Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site ucbvax.ARPA Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxn!ihnp4!ucbvax!wildbill From: wildbill@ucbvax.ARPA (William J. Laubenheimer) Newsgroups: net.sport.football Subject: Re: Whither the USFL? Message-ID: <9089@ucbvax.ARPA> Date: Mon, 15-Jul-85 21:19:39 EDT Article-I.D.: ucbvax.9089 Posted: Mon Jul 15 21:19:39 1985 Date-Received: Wed, 17-Jul-85 07:06:24 EDT References: <8994@ucbvax.ARPA> <2338@ut-sally.UUCP> Reply-To: wildbill@ucbvax.UUCP (William J. Laubenheimer) Distribution: net Organization: University of California at Berkeley Lines: 26 Keywords: USFL, NFL, merger, realignment Regarding the breakup of current rivalries such as Dolphins/Jets, Cowboys/Redskins, etc.: When moving from mostly five-team divisions to four-team divisions, something obviously has to give. If you're selling out your stadium every week anyway (what percentage of capacity does the NFL average, anyway?), and most teams involved in rivalries of this nature seem to be able to do this, the only difference would be in the TV ratings, which might be somewhat lower as compared to a grudge match. But in many cases, there would be compensations. Maybe the Dolphins don't get to play the Jets every year, but they would get two games against the Steelers. Cowboys/49ers and Cowboys/Rams twice a year seems like adequate compensation for Cowboys/Redskins and Cowboys/Cardinals. Other relocated teams would quickly find opponents to create rivalries with. Also, in those years when you match up with a former rival, interest would probably be substantially up as compared to when the rival used to be around each year. I also like the eight-team division-winners-only format, as I indicated in my original article. The problem, though, is that fewer playoff games mean less revenue from playoff games, which means less money in the owners' pockets and less salary and playoff awards for the players -- which is why it's about as likely to happen as Jim Brown making a successful comeback. In other words, don't count on it. That's why I think a twelve-team format is the most likely one. Bill Laubenheimer ----------------------------------------UC-Berkeley Computer Science ...Killjoy went that-a-way---> ucbvax!wildbill