1961 League Meetings
The league meetings brought several major changes to the NAAF this season. The first was the implementation of a salary cap for the 1961 season. The cap will be set at $525,000 for the first season (the average payroll last season was $496,000), and will only contain a team’s 40-man active roster. The cap will also be a hard cap with major penalties for teams that violate the salary cap. This would include a potential draft pick penalties, or being eliminated from playoff contention.
The main reasons for implementing the cap would be an attempt to avoid seasons like the 1959 season which saw the top 4 teams being miles ahead of the rest of the league. London, Long Island, and Ottawa had finished 10-2 and Boston 8-4 with the next best team being Providence at 5-7. While the 1960 season showed that there was more competition with 7 teams finishing with 7 or 8 wins, there were still concerns over the other 3 teams that didn’t break 2 wins. The other reason for implementation is a large jump in the average payroll going from $460,000 in 1959 to $496,000 in 1960. Being in such a competitive market with other leagues, the NAAF wants to make sure they can maintain revenue numbers in order to remain in their smaller markets and give them a fighting chance in the NAAF.
On the players' side, there were some other changes made to contracts with having a stronger salary guarantee. Contracts for the most part have been guaranteed and paid out by the league and their teams. This stems from the league looking to help those out if they get cut, especially for many who were soldiers coming back from WWII and would have issues finding work.
The other issue that was talked about was around trades and transactions, especially during the season. Players on several occasions didn’t love being traded to a new city for only a game or even two with late week trades. In the end, the NAAF agreed on a Week 8 trade deadline, and that teams would be more involved with the players moving to the new location and help them find a place to stay temporarily. Some of the teams have already been doing this, but the NAAF wanted to encourage the rest of the teams to do so. Along with the trade deadlines, the players and teams will be able to add a no-trade clause to a contract after a player turns 27. Which would include having it kick in when the player turns 27 if the contract is signed prior to 27.
For the owners and the teams, the league decided to spread out the offseason events more to allow teams to have a bit more time to negotiate with players and build their teams. The draft will be shifted ahead a couple of weeks to be later in the offseason as well.
Individual Team Developments
Worcester Athletics
It was announced that the proper team owner, Marie Paul, wife of the team’s old owner Richard Paul, had fallen ill and passed away. Their son, Chester Paul, who has been mainly in control of the team’s actual operations would now take full control of the team. While Chester was excited, there was some worry coming from the league, which has received lots of issues coming from players within the team. It has been evident with the amount of talent that has left the team over specific issues dealing with contracts. Commissioner Ryan Jameson and the league looked into the issues over the last season. The NAAF came to the conclusion that the Athletics were looking to save money, however, the team's financial state is still strong enough to significantly increase their spending. Jameson would give Chester the benefit of the doubt and would allow him to continue, but he is on thin ice, and if there are any more issues, the league will take action.
Buffalo Blue Wings
On a different note, the Buffalo Blue Wings have begun talks to replace their 42-year-old stadium in the next couple of seasons. They are looking at a new location downtown to build a 50,000+ seat stadium.
Outside the NAAF
ACFL
The Atlantic Coast Football League had some rumblings about the league aiming to expand and try and extend their reach. They have been in contact with Norfolk to add a team to the Virginia Beach area, and they also have been looking into the New England area, potentially Hartford, but there seems to be some development with a potential Worcester franchise that might be able to step into Worcester Stadium.
OFU
The Ontario Football Union continued to talk with the City of Halifax to potentially move a team into the Maritimes. The city is still working on a stadium plan, but they are not sure how big they will be able to make the stadium or if they will have the funding, or even where the stadium will go.
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