so the actual outcomes of the games did not matter. So 959 00:59:30.000 --> 00:59:35.199 who cares if the Barcelona Dragons beat the run Ryan Fire or whatever. So 960 00:59:35.440 --> 00:59:37.159 you don't ever want to get to that point. You like what you have 961 00:59:37.320 --> 00:59:40.159 now, where the Stallions are angry and they want to prove to the world 962 00:59:40.480 --> 00:59:44.679 the Brahmas or can't wait to knock off Saint Louis and Saint Louis. You 963 00:59:44.840 --> 00:59:46.599 like the fact that the games matter except for like for Chase Garberge, I 964 00:59:46.599 --> 00:59:49.840 don't know what he was thinking. Maybe it didn't matter as much for him. 965 00:59:50.519 --> 00:59:52.079 But I'm sure we're gonna hear about that. But I'm sorry, I 966 00:59:52.159 --> 00:59:54.960 can't watch. That's agreed. That's sinful to me, Like I get more 967 00:59:55.000 --> 00:59:58.199 mad. I get more mad about that stuff than like, you know, 968 00:59:58.280 --> 01:00:00.000 the guy messed up a little bit off the field then did something whatever. 969 01:00:00.559 --> 01:00:02.840 I get more mad about that. That's like a sin against the sport. 970 01:00:02.920 --> 01:00:06.800 But anyhow, it is what it is. But I think until you can 971 01:00:06.840 --> 01:00:09.920 attract the cat somehow find a way to attract the casual fan, to sample 972 01:00:09.960 --> 01:00:15.199 your league and not think of it as just like these like meaningful. It's 973 01:00:15.440 --> 01:00:20.280 a meaningless people think it's meaningless, So you really want to get away from 974 01:00:20.320 --> 01:00:22.039 that and people like enjoy it for what it is because it's a it's a 975 01:00:22.159 --> 01:00:27.199 quality football product. It's fun to watch. Once you get into a pick 976 01:00:27.239 --> 01:00:30.119 a team, get into it, you can really get into these leagues. 977 01:00:30.159 --> 01:00:32.840 So hopefully it comes to day where it's going to take time before you build 978 01:00:32.880 --> 01:00:37.280 up trust. And that's what Moose and and these guys are talking about building 979 01:00:37.360 --> 01:00:43.199 up trust in these markets. Last couple hearable round out. I appreciated extended 980 01:00:43.239 --> 01:00:45.719 here. As always, we asked this on the stream, you know, 981 01:00:45.719 --> 01:00:49.280 if anyone missed the UFL pre game, you know stream and all that, 982 01:00:49.360 --> 01:00:52.119 but the end game for the UFL here, what is the ultimate end game? 983 01:00:52.159 --> 01:00:53.880 And I know you were just talking, and that's what kind of brought 984 01:00:53.920 --> 01:00:57.960 it back to my mind. If they wanted to be the minor league, 985 01:00:58.039 --> 01:01:00.880 wanted to be like what, I don't know, I mean, what is 986 01:01:00.920 --> 01:01:05.159 the kind of the future here, because you want to market the players getting 987 01:01:05.159 --> 01:01:07.880 into the NFL, But you want to market it's an alternative, and you 988 01:01:07.920 --> 01:01:09.639 want to focus on the sports betting, Like I don't know, like what 989 01:01:10.079 --> 01:01:13.840 in your opinion, what is kind of the end game for the UFL here 990 01:01:13.840 --> 01:01:16.199 as we sit going into season too. I think they want to be a 991 01:01:16.280 --> 01:01:22.239 viable pro sports league that last, that has the same kind of sponsorship and 992 01:01:22.840 --> 01:01:25.639 tension give it to them that other leagues, similar leagues have, you know, 993 01:01:25.760 --> 01:01:30.719 like they want to fill that craving that football fans have when the NFL 994 01:01:30.800 --> 01:01:34.159 is not around, when college football is not around. They want to be 995 01:01:34.199 --> 01:01:37.159 a viable league like the MLS. They want to be around forever. They 996 01:01:37.159 --> 01:01:39.840 want they want the league to I understand. So business wise, we'll see 997 01:01:39.840 --> 01:01:43.360 as far as sponsors, investors, you got to make money, You got 998 01:01:43.360 --> 01:01:45.960 to create revenue streams. The arrow's got to be pointed upward at some point. 999 01:01:46.039 --> 01:01:49.840 You got to see more growth. But they actually want to be a 1000 01:01:49.920 --> 01:01:52.960 viable like a spring there is no other football going on during the spring, 1001 01:01:53.039 --> 01:01:54.800 you know what I mean. I know there's indoor leagues and all that. 1002 01:01:54.920 --> 01:02:00.360 I understand that, and you have other leagues that are popping up. League 1003 01:02:00.360 --> 01:02:01.719 of Footballs doing a very good job. So I'd be careful when I say 1004 01:02:01.719 --> 01:02:06.880 that, but I mean, like there isn't an NFL like property when the 1005 01:02:07.000 --> 01:02:10.360 NFL is away, So they they want to actually be like a legitimate like 1006 01:02:10.480 --> 01:02:14.599 what MLS is. They want to be like a legitimate league that has a 1007 01:02:14.679 --> 01:02:19.400 strong base that follows them. Even if the UFL sometimes does better ratings than 1008 01:02:19.400 --> 01:02:22.679 other established leagues, those leagues already have built in sponsorships, built in fan 1009 01:02:22.760 --> 01:02:28.119 base. All that the UFL has a hard as a hard time like you 1010 01:02:28.159 --> 01:02:32.480 know, as any most like uh upstart leagues would have, is like making 1011 01:02:32.519 --> 01:02:37.639 inroads in that in that vein. But that's their end game. I don't 1012 01:02:37.679 --> 01:02:39.280 know. And I got a little bit of trouble after I got off the 1013 01:02:39.320 --> 01:02:44.440 air with our pregame shows because I question whether or not Redbird is in this 1014 01:02:44.519 --> 01:02:47.639 for a long haul. I had follow up. Yeah, I had somebody 1015 01:02:47.679 --> 01:02:50.960 red Bird come out to me and say, Mike, we're we're completely in 1016 01:02:51.079 --> 01:02:52.159 on this, and I'm like, I don't know, you know. So 1017 01:02:52.519 --> 01:02:57.480 it's like a little tough. I'm unsure of it because you could you say 1018 01:02:57.519 --> 01:03:00.719 all the right things right, but and they don't have to be front and 1019 01:03:00.760 --> 01:03:02.960 center with everything they do. Jerry Cartnell and all that they operate behind the 1020 01:03:02.960 --> 01:03:06.639 scenes. They have brilliant people who work for Redbird Capitol. I know, 1021 01:03:07.159 --> 01:03:13.559 but I sometimes with the history of investment firms and all that, they don't 1022 01:03:13.559 --> 01:03:17.039 have a tendency for long term. A lot of times what they do is 1023 01:03:17.079 --> 01:03:21.079 they get in and they get out, and then they move on to the 1024 01:03:21.119 --> 01:03:25.280 next thing and then maximize the investment and then make their move whether or not 1025 01:03:25.320 --> 01:03:30.000 they see the potential for a max Everybody who's ever tried to start a spring 1026 01:03:30.039 --> 01:03:34.159 pro football league has seen, Oh my god, what if we were like 1027 01:03:34.239 --> 01:03:37.800 the NFL. Oh my god, if we had owners and franchise, the 1028 01:03:37.920 --> 01:03:40.159 kind of sponsors we could have, Budweiser, McDonald's, all these Because they 1029 01:03:40.159 --> 01:03:45.000 don't have anywhere to there's no NFL going on. NFL can't be year round, 1030 01:03:45.039 --> 01:03:46.519 no matter how much they try. The NFL can't be. They're gonna 1031 01:03:46.519 --> 01:03:49.840 stretch it as much as they can, but the NFL can't be three hundred 1032 01:03:49.840 --> 01:03:52.320 sixty five. These players it will die, you know. They if they 1033 01:03:52.440 --> 01:03:57.280 played, they can't play one hundred and sixty two games. They can't be 1034 01:03:57.360 --> 01:04:00.079 done. So the reason why it is only sixteen games or whatever. So 1035 01:04:00.360 --> 01:04:06.440 I think I think Redbird with Rock Danny Garcia with Fox, you know there 1036 01:04:06.840 --> 01:04:10.920 they have high hopes for this, but I wonder if they don't see the 1037 01:04:11.000 --> 01:04:14.079 light at the end of the tunnel, if they don't see a potential higher 1038 01:04:14.119 --> 01:04:16.679 ceiling, whether or not they just gracefully get out of it. Well, 1039 01:04:16.719 --> 01:04:19.760 and that's that's my thing. And just to kind of round out, like, 1040 01:04:20.400 --> 01:04:26.559 you know, all season and we've seen very very support right in the 1041 01:04:26.639 --> 01:04:29.519 Rock putting out some tweets and it was even I think it was here in 1042 01:04:29.559 --> 01:04:31.480 the playoff games and he was like, you know, this is why we 1043 01:04:31.599 --> 01:04:35.639 bought the air the UFL. You know, like there's some of that. 1044 01:04:35.840 --> 01:04:40.519 I know Danny was at the you know, championship game, right, but 1045 01:04:40.920 --> 01:04:43.679 it really struck me as we were at the hotel, and I don't want 1046 01:04:43.679 --> 01:04:46.639 to like, you know, but there was a lot of Fox and UFL 1047 01:04:46.719 --> 01:04:49.559 people there, right, a lot of executives, and it just kind of 1048 01:04:49.599 --> 01:04:55.360 struck me of like, and I understand that Danny's got a lot of projects 1049 01:04:55.320 --> 01:04:58.079 and a lot of things going on, and the Rock wasn't there and all 1050 01:04:58.159 --> 01:05:00.719 that, but like it felt like Danny was in and out right where a 1051 01:05:00.719 --> 01:05:03.920 lot of those guy, you know, men, women, everybody was there 1052 01:05:04.199 --> 01:05:09.119 celebrating, Hey, we completed this and we made it through this and congrats 1053 01:05:09.159 --> 01:05:11.880 on the season. And it was just interesting to me of like, well, 1054 01:05:11.920 --> 01:05:15.039 here's a whole piece of the pie that's just in and out and I 1055 01:05:15.159 --> 01:05:18.599 understand and there's other can people have other things going, you know, but 1056 01:05:18.679 --> 01:05:23.159 like you would just think for even an hour that you would be there and 1057 01:05:23.199 --> 01:05:26.320 celebrate kind of this thing. And I'm not saying that they don't feel tremendously 1058 01:05:26.360 --> 01:05:29.239 proud or that they did celebrate in their own way, just it just struck 1059 01:05:29.280 --> 01:05:31.760 me as interesting, like here's all you know, here's eighty percent of the 1060 01:05:31.800 --> 01:05:35.679 executive branch here of the government, and then you have the presidents out already, 1061 01:05:35.760 --> 01:05:39.559 Like it just felt it was just a little interesting kind of vibe to 1062 01:05:39.679 --> 01:05:43.440 keep an eye on. Yeah, Dwayne's very busy. Danny Garcia really loves 1063 01:05:43.480 --> 01:05:46.159 this concept, like she really she's really like I know, we she took 1064 01:05:46.199 --> 01:05:50.480 a lower profile this year. We saw her all against with Danny Garcia is 1065 01:05:50.519 --> 01:05:55.199 really happy, like you know, she's she really believes in this concept. 1066 01:05:55.280 --> 01:06:00.119 She really wants this to work. She's she's this is her baby because this 1067 01:06:00.159 --> 01:06:08.239 whole thing, the XFL doesn't come out of death bankruptcy if it wasn't for 1068 01:06:08.280 --> 01:06:12.960 her spurring on Dwayne to come aboard and then Redbird being lord by the fact 1069 01:06:12.960 --> 01:06:15.519 that the whole Dwayne Johnson kind of thing, Yeah, let's do this. 1070 01:06:15.960 --> 01:06:20.960 So Danny's the reason why the XFL really came out of bankruptcy. It was 1071 01:06:20.960 --> 01:06:27.920 funny because Fox was luring near the property too, and Fox's Fox's commitment towards 1072 01:06:27.960 --> 01:06:31.760 this not bad when you think about it, right, because I know people 1073 01:06:32.280 --> 01:06:35.159 have a hard time with it, especially now I'm saying this after I you 1074 01:06:35.199 --> 01:06:39.559 know, I wrote about Eric Shanks and the whole deal with the Fridays and 1075 01:06:41.000 --> 01:06:43.159 UFO games going to Friday, so they have a hard time believing in this. 1076 01:06:43.199 --> 01:06:45.559 But I will say this for Fox, they were obviously in on the 1077 01:06:45.679 --> 01:06:48.320 XFL in twenty twenty, did a good job with it there. We know 1078 01:06:48.360 --> 01:06:51.159 what happened there. But then they did this, they actually aired Spring League 1079 01:06:51.159 --> 01:06:56.400 games on Fox right in twenty twenty one, followed the whole season, wrote 1080 01:06:56.400 --> 01:06:59.119 about it all that, even the ratings, it was funny comparing that to 1081 01:06:59.159 --> 01:07:01.639 this, and then of course, and then so twenty twenty, twenty twenty 1082 01:07:01.639 --> 01:07:04.480 one, twenty twenty two, twenty twenty three, twenty twenty four. Fox 1083 01:07:04.480 --> 01:07:08.039 has been a part of like Fox has been in it. I'm not saying 1084 01:07:08.039 --> 01:07:12.039 they're gonna be in it forever, but maybe, but they're really into it. 1085 01:07:12.119 --> 01:07:15.679 So I don't know about Redbird. I don't know. So I mean, 1086 01:07:15.199 --> 01:07:17.760 you got to prove it to me, because I've always been skeptical, 1087 01:07:19.079 --> 01:07:25.119 not of their track record or the success they've had. I'd be stupid, 1088 01:07:25.159 --> 01:07:30.480 be foolish to criticize any of that. They you know, Yankees, Liverpool, 1089 01:07:30.480 --> 01:07:31.840 all this stuff. They dire, great working Lebron James. I know, 1090 01:07:31.920 --> 01:07:34.400 I know, billions of dollars, right, I get it, But 1091 01:07:34.559 --> 01:07:40.280 I just wonder, like, how invested are they in this being a forever 1092 01:07:40.440 --> 01:07:45.199 property? How invested are they in uh like putting in the effort and the 1093 01:07:45.280 --> 01:07:49.320 money and making this like, uh, you weren't going to get to where 1094 01:07:49.320 --> 01:07:55.480 you're not going to get to where you want to get to without putting investing, 1095 01:07:55.960 --> 01:07:59.719 and they're and putting more money into it. And then the reason why 1096 01:07:59.760 --> 01:08:02.079 we've in this far with all this with Fox in a way in a sense 1097 01:08:02.159 --> 01:08:05.920 is because they haven't gone crazy with spending, which is good, but at 1098 01:08:05.960 --> 01:08:09.519 some point you need to be a little bit more strategic, and you need 1099 01:08:09.559 --> 01:08:12.519 to swing for the fences, and they don't want to strike out, which 1100 01:08:12.599 --> 01:08:15.199 is a good thing, right, You don't want to strike out and go 1101 01:08:15.319 --> 01:08:18.439 under and go in the red. But I also think like at some point 1102 01:08:18.520 --> 01:08:21.119 they're gonna look at the property and they're gonna say, Okay, what are 1103 01:08:21.119 --> 01:08:25.600 we are we ever going to be any more than what we are? And 1104 01:08:25.720 --> 01:08:28.720 so and I think they can be more than what they are. They just 1105 01:08:28.760 --> 01:08:30.760 have to put in the money. My opinion is they need to strategy. 1106 01:08:30.800 --> 01:08:36.479 They need to sit down and strategically allocate their resources in specific areas to grow 1107 01:08:36.560 --> 01:08:42.920 their product and to grow the visibility of their product. That's the biggest hurdle 1108 01:08:42.960 --> 01:08:45.720 they have. It's not the product itself, it's actual visibility. There are 1109 01:08:45.840 --> 01:08:49.560 people that were like on social media going, oh my god, there's a 1110 01:08:49.640 --> 01:08:54.199 UFO championship game going on. You know, they're like, what then their 1111 01:08:54.239 --> 01:08:56.439 season just start? How as long is their season? Is it? Three 1112 01:08:56.479 --> 01:09:00.840 weeks? So, I mean there's those kind of responses towards it. So 1113 01:09:00.079 --> 01:09:04.359 attention is a big getting there. They're Q rating is not very high, 1114 01:09:04.399 --> 01:09:08.640 Like you know, like amongst us, we think about it, talk about 1115 01:09:08.640 --> 01:09:11.199 it, all the time. Lord knows how much you've done for these leagues, 1116 01:09:11.439 --> 01:09:14.399 interviewing everybody CFO all this stuff the last four or five years. So 1117 01:09:15.039 --> 01:09:17.239 there's a lot of lot of people out there, the mainstream, people outside 1118 01:09:17.239 --> 01:09:19.880 of our bubble, that don't pay no mind to this league. And then 1119 01:09:19.920 --> 01:09:24.000 until you get to that point, not gonna be able to reel in all 1120 01:09:24.039 --> 01:09:27.560 of them. So you get to the point where you get more people to 1121 01:09:27.800 --> 01:09:30.600 sample and more of the mainstream crowd to watch your games and pay attention to 1122 01:09:30.720 --> 01:09:33.840 games and write about your games. So I shout out to anybody who covered 1123 01:09:33.880 --> 01:09:38.359 it, like Pro Football Talk, all these guys that are out that actually 1124 01:09:38.439 --> 01:09:40.960 tried at least a little bit. You know, it's better than nothing, 1125 01:09:41.039 --> 01:09:43.640 because a lot of these there's a lot of nothing, trust me, when 1126 01:09:43.640 --> 01:09:46.399 it comes to covering these leagues. So in terms of the mainstream crowd. 1127 01:09:46.479 --> 01:09:53.000 So anyhow, it was funny as I was flying out from Saint Louis on 1128 01:09:53.239 --> 01:09:55.920 Monday, I guess I was getting on my plane and the guy that hosts 1129 01:09:55.920 --> 01:09:59.680 Our Bar Trivia that knows that I do like Alternative foot you know, like 1130 01:09:59.720 --> 01:10:01.159 he's follows the podcast. It's like, oh yeah, ye oh wow, 1131 01:10:01.199 --> 01:10:04.039 you're up in Canada and Europe and whatever. He is from Saint Louis and 1132 01:10:04.039 --> 01:10:06.279 we're getting on the plane. He's like, well, what do you like, 1133 01:10:06.319 --> 01:10:11.399 what are you doing here. I'm like, it's like you're from Saint 1134 01:10:11.439 --> 01:10:13.760 Louis, like you should And he's like, oh yeah, yeah, that 1135 01:10:13.880 --> 01:10:15.760 was going on, like you know you're from, like you live, you 1136 01:10:15.760 --> 01:10:18.039 know, you're you're anyway. I'm just interested, like, yeah, you 1137 01:10:18.119 --> 01:10:23.039 talking about the Q rate and all that, anything anything else before we get 1138 01:10:23.039 --> 01:10:27.840 out of here. I mean, we talked relocation or are are you surprised? 1139 01:10:27.880 --> 01:10:29.960 I mean, I think it's probably for the best year to kind of 1140 01:10:30.039 --> 01:10:31.199 roll it out anything else you want to touch on before we get out of 1141 01:10:31.199 --> 01:10:38.079 here. Once you make that commitment to stay somewhere, then I think you're 1142 01:10:38.119 --> 01:10:43.199 living and dying. You're like living and dying and maybe the eventual hopefully not 1143 01:10:43.319 --> 01:10:45.640 death of the league. But once you're like once you come out there and 1144 01:10:45.680 --> 01:10:48.239 say, you know, we're gonna make Memphis work, We're gonna make Michigan 1145 01:10:48.279 --> 01:10:53.439 work, it's kind of hard to a year later go we're going to North 1146 01:10:53.479 --> 01:10:57.439 Carolina, We're going on Canton, We're going or whatever, unless it's an 1147 01:10:57.439 --> 01:11:01.439 expansion thing, because if you were going to relocate, you'd have to pull 1148 01:11:01.479 --> 01:11:04.520 the plug now and do it. But I think there's a lot of people 1149 01:11:04.600 --> 01:11:10.079 that on the USFL side and things that like, you know, only three 1150 01:11:10.159 --> 01:11:15.279 markets made it from the USFL side, you know, and they really they 1151 01:11:15.079 --> 01:11:19.399 they they're they're holding out hope that Birmingham becomes a smash it and they they're 1152 01:11:19.520 --> 01:11:24.680 confident about Memphis and Michigan. You know, they really want to see it 1153 01:11:24.720 --> 01:11:27.720 work. It's like if you draft some quarterback in the first round and you've 1154 01:11:27.760 --> 01:11:30.119 had some struggles in the first two years and you don't want to give up 1155 01:11:30.119 --> 01:11:31.960 on Sam Darnold yet or whomever. You know, you want to give it 1156 01:11:31.960 --> 01:11:36.039 a shit. You think that you see the potential there. So I think 1157 01:11:36.079 --> 01:11:41.279 if they fail in Memphis and Michigan, it's going to be tougher. Like 1158 01:11:41.319 --> 01:11:44.640 a year from now, see will know that this league has made it. 1159 01:11:44.680 --> 01:11:48.199 If they can get to the point where they can actually expand legitimately without haphazardly 1160 01:11:48.279 --> 01:11:53.039 relocating teams, it will know things are looking pretty good. Because that's going 1161 01:11:53.119 --> 01:11:56.960 to send a message to to the public. Oh wow, they're going to 1162 01:11:57.000 --> 01:12:00.560 ten teams. Oh wow, they're going to twelve teams. They're not gonna 1163 01:12:00.600 --> 01:12:02.880 do that just for show. They're gonna do that because hey, we got 1164 01:12:02.920 --> 01:12:06.399 the funding. This is we're gonna make more money if we do this. 1165 01:12:08.039 --> 01:12:11.000 You know, they're not gonna just do that because a lot of other leagues 1166 01:12:11.039 --> 01:12:14.600 expanded like crazy. We've seen what's happening in Crazy Arena League. Let's let's 1167 01:12:14.600 --> 01:12:16.479 come back with like one hundred teams and then everybody's folding in week two, 1168 01:12:16.520 --> 01:12:20.640 week three. You know, a bunch of craziness. So a lot of 1169 01:12:20.720 --> 01:12:26.720 leagues make that mistake of expanding just for show and not being really ready to 1170 01:12:26.760 --> 01:12:29.640 go. So they want to be ready to go. So I think this 1171 01:12:29.680 --> 01:12:32.159 is gonna be a fascinating I think the football is gonna be good, the 1172 01:12:32.159 --> 01:12:34.479 product in the field's gonna be good. It's gonna be interesting to see how 1173 01:12:34.520 --> 01:12:38.239 they schedule things. If you're doing the Friday night deal, I would do 1174 01:12:38.520 --> 01:12:42.239 Defenders games on Friday nights since you seem to draw a younger crowd there anyway, 1175 01:12:42.279 --> 01:12:45.479 everybody going out Friday night and have a bunch of beggers, So so 1176 01:12:45.600 --> 01:12:50.159 maybe you can kind of lean into that aspect and then maybe more of the 1177 01:12:50.199 --> 01:12:55.520 family kind of atmosphere for the weekends. But yeah, they're they're gonna I'm 1178 01:12:55.560 --> 01:12:59.159 gonna judge what they do like we always do. Read you're a tough critic 1179 01:12:59.640 --> 01:13:02.199 and sometimes you rub people the wrong way because of that, and I don't 1180 01:13:02.199 --> 01:13:05.399 always agree with you. It's stuff, But we care about this, and 1181 01:13:05.439 --> 01:13:10.520 you've cared about this for a long time. So we'll see. We'll see 1182 01:13:10.520 --> 01:13:14.039 how this journey goes into twenty twenty five. I'm looking forward to it. 1183 01:13:14.319 --> 01:13:17.319 I think they should launch after the super Bowl. That would be my play. 1184 01:13:17.760 --> 01:13:21.880 And that's little TVD right, We're still lit TVD and I'm digging on 1185 01:13:21.920 --> 01:13:25.840 that, and I've been asking, I've been annoying people about that. We 1186 01:13:25.880 --> 01:13:29.479 don't know yet, we're still thinking about it. I think they I think 1187 01:13:29.520 --> 01:13:33.079 it's we're definitely gonna have a different timeline next year than the March. The 1188 01:13:33.119 --> 01:13:39.279 March they only started in late March because of the lateness of the merger being 1189 01:13:39.319 --> 01:13:44.760 accepted and launch point all that. Last thing for me, do you think 1190 01:13:44.920 --> 01:13:48.520 enough juice going into this season where going into next year without having expansion talk, 1191 01:13:48.560 --> 01:13:53.239 do you think that there's enough there if they just double down? I 1192 01:13:53.279 --> 01:13:56.000 think so. But like again, like I said, I think they just 1193 01:13:56.159 --> 01:13:59.880 I think they're gonna need to up their promotion in marketing to get I think 1194 01:14:00.199 --> 01:14:02.000 got us, you know what I mean. I think we'll come back and 1195 01:14:02.039 --> 01:14:04.720 we'll be interested in it there. Maybe there'll be some cool moves and all 1196 01:14:04.760 --> 01:14:09.800 that, but I think you do need some added hook. So it's unfortunate 1197 01:14:09.920 --> 01:14:14.239 expansions not on the table. I think the football product would be good. 1198 01:14:14.560 --> 01:14:19.560 It's I just think that I think it's more outside the bubble where their work 1199 01:14:19.680 --> 01:14:23.479 is. The people that are ignoring them. How do you get them to 1200 01:14:23.479 --> 01:14:27.439 pay attention so that I think that's the deal with it. We'll see. 1201 01:14:27.479 --> 01:14:31.359 I think it's a crucial year for them at the Gate and in terms of 1202 01:14:31.600 --> 01:14:39.359 marketing and promotion and drawing in more fans on TV and at the Gates. 1203 01:14:40.319 --> 01:14:44.039 Well, Mike, I appreciate it extended here, Mike, all season here 1204 01:14:44.039 --> 01:14:46.720 with Sports Illustrated now transitioning and we got the CFL stuff going on, and 1205 01:14:46.800 --> 01:14:49.800 Anthony Miller and everyone else. They're taking the time. He came on the 1206 01:14:49.800 --> 01:14:53.600 show for the pregame and writing and all the work he does, and you 1207 01:14:53.640 --> 01:14:58.319 appreciate that. We'll see, I guess said, I I would give it 1208 01:14:58.399 --> 01:15:01.079 I would give their the league probably you know, a B plus, right, 1209 01:15:01.119 --> 01:15:03.359 I don't know what would be your final grade for the season. I 1210 01:15:03.359 --> 01:15:08.439 think there should be a lot of optimism. I just still hope the words 1211 01:15:08.479 --> 01:15:11.039 now going back into these markets that you you know, go along with that. 1212 01:15:11.039 --> 01:15:13.159 I guess what would be your final rating for the league for this? 1213 01:15:13.399 --> 01:15:16.399 Yeah, grade them on a curve, and then there's different grades for different 1214 01:15:16.439 --> 01:15:19.600 areas. But I think B plus is fair, maybe a minus, you 1215 01:15:19.600 --> 01:15:23.720 know, I'm like, like before the season started, there was a modest 1216 01:15:23.760 --> 01:15:27.479 expectations for them at tenant twice because of the timeline they had. They we 1217 01:15:27.560 --> 01:15:30.479 knew their ratings were going to go up. So and they did more games. 1218 01:15:30.520 --> 01:15:33.439 You have on broadcast network television, the more eyeballs you get. It's 1219 01:15:33.479 --> 01:15:38.760 as simple as that. And then so it's if you're on FX or ESPN 1220 01:15:38.760 --> 01:15:41.399 two, you're not going to draw a million viewers. I'm sorry, it 1221 01:15:41.520 --> 01:15:45.880 have to be a really special event. So so anyhow, so I would 1222 01:15:45.960 --> 01:15:48.640 yeah, I think B plus is fair. Sure, Well, here we 1223 01:15:48.720 --> 01:15:51.680 go, like I said, like and subscribe, I'll play the outr here, 1224 01:15:51.720 --> 01:15:56.159 we'll get it here, full mic episode. I appreciate it. We'll 1225 01:15:56.159 --> 01:15:58.960 see like I say that Jason, I'll be back. We'll figure out I 1226 01:15:59.000 --> 01:16:00.760 think Monday for to see if i'll recap, and then we'll figure out that 1227 01:16:00.840 --> 01:16:03.319 what we got going on here coming up in the future. We'll see you 1228 01:16:03.319 --> 01:16:11.479 guys next h m hm