SFL Winter Meetings: Influx of New Owners and Team Changes
by Kris_06905 | 4 years ago | 1 Comments
The 36th SFL season (3rd of the Madden 21 cycle) will see several new faces in owner's boxes around the league and some familiar faces with new teams. SFL management instituted a new application process to hopefully weed out the four to five bad owners for every good owner that is usually the trend with new owner requests. The SFL's unique brand of simulation-style football is not always a perfect fit for the average Madden online player. With the new application process in place, several potential bad owners were declined SFL teams this off-season. Those members who completed the application process all expressed excitement for the SFL and its style of Madden gameplay.
The SFL will welcome the following new team owners for the league's 36th season:
AFC South
Jacksonville Jaguars – sg12345sg0 – The Jaguars nearly $70 million cap space made them an attractive team, and their new owner has wasted little time targeting big-name free agents. The AFC South was in turmoil last season, and the Jaguars managed to finish a respectable 9-7 even with a CPU owner. Can sg12345sg0 improve on the 9-7 record in a division with some solid SFL veterans? I guess we will find out soon.
Tennessee Titans – x_M4NI4C_9 – The Titans are an odd team. Despite one of the best rosters in Madden 21, they have struggled to maintain consistent ownership and will be on their 3rd owner in as many seasons. x_M4NI4C_9 has ownership and league-running experience, so he will likely be the stabilizing force the Titans need to get back to the playoffs in 2022.
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens – killerkevin425 – The off-season's biggest surprise was SFL stalwart KellyMcFriend44 leaving the Ravens to take over the struggling New York Giants. Kelly's move opened the door for life-long Baltimore Ravens' fan, killerkevin425, to finally find a league with his beloved Ravens available. The upside is the Ravens are in good shape both from a player perspective and financial perspective but will have to contend with division foes who have all won Super Bowls in the SFL, including the previous two in this cycle.
AFC West
Las Vegas Raiders – CoachGilbert72 – The Raiders were 6-10 as a CPU-owned squad for season 2. CoachGilbert72 is an actual football coach and plans to use his real-life football experience to be the mos sim owner in the league!! The Coach will have his work cut out for him with two of the league's top offenses to battle for the division. Both the Chargers and Chiefs were playoff teams in 2021, and nothing looks to have weakened either team this off-season. The Raiders scored 502 points in 2021. If the Coach can get some defensive help, the Raiders should compete with anyone in 2022.
Denver Broncos – ADeepVoicedCow – The final new owner to join is taking over the Denver Broncos. Denver has a solid roster with several superstar players. They have struggled at the hands of poor ownership in the past. While the AFC West is top-heavy, some consistency from the Broncos will undoubtedly make that division as competitive as some of the best divisions in the SFL. Returning the Broncos to their glory days is a priority for the new ownership.
NFC South
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – boltanian – The Bucs have gone in a new direction at QB with Josh Allen taking over for the ageless wonder, Tom Brady. This roster is full of superstars and X-factors, making the Bucs instant contenders for the NFC South. Boltanian has been silent so far in the league chatter, but this could be the quiet before the storm.
Atlanta Falcons – Rbanks34 – While not a new owner or new to the Falcons, RBanks is returning to Atlanta after spending season 2 with the Titans. Matt Ryan finally retired, so an unknown signal-caller will be joining the Falcons this season. RBanks hopes to return the Falcons to the playoffs, but this isn't the same NFC South he left. The Panthers are the new kings of the south and don't look to concede their title just yet. The Falcons will also have to contend with the new Buccaneers and always pesky Saints. Will the Falcons be satisfied with a rebuilding year? They may not have much of a choice this season.
NFC West
Los Angeles Rams – BigHurt33 – Like RBanks in Atlanta, BigHurt33 is not a new SFL owner or even new to the Rams. Bighurt guided the Rams to Super Bowl 34, ultimately losing to the Cleveland Browns. The loss left BigHurt reeling, and he left the Rams to take over the Falcons. Despite success in Atlanta, BigHurt decided to jump ship to the Washington Football Team when a surprise opening left WFT without an owner. BigHurt's WFT was bounced from the playoffs in the Divisional Round by the eventual NFC Champion Packers. BigHurt shocked the SFL by requesting an ownership change back to the Rams for season 3. The move was granted, and the Rams are glad to have their most successful owner back at the helm.
Seattle Seahawks – Gagnon7_9 – The youngest and most enthusiastic new owner is Gagnon7_9. He is taking over the Seattle Seahawks, who were without an owner almost the entire second season. The Seahawks boast an impressive, yet aging, roster. The shot of youthful vitality from their new owner may breathe new life into a squad that went 8-8 last season. The West is one of the most competitive divisions in the NFC, and the return of BigHurt to the Rams will only make it more challenging. The Seahawks and Gagnon7_9 are ready to accept the challenge and look forward to matching up against the West's other teams. No word on how the Jets owner feels about losing the title of the youngest member of the SFL.
NFC East
New York Giants – KellyMcFriend44 – The Giants couldn't be happier to have Kelly as their new owner. Kelly has won SFL Super Bowls with the Titans and Seahawks in previous Madden cycles, so he knows how to build a championship team. Things never quite jived in Baltimore, and the Giants don't have as star-studded of a roster as the Ravens, but Kelly has wasted little time making free agency splashes to improve the team. Taking the Giants from 4-12 to a playoff contender in 1 season won't be easy, but Kelly will certainly make the Giants a much better team that others can't overlook. Saquan Barkley is reportedly the most excited player on the team in New York.
Washington Football Team – RileyWasTaken – Another quiet addition to the SFL is the new Washington Football Team owner. Washington has a solid roster and was the NFC East champions in 2021, so the groundwork has already been laid. RileyWasTaken hopes for a smooth transition and will likely take an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach to the team.