Major League Football buys AAF gear, targets May 2020 launch

Major League Football

There’s another new spring league in town. But this one isn’t really new; it just hasn’t launched yet.

Major League Football, which had planned to launch in 2016 but pulled the plug, now plans to get started in 2020. The league has acquired gear previously owned by the AAF, purchasing “[v]irtually all of the football equipment, video equipment, and medical supplies necessary for eight teams.”

MLFB plans to launch with six teams, with a season opening not long after the next draft.

“The AAF provided proof of concept for a spring league with attendance, viewership, and the successful transition by some players to the National Football League,” MLFB president and CEO Frank Murtha said in a press release. “By opening the season in early May, the league will give players an opportunity to get additional practice, to gather film, and show the NFL scouts and coaches why they deserve to play on the NFL level.  MLFB will provide the NFL with another source of valuable players.”

MLFB plans to take it slow, and to be careful with expenditures. The new league claims that the purchase of AAF equipment has saved nearly $2 million.

“We are committed to long-term financial sustainability,” Murtha said.” This purchase is a great example of that responsible mindset.”

MLFB is a publicly-traded company. Ultimately, the goal will be to provide a return on the investment made by those who own shares in the business. Apparently, that process will begin by May — barring another postponement.

25 responses to “Major League Football buys AAF gear, targets May 2020 launch

  1. Facepalm…

    If there were significant money to be made from a spring league, the greedy billionaires of the NFL would already be cashing in.

  2. It takes some serious moxy to watch the AAF go down in flames within a couple months, have the XFL already be cutting salaries back from what they said players would be making, and still say to yourself “We can make a fortune starting a new football league.”

  3. Same thing was once said by NBA owners…now pretty much every team has a G League affiliate. Player development critical. Training/development of staff…from Sales, to marketing, front office, coaching, training etc.

  4. I can’t understand how fans can hate preseason football but think a league filled with guys that get cut at the end of preseason will work? I’m open minded. I’m willing to listen to why this would work.

  5. The only way these leagues will work is if the NFL partners with them financially. The only way that will happen, is if the poor product on the NFL field starts costing owners money. Until that day, they will remain using the college game as their de facto minor-league system.

  6. kfoyo808 says:
    October 29, 2019 at 10:24 am


    Basketball and Baseball players hit their prime much later than football players. How do you develop a athlete who usually peaks at 25 or 26? In football outside of QB and maybe WR you aren’t going to get a lot in your return. The league itself might produce a half dozen players that make it past this minor league step and that isn’t worth it for NFL owners to invest in. Also you all seem to forget that baseball and basketball have affiliates to help them get past the economic problems. These football leagues aren’t development leagues but 2nd class pro leagues. Those don’t work out in any sport outside inside the USA.

    I will starting in May is a lot smarter than starting in February.

  7. webster8723 says:
    October 29, 2019 at 10:38 am
    I love this idea, I don’t understand why people hate it. It will not be as good as the NFL… but who cares??

    It has been proven time and time again that the NFL is the only product people care about. That is why every other attempted league ultimately folds. This would be no different.

  8. All these negative comments. These are people taking the time to comment on an NFL themed site. These are serious football fans and students of the game. When the late spring/summer rolls around and nothing is happening in the NFL I’ll bet most of you suck it up and watch just because it is football. I know I would.

  9. The success depends on the way they do the TV production. This is another league that will be watched by hard core football geeks. Draftniks. Wannabe G.M types. We know it’s not the NFL, but we’re interested in finding the next Kurt Warner’s. They need to have someone in the booth with a college scouting background who is familiar with the players, and who can tell the audience how and why they’d fit with NFL teams. Not ex-coaches speaking in monotone voices explaining cover two. That’s not what this audience is looking for. They need to make the audience aware of each kid’s potential, and you need someone that knows what that potential is. The AAF failed miserably at doing that. They didn’t understand their audience. Bill Polian had a name. Marvin Lewis had a name. Fans might be attracted by a name, but they need substance to hold their attention. And don’t try promoting guys that can’t play. Every promotion I heard was about Christian Hackenberg. They figured he had a recognizable name. But the kid couldn’t play football, so why on earth would he be their “star”? These are the things Bill Polian should have known. Polian might be good for an NFL audience, but there’s a huge difference. Americans love football. These leagues could make it if they’re properly run. A guy like Mike Mayock would be perfect in the TV booth. Even a guy like Scot McCloughan. These guys know the college players and they have tons of NFL contacts. They could talk about who’s interested in who, and they can make up what they don’t know.

  10. They are planning a May start right after the XFL season crashes to a halt! Timing is everything!

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