The United Football League sets its 2012 schedule

The United Football League is that little league that just won’t die. Every time we count them out (and as one of the only people to cover this league over the last three years I have counted them dead at least twice) they find a way to come back for one more year. Granted year three was a particular disaster and was stopped short. For year four they are back, and every game will be broadcast on the CBS Sports Network. This will be the first year that every UFL game will be on TV, and on a network that is in over 99 million homes. For the UFL to be successful they must insure they get decent TV ratings, and that their on the field product shows enough promise for growth. Four teams are not gonna cut it much longer (and really they haven’t so far either).

Oct. 8, 2009; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Las Vegas Locomotives quarterback (7) J.P. Losman runs from California Redwoods linebacker (55) Maurice Crum during the inaugural United Football League game at Sam Boyd Stadium. Las Vegas defeated California 30-17. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

The games will be played on Wednesday and Saturday nights (save week six when the games will be on Tuesday and Thursday). The UFL feels that they can find a window when the traditional football fan is not watching NFL programming. The problem with that argument is the NFL has a pretty strong TV presence 12 months out of the year, and it feels like a big mistake to keep this league in the Fall going head to head with the NFL.

With that being said the UFL will have four teams in 2012 the Sacramento Mountain Lions, Virginia Destroyers, Omaha Nighthawks, and Las Vegas Locos. The kickoff to year four will be September 19 in Las Vegas with a matchup between the Mountain Lions and Locos. In week two the Destroyers will travel to Las Vegas to face the Locos in a rematch of last year’s UFL championship game won by the Destroyers. The fourth UFL championship game is scheduled for November 16th at a site to be determined.
The problem with a four team league is the matchups get stale quickly. In this format the team will all play each other at least twice, and in some cases three times. For example the Mountain Lions and Locos will face each other three times in the regular season. They will also see the Destroyers three times. But such are the weaknesses of a four team league and a eight game schedule.

Long term this league needs to get to eight teams to be viable. With the USFL also looking to get going with an eight team league next spring one has to wonder if that is even doable. Of course we have counted the UFL out in the past, only to see them press on somehow. Time will tell on this one.