They already tried a D league in Europe, that’s what NFL Europe was, it failed, Europe wasn’t interested in minor league football. And technically the NFL draft delay has nothing to do with college, the players simply have to be out of high school for 3 years, could be in college, could be in semi-pro, could be working at the grocery store, just so long as they graduated high school 3 years ago. The NBA borrowed the idea when they added the one year rule, but in typical NBA fashion they didn’t understand what the rule is about (not making teenagers millionaires, and letting them some of that very important late growth that strengthens bones and overall durability) and failed to do it right. And the NFL has been to court about it, Maurice Clarett sued them over it and lost, then he started getting in trouble with the law and proved the rule a good idea.
This isn’t a bad idea. Too many kids tank their classes when they want to get drafted, instead focusing on their work outs to prepare for the combine. It’s best not to reward them, not sure it’ll really help anything, and it certainly won’t stop the Hernandez’s, but it takes a stand. They should also take a stand on coaches that get in trouble in the NCAA, it’s a sad thing to have multiple coaches “serving” NCAA suspensions by getting paid even more in the NFL.
I misstated the NFL 3 year rule..thanks...care to comment about the discrepancy between the NFL and NBA policies?
I was stationed in Spain from 68-72..and I think it was 1971, the Harlem Globetrotters came to Barcelona for an exhibition game. It was outdoors, at the Plaza Cataluna..just unreal..I was with a couple of Marine NCOs who were both tall and black...people kept on stopping us and asking for autographs..I signed easily over a hundred....they shut it down, and built an elevated court..I think that the crowd was estimated at 50,000 when the stopped trying to count..I realized then that the NBA/American basketball had a global appeal..