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The XFL RE-Revival Not an Outlandish Possibility

OptimisticTexan

2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
I'm not sure it works that way but it is definitely an interesting thought. Especially for the quarterbacks they can pick where they want to go
CFL players are free to sign with any NFL team that makes them an offer from what I understand. Matter of a fact, I don't think there's ever been a CFL player drafted after playing in the NFL....they were signed as FA's. Technically, XFL players would fall into the same situation. A season being paid as a professional football player eliminates their amateur status....making them a FA should the NFL come calling. Trevor Lawrence would be free to sign with the highest bidder.....and at a FA contract. I truly hope the Rock is looking at this opportunity square in the eye as more CFB Conferemces decide to cancel their 2020 seasons.
 

JB

Innocent Bystander
Contributor's Club
CFL players are free to sign with any NFL team that makes them an offer from what I understand. Matter of a fact, I don't think there's ever been a CFL player drafted after playing in the NFL....they were signed as FA's. Technically, XFL players would fall into the same situation. A season being paid as a professional football player eliminates their amateur status....making them a FA should the NFL come calling. Trevor Lawrence would be free to sign with the highest bidder.....and at a FA contract. I truly hope the Rock is looking at this opportunity square in the eye as more CFB Conferemces decide to cancel their 2020 seasons.
Trevor Lawrence should go back to school if not playing in 2020
 

OptimisticTexan

2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
Trevor Lawrence should go back to school if not playing in 2020
He probably should.....but why wouldn't he jump at the opportunity to play 2020 as a professional athlete on a one year deal. Benefit, he'd be a free agent professional football player n 2021.....free to sign with any team he wishes.....and at a contract that would dwarf his rookie contract should he choose to sit out 2020 and enter the NFL Draft instead.

Of course, there would be a risk associated with this move. Take a Lloyd's of London insurance policy to cover a potential career ending injury. The upside, he selects the organization he wishes to play for instead of the organization selecting him.
 

CloakNNNdagger

Hall of Fame
THE ROCK REVEALS WHY HE PURCHASED THE XFL
STEPHAN RACHUKSEPTEMBER 8, 2020NEWS


The XFL is returning once again, thanks to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Dany Garcia and RedBird Capital. The Rock explained on Monday why he was so interested in buying the XFL after the league filed for bankruptcy earlier this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Johnson was a defensive tackle at the University of Miami and was a member of the 1991 national championship team. Following his graduation in 1995, he headed north and joined the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders. He spent two months on the team’s practice roster before eventually being cut. Despite failing to make his professional football dreams a reality in the CFL, Johnson is still thankful for the experience. He says it helped shape him into the superstar he is today.

Johnson’s love for the XFL and the opportunities the league gives players looking to make a name for themselves was one of the primary reasons he purchased the league this year. He’s hoping he can create those opportunities for more players in coming years.

Johnson reaffirmed his reasoning for being part of the group that purchased the XFL on Twitter Monday afternoon. The Rock is determined to build a league which allows players to “live their dreams” and “take care of their families.

THE REST OF THE STORY
 
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badboy

Hall of Fame
What culture is that? I would think enticements to players could be roles in movies, tv reality gigs and rasslen.
 

Thorn

Dirty Old Man
We had the best team in the XFL the last go around, we'll probably have the worst next time. LOL
 

Thorn

Dirty Old Man
What kind of field were they planning to play on anyway? Canadian size or American size? Expanding the CFL into American has been tried already, and of course failed. Also I don't think the CFL is going to suddenly adopt American size fields to play on. Still an interesting idea. Maybe Houston can get a CFL expansion franchise when they get their NHL team. LOL
 

badboy

Hall of Fame
What kind of field were they planning to play on anyway? Canadian size or American size? Expanding the CFL into American has been tried already, and of course failed. Also I don't think the CFL is going to suddenly adopt American size fields to play on. Still an interesting idea. Maybe Houston can get a CFL expansion franchise when they get their NHL team. LOL
I am not sure that they got to negotiations over the size of the field.
 

vtech9

All Pro
It sounds like the XFL is set to start training camps following the 2022 NFL season. I think they are planning on the season starting in spring of 2023.
 

SnakeEyes

Under NRG
It sounds like the XFL is set to start training camps following the 2022 NFL season. I think they are planning on the season starting in spring of 2023.
If nothing else, with the Rock attached it should be a step up from the previous versions. Rock played ball and knows the rules. Plus, not many things he ties his name to fail. Should be a better product than when Vince ran it, but not NFL level yet.
 

badboy

Hall of Fame
If nothing else, with the Rock attached it should be a step up from the previous versions. Rock played ball and knows the rules. Plus, not many things he ties his name to fail. Should be a better product than when Vince ran it, but not NFL level yet.
I believe Rock brings the movie side of things to the equation. Some NFL guys could be attracted for lower contracts to get acting roles
 

SnakeEyes

Under NRG
That sounds completely preposterous.
I agree. Rock brings a lot to the picture. As 1 of the top rated actors on the planet he can get TV coverage. 5min of the Rock to most networks is big time views and money. His contact with Under Armor is going to have amazing sales because what do you think players will be wearing? UA kits no doubt. Meaning merch is likely to be UA, making them huge money from sponsorship. And last, Rock is very savvy with business. Don't forget that, he is not just a muscle bound guy with no brain.

Honorable mention...he indeed has ties to Hollywood. And friends like Jason Statham, Ryan Reynolds and Gale Gort (sp) to name 3. Again, if people like that were to say introduce teams. People will tune in to watch. Probably not even ask to be paid seeing Rock is a friend. If free then they may just say sure read a list of names and schools before the game...no problem. And more things I didn't include is what he brings
 

OptimisticTexan

2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
I like the Rock but he’s entering a really expensive business entity that like restaurants has a history of failure. Hail at least restaurants have some success stories to fall back on from start-ups, where as professional football leagues since 1967 have had “zero” success stories. “Zero” will be a big number for the Rock to overcome.

I wouldn’t use Hollywood, WWE, or game gimmicks as such efforts will certainly grow stale with avid football fans. I think the Rock should approach this endeavor with a real hard-nosed football perspective. Football that allows players to play (X-treme) may be a way to hold avid football fans interest.

The leading with the crown of the helmet penalty would have to be there since a lot of players have no fear in using the crown of the helmet as way to hurt an opposing player.

If the XFL can get a couple of seasons of growth under their belt, it could be the right time to put the initial franchises on the market. Get another couple of seasons of growth…..then the XFL should be prepared to have franchise blocks (eg: 2 or 4) open for sale in intermittent time frames.

The Rock should try to emulate MiLB in how he sets up the XFL for operations, growth, and which markets to target.

I really hope we as fans finally get to see a new professional football league succeed.
 

michaelm

vox nihili
I like the Rock but he’s entering a really expensive business entity that like restaurants has a history of failure. Hail at least restaurants have some success stories to fall back on from start-ups, where as professional football leagues since 1967 have had “zero” success stories. “Zero” will be a big number for the Rock to overcome.

I wouldn’t use Hollywood, WWE, or game gimmicks as such efforts will certainly grow stale with avid football fans. I think the Rock should approach this endeavor with a real hard-nosed football perspective. Football that allows players to play (X-treme) may be a way to hold avid football fans interest.

The leading with the crown of the helmet penalty would have to be there since a lot of players have no fear in using the crown of the helmet as way to hurt an opposing player.

If the XFL can get a couple of seasons of growth under their belt, it could be the right time to put the initial franchises on the market. Get another couple of seasons of growth…..then the XFL should be prepared to have franchise blocks (eg: 2 or 4) open for sale in intermittent time frames.

The Rock should try to emulate MiLB in how he sets up the XFL for operations, growth, and which markets to target.

I really hope we as fans finally get to see a new professional football league succeed.
They'll probably be targeting a younger demographic with a shorter attention span and less enthusiasm for hard core football. Imo
 

CloakNNNdagger

Hall of Fame
Kevin Seifert, ESPN Staff Writer​
1d​
XFL to be 'petri dish' for football innovation, prospect development as part of partnership agreement with NFL
NFL, XFL
The NFL and XFL have reached a partnership agreement that will focus on creating innovation programs and protecting the health of players, the XFL announced Monday.

XFL officials made clear that the collaboration will not include player sharing for developmental purposes, but the alignment is notable given the growing number of alternative leagues in the football landscape.

The XFL is scheduled to resume play in February 2023 under new owners Dany Garcia, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and RedBird Capital Partners. News of the agreement comes as a revived USFL works toward its launch April. The deal is nonexclusive and does not prevent either league from working with others moving forward.

The NFL-XFL agreement will give the NFL a "petri dish" to experiment with proposed rules, test new equipment and develop prospective officials and coaches, XFL president Russ Brandon told ESPN.

A Buffalo Bills executive for two decades, Brandon said NFL officials routinely discussed the need for such an outlet after NFL Europe shuttered in 2007.
"People would ask, 'What are the opportunities to look at the game through a different lens from a player development standpoint?'" Brandon told ESPN. "'How can you be an incubator or an accelerant in many different verticals, from officiating to rules innovations to playing surfaces, to player development?' You can go on and on.

THE REST OF THE STORY
 

CloakNNNdagger

Hall of Fame
Some interesting names:

The XFL announced today that its eight head coaches will be Wade Phillips, Bob Stoops, Terrell Buckley, Hines Ward, Rod Woodson, Reggie Barlow, Anthony Becht and Jim Haslett.
 

Texansphan

Football connoisseur
Somebody may have already mentioned this, but I could see the USFL and the XFL forming two conferences and joining to form one league a la the NFL.
It would be good for all those young men who still want to play competitive football after college but can't cut it in the big time.
 

CloakNNNdagger

Hall of Fame
THE ATHLETIC
Suit: Ex-XFL commissioner Oliver Luck didn’t deserve ‘excessive’ compensation

By Daniel Kaplan Apr 14, 2022

Former XFL commissioner Oliver Luck two years ago sued his former boss, Vince McMahon, to collect the $22.8 million that remained on his contract when the league shuttered and filed for bankruptcy in the early days of the pandemic. That case is ongoing.

Now, in a twist, the bankruptcy plan administrator for the remnants of the XFL is suing Luck for some of the more than $11 million he was paid during his commissioner tenure, arguing Luck didn’t deserve it and violated his contract.

Luck is a seasoned sports executive and father of former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck. The suit was filed April 11 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.

“The Compensation was excessive and many multiples of what Luck was being paid by his employer immediately prior to Alpha,” wrote plan administrator Peter Hurwitz, referring to the XFL holding company. “Luck lacked experience and business acumen to serve as a CEO and was not qualified for this position.

“Luck’s performance as Commissioner and CEO was woefully inadequate for numerous reasons. Among other things, he failed to exercise proper business judgment; failed to comply with league policies; failed to comply with the XFL Employee Handbook; failed to attend meetings; disclosed confidential information without proper authorization; and effectively abandoned his responsibilities when faced with the Covid crisis.”
 

CloakNNNdagger

Hall of Fame
XFL Partners With NFL Alumni Academy
April 15th, 2022 at 9:57pm CST by Ely Allen

The development of the XFL continues as it strives to return in 2023. Earlier this week, the league announced a partnership with the NFL Alumni Academy, according to Josh Alper of NBC Sports.

The NFL Alumni Academy was established in 2020 to create a sort of pool of “NFL ready” free agents that teams can draw from in-season in case of injuries. They classify themselves as “an elite in-season training program” operating at the Pro Football Hall-of-Fame Village in Canton, Ohio.

The thought process is that, on average, NFL teams end up seeking to replace up to 500 active roster players each season.

Many talented players are unable to make the 53-man rosters or 16-man practice squads to start the season. The Academy offers an environment for those players to be completely prepared to return to the NFL at a moment’s notice. In this environment free agents are taught, coached, and mentored by former NFL coaches and players.

Partnering with the Academy is an extremely advantageous deal for the fledgling league in establishing a solid foothold. Having a continuous source of players is an important step in making sure that the XFL is sustainable long-term.

XFL president Russ Brandon called the partnership “monumental…for the entire football ecosystem.” The terms of the partnership have not been specified, but it’s easy to see how the deal can benefit both organizations substantially.
 

vtech9

All Pro
XFL Partners With NFL Alumni Academy
April 15th, 2022 at 9:57pm CST by Ely Allen

The development of the XFL continues as it strives to return in 2023. Earlier this week, the league announced a partnership with the NFL Alumni Academy, according to Josh Alper of NBC Sports.

The NFL Alumni Academy was established in 2020 to create a sort of pool of “NFL ready” free agents that teams can draw from in-season in case of injuries. They classify themselves as “an elite in-season training program” operating at the Pro Football Hall-of-Fame Village in Canton, Ohio.

The thought process is that, on average, NFL teams end up seeking to replace up to 500 active roster players each season.

Many talented players are unable to make the 53-man rosters or 16-man practice squads to start the season. The Academy offers an environment for those players to be completely prepared to return to the NFL at a moment’s notice. In this environment free agents are taught, coached, and mentored by former NFL coaches and players.

Partnering with the Academy is an extremely advantageous deal for the fledgling league in establishing a solid foothold. Having a continuous source of players is an important step in making sure that the XFL is sustainable long-term.

XFL president Russ Brandon called the partnership “monumental…for the entire football ecosystem.” The terms of the partnership have not been specified, but it’s easy to see how the deal can benefit both organizations substantially.
This sounds like a very smart move by the XFL.
 

CloakNNNdagger

Hall of Fame
XFL cities, coaches assigned to franchises:

Houston: Wade Phillips
Dallas: Bob Stoops
San Antonio: Hines Ward
Washington, D.C.: Reggie Barlow
Seattle: Jim Haslett
Las Vegas: Rod Woodson
Orlando, Fla.: Terrell Buckley
St. Louis: Anthony Becht
 

Speedy

Former Yeller Dweller
Now that they're competing with the USFL for bodies, both leagues could give us some really ugly football.
 

Thorn

Dirty Old Man
Now that they're competing with the USFL for bodies, both leagues could give us some really ugly football.
Houston is the only city with a team in both of the spring leagues. Lucky us. LOL

The biggest problem with these leagues is they never last. If they should ever start lasting, then more than likely a lot of the same players will be coming back for another year with players they now have experience playing with. That in itself will help IF these damn things would ever last.

As far as two minor leagues in the spring, let them go for it. What are the chances of two minor league spring football leagues both surviving at the same time and making a profit?
 

OptimisticTexan

2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
Houston is the only city with a team in both of the spring leagues. Lucky us. LOL

The biggest problem with these leagues is they never last. If they should ever start lasting, then more than likely a lot of the same players will be coming back for another year with players they now have experience playing with. That in itself will help IF these damn things would ever last.

As far as two minor leagues in the spring, let them go for it. What are the chances of two minor league spring football leagues both surviving at the same time and making a profit?
I’d like to see them succeed enough to merge at some point.
 

CloakNNNdagger

Hall of Fame
I’d like to see them succeed enough to merge at some point.
Can the XFL and USFL coexist or is a merger in the offing?
By Daniel Kaplan and Bill Shea
Jul 29, 2022
Are you ready for … a lot of mid-tier pro football?

One week after the Super Bowl in February 2023, U.S. sports will see the unlikely scenario of five and a half straight months of startup spring football leagues, testing just how much American appetite there is for pigskin and whether that many quality football players aren’t on NFL rosters.

The XFL, the third version of the league following a single 2001 season and half of one in 2020, unveiled its eight team markets earlier this week and committed to a Feb. 18, 2023, kickoff, broadcast by ESPN.
The XFL announced its eight host cities on Sunday night for the 2023 season.
◽ Arlington
◽ Houston
◽ Orlando
◽ Las Vegas
◽ San Antonio
◽ Seattle
◽ St. Louis
◽ Washington D.C.
The league dropped New York, Los Angeles and Tampa Bay.https://t.co/Zjx5XQnKhz
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) July 25, 2022
About two months into that roughly 10-week run, which includes a postseason, the second campaign of the rejiggered USFL gets underway. It promises to stretch the uninterrupted skein of spring football into July, just weeks before the NFL returns for training camps.

“There’s clearly an appetite for year-round football. I don’t think that’s in question,” said Randy Vataha, a former New England Patriot who owned an original USFL team and is a longtime sports investment banker. “I think that the level of the appetite, especially if you’re putting on two leagues, is tough. … But it’s always been the question of can you generate enough revenue to support the sport of football?”

Vataha predicts that within a few years, the leagues will merge if one has not folded. “If they both get some level of establishment,” he said, “you can pretty much be guaranteed there’ll be merger talks pretty early on.”
By now it’s a broken record, but it’s worth repeating: Non-NFL football leagues are typically short-lived affairs, out of the gate with hype about the unending hunger for football, then collapsing under a barrage of headlines about economic difficulties.

The original XFL crashed after the 2001 season — it lost a reported $70 million — and was brought back in 2020 by wrestling titan Vince McMahon, who shut it down weeks into the pandemic despite spending over $200 million. In 2019, the Alliance of American Football shuttered after two months into its inaugural season, filing for bankruptcy after a severe mismatch between revenues and expenses.
This followed the FXFL and the United Football League, failed leagues in the 2010s.

“The problem for all spring or startup football leagues like the UFL is what’s the revenue model?” said Michael Huyghue, who was the commissioner of the UFL, which lasted three seasons. “And it’s one thing to come out of the gate and say there are no saturation issues and people still have a thirst for football. But getting paid attendance alone isn’t even going to really drive it. College football and the NFL, of course, are driven monumentally by their television deals.

“And that’s why so much movement is happening within the conferences and everything else is everyone’s chasing the most lucrative television deals. … You need, ultimately, that kind of revenue stream to be sustainable.”

Providing content

There are signs that the USFL and XFL could break free of the revenue hurdle. For one, the USFL is owned by Fox Sports, which views the league as model filler programming when it needs to fill airtime. Average ratings in the first season were passable at nearly 700,000 viewers per game, with several games topping 1 million or more viewers on broadcast TV.
Fox has also reportedly earmarked $150 million to finance the league’s first few seasons.

“Is there room for two? It’s hard to say. As the standard for success gets lower, it’s hard to suggest there isn’t room for more,” said Jon Lewis, who runs Sports Media Watch, which tracks TV viewership and ratings. “If you can get 300,000 for each game on cable, maybe 500,000 or 600,000 on broadcast … I don’t know if that’s thriving, but you can survive on that.”

In the age of cord-cutting, TV networks have turned to streaming to build an audience long-term. That makes content vital, and the USFL and XFL can be considered relatively cheap content that delivers decent viewership in a slower period of the sports calendar.

“It’s inventory now for streaming channels. It’s going to be content for them. Maybe that gives them more cushion to survive,” Lewis said.
One element that’s not been much of a factor is football players. The original USFL of the mid-1980s directly challenged the NFL’s homogeny and spent itself into oblivion but is nostalgically remembered by older football fans for producing a batch of future NFL stars and Hall of Famers.

These leagues are lower-tier — Fox, NBC and ESPN are not going to risk the NFL golden goose by challenging it — so there is little expectation that they’ll produce a new wave of Reggie Whites, Jim Kellys and Steve Youngs.
After its recently completed season, 22 USFL players have signed on to NFL teams (how many stick with the clubs is the big question).

The new XFL has the weight of ESPN behind it. When the league announced its eight home markets, ESPN sent out a push notification. The parties won’t comment on the economics of the deal, but a source said there is a rights fee.
“There is substantial income from day one,” the source texted of the ESPN contract, who then compared the league’s strategy to the 2020 startup version. “But every aspect of the overall plan is better, from the way they will leverage their new owners (which include Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) … to the way they see the game being played, to the TV deals, to the marketplaces they chose, to the way they’re housing players, to fan engagement plans.”
In addition to Johnson, the league is owned by his former wife, Dany Garcia, and RedBird Capital. The trio bought the XFL out of bankruptcy for $15 million.

Much of their strategy has not been publicized yet. One element that has is that although the XFL will play in eight markets, all teams will train and spend the work week in Arlington, Texas. That’s a middle ground between a standard league structure and the USFL, which played all but its three playoff games in Birmingham, Ala.

Attracting the fans

USFL games were often mocked on social media for the lack of fans, a depressing tableau that made for a mediocre TV experience despite some technical innovations like drone cams during plays. During the pandemic, live sports TV viewership declined in part because fans were turned off by games in empty stadiums.

“Ultimately, I would question the viability of a league that was strictly sort of fan-baseless in cities, you know? It’s just a media product, period,” Vataha said.
The USFL has said it hopes to introduce a second hub city in 2023.

“Being in-market provides a certain amount of legitimacy that playing in neutral areas does not,” Lewis said. “That’s not a great TV visual. For the XFL to be in home markets is a great decision in making it seem like a real league.”
The eight XFL cities are Arlington, Houston, Las Vegas, Seattle, Orlando, San Antonio, St. Louis and Washington, D.C.

Though the XFL teams will not be present in their markets midweek, the league said each team would have an on-the-ground business staff marketing and selling tickets. The USFL did not do that in 2022.

The teams in 2020 that were successful in the short-lived XFL season had strong grassroots marketing staffs. The St. Louis BattleHawks, arguably the most advanced of the eight teams, held weekly fan events in the months leading up to the season, with an intense outreach to high schools and other local institutions.

“The fan base seems like it is still really strong, and I hope they set up some meet-and-greets around town,” said Mike Presson, a fan of the BattleHawks who attended many of the team’s fan events in 2019 and 2020, when asked about the reception to the news the XFL would return to the gateway city. Like many in St. Louis, he expressed hope the league would retain the BattleHawks name and logo.

The current ownership acquired the intellectual property as part of its purchase of the league out of bankruptcy, so it has rights to the BattleHawks name and imagery.

Roads to profitability

The viability of both football leagues will come down to live-game viewership and advertising dollars for the networks and cost controls by the organizers.

That’s a major question heading into 2023: Will there be enough ad dollars for both football leagues? This year, USFL games generated about $65 million in TV advertising revenue for Fox and NBC, according to EDO, a New York City-based advertising metrics data firm that tracks commercial engagement.

In 2020, ads during XFL games ginned up $50 million during the truncated season but were more effective than USFL in-game ads, the firm said.

“EDO data shows that TV viewers were 30 percent more engaged with ads during the shortened XFL season in 2020 than the USFL in 2022. However, advertisers might be wondering if the XFL will continue to carry as much weight now that the spring football schedule is denser with both leagues airing games around the same time,” said Laura Grover, EDO’s senior vice president and head of client solutions, via email.

Advertisers might opt to spend on commercials with both leagues.

“While brands will certainly manage their overall ad frequency during XFL and USFL games, there’s no known downside to investing in both environments,” Grover said. “Airing head-to-head ads will undoubtedly impact brands’ performance, but going into the season, we expect XFL has an advantage, given it has proven to be a stronger environment for advertisers.”

Though both football leagues are lower-tier sports properties the networks see as eyeball magnets with modest costs during a slower time of the year, they still are expected to at least break even or not cost backers a lot. Sponsorship dollars, TV commercial revenue and ticket and merchandise sales are all part of that matrix.

Said former Fox executive Patrick Crakes: “Is there enough sponsorship money to go around? I think there is.”

That said, the fate of both leagues hinges on what their undisclosed internal success metrics look like and the patience of network executives to allow the properties to grow before pulling the plug.
“They got some content; they’re not spending a ton of money,” Crakes said. “Everyone has to be patient, even if they have solid viewership and sponsorship.”

How the XFL and USFL execute their strategies and control expenses while maintaining a quality product will be key, he continued.
Playing games in eight markets will add significant operational costs, such as venue rental, travel, housing, etc.
“That becomes a cost you have to cover, and it can become really big really fast,” Crakes said. “The problem for any new league is venue costs. They’re very expensive.”

Because the XFL isn’t owned by Disney/ESPN, there could be additional pressure to turn a profit that the USFL doesn’t face because it’s owned by Fox. However, Fox has to justify the expenditures to its shareholders.

In the end, the networks and investors will either enjoy low-cost content or pull the plug. Crakes is guardedly optimistic because neither league is billed as anything more than it is and certainly isn’t pitted as an NFL alternative.
“There are lots of roads to profitability,” he said. “There is absolutely room for both leagues. This is going to be an execution story.”
 

SnakeEyes

Under NRG
I think the XFL has good backing and may just work out this time. With Rock being a former player at the college level. He would have no problem with it basically being an NFL minor league. I can see later round picks and undrafted FAs being in the XFL to develop. After a year or two, they get a call from an NFL team who wants to bring them in. I think they would be on the first plane. It basically sounds like college 2.0. For example, Stingley could have went to the XFL and let the injury fully heal. Then be pulled to the NFL later. That's just an example, but one that would allow the XFL to be a good product and watchable
 

Thorn

Dirty Old Man
Three Texas teams in the XFL, I know I'll be wanting to watch San Antonio as well as Houston.
 
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JB

Innocent Bystander
Contributor's Club
Three Texas teams in the XFL, I know I'll be wanting to watch San Antonio as well as Houston.
San Antonio Brahmas
1670730324791.png
The Brahmas are coached by Super Bowl XL MVP Hines Ward.


Arlington Renegades
1670730549363.png
Bob Stoops will return to again coach the Renegades.
 

Mollywhopper

Facilitator
Staff member
I think the XFL has good backing and may just work out this time. With Rock being a former player at the college level. He would have no problem with it basically being an NFL minor league. I can see later round picks and undrafted FAs being in the XFL to develop. After a year or two, they get a call from an NFL team who wants to bring them in. I think they would be on the first plane. It basically sounds like college 2.0. For example, Stingley could have went to the XFL and let the injury fully heal. Then be pulled to the NFL later. That's just an example, but one that would allow the XFL to be a good product and watchable
So Stingley should say no thanks to $35M guaranteed to play in front of 500 people a day for peanuts at the risk of any potential career ending injury, all the while delaying the chance to get to an even bigger second contract?

Yup, makes perfect sense..
 

SnakeEyes

Under NRG
So Stingley should say no thanks to $35M guaranteed to play in front of 500 people a day for peanuts at the risk of any potential career ending injury, all the while delaying the chance to get to an even bigger second contract?

Yup, makes perfect sense..
If you need an example explanation...
 

JB

Innocent Bystander
Contributor's Club
Who'd have imagined the 4-6 Arlington Renegades would make it to the Championship game?
 
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CloakNNNdagger

Hall of Fame
XFL’s Vipers might be leaving Las Vegas
By Mike Florio
Published September 1, 2023 12:45 PM

At a time when more pro sports teams are coming to Las Vegas, one could be leaving.

According to Adam Hill of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the XFL’s Vegas Vipers could be leaving town.

They won’t return to their 2023 home, Cashman Field, in 2024. They will either find another location in Southern Nevada, or leave the area.

The Vipers finished dead last in home attendance in 2023, averaging 6,028 fans on a five-game schedule. It didn’t help that the Vipers lost eight of 10 games. Rod Woodson served as the coach last year. After Woodson stepped down, Anthony Blevins was hired to take over.

The XFL returns after the conclusion of the NFL season.
 

SnakeEyes

Under NRG
XFL’s Vipers might be leaving Las Vegas
By Mike Florio
Published September 1, 2023 12:45 PM

At a time when more pro sports teams are coming to Las Vegas, one could be leaving.

According to Adam Hill of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the XFL’s Vegas Vipers could be leaving town.

They won’t return to their 2023 home, Cashman Field, in 2024. They will either find another location in Southern Nevada, or leave the area.

The Vipers finished dead last in home attendance in 2023, averaging 6,028 fans on a five-game schedule. It didn’t help that the Vipers lost eight of 10 games. Rod Woodson served as the coach last year. After Woodson stepped down, Anthony Blevins was hired to take over.

The XFL returns after the conclusion of the NFL season.
I have been enjoying the XFL being back. Gives you some good football while college and the NFL are on break. Wish they had a few more teams and games. 14 to 16 teams at least would be very good. And 4 playoff teams. Also would give us another 2 weeks about of action. Seeing it is somewhat of an NFL farm league I really think it might open more chances for players to get called to the NFL. Be it a try out or they make an NFL roster
 
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