The WFL might have made it if it were better financed and if it played during the spring and early summer (March through July) instead of late summer through the late fall.
They might have done better if they waited until 1975 to start instead of 1974. They rushed the startup because they were so sure the NFL wasn't going to play in 1974 because of a potential player's strike. If they had waited a year they could have done a better job with their due diligence, let's be honest of a lot of the franchise owners were terrible and should have been refused admittance into the league. The 1975 season was going better thanks to new commissioner Christopher Hemmeter coming up with a better financing plan and barring owners who couldn't put up a deposit of at least $650,000. But without the TV deal they were doomed. CBS was actually interested in covering a 1976 season, but that meant the WFL would have to survive the 1975 season and they couldn't hold on long enough.
A little bit of false memories there, the Charlotte Hornets refused to play the playoffs due to the cost to fly to Orlando and the fact only 1,000 tickets were sold and it wasn't worthwhile even if they won. So instead the Philadelphia Bell who were in 3rd place in the division played. I'm told Joe Namath had huge contract demands: $500,000 per year, a $1 million signing bonus, a 20 yr. $100,000 per year annuity, the rights to a future franchise in New York and 15% of the entire league's tv revenue....now add to that, he never gets tackled.....😒
Ya know im old enough to remember the commercials on local Charlotte television saying... Save our Hornets!... Talk about screwed from the start... Upton Bell
Rushed and poor planning. If they actually took the time to do the background checks on the franchise owners and everything instead of focusing on letting anyone in and start by 1974, they may have fared better. I mean most of the owners couldn't even pay the $120,000 franchise fee up front. Shouldn't that have been a massive red flag?
@@marcpower4167The Washington Ambassadors almost signed Redskins QB Sonny Jurgenson, couldn’t get a lease at RFK, tried to play in Annapolis, as the Baltimore-Washington Ambassadors, tried to sign Johnny Unitas as Head Coach, but he was still under contract with the Chargers. After getting rejected in Hampton Roads, VA finally moved to Orlando as the Florida Blazers.
legendary
The WFL might have made it if it were better financed and if it played during the spring and early summer (March through July) instead of late summer through the late fall.
They might have done better if they waited until 1975 to start instead of 1974. They rushed the startup because they were so sure the NFL wasn't going to play in 1974 because of a potential player's strike. If they had waited a year they could have done a better job with their due diligence, let's be honest of a lot of the franchise owners were terrible and should have been refused admittance into the league.
The 1975 season was going better thanks to new commissioner Christopher Hemmeter coming up with a better financing plan and barring owners who couldn't put up a deposit of at least $650,000. But without the TV deal they were doomed. CBS was actually interested in covering a 1976 season, but that meant the WFL would have to survive the 1975 season and they couldn't hold on long enough.
A little bit of false memories there, the Charlotte Hornets refused to play the playoffs due to the cost to fly to Orlando and the fact only 1,000 tickets were sold and it wasn't worthwhile even if they won. So instead the Philadelphia Bell who were in 3rd place in the division played.
I'm told Joe Namath had huge contract demands: $500,000 per year, a $1 million signing bonus, a 20 yr. $100,000 per year annuity, the rights to a future franchise in New York and 15% of the entire league's tv revenue....now add to that, he never gets tackled.....😒
💯 Legendary ☺️
Upton Bell had potential. The league was too damaged.
Ironically the Charlotte Hornets name would return in the form of basketball
The uniform and logo for the WFL team was great though
Ya know im old enough to remember the commercials on local Charlotte television saying...
Save our Hornets!...
Talk about screwed from the start...
Upton Bell
What is this mockery? It was a botched league indded
Rushed and poor planning. If they actually took the time to do the background checks on the franchise owners and everything instead of focusing on letting anyone in and start by 1974, they may have fared better. I mean most of the owners couldn't even pay the $120,000 franchise fee up front. Shouldn't that have been a massive red flag?
@@marcpower4167The Washington Ambassadors almost signed Redskins QB Sonny Jurgenson, couldn’t get a lease at RFK, tried to play in Annapolis, as the Baltimore-Washington Ambassadors, tried to sign Johnny Unitas as Head Coach, but he was still under contract with the Chargers. After getting rejected in Hampton Roads, VA finally moved to Orlando as the Florida Blazers.