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Fall Experimental Football League
Fall Experimental Football League
Fall Experimental Football League
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Fall Experimental Football League
SportAmerican football
FoundedMay 7, 2014
First season2014
Ceased2016
CEOBrian Woods
No. of teams3
CountryUnited States
Last
champion		Brooklyn Bolts
BroadcastersESPN3
Regional channels
Related
competitions		TSL, USFL
Official websitegofxfl.com

The Fall Experimental Football League (FXFL) was a professional football minor league that played two seasons in 2014 and 2015. This league's stated goal was to become a professional feeder-system for the National Football League (NFL).

The league claimed 44 out of 126 players ended up on NFL rosters.[1] After the FXFL ceased operations, FXFL founder and CEO Brian Woods made another attempt at an NFL feeder-system by creating The Spring League in 2017.[2]

Woods and the FXFL were subject to lawsuit after folding, claiming he did not pay players, assistant coaches, cheerleaders and officials. In 2019 Woods settled and agreed to pay the plaintiffs $300,000.[3]

History

[edit]

In the summer of 2013, Brian Woods began work on a business plan for a future football development league.[4] With NFL executive vice president Troy Vincent indicating in an April 2014 interview a need for a developmental football league, Woods, a sports lawyer and executive director of the Medal of Honor Bowl, put that business plan in action to launch such a league in October 2014 that envisioned six franchises primarily based in minor league baseball stadiums.[5][6] The Fall Experimental Football League was announced by Woods on May 7, 2014.[7] Original targeted markets for teams were New York City, Boston, Omaha, Orlando, Portland, and either San Antonio or Memphis, Tennessee with Wednesday games. The league is expected to own two teams outright and four franchised teams.[5] By June 20, Tommie Harris and Eric Bassey were announced as the first owners for a franchise in Austin, Texas, the Texas Outlaws, with other teams announced without ownership were New York, Boston, Omaha, Portland, Oregon and an unselected Florida city.[8][9]

On August 20, 2014, Woods announced that the league would consist of just four teams — Brooklyn, Boston, Omaha and Miami — with players released from NFL teams to allocated and reporting on September 24 with games to start October 8. Cities in which interest in franchises came from Columbus, Ohio, and Springfield, Missouri.[10] The Miami team became a traveling team.[4]

The FXFL debuted on time with the inaugural game in Omaha on October 8, 2014 between the Omaha Mammoths and the Boston Brawlers at TD Ameritrade Park with the Mammoths winning 41–18.[11] By Week 3 of the 2014 season, Nivea had become a sponsor of the league, with sponsor logo on the left shoulder and helmets; additionally, a reality web show on the FXFL appeared, sponsored by Nivea.[12]

A game between the Omaha Mammoths and Boston Brawlers at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha on November 5, 2014

The inaugural 2014 season was cut short after the November 7 contest, with one regular season game and a championship left unplayed.[13][14] The decision was made that the Bolts, the team with the best record at 4–0, would be declared the first FXFL Champions, according to ESPN3. In a report from the Associated Press, commissioner Brian Woods said that he was satisfied with the season and said he envisioned a bigger FXFL in 2015, with more affiliations with minor league baseball teams and stadia, targeting such cities as Memphis, Austin, Oklahoma City and somewhere in Florida. Woods also expected Brooklyn and Omaha to return.[14] Woods later backed off plans for expansion and said that 2015 would most likely only have five teams at most.[15]

WYTV in Niles, Ohio reported on July 10, 2015 that the league was expected to place a franchise in that city for the 2015 season. The announcement also confirmed that the Brooklyn Bolts would return, the league would remain fixed at four teams for the 2015 season, and three out of four of the teams would be sharing a stadium with a New York–Penn League baseball team (this included the Bolts and the Ohio franchise).[16] A later leak reported in the local newspaper The Vindicator that the Omaha Mammoths would not return for 2015 and would be replaced by a team in the Hudson Valley, but that the Florida Blacktips would make a second attempt at establishing themselves in Florida.[17] The league unexpectedly contracted the Brawlers on September 28, 2015, with the team's franchisee stating that the league demanded a large sum of money in order for the team to take the field for the 2015 season.[18] The 2015 season also ended prematurely, with the league office canceling the last regular season game days before it was scheduled to be played.[19]

Since the abrupt end of the 2015 season in October, there were no official statements made by the league (whether the Bolts could claim a championship given the extremely irregular schedule was left undecided) and the last posts on social media were made in December 2015. There was already doubt regarding the Hudson Valley team's future, as the stadium owner had only offered a one-year trial lease to the team, and their lone season was marred by safety concerns and defections.[20] The Brooklyn Bolts were the last holdout, waiting through summer 2016 for word from the league whether or not it would return, before the team's parent company announced in August that neither the league nor the Bolts would return for the fall season.[21]

The league announced a suspension of operations on September 2, 2016.[22] Commissioner Brian Woods has reportedly expressed interest possibly using a former FXFL team's brand in an indoor football league, such as the Arena Football League.[23] A team in the National Arena League acquired the rights to the Boston Brawlers name in August 2017.[24]

In 2017, Woods re-emerged as CEO of another minor professional football league, The Spring League, which operated on a similar concept but did not pay its players and operated its seasons all in one location.[2] After five seasons of play, TSL ceased operations as Woods assumed the presidency of a reboot of the United States Football League.[25]

Rule differences

[edit]

As its name implies, the league adopted several experimental rule changes differing from those at other levels of the game with some at the request of the NFL.[26] Initial plans for the league had punting, the PAT and kickoffs taken out of the game,[27] but this proposal was scrapped prior to the start of the season.[4]

  • Extra points were attempted from 35 yards out.[4] Both the NFL and Canadian Football League later adopted similar rules in 2015.
  • All kicks originated at a wide hash mark for a greater difficulty.[4]
  • Kickoffs were taken from the kicking team's 25-yard line, in order to decrease touchbacks and "increase coverage opportunities". In addition, eight players on the receiving team lined up between the kicking team's 35- and 45-yard lines for the possibility of decreasing "high-impact collisions".[4] Once a kickoff passes the 45 yard line, fielding rules became similar to punts in that the kicking team is not allowed to recover and regain possession.
  • Games were originally played on Wednesday nights to avoid competition with high school football (Friday and Saturday), college football (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday) and the NFL (Thursday, Sunday and Monday); the league also played some Friday night games later in the season.[28] The league abandoned this approach in 2015 and scheduled most of its games for Fridays and Saturdays.
  • Cut blocking was illegal.[29]
  • All players on a team's roster played in each game whenever possible.[30]

Business plan

[edit]

Woods was quoted as saying about the new league: "Our long-term goal is to establish a partnership with the NFL and we feel can do that on many platforms. It would give them a way to work with younger players that they don't currently have. We can help them train prospective NFL officials—in the NBA, every referee entering the league (in recent years) comes from NBA Development League. We can be a testing ground for proposed rules, too."[31] The league has an agreement with the NFL to use officials from the elder league's training academy for FXFL games.[26] Had the FXFL succeeded in establishing a formal partnership with the NFL, it would have been the fifth such time the NFL has established a partnership with a minor league, following the Association of Professional Football Leagues of the 1940s, the Atlantic Coast Football League in the 1960s, NFL Europe of the 1990s and 2000s, and the NFL-owned teams in the Arena Football League (prior to 2008).

Rosters

[edit]

Each FXFL team employed 40 players on their roster with a base salary of $1000 per game and a maximum potential payout of $1250 per game.[5] (At least one team was paying as little as $300 per game in the 2015 season.[32]) The league mainly recruited those who were released from NFL training camps in August and not assigned to practice squads with the players being pooled then allocated to the teams[10] and transferable at the league's discretion.[33] Those that could not go or would not go to college were also considered, but the league did not actively recruit NCAA players. The league also did not pursue experienced professional players and intended not to allow any player to play more than three years in the league (the league only lasted two years, rendering this rule moot); one anecdote had the league turning down Maurice Jones-Drew on account of his career being near its end (the anecdote may not be true, since Jones-Drew was already signed to a three-year deal with the Oakland Raiders before the league was founded).[34] The league softened its stance on this stipulation for 2015; Josh Freeman, who spent four years as starting quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was signed to the Brooklyn Bolts for that year.[35] Each team also had territorial rights to players, so any player in a team's territory was first choice is to that team. The league and team owners originally planned to arrange host families for the players, similar to other minor leagues;[27] players instead were housed in hotels.[30][36][29]

Finances

[edit]

The league operated under a budget of $8 to $9 million for the first season[5] and expected to be able to be viable with minor or development team attendance of 3,000 plus.[11] The league reported receiving enough financing to operate for the first season. The FXFL sold game film to NFL teams as an additional source of revenue.[29] In the long term, the FXFL did not expect to be profitable without official NFL support, which it never received.[4] The league operated at a financial loss in the 2014 season,[29] and Woods is said to have invested almost all of his personal wealth into the league by the end of the 2015 season.[32]

A franchise cost was set at $500,000.[6] The Brooklyn Bolts was a joint venture between the league and Jeff Wilpon, owner of the New York Mets and Brooklyn Cyclones. The Blacktips and Omaha Mammoths were league owned and operated.[33] The Brawlers were initially reported as being independently owned[33] but no owner was ever identified and the league later admitted that that was not true.[30] For 2015, the franchise was to be operated by the Mahoning Valley Scrappers minor league baseball team.[37] The Hudson Valley franchise was to be held by the Hudson Valley Renegades.[17]

Broadcasting

[edit]

The league syndicated its games to a collection of 14 regional channels, digital subchannel networks, and broadcast stations, including SportsNet New York, New England Sports Network (both its main and national feeds), Cox Sports (New Orleans), Cox San Diego, Altitude, Tuff TV, Soul of the South Network, Untamed TV, and Chicago's The U Too. In addition, ESPN3 held online streaming media rights.[4][38][39][40] The broadcast deals provided no guaranteed revenue to the league but did offer a share of advertising;[4] it is not known if the league paid for production expenses or airtime as the UFL had to do.

Telecasts of FXFL games abruptly stopped midway through the 2015 season with the last two games on the schedule completely blacked out.

Teams

[edit]
Team City Stadium (capacity)[41] Years played[10]
Brooklyn Bolts Brooklyn, NYC, New York MCU Park (10,000) 2014–15
Florida Blacktips N/A Traveling team[4] 2014–15
Hudson Valley Fort Fishkill, New York Dutchess Stadium (4,500) 2015
Boston Brawlers Boston, Massachusetts Harvard Stadium (30,323) 2014[42]
Omaha Mammoths Omaha, Nebraska TD Ameritrade Park Omaha (24,000) 2014

Announced teams that never played

[edit]

[8]

Seasons

[edit]
Season Teams Games First place Record Second place Record
2014 4 8 Brooklyn Bolts 4–0 Omaha Mammoths 3–1
2015 3 5 Brooklyn Bolts 4–1 FXFL Blacktips 1–1

* – For the 2014 season, for which a championship game had been scheduled but canceled, the Bolts were awarded the league title based on regular season record. No championship was awarded for the 2015 season.

Footnotes

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Fall Experimental Football League

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
The Fall Experimental Football League (FXFL) was a short-lived professional founded in 2014 by sports attorney Brian Woods as a developmental platform for players recently cut from training camps, with the goal of eventually becoming the NFL's official minor league. The league played two fall seasons from 2014 to 2015, featuring a total of five teams across its existence: the Brawlers, Bolts, Omaha Mammoths, Blacktips (initially a traveling team), and Fort. In its inaugural 2014 season, four teams competed in a nine-game schedule, with the Bolts declared the champions after finishing the season with an undefeated 4–0 record. The FXFL emphasized player evaluation over commercial viability, inviting NFL scouts to games and implementing simplified rules such as prohibiting pre-snap motions and shifts to allow for clearer assessment of fundamental skills. Notable players included former Clemson quarterback , a sixth-round NFL draft pick who played for the Brawlers, and other fringe NFL hopefuls seeking to extend their careers. The 2015 season featured three teams—the Bolts, Blacktips, and Fort—in a truncated schedule, culminating in the Bolts' 31–24 victory over the Blacktips for their second consecutive title. Despite initial ambitions to expand to six teams and secure NFL affiliation, the league faced challenges including low attendance and operational difficulties, leading to its disbandment in September 2016. Woods transitioned to launching in 2017, another developmental football venture focused on spring play.

Overview

Formation and Purpose

The Fall Experimental Football League (FXFL) was founded in May 2014 by Brian Woods, a sports attorney and former football player, as an independent minor professional league unaffiliated with the , intended to serve as a bridge between and the professional level. Woods announced the league's creation on May 7, 2014, positioning it as a developmental pathway for emerging talent seeking to advance their careers. The league's core purpose was to function as a rigorous "six-week boot camp" for undrafted free agents, late-round NFL draft picks, and players recently released from NFL training camps, providing them with competitive game experience to demonstrate their abilities and remain "battle-ready" for potential NFL call-ups or opportunities. Initial announcements emphasized a of recent graduates—specifically players within three years of completing their degrees—who lacked established professional outlets to hone their skills in a structured, NFL-style environment. Woods' vision centered on a low-cost operational model that leveraged existing minor league baseball stadiums to reduce overhead, enabling the league to experiment with innovative rules, business practices, and technologies—such as advanced helmet safety features—free from major league oversight. This approach aimed not only to develop players but also coaches and officials, with the long-term goal of establishing the FXFL as the NFL's official minor league system.

Duration and Status

The Fall Experimental Football League (FXFL) was formed on May 7, 2014, with its inaugural games commencing on October 8, 2014. The league operated for a total of two seasons, in 2014 and 2015, marked by a progressive reduction in the number of participating teams—from four in the first season to three in the second—and a corresponding decrease in the number of games played. Across both seasons, only 18 total games were played, underscoring the league's limited scope as a developmental venture. The final games of the FXFL took place on October 29, 2015, after which operations ceased, leading to the league's official disbandment on September 2, 2016. As of November 2025, there has been no revival or further activity associated with the FXFL, cementing its status as a short-lived and ultimately unsuccessful experiment in professional football.

History

Founding and Early Development

The development of the Fall Experimental Football League (FXFL) originated in the summer of , when sports attorney Brian Woods began formulating a for a new professional developmental football league aimed at providing a platform for players, coaches, and officials seeking NFL opportunities. Woods, who served as the league's founder and commissioner, drew inspiration from discussions with executives, including a pivotal April 2014 meeting where Executive Vice President encouraged the creation of domestic developmental options to address the lack of structured player pathways beyond college and international leagues. This planning phase emphasized a lean operational model to differentiate from past failed football ventures, focusing on cost efficiency and regional focus rather than national expansion. On May 7, 2014, Woods formally announced the FXFL's launch in New York, positioning it as an experimental league to test innovative rules, technologies, and fan engagement strategies while prioritizing player development. To build the organization, Woods assembled a small executive team, including advisors like Alan Pace, a banking executive and former MLS team president, who helped refine the sustainable business framework. Initial funding was secured through private investors and operational efficiencies, enabling the league to commit to a debut season without relying on major broadcast deals or high upfront capital, though specific sources remained undisclosed at the time. Early challenges included securing suitable venues amid a compressed timeline, leading the league to partner with facilities for affordable, family-oriented settings in secondary markets. Attracting sponsors proved difficult without an established track record or endorsement, prompting a strategy centered on local and regional marketing to build grassroots support rather than national advertising. Additionally, the absence of an official partnership created hurdles in player recruitment and legitimacy, though Woods viewed it as an opportunity to demonstrate value independently before seeking formal collaboration. The business plan outlined a low-barrier entry model, with player contracts at approximately $1,000 per game and operations designed for minimal overhead, allowing teams to launch with contained costs in underutilized stadiums. For the inaugural structure, the league selected four teams concentrated in the Northeast and Midwest to test logistics and fan interest: the Brawlers and Bolts in the Northeast, the Omaha Mammoths in the Midwest, and a traveling squad known as the Blacktips. These franchises were chosen through targeted ownership recruitment in summer , prioritizing markets with existing sports infrastructure and potential for talent pipelines.

2014 Launch and Operations

The Fall Experimental Football League (FXFL) commenced its inaugural season on October 8, 2014, with the Boston Brawlers facing the Omaha Mammoths in the league's first contest at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. The league operated with four teams—the Boston Brawlers, Brooklyn Bolts, Omaha Mammoths, and traveling Florida Blacktips—structured around a six-week schedule that included nine total games, designed to provide a compact developmental opportunity during the NFL's regular season. This limited format allowed teams to focus on player evaluation while minimizing operational overhead, aligning with the league's goal of serving as a bridge for athletes seeking NFL opportunities. Operational logistics emphasized cost efficiency, with teams leasing affordable venues such as in for the Brawlers and MCU Park, home of the Brooklyn Cyclones baseball team, for the Bolts' games. Attendance figures were modest, typically ranging from 500 to 3,000 spectators per game, which supported the league's low-budget model but highlighted challenges in building a fanbase in competitive markets. Player acquisition occurred through open tryouts conducted in mid-September 2014, primarily targeting recent releases, undrafted free agents, and college standouts, enabling rosters of 40 players per team to be assembled quickly without formal affiliation. Mid-season operations involved routine roster tweaks to manage injuries, with teams drawing from a pool of developmental talent to maintain competitiveness amid the physical demands of play. Cooler fall weather in northern venues like and prompted standard adaptations, such as heated sidelines and layered uniforms, though no games were postponed due to conditions. Fan engagement initiatives included promotional events like affordable ticket packages and pre-game festivities at home sites, alongside local television broadcasts—such as NESN coverage for Brawlers contests—to boost visibility. Leadership for the teams featured seasoned professionals in key roles. The Brawlers were coached by Terry Shea, a veteran NFL offensive coordinator, with Doug Reffue serving as president and general manager. The Bolts appointed former NFL offensive lineman John Bock as , leveraging his playing experience to guide the squad. In Omaha, Sandy Buda led the Mammoths as , supported by general manager Donnie Woods, while the Blacktips operated under John Jenkins as a nomadic all-star unit.

2015 Challenges and Adjustments

Following the inaugural 2014 season, the Fall Experimental Football League (FXFL) underwent significant contraction for 2015, reducing from four teams to three amid mounting operational difficulties. The Omaha Mammoths, who had a strong 3-1 record the previous year, did not return due to unspecified logistical and financial considerations. The Brawlers franchise was relocated to , Ohio, absorbing the team's nickname, branding, and personnel to leverage partnerships with facilities like Eastwood Field, but this team was abruptly folded on September 28, 2015—just one week before the planned season opener—further streamlining operations to cut costs. The remaining teams were the Bolts, Fort (a new expansion franchise playing at Dutchess Stadium in ), and the traveling Blacktips, resulting in a pared-down league focused on East Coast venues to minimize travel expenses. The 2015 season faced substantial challenges that highlighted the league's precarious position, including persistent financial strains from the prior year's losses and low revenue streams. remained sparse, with crowds often dwindling below 1,200 at games like the Bolts' home opener, exacerbating budget shortfalls despite modest ticket pricing (e.g., $65 for premium sideline seats). Venue availability proved problematic, particularly due to inclement ; the season opener on October 2, 2015, between the Bolts and Blacktips was marred by heavy rain and 40 mph wind gusts, producing subpar playing conditions and unusable game footage for scouts, prompting league officials to postpone at least one contest to ensure quality tape. Declining player interest also emerged as an issue, with the pool limited primarily to recent training camp cuts seeking additional exposure, though the abbreviated structure reduced overall appeal compared to the fuller 2014 schedule. To address these hurdles, the FXFL implemented adjustments aimed at sustainability and talent development. The league intensified scouting and tryout efforts, evaluating over 120 players—mostly undrafted free agents or 2015 NFL roster cuts—through targeted camps to build competitive rosters and generate high-quality film for NFL evaluators, with approximately 30% of 2014 participants securing futures contracts the following year. Rule modifications were introduced to enhance game flow and safety, including moving extra-point attempts to the 17-yard line (a precursor to the NFL's adoption of the 15-yard line) and proposing tweaks to blocking rules to reduce injury risks while promoting faster-paced play. These changes, combined with a focus on break-even operations via sponsorships and minor league partnerships, sought to position the league as a viable NFL feeder, though logistical setbacks like weather-related delays underscored ongoing execution challenges.

Dissolution and Aftermath

The Fall Experimental Football League concluded its second and final season on October 29, 2015, when the Bolts defeated the Blacktips 31-24 in the championship game at MCU Park in , New York. The league then suspended operations, with commissioner Brian Woods formally announcing the disbandment on September 2, 2016, marking the end of the FXFL after two abbreviated seasons. The league's failure stemmed primarily from insufficient revenue generation, as it struggled to attract significant sponsorships, ticket sales, or broadcasting deals despite a low-overhead model with player stipends of around $1,000 per game and total seasonal expenses estimated at $8 million across teams. A critical lack of official buy-in further hampered viability, as the FXFL had envisioned itself as a developmental feeder system but received no financial or operational from , limiting player placements and scout interest. High operational costs persisted despite budget constraints, including venue rentals and travel, exacerbated by competition from established minor leagues like the and emerging spring circuits that divided talent and fan attention. In the immediate aftermath, the FXFL liquidated its assets, including equipment and game footage rights, with Woods reportedly seeking to sell highlight films to NFL teams as a final revenue stream. All players were released from contracts without further obligations, though some voiced informal complaints about unpaid stipends and withheld game film essential for scouting submissions. No major lawsuits emerged, though at least one venue, a hotel in , pursued legal action for approximately $68,000 in outstanding bills. Woods pivoted to new ventures, launching in 2017 as a successor developmental program with a similar low-cost structure.

Rules and Operations

Rule Differences from Standard Football

The Fall Experimental Football League (FXFL) primarily adhered to standard NFL rules but introduced several modifications to the kicking game as part of its experimental mandate. These changes aimed to test innovations that could enhance game pace, increase strategic depth, and potentially reduce injury risks associated with returns, with the intent of influencing future adjustments. The league also prohibited pre-snap motions and shifts to simplify offensive alignments and allow for clearer assessment of players' fundamental skills during evaluations. A key alteration involved extra-point attempts, which were kicked from the 17-yard line—equivalent to 35 yards—rather than the NFL's setup at the time, which involved snapping from the 2-yard line (approximately a 20-yard attempt). This adjustment increased the difficulty of point-after-touchdown kicks, encouraging teams to consider attempts more frequently and adding a layer of excitement to scoring decisions. Additionally, all kicks, including field goals and punts, originated from the wide hash marks to further elevate the challenge for kickers, diverging from the NFL's use of both hash marks. Kickoffs represented another significant deviation, starting from the kicking team's 25-yard line instead of the 's 35-yard line. This setup was designed to limit s by shortening the distance the ball needed to travel into the end zone, thereby promoting more kick returns and fostering opportunities for players to demonstrate speed and ball-handling skills in a controlled professional environment. Unlike standard or NCAA rules, which position kickoffs farther back to balance touchback frequency, the FXFL's approach prioritized active play resumption over passive field positioning. These rule differences were implemented uniformly across both the 2014 and seasons, with no substantial revisions between years, allowing consistent evaluation of their impact on gameplay dynamics. Overall, the modifications supported the league's goal of serving as a developmental testing ground while maintaining core structures for familiarity and player transition.

Roster Composition and Player Development

The Fall Experimental Football League (FXFL) structured its rosters with 40 active players per team, prioritizing undrafted free agents from recent training camps and seniors within two years of graduation to create a focused developmental pathway for professional hopefuls. This approach targeted marginal talents seeking additional exposure, with approximately 95% of players drawn from camp cuts to build competitive yet instructive lineups. Scouting and selection emphasized open tryout processes, including free agent camps in the lead-up to seasons; for instance, in September 2015, the league hosted public tryouts in Brooklyn, Fishkill (New York), and Niles (Ohio) to identify talent among interested athletes. Similar midseason evaluations occurred in 2014, allowing teams to integrate players post-NFL cuts or undrafted rookies directly into rosters. Contracts provided a base pay of $1,000 per game across the short schedule, with provisions enabling players to leave for NFL opportunities without penalty, underscoring the league's transitional role. Player development centered on replicating NFL training protocols, with weekly practices incorporating position-specific drills and schematic guidelines to maximize in-game repetitions and skill refinement. Coaches utilized standardized play packages to simulate professional environments, aiming to prepare participants—particularly quarterbacks and skill-position players—for higher-level evaluation through live game film and targeted coaching.

Business Model and Financial Structure

The Fall Experimental Football League (FXFL) adopted a low-overhead focused on cost containment and to serve as a developmental feeder for the . By partnering with ownership groups, the league utilized existing stadium infrastructure for midweek games in the fall, avoiding the need for new facilities and reducing expenses associated with venue acquisition and maintenance. This approach prioritized player scouting and development over high-production entertainment, with the league selling game footage to teams as a key revenue component alongside gate receipts. Revenue streams centered on ticket sales, merchandise, and local sponsorships, without initial dependence on television rights or national advertising. Ticket prices typically ranged from $5 to $40 depending on seating and location, with examples including $20 to $35 for Brooklyn Bolts games. Franchise fees were established at $500,000 per team, while the league retained ownership of two or three franchises to control costs and ensure league-wide viability. Player stipends, part of operational expenses, were capped at approximately $1,250 per week to maintain affordability. Funding was secured through private investments led by founder Brian Woods, raising $10 million from prominent backers prior to the 2014 launch, in the absence of major corporate or support. The league's total budget was approximately $8 million annually, emphasizing operations through controlled spending on travel, rosters, and marketing. However, sustainability efforts faced challenges from low —for instance, a 2014 Boston Brawlers game announced 945 paid attendees but drew only about 350 actual spectators—and elevated travel expenses across dispersed markets, ultimately preventing the league from achieving financial stability.

Teams

Participating Teams

The Fall Experimental Football League (FXFL) featured four teams that competed in games during its inaugural 2014 season. The Boston Brawlers were based in Boston, Massachusetts, and played their home games at Harvard Stadium. The team featured a pugilistic logo and was owned by the league. The Brooklyn Bolts, located in Brooklyn, New York, utilized MCU Park as their home venue and were jointly owned by the FXFL and the New York Mets organization. Their colors included black, yellow, and grey. The Omaha Mammoths represented Omaha, Nebraska, hosting games at TD Ameritrade Park, with efforts to build a local fan base including a public unveiling event and selection of official cheerleaders to enhance community engagement. The Florida Blacktips served as a traveling team without a fixed home venue, though initially planned for Miami, Florida, and FIU Stadium, but ultimately played all games on the road. In 2015, the league scaled back to three active teams that participated in games, reflecting operational adjustments and the absence of the Omaha Mammoths, who did not return. The Bolts continued operations at MCU Park in , maintaining their joint ownership structure with the FXFL and . The Fort, a new , was based in , and played home games at Dutchess Stadium; it was league-owned, with game-day operations handled by the affiliated baseball staff. The Blacktips remained a traveling squad without a home base, owned by the league. Overall, FXFL team ownership blended league-affiliated operations with select local investor involvement, such as for the Bolts.

Announced Teams That Never Played

In its initial announcement in May 2014, the Fall Experimental Football League (FXFL) outlined plans for an inaugural season featuring at least six teams, with press releases emphasizing a focus on developmental markets across the Northeast, Midwest, South, and West Coast to build a pipeline for talent. Specific franchises were targeted for (New York), (), ), a city (initially planned for Orlando or ), ), and ), with league commissioner Woods highlighting the potential for these locations to host games at venues for cost efficiency. However, only four teams—Brooklyn Bolts, Brawlers, Omaha Mammoths, and Blacktips—ultimately fielded rosters and played, as the and franchises were dropped due to financial shortfalls and venue procurement difficulties amid a broader shift toward a more concentrated geographic footprint in the Northeast and Midwest. The Outlaws, announced as the Austin franchise in June 2014 with ownership led by former players and Eric Bassey, represented the league's ambitions for Southern expansion but suspended operations before training camp due to inadequate funding and unresolved stadium agreements at the of Texas events center. Similarly, the unnamed Portland team, hyped in June 2014 as a key Western outpost with potential ties to local ownership groups, failed to launch owing to high relocation costs and logistical hurdles in securing a suitable venue like a minor league ballpark. These non-starts narrowed the league's scope and limited cross-regional matchups, contributing to early skepticism about the FXFL's operational viability. For the 2015 season, the FXFL announced the Brawlers in as a relocation of the struggling Brawlers to , aiming to capitalize on Midwest fan interest and share Eastwood Field with the local team. The franchise conducted tryouts, hired staff, and sold tickets for a five-game schedule, but was abruptly disbanded on — one week before its opener—due to prohibitive travel expenses and budget constraints that threatened the league's overall break-even goals. This late cancellation left players and coaches without compensation in some cases, further eroding trust in the league's stability. The repeated inability to field announced teams undermined the FXFL's , as prospective players cited concerns over unpaid salaries and abrupt foldings during , while potential sponsors viewed the as a to investment returns. These setbacks highlighted broader challenges in the league's , including overambitious expansion without secured financing, ultimately contributing to its dissolution after two seasons.

Seasons

2014 Season Results

The 2014 season marked the inaugural campaign of the Fall Experimental Football League (FXFL), featuring four teams in an uneven partial round-robin format with teams scheduled for 3-5 games, resulting in eight total contests played from October 8 to November 7. The teams included the Bolts, Omaha Mammoths, Brawlers, and traveling Blacktips, with games broadcast on ESPN3. The league opted for no , declaring the undefeated team as champions, and the final matchup between and Omaha on November 12 was canceled after the Bolts clinched the title. At the conclusion of the , the Bolts finished with a perfect 4–0 record, securing the league championship. The Omaha Mammoths placed second at 3–1, followed by the Brawlers at 1–4, and the Blacktips at 0–3.
TeamWinsLossesWinning Pct.
Bolts401.000
Omaha Mammoths31.750
Brawlers14.200
Blacktips03.000
The season showcased several high-scoring games, including the league opener on October 8, where the Omaha Mammoths defeated the Brawlers 41–18, setting a tone for offensive output. Brooklyn's home debut on October 16 resulted in a 27–20 victory over , highlighted by Casey Hansen's efficient passing and a crowd-pleasing comeback. Other notable contests included Brooklyn's narrow 15–13 win over Omaha on October 24, decided by a late from kicker Taylor Rowinsky, and the Brawlers' sole victory, a 28–10 of the Blacktips on October 24. Rushing performances stood out, such as Omaha Blaquiere Dishon's 120-yard effort in the opener. League-wide statistics reflected an offensive emphasis, with games averaging approximately 38 total points—exemplified by two contests surpassing 40 combined points—while defensive battles like the (Omaha 10–8 over on November 5) kept totals lower. Attendance varied by market, with Omaha games drawing around 3,000 spectators for the opener and Brooklyn's home opener attracting about 1,400 paid fans, contributing to an overall average of roughly 1,500–2,000 per game across the short season.

2015 Season Results

The 2015 season of the Fall Experimental Football League (FXFL) consisted of just five games played among three teams—the Bolts, the traveling Blacktips, and the Fort—marking a significant reduction from the previous year's schedule. The season began on October 2, 2015, with the Blacktips defeating the Bolts 29–6 at MCU Park in , New York. Subsequent matchups focused primarily on a series between the Bolts and the Fort. On October 10, the Bolts won 45–23 on the road against the Fort in . The following week, on October 17, the Bolts secured a 34–9 home victory over the Fort at MCU Park. The series concluded on October 23 with the Bolts prevailing 30–6 in another road game against the Fort. These results highlighted the Bolts' offensive dominance, averaging 36.3 points per game in their four victories, while the Fort struggled defensively throughout their three losses. The season finale on October 29 saw the Bolts host the Blacktips at MCU Park, winning 31–24 to claim as the team with the best record. With no formal due to the limited , the Bolts were recognized as champions based on their performance.

Final Standings

TeamWinsLossesWin %Points ForPoints Against
Brooklyn Bolts41.80014691
Florida Blacktips11.5005337
Hudson Valley Fort03.00038109
The abbreviated season yielded a total of 237 points across five games, averaging 47.4 points per game, with a focus on competitive matchups that showcased emerging talent but underscored the league's operational constraints. Defensive efforts were notable in several contests, such as the Bolts' shutout-like control in their 30–6 win, contributing to fewer high-scoring outbursts compared to broader professional football trends.

Broadcasting and Media

Television and Streaming Coverage

The Fall Experimental Football League's (FXFL) inaugural 2014 season featured comprehensive streaming coverage, with all nine regular-season games and the championship broadcast live on ESPN3. The schedule included matchups such as Boston at Omaha on October 8 at 8 p.m. ET and the championship on November 26 at a time to be determined, all airing on Wednesdays and Fridays during the fall window to avoid competing with major college and NFL programming. Local television broadcasts supplemented the national stream in select markets; for instance, the Boston Brawlers' home games at Harvard Stadium were aired on NESN, providing regional exposure to New England audiences. The agreement was a short-term without rights fees, designed primarily to offer visibility for the league's developmental players rather than generate revenue. Production for the broadcasts was managed by Ross Mobile Productions, which handled all games using mobile units to keep costs manageable for the startup league. In 2015, the FXFL had limited streaming coverage amid a reduced three-team schedule, with national linear television absent. Local TV agreements were pursued in team markets to build interest. Coverage ceased midway through the season, with the final two games untelevised, reflecting the league's operational challenges. Like the prior year, these deals emphasized player exposure over financial returns, aligning with the FXFL's mission as an NFL feeder system. The Fall Experimental Football League garnered initial print media attention upon its 2014 launch, with the publishing a feature that detailed the league's four teams, schedule, and experimental rules such as kickoffs from the 25-yard line. Local outlets provided focused coverage of individual franchises; for instance, the reported on the Omaha Mammoths' mascot and unveiling in July 2014, as well as the hiring of former of Nebraska-Omaha coach Sandy in August 2014. By 2015, print stories shifted toward the league's challenges, including the World-Herald's announcement that the Mammoths would not return for a second season due to logistical issues. Digital media exposure centered on sports news websites that highlighted the FXFL's developmental aspirations and midseason timing to align with NFL needs. ESPN.com published articles in June and August 2014 outlining the league's plans for six-game schedules in cities like , , and Omaha, emphasizing its role as a bridge for recent college graduates and undrafted players. The league operated an official website, gofxfl.com, which disseminated team rosters, game updates, and rule innovations through 2016, serving as a primary digital hub for fan engagement. The FXFL and its teams employed social media for promotional efforts, including announcements of player signings and game highlights via platforms like Twitter. Team-specific handles, such as those for the Omaha Mammoths, facilitated local outreach but maintained modest audiences. Complementing this, select games received streaming exposure on ESPN3, broadening digital reach during the 2014 season. Media interest peaked around the FXFL's October 2014 debut, driven by launch announcements and the novelty of its short-season format, but diminished in 2015 amid team relocations and reduced operations, with no significant endorsements or widespread campaigns reported.

Legacy

Player Advancement to Higher Leagues

The Fall Experimental Football League (FXFL) served as a developmental platform for fringe professional players, many of whom were recent college graduates or cuts from NFL training camps, providing them with game experience to attract higher-level attention. Notable alumni include linebacker Mister Alexander, who played for the Omaha Mammoths in 2014 and was subsequently signed to the ' after impressing scouts with his defensive contributions. Similarly, Corbin Louks, a standout with the Boston Brawlers in 2014, earned a contract with the following the season, leveraging his FXFL performance to secure an NFL opportunity. Ladarius Perkins, who competed in the 2014 FXFL season, was added to the ' in late 2015, highlighting the league's role in facilitating transitions to NFL depth charts. Overall advancement statistics underscore the FXFL's value as a pipeline, with reports indicating that 44 out of 126 participants across its two seasons secured spots on rosters, often through workouts, invitations, or futures contracts. This exposure was amplified by the league's schematic alignment with offenses and defenses, allowing players to demonstrate skills in a professional setting scouted by league personnel. For instance, quarterbacks and players from teams like the Omaha Mammoths received targeted evaluations that led to tryouts, emphasizing the FXFL's focus on resume-building game film over extended development. While the FXFL facilitated entry-level professional moves, its brief existence constrained broader pathways, with most alumni achieving short-term stints rather than sustained careers at the highest levels.

Influence on Developmental Football

The Fall Experimental Football League's operation during the fall season demonstrated the challenges of competing with the and schedules, as games were scheduled on weeknights to reduce direct overlap. This timing contributed to limited fan engagement and financial strain, underscoring the need for off-season windows in developmental leagues to avoid such conflicts. The league's unaffiliated structure highlighted the risks of operating without formal partnerships, as it lacked the backing required for sustained viability in football. FXFL founder Brian Woods drew from this experience to launch in 2017, shifting to a spring format that provided player development opportunities during the offseason and emphasized affiliations with scouts and teams. Woods' subsequent role as president of the USFL in 2022 further incorporated these lessons, structuring the league around spring play, media deals, and developmental focus to enhance stability. FXFL rule experiments, such as attempting extra points from the 35-yard line, influenced broader discussions on play modifications, aligning with the 's 2015 adjustment to spot kicks at the 15-yard line for added challenge. The league's brief run also provided attendance benchmarks for viability, showing that low draws strained operations without strong affiliations. Post-dissolution, the FXFL was referenced in planning for the USFL relaunch as a cautionary example of fall league pitfalls, reinforcing the preference for spring models with robust broadcasting to mitigate financial risks. The league's failure to expand to six teams as planned, amid operational costs exceeding $8 million annually without sufficient revenue, further illustrated the difficulties of independent developmental football ventures.

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