The American Basketball Association played for nine seasons in the late 60s and early 70s. It brought innovations to professional basketball such as popularizing the slam dunk, bringing the 3-point shot into the NBA, the ability of underclassmen to jump to the league without an age minimum, and free agency for all intents and purposes. While the ABA and the United Football League are different leagues in different times I believe that the ABA offers lessons for the UFL they would be wise to pay attention to.

Innovate, always innovate, even if it doesn’t work. I read Loose Balls by Terry Pluto this week, a book I believe to be a must read for any fan of alternative leagues and challenges to the sporting establishment. One of the facts that emerges from this history is that the ABA always, always tried to do things differently. They didn’t run focus groups, they didn’t do studies or polls, and they sure as hell didn’t worry about what the NBA or sporting media thought of them. The red, white, and blue ball was a great example of this style of thinking. The NBA mocked it and the media thought it was merely a gimmick, but the league decided to do it on a whim and it quickly became one of the most popular and memorable parts of their endeavor. George Mikan, the league’s first commissioner, claimed he couldn’t see the brown ball very well and that he wanted the ball to look different so he could see it on television.

I am not saying the UFL should do something just to do something. For example, the effort that is the New USFL has yet to explain the reasoning for the rule changes that they broadcast on their website. Why do they feel the need to make the changes? I hope every change the UFL makes will have a documented reason(s) behind it, even if it is something as simple as making the ball more visible on television.

Find players everywhere and anywhere. Plenty of talent exists that is not currently in the National Football League, much as plenty of talent existed that was not present in the National Basketball Association at the time of the founding of the ABA. They had to find the talent and in time they did – they routinely beat NBA teams during exhibition games and they were not ashamed to proclaim they were as good as the NBA. I wouldn’t advise that the UFL do that in year one, but in a few years when the talent has been built up – say so. I don’t care what ESPN says as they are merely shills in the pocket of the NFL who will do anything and everything that big brother tells them to do so that they continue to receive their thirty pieces of silver every year.

The UFL really needs to search for talent to get that talent level up to where they can say they are near the NFL and not sound like an asylum patient. Raid the Arena Football League rosters for the gems…. but that league won’t provide anywhere near the talent they need. Take on the Canadian Football League and steal the stars there. Adarius Bowman is one player that comes to mind who should be in the NFL now but he had a few character issues and turned up in the CFL. Go after NFL third round and below draft picks, undrafted free agents, retiring NFL players and training camp cuts for the bulk of your players. All of that is common sense and what the UFL is planning on doing – but it isn’t enough. Go after soccer players to find better kickers, sign track athletes and turn them into kickoff returners and Wide Receivers. That would be a start, certainly, but then look at younger players. Waive that minimum of three years since college graduation NFL rule and go after players who are kicked off of their college teams, players who are suspended, people who take money and are caught for it unlike the majority of their NCAA brethren. Anyone who claims this is devaluing the idea of an education or robbing these players of a college degree is foolish.

The ABA did this and they were attacked by the NCAA – so you know how they responded? They asked the players on their roster who had been paid while in college, who had received cars, who had cheated on tests, etc. – virtually all of them had and this was back in the 70s. I expect that remains the culture even if it is secret – so if the NCAA gets high and mighty then reveal them for the hypocrites that they are.

If the UFL is serious about turning their players into the stars of tomorrow and competing then they need to go after players the NFL can not go after as of yet. It would be a bold move, attract gigantic waves of attention, and provide them with the untapped talent they need to carve a niche in the sporting world.

Find creative ways to finance contracts. The one way they can go after stars without breaking their bank accounts or the $20,000,000 cap is to figure out a way to give players extra money. How could this work? The Dolgoff Plan is something to examine in my opinion. The ABA knew that dollar for dollar in real money they could never outspend the NBA, so they developed a simple strategy that I believe could work today.

They would sign a player to, say, a 5 year/$1,000,000 deal. The player would receive $100,000 per year at that time and the league would then invest enough money into a conservative fund that would mature over time to pay the player $500,000 over a certain number of years. This wouldn’t work for all players, but imagine going to an NFL vet nearing retirement who understands that the NFL pension plan is terrible. Now tell him that while the NFL is paying him $6,000,000 per, he currently has a healthy bank account, so why not take less money now so that he will receive more later in life. The UFL could pay him $2,000,000 per year now while investing $500,000 per year in a mutual fund, or a bond, or any number of conservative investments that would begin paying out, say, ten years after he retired or whatever arbitrary age the league decides upon. Then promise to invest, say, $50,000 in a business he wants to start if he provides a serious business plan; promise to pay for him to complete the collegiate degree  he was a year from finishing; tell him you will pay for his wife to get her degree. Tons of possibilities exist that would enrich the player more and truly make the UFL a player friendly venture that could change the sporting landscape.

Promotions and being fan friendly. The UFL needs to take advantage of the internet and other technology that did not exist in the 70s. For one thing, every single team needs to have a website that is updated at least twice a week in the offseason and daily during the season. I don’t care if they update the site to say that the QB went to the grocery store today – ALWAYS have updated content. The teams need to have bloggers, as well as invest in social media. The official website has been upgraded but it has a ways to go (to the credit of the league they seem to understand that).

ABA games were always full of promotions and fun – they gave away basketballs, they had 2-for-1 beer night, had a boxing match at halftime, reached out to the business community, had kids night, etc. If the UFL doesn’t do this then they will not have half the attendance they wish to have in my opinion. Until the UFL product catches up to being near the talent level of the NFL they need to do two things to have good attendance – smart, catchy, innovative marketing and tons of promotions.

And a word of advice on their official announcement at the end of the month – no bold claims like the XFL made that could never be backed up, but don’t act demure either. Don’t talk like a minor league, just say you will have the best football on the planet besides the NFL and one day you hope to be the best. That is the other thing the ABA did and it is one thing in the near future I absolutely hope the UFL understands.

If the league learns from those that came before it I truly believe the UFL can build a successful venture, last, and eventually thrive. Then perhaps we will be reading books and watching documentaries that we participated in one day.

Let’s hope.