# "If You Build It, They Will Come" - Football Version **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 22, 2009, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-build-it-they-will-come-football-version/500550 "2009-06-22T03:06:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-build-it-they-will-come-football-version/500550/21 "2009-06-24T20:46:38Z")
> [@Quasimodem](#): > > Question: Why is it up to _me_ to form leagues? > > All I want to do is provide the playing surface, concessions and upkeep. I don’t think you are obligated to create leagues. I just think it will be hard to get enough people to play on your field if all you are offering is a field. Presumably any existing leagues already have fields that they use and may be happy with. However, if you create a community around your field (e.g. leagues, etc.) then I think you would have more luck. Just my opinion though. ---
**Author:** ![BigNik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/73ab20/32.png) [@BigNik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigNik)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-build-it-they-will-come-football-version/500550/22 "2009-06-25T01:05:07Z")
> [@Quasimodem](#): > > Question: Why is it up to _me_ to form leagues? > > All I want to do is provide the playing surface, concessions and upkeep. > > Shouldn’t be the _players_ who do that. or am I misunderstanding? You wouldn’t be obliged to, but you’d want to. There’s a reason that ten-pin bowling leagues are organised by the lane owners - most people aren’t going to come along in nice groups of 22 - they’re going to be a guy and two friends who are interested in getting a bit of exercise, and - hey! - here’s this ad for a touch footy comp. Pay your subs, we’ll put you in a team and we’ll turn you where and when to turn up, hand you a bib in place of a uniform and introduce you to a referee. Hell, paintball fields have to play mix-and-match, and they’re in much smaller teams. In order to make the business model work, you need to guarantee that there’s a game going on or - if there’s not - that you’re already pre-paid for a game to be going on. With that said, I think that you’ve seriously underestimated the effects of enough games to be economically viable on a grass pitch - it’s going to degrade much faster than you think, especially if the players are wearing sprigs. I live in Sydney - a place with pretty mild winters - and at the end of a season where a team’s playing four grades of footy one day a week, the ground’s pretty torn up by the end of the season. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-build-it-they-will-come-football-version/500550/23 "2009-06-25T02:55:57Z")
Thanks, Y’all, but I found out today that the Small Business Administration doesn’t provide loans. They’re more of a “clearing house” for private lenders, and since I lost my job and am waiting on my Disabiltity to start (a looooong wait), my credit rating isn’t such that I can pursue it anyway. Sucks to be me. It wasn’t that way a year ago. A year ago, I was flying high, with excellent credit. Now I’m not worth a shit. Well, maybe I AM worth a **shit** , but not much else!😃 Still… Something _viable_, wadn’t it - and maybe the dream just meant I was still in the running and not giving up? Or maybe I needed some “come-uppance”? I tend to grasp at straws these days. It keeps me honest. Thanks for your replies. I know you care. Bill [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-build-it-they-will-come-football-version/500550.md?page=1)