XFL to return in 2020

Zen

Full Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2008
Messages
14,445
Who knows. There is a growing sentiment that the NFL is increasingly bureaucratic and dysfunctional, involving everything from deflate gate, to Goodell's tenure as commissioner, to CTC, to kneeling before the anthem. So maybe McMahon thinks now is the time to strike while fans are annoyed.
Yet it's the biggest it's ever been....despite all that.
 

Raoul

Admin
Staff
Joined
Aug 14, 1999
Messages
129,785
Location
Hollywood CA
Yet it's the biggest it's ever been....despite all that.
Actually ratings are down nearly 10%, which has probably facilitated the feasibility study behind whether or not bringing back a rival league could work.
 

duffer

Sensible and not a complete jerk like most oppo's
Scout
Joined
Jun 24, 2004
Messages
50,037
Location
Chelsea (the saviours of football) fan.
Why would anyone watch this rather than NFL / college football?
American football nuts will watch this as well as the other stuff. How many football fans watch the Prem, Ia Liga and various other leagues?

You'll also get a fair few people who are not fans of the NFL (like me) who will give the XFL a go out of morbid curiosity to see what madness Vince hopefully comes up so.
 

freeurmind

weak willed
Joined
Mar 10, 2017
Messages
5,883
WWE chief Vince McMahon says he is reviving the XFL, a professional football league that flamed out quickly nearly two decades ago in a previous incarnation.

The league will begin play in 2020, and McMahon insisted that the two-year run-up will enable the re-born XFL to “get it right.”

Plans call for eight teams with 40 players each, and four teams in the postseason. The season will begin in late January or early February and run for 10 weeks, through the springtime.

No broadcast or streaming deals are in place as yet.

Before McMahon’s news conference, a short sizzle reel played, with a theme song and on-screen graphics emphasizing some themes that were not in the mix during the XFL’s initially ill-fated first run, including “safety” and “fantasy.”

McMahon said the NFL’s recent troubles, from kneeling anthem protests to TV ratings woes, did not factor into his decision to revive the league. “I’ve always had this plan to relaunch,” he said.

While the earlier incarnation featured hard-hitting action that occasionally veered into brutality, safety will be a centrepiece of the new effort.

Vince says he wants no players with any sort of criminal record. Even if you had a DUI, you will not be welcome to play in the XFL.
Someone should ask vince why he doesn't apply this to WWE.
 

Phil

Full Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2003
Messages
11,370
Anything to fill the offseason. I'm on board, Money Manziel please.
 

MrMarcello

In a well-ordered universe...
Joined
Dec 26, 2000
Messages
52,570
Location
On a pale blue dot in space
If the NFL were smart, owners would each get a USFL team and use them sort of like a AAA baseball affiliate during the offseason. That way there would be no competition and 2nd tier players would have a chance to show their stuff and get NFL season recalls.
Would serve the league better to run a developmental league concurrent with the NFL season, then perhaps introduce a shortened spring league.
 

Jagga7

Full Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2011
Messages
7,079
Location
in a cave
You know every player is going to be juiced to the gills in typical Vince fashion.
 

Mr Pigeon

Illiterate Flying Rat
Scout
Joined
Mar 27, 2014
Messages
26,048
Location
bin
At least Arnie’s 6th Day film won’t seem so out of date anymore.

 

SparkedIntoLife

Full Member
Joined
May 15, 2013
Messages
1,133
So American football fans, is Vince’s notion that the game as presented by NFL needs to be changed a valid one? Is it spoiled by too many rules and format issues or is Vince barking totally up the wrong tree?
 

JustAFan

The Adebayo Akinfenwa of football photoshoppers
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
32,377
Location
An evil little city in the NE United States
So American football fans, is Vince’s notion that the game as presented by NFL needs to be changed a valid one? Is it spoiled by too many rules and format issues or is Vince barking totally up the wrong tree?
There are always improvements that can be made. But it is hardly spoiled. The NFL has always been willing to change as needed and that will continue.

With the anthem thing and "no criminals" he is targeting a specific Trump voting demographic.
 

RedRom

"Where's Lingard?"
Joined
Oct 13, 2017
Messages
1,850
Talking about shortening the game time is a bit of a good decision I think, no half-time, well say goodbye to shows like at the Superbowl then!

Be interesting to see what this actually turns out like.
 

JustAFan

The Adebayo Akinfenwa of football photoshoppers
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
32,377
Location
An evil little city in the NE United States
Talking about shortening the game time is a bit of a good decision I think, no half-time, well say goodbye to shows like at the Superbowl then!

Be interesting to see what this actually turns out like.
It will be crap football given the players and coaches that will be available. Even the best team in the XFL would get steamrolled by the worst NFL team and would be worse then most good College teams.

He is largely playing to Trumps base with this league. His wife is close to Trump. I wonder if the rumored other investors are also close to Trump.
 

limerickcitykid

There once was a kid from Toronto...
Joined
Oct 3, 2012
Messages
14,051
Location
East end / Oot and aboot
It will be crap football given the players and coaches that will be available. Even the best team in the XFL would get steamrolled by the worst NFL team and would be worse then most good College teams.

He is largely playing to Trumps base with this league. His wife is close to Trump. I wonder if the rumored other investors are also close to Trump.
Why would it be worse than most college teams? Assuming he has some decent money to pay, I have no clue how rich he is. What is it like less than 1% of college players will earn a pro contract? Should he not then be able to get the best of the remaining 99% along with the CFL? There are a lot more colleges than CFL and XFL teams so why would they not be better than college teams?
 

altodevil

Odds winner of 'Odds or Evens 2023/2024'
Joined
Oct 16, 2013
Messages
17,321
Why would it be worse than most college teams? Assuming he has some decent money to pay, I have no clue how rich he is. What is it like less than 1% of college players will earn a pro contract? Should he not then be able to get the best of the remaining 99% along with the CFL? There are a lot more colleges than CFL and XFL teams so why would they not be better than college teams?
Yeah, don't see them being worse than college teams.
 

JustAFan

The Adebayo Akinfenwa of football photoshoppers
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
32,377
Location
An evil little city in the NE United States
Why would it be worse than most college teams? Assuming he has some decent money to pay, I have no clue how rich he is. What is it like less than 1% of college players will earn a pro contract? Should he not then be able to get the best of the remaining 99% along with the CFL? There are a lot more colleges than CFL and XFL teams so why would they not be better than college teams?
Because if they were good they'd be in the NFL (a small handful might move on to the NFL). The coaching will be those not in the NFL or college it won't be good. He does not want to be a feeder to the NFL so I'd imagine players contracts won't allow them out easily which will turn players away.

The best college teams will have better players and be better coached.

If there was a wealth of talent to fill more teams to a high level the NFL would simply have expanded and made even more money.
 

lsd

The Oracle
Joined
Jun 5, 2016
Messages
10,769
It's something to watch during the off season so I'm all for it no matter the quality and there's always the joy of picking a new team to break your heart
 

altodevil

Odds winner of 'Odds or Evens 2023/2024'
Joined
Oct 16, 2013
Messages
17,321
The top college teams would destroy the teams the XFL will field
No chance, the top college teams still have walk-ons and full of NFL no-hopers. They would be fairly comparable, if not worse.
 

JustFootballFan

Thinks Balotelli & Pogba look the same
Joined
Jan 16, 2013
Messages
4,245
Supports
Liverpool
Someone should ask vince why he doesn't apply this to WWE.
Cause he´d have to close it.

This will obviously fail. WWE is now PG13 with no foul language, no head shots and everything. I´m not sure what exactly the old man thinks his product can provide that the NFL can´t. Does he really believe there is a Redneck/Nazi League market, because of the whole Kaepernick thing? By the time this league starts Trump will already be packing his bags.
 

Edgar Allan Pillow

Ero-Sennin
Joined
Dec 7, 2010
Messages
41,295
Location
┴┬┴┤( ͡° ͜ʖ├┬┴┬
I´m not sure what exactly the old man thinks his product can provide that the NFL can´t.
Lots. Less of stupid rules and probably more physical action (not sure how this factors in with concussion debates, though). It's a short season and off season is just too huge to be left blank. Lots of decent players who can add to action of a secondary league.
 

JustFootballFan

Thinks Balotelli & Pogba look the same
Joined
Jan 16, 2013
Messages
4,245
Supports
Liverpool
Lots. Less of stupid rules and probably more physical action (not sure how this factors in with concussion debates, though). It's a short season and off season is just too huge to be left blank. Lots of decent players who can add to action of a secondary league.
The NFL is less physical, because of the long-term effects related to concussions, something WWE is also aware of, hence the ban of major blows to the head like chair shots or other hard surface weaponry. So how will the XFL provide more physicality without dangerous hits?