I don’t think we can really call this a conflict of interest, because I doubt ESPN will spend a second talking about it, but Ron Jaworski is a partner in the launch of the China American Football League, the first football league in the country’s history. The main backer of the project is Marty Judge, co-owner of the Philadelphia Soul of the Arena League, with Jaworski and former NFL coach Dick Vermeil serving as lesser partners.
Initial plans are obviously vague, but call for two conferences of six to eight teams in China’s major cities, with a championship game and an end of the year All-Star game in Macau. Rosters will consist of both American and Chinese players, perhaps in the same style setup as the CFL with their imports. The rules will likely resemble those we see in Arena Football rather than the NFL due to the lack of massive outdoor stadiums as well as the faster pace and higher scoring that we see in Arena games.
I have no idea if this is going to be a success, a flop, or if a game will even be played. Jaworski tying himself to this project is really just to help give it a recognizable, public face, especially considering how much Vermeil has faded from the limelight after his NFL coaching career. But there is definitely a high chance of a reward here for Jaws – the Chinese market is huge, and the CAFL has the possibility of becoming a major hit. Then again, NFL Europe didn’t exactly thrive before being shuttered, but maybe tweaking the rules to appeal more to an international market is the best course of action for success in China and possibly other markets in the future.
[CAFL]
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