thelesterlee
When you think of football in America, there is every chance you think of the NFL, but it isn’t the only football organization any longer. There are some significant differences in the new United States Football League (USFL), and its approach appears to make an exciting alternative to the NFL.
Sports comparisons often illustrate the huge differences between multiple sports, but some of the differences with these sports are more subtle. In recent years, it isn’t unusual for “revamps” of different sports to occur, and we’ve seen this a huge amount in the UK and around the world with cricket, and we’re also seeing it in the world of golf.
Some big names such as Colin Kaepernick have been linked with this new league as it tries to gain traction. So, what are the differences you are likely to notice if you watch both these sports?
Overtime differences
The USFL has taken the same kind of approach we see in college football and in the NHL, using a shootout to decide the games that are tied, something we don’t see in the NFL.
If the game gets to the end of regulation time and is still tied, both teams take turns at two-point conversions from the 2-yard line. They each have three attempts, and if they are still tied then it goes to a ‘sudden death’ format taken in turns.
It’s clear that the idea is to make a thrilling overtime and limit the demand on players, but also provide a lot of action at the end of a close game while enjoying a result rather than a tie.
Replay challenge
Each of the coaches gets a replay challenge, which brings in the replay crew to overrule a foul that has been called. The team checks whether the act of pass interference is intentional too if it is 15 yards over the scrimmage line.
3-point attempts
No, it’s not basketball, but the USFL lets teams attempt a three-pointer, at least in terms of a conversion. Other leagues, such as the now defunct AAF, introduced these kinds of plans to make the conversion attempts more exciting, with tiered methods to aim for points after touchdown.
The USFL allows teams to choose from three different options. The two-point attempt will be the standard option from the two-yard line, but the three-point attempt offers the chance to try and convert from the 10-yard line. This gives teams a different option when they are trying to get back in the game.
Kickoffs
A kickoff in the league will be from the 25-yard line, which means that pretty much every kick will be returnable in some way.
The USFL does provide more chances of return, but there are also precautions in place so that there aren’t many dangerous collisions. The kicking team must line up no more than a yard behind the kickoff spot, and there is also a “set up zone” so that the receiving team can put their blockers in position there. This is between the 35-yard and 45-yard lines.
Another difference to the rule is that when the ball has travelled 20 yards, the team that is receiving must touch it first, if not, it becomes dead.
Onside kicks
Onside kicks can be made in the same way as in the NFL, but teams can also choose to make a play from the 33-yard line, where they would have been taking an onside kick anyway. This counts as a fourth and 12. Lose the ball, and the other team gets it.
More accurate first downs
The USFL is trying to make itself that little bit different, and one of the ways is by using technology. There will be sensors in the ball which are designed to help work out whether the offensive team got to the line or not. This is a similar technology to “hawkeye” in tennis which helps to see whether a ball is a foul or not. Using technology in sports is becoming much more common, and it is now reliable enough to be effective.
Summary
The USFL averaged 715,000 viewers in the recent season, and while this is not as high as the NFL, it is certainly not to be sniffed at, and the competition is becoming pretty big. As they attempt to add some more big names and institute different rules compared to the NFL, the sport will surely continue to grow and become more interesting for spectators.
