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The Spring League
The Spring League (TSL) was an American football developmental league and scouting event (pro showcase) that played from 2017 to 2021 and was founded by Brian Woods. Aimed at professional athletes but not paying a salary or expenses, the league's goal was to "serve as an instructional league and showcase for professional football talent".
The Spring League was the second football property to be established by Woods, following the Fall Experimental Football League (FXFL) from 2014 to 2015 and preceding the United States Football League revival in 2022. The league consisted of three to eight teams and played an abbreviated four to six game "season" in April or May. During the year, the league arranged additional scouting events, called Spring League Showcases, that began in July 2017. In 2025, three years after departing his position with the USFL, Woods revisited the showcase concept with The Pro Showcase.
According to the league records, as of May 2021, more than 100 former players have signed contracts with a National Football League (NFL) team.
The National Football League (NFL) has not had an official developmental league since 2007 with NFL Europe. Several other developmental leagues unaffiliated with the NFL have arisen, such as the FXFL, Gridiron Developmental Football League, and the Rivals Professional Football League.
On September 2, 2016, the FXFL, after two abbreviated seasons of operation, announced it had suspended operations in hopes of finding a more effective business model.
A developmental league continued to be an internal NFL discussion as of December 2016 with a decision deadline of February 2017.
Like the FXFL, The Spring League was built upon the concept of serving as a second opportunity to allow players to advance to more established professional leagues, yet The Spring League had some prominent differences from the FXFL. While The Spring League's core player was around 24 years old, it also took in experienced professionals, which the FXFL discouraged. All four teams were brought to one location, and at first not have distinctive identities or home cities/franchises (this began to change beginning in 2019). Rather, the games are more showcases for the NFL and Canadian Football League (CFL) scouts in the spring and summer months.
Unlike the FXFL, which paid a per-game stipend for its players, The Spring League paid only for room and board. Woods said that the lack of payment is out of financial necessity. To be eligible to participate in the league, a player may not be under contract with a pro league nor be eligible for the current year's draft. Players must also pay a $350 application fee. By 2019, the application fee had jumped to $2000, as players now also had to cover room and board as part of the fee; players with professional experience are exempt from this fee. Players must also cover their own health insurance. The league also assists in developing NFL referees.
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The Spring League
The Spring League (TSL) was an American football developmental league and scouting event (pro showcase) that played from 2017 to 2021 and was founded by Brian Woods. Aimed at professional athletes but not paying a salary or expenses, the league's goal was to "serve as an instructional league and showcase for professional football talent".
The Spring League was the second football property to be established by Woods, following the Fall Experimental Football League (FXFL) from 2014 to 2015 and preceding the United States Football League revival in 2022. The league consisted of three to eight teams and played an abbreviated four to six game "season" in April or May. During the year, the league arranged additional scouting events, called Spring League Showcases, that began in July 2017. In 2025, three years after departing his position with the USFL, Woods revisited the showcase concept with The Pro Showcase.
According to the league records, as of May 2021, more than 100 former players have signed contracts with a National Football League (NFL) team.
The National Football League (NFL) has not had an official developmental league since 2007 with NFL Europe. Several other developmental leagues unaffiliated with the NFL have arisen, such as the FXFL, Gridiron Developmental Football League, and the Rivals Professional Football League.
On September 2, 2016, the FXFL, after two abbreviated seasons of operation, announced it had suspended operations in hopes of finding a more effective business model.
A developmental league continued to be an internal NFL discussion as of December 2016 with a decision deadline of February 2017.
Like the FXFL, The Spring League was built upon the concept of serving as a second opportunity to allow players to advance to more established professional leagues, yet The Spring League had some prominent differences from the FXFL. While The Spring League's core player was around 24 years old, it also took in experienced professionals, which the FXFL discouraged. All four teams were brought to one location, and at first not have distinctive identities or home cities/franchises (this began to change beginning in 2019). Rather, the games are more showcases for the NFL and Canadian Football League (CFL) scouts in the spring and summer months.
Unlike the FXFL, which paid a per-game stipend for its players, The Spring League paid only for room and board. Woods said that the lack of payment is out of financial necessity. To be eligible to participate in the league, a player may not be under contract with a pro league nor be eligible for the current year's draft. Players must also pay a $350 application fee. By 2019, the application fee had jumped to $2000, as players now also had to cover room and board as part of the fee; players with professional experience are exempt from this fee. Players must also cover their own health insurance. The league also assists in developing NFL referees.