It’s time to explain. It’s time to understand. It’s time to discuss a rule that every year plays a major factor in who hoists the United Bowl Trophy, and for some reason is never talked about. It’s time to explain the Indoor Football League’s “vet” rule.
WHAT IS THE RULE?
The IFL’s “vet” rule states that each team may only have seven player’s on their roster who have played four or more seasons of professional football in any league.
WHAT CONSTITUTES A SEASON?
Once a player has appeared in four games that constitutes a full season. This means that a player could potentially only appear in 16 career games before being considered a veteran by the league.
OPINION
The IFL was established the way all indoor leagues need to be, as a developmental league. When the IFL was established in 2009 there were many other places for players to jump, the NFL and CFL obviously, but the AFL as well as the now defunct UFL. Times have changed though, and it’s time for the IFL to change with them. The league is competing directly with the National Arena League to see who can become the fourth major football league behind the NFL, CFL, and XFL. The IFL should no longer be looked at as a developmental league alone, it needs to be looked at as a long-term option. Obviously the pay-structure must change but that’s a topic for a different time. It’s hard to make a career out of something if you only get four years to do it. Of course there have been exceptions who have made a career in the IFL, Lorenzo Brown and Ryan Balentine are the two current players who come to mind. The league has done an excellent job inserting itself into large markets such as San Diego and Oakland, now it’s time to take the next step and allow players to become the faces of their cities in the Spring, that step is to eliminate the veteran rule.
The IFL Network 