Answering Questions About the UFL and About Being Part of a New Era of Enjoyment for the Football Fan.

Dennis Green
My 8, 2009

This past week I’ve been meeting with my coaches as we plan for the “Premier Season” of the United Football League. This is an exciting time. As so many have so many question s

It is not often that we get an opportunity in life to both participate by being “present at the creation” of something, but also to be in a position to memtor and teach those will be in charge over the long run. Because so many ask the same questions, here are the most frequent that I get, and my responses.

What are your new duties? I will serve as the Head Coach and President of the San Francisco team, working owner-investor Paul Pelosi, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s wife. I will also serve as Chair of the league’s Competition Committee, a post I long held in the NFL as well.

Why another league? Because there is a pent up demand for pro football the United States in general and in 21 major markets without their own teams (not to mention the growing demand outside the U.S.). As the recent headline (NYTimes, 5-3-09) about the General Manager of the NY Yankees baseball club put it last week, “Craving football in a season without end.” People want more. There is a market for more. The UFL is meeting that need. VERSUS will make it possible for fans across the country to get more.

Why in the fall? Because fall is when the fan is conditioned to watch football. There is something magical aboaut the symmetry of Fall football for high school, college football, and pro football. Spring is for baseball. Summer is for fishing, oceans, rivers, lakes, and more baseball.

Isn’t the NFL “minor league” ball? No. As legendary coach Bill Walsh used to say, the last 20 cut from the NFL were as good as the last 20 that were kept. And don’t forget how legendary is the list of hall of famers not drafted into the NFL, only to play and star later. And with 3 former Head Coaches of the NFL (Jim Fassel and Jim Haslett) and one who could be (Ted Cottrel), you have coaching staffs and teams prepared to play top level NFL style football.

Does that mean it is a development league for the NFL? Not in our view. The more accurate comparison would be to say Broadway is a development league for Hollywood just as, in the reverse, Hollywood serves as a development league for Broadway. We’ll get players the NFL misses or hasn’t slots for, and we’ll produce players the NFL will be dying to have at the end of our season to help them in their playoff runs. We see ourselves not a s replacement for the NFL but as an extension of what professionals banded together can offer to meet an unmet need of the football fan.

Where can I read more about you and the UFL? There are two web sites, the UFL Football League web site, and an independent site by fans excited about the UFL, UFL Access web site.> . UFL Access also has a UFL Access Twitter Page.

Our premier season launch press conference can be viewed here . A recent sports TV interview is here.

About The UFL. The UFL was developed to fulfill the unmet needs of football fans in major markets currently underserved by professional football by providing a high quality traditional football league comprised of world class professional football players. The UFL will serve the communities with pride, dedication and passion, and uphold a leadership role in the development of football worldwide. The UFL will provide every fan with an affordable, accessible, exciting and entertaining game experience. Scheduled to debut in October 2009, the UFL’s headquarters is in New York, N.Y. and has satellite offices in Jacksonville, Fla. and Rutherford, N.J. The UFL is led by Commissioner Michael Huyghue, COO Frank Vuono and is being funded by a consortium of investors including UFL Founder Bill Hambrecht, Tim Armstrong and Paul Pelosi. For more information on the UFL and how to purchase tickets for the “UFL Premiere” season, please visit www.ufl-football.com.