End of season movements. FA, trades, bullshit etc.

[whufc]

US sport seems to be going pretty well though right?

would have thought looking at worlds best practice is what you should be doing when looking to implement changes.

Worlds best is very arguable??

Especially when u take into the account the amount of franchises that have been moving cities, re naming etc etc Seasons been cut short by player strikes etc,

Throw in the fact a comp like the nba allows teams to break the salary cap provided they pay a fine etc etc

[bennymacca]

if you use average crowds and revenue generated by the game, then NFL is on top of both of them. NFL, MLB, NBA occupy the top 3 spots in terms of revenue generated, with the first two more than double that of the 4th placed EPL.

in terms of average attendance, NFL is way out in front, with Bundesliga, EPL and AFL just ahead of MLB.

Not sure what you are trying to get at really. (EPL is worlds best practice too imo if thats what the bee in your bonnet is about)

[bennymacca]

off topic, but the Big Bash League is now the 10th highest sporting league in the world in terms of average attendances. Who would have thought!

[whufc]

if you use average crowds and revenue generated by the game, then NFL is on top of both of them. NFL, MLB, NBA occupy the top 3 spots in terms of revenue generated, with the first two more than double that of the 4th placed EPL.

in terms of average attendance, NFL is way out in front, with Bundesliga, EPL and AFL just ahead of MLB.

Not sure what you are trying to get at really. (EPL is worlds best practice too imo if thats what the bee in your bonnet is about)

Nope definatly don't think the EPL is the worlds best comp, I think when it comes to football it would be widely accepted that the championship is a far better comp than the epl

Pointless using average crowds as a basis for what comp is better

1 country has it comps purely designed to maximise crowds and tv ratings at the expense of eveness of fixture, history of clubs, credibility of comp

While in the other the fixture are designed purely around the fairest fixtures for a comp

IMHO the Americans run the best comps solely from a business point of view but really lack any form of credibility while around the world there are a lot of sports that run much better leagues that cater for the credibility of their sport

[whufc]

off topic, but the Big Bash League is now the 10th highest sporting league in the world in terms of average attendances. Who would have thought!

Once again means nothing and irrelevant stat

If the EPL had blockbuster games, didn't allow small towns like Burnley and Bournmouth in it those stats would be completely changed

[bennymacca]

Do you have any examples? Because I'm not sure you could point to any of the professional football leagues as being fairer than the NBA for instance.

[bennymacca]

off topic, but the Big Bash League is now the 10th highest sporting league in the world in terms of average attendances. Who would have thought!

Once again means nothing and irrelevant stat

If the EPL had blockbuster games, didn't allow small towns like Burnley and Bournmouth in it those stats would be completely changed

Of course it means something. Shows that people want to watch it.

Not saying it is the only comparison you can make though.

And regarding the EPL I agree, not sure what your point is though.

[whufc]

Do you have any examples? Because I'm not sure you could point to any of the professional football leagues as being fairer than the NBA for instance.

Umm the NBA has one of the most uneven fixtures in any sport anywhere in the world, the heat and cavaliers were given an extra meeting with each other this year coz of the Lebron factor

The whole conference system means that certain teams make the playoffs purely because there division is ordinary yet can be the 15th-16th best side in the comp

They have a salary cap yet are able to break it by simply paying a fine

The NBA itself like the AFL has actually helped clubs fund the wages for certain players which suits it's agenda

[HH3]

In terms of the relocation thing -

The last two franchises to relocate in the NFL were the Browns (moved to Baltimore to become the Ravens) and the Houston Oiler (moved to Tennessee to become the Titans).

The reasons they moved weren't anything to do with attendances, or lack of revenue coming in. They were both due to owner preference.

Free agency in the NFL works very well. Teams can't sign a player on another teams list until after the season. There is also a period after the Super Bowl where teams will bid on out of contract players, much the same as how the AFL's free agency works.

Free Agents that are not on any list during the season can be signed by any team to fill a need, say if someones placed on the Injured Reserve list (out for the season).

Trading takes place up til the end of Week 6 of the regular season, which also works well. Very rarely are any of the better players traded during the season, its more of a reshuffling of the lower leverl players. 2nd and 3rd string players.

There are no compensation picks in the NFL, but teams can trade their own picks years in advance, within the trade window.

I think it all works well, and without the compensation picks, doesn't generate any confusion.

[bennymacca]

Ok then WHUFC so if we are looking at other leagues around the world to find ones that we should look up to where are they?

Of course you can pick holes in every comp, I doubt there is such a thing as a completely fair and even comp, but you can't deny that those organisations are on the whole well run and worth trying to emulate. That doesn't mean copying the bad things though

[whufc]

Rembering the NBA being the comp that fined a side because they rested a few players after a tough fixture congestion because the game they rested the players in was nationally broadcast

[bennymacca]

In terms of the relocation thing -

The last two franchises to relocate in the NFL were the Browns (moved to Baltimore to become the Ravens) and the Houston Oiler (moved to Tennessee to become the Titans).

The reasons they moved weren't anything to do with attendances, or lack of revenue coming in. They were both due to owner preference.

Free agency in the NFL works very well. Teams can't sign a player on another teams list until after the season. There is also a period after the Super Bowl where teams will bid on out of contract players, much the same as how the AFL's free agency works.

Free Agents that are not on any list during the season can be signed by any team to fill a need, say if someones placed on the Injured Reserve list (out for the season).

Trading takes place up til the end of Week 6 of the regular season, which also works well. Very rarely are any of the better players traded during the season, its more of a reshuffling of the lower leverl players. 2nd and 3rd string players.

There are no compensation picks in the NFL, but teams can trade their own picks years in advance, within the trade window.

I think it all works well, and without the compensation picks, doesn't generate any confusion.

Seems decent to me. Reckon that's where the afl look most in terms of getting ideas, probably because it's the most similar to us in terms of comp structure.

[Jim05]

if you use average crowds and revenue generated by the game, then NFL is on top of both of them. NFL, MLB, NBA occupy the top 3 spots in terms of revenue generated, with the first two more than double that of the 4th placed EPL.

in terms of average attendance, NFL is way out in front, with Bundesliga, EPL and AFL just ahead of MLB.

Not sure what you are trying to get at really. (EPL is worlds best practice too imo if thats what the bee in your bonnet is about)

If you go by those figures yes but its far from an even playing field in the US, allowed salary cap breaches, manipulating fixtures, the farcical conference system are just a few things. And then if things dont go so well or the owner feels like a change he just up and moves his franchise across the other side of the country. Would hate to see us go down that path.
As Hammer said the EPL attendences are limited due to the fact you can earn promotion no matter how big of a club you are. Bournemouth has a capacity of 11k and Watford 20k and both will be playing EPL next year

[whufc]

Ok then WHUFC so if we are looking at other leagues around the world to find ones that we should look up to where are they?

Of course you can pick holes in every comp, I doubt there is such a thing as a completely fair and even comp, but you can't deny that those organisations are on the whole well run and worth trying to emulate. That doesn't mean copying the bad things though

I think they should take a leaf out of all different sports around the world and try and take the best parts of them rather than solely look to one country.

The way the NBA brands it's league and clubs is amazing
The way the football world does its fixtures is clearly the most even
Etc etc

[Jim05]

Ok then WHUFC so if we are looking at other leagues around the world to find ones that we should look up to where are they?

Of course you can pick holes in every comp, I doubt there is such a thing as a completely fair and even comp, but you can't deny that those organisations are on the whole well run and worth trying to emulate. That doesn't mean copying the bad things though

Playing every team H & A is a start.
Until this happens you will always have a lopsided comp

[whufc]

Ok then WHUFC so if we are looking at other leagues around the world to find ones that we should look up to where are they?

Of course you can pick holes in every comp, I doubt there is such a thing as a completely fair and even comp, but you can't deny that those organisations are on the whole well run and worth trying to emulate. That doesn't mean copying the bad things though

Playing every team H & A is a start.
Until this happens you will always have a lopsided comp

Yep people will say the best team still wins the comp

That is generally true but who knows especially when the top 4 sides are decided by percentage

It also has a huge impact on clubs finishing 5-10

Look at the Crows this year will most likely make the finals on the back of an easy draw

No one can possibly say that it's not an advantage if club plays St Kilda twice and Hawthorn once etc

[HH3]

In terms of the relocation thing -

The last two franchises to relocate in the NFL were the Browns (moved to Baltimore to become the Ravens) and the Houston Oiler (moved to Tennessee to become the Titans).

The reasons they moved weren't anything to do with attendances, or lack of revenue coming in. They were both due to owner preference.

Free agency in the NFL works very well. Teams can't sign a player on another teams list until after the season. There is also a period after the Super Bowl where teams will bid on out of contract players, much the same as how the AFL's free agency works.

Free Agents that are not on any list during the season can be signed by any team to fill a need, say if someones placed on the Injured Reserve list (out for the season).

Trading takes place up til the end of Week 6 of the regular season, which also works well. Very rarely are any of the better players traded during the season, its more of a reshuffling of the lower leverl players. 2nd and 3rd string players.

There are no compensation picks in the NFL, but teams can trade their own picks years in advance, within the trade window.

I think it all works well, and without the compensation picks, doesn't generate any confusion.

Seems decent to me. Reckon that's where the afl look most in terms of getting ideas, probably because it's the most similar to us in terms of comp structure.

Yeah, the only part I dont think would work in the AFL is the in-season trading. It works in the NFL because there are players on every list that don't get any game time, and don't have a reserves side to play for in the mean time. Some teams might think they could use that player now, so will trade for them.

Having no compensation for losing a FA is also much more simple. The player is not contracted to your team, so why should your team get anything for him. Thats like someone leaving a job, then their future employer paying their past employer compensation. Ludicrous.

[bennymacca]

Ok then WHUFC so if we are looking at other leagues around the world to find ones that we should look up to where are they?

Of course you can pick holes in every comp, I doubt there is such a thing as a completely fair and even comp, but you can't deny that those organisations are on the whole well run and worth trying to emulate. That doesn't mean copying the bad things though

Playing every team H & A is a start.
Until this happens you will always have a lopsided comp

Yep people will say the best team still wins the comp

That is generally true but who knows especially when the top 4 sides are decided by percentage

It also has a huge impact on clubs finishing 5-10

Look at the Crows this year will most likely make the finals on the back of an easy draw

No one can possibly say that it's not an advantage if club plays St Kilda twice and Hawthorn once etc

i agree with all of this.

having said that, in terms of the 22 round season, the way they set it up now (with clubs playing other clubs around them at least 3 of those 5 times) seems to be about the best they could do without changing the number of rounds significantly.

where it falls down is where a team significantly underperforms on their expectations in a given year, thus giving them an easy draw the year after crows 2014 and north melbourne 2013 are pretty good examples of that.

[gadj1976]

I read a story that Rance could walk away from the game at the end of the year.

If this is true, and we're forcing players out of the game at their prime, then something radical needs to change.

[bennymacca]

maybe thats why the commentators were falling over themselves on the weekend to call him the worlds best defender to have ever existed

in all seriousness though, what about the game would you like to change that you think will keep him at richmond, if indeed he walks away?

if he decides he doesnt want to put up with the pressures and training of afl footy then thats his prerogative, he can do as he wishes.

if it is something else i would be interested to hear your thoughts.