[27] McMahon justified his intentions by stating that the XFL would be "evaluating a player based on many things, including the quality of human being they are", and that "people don't want social and political issues coming into play when they are trying to be entertained". [48] Several months earlier in December 2018, Charlie Ebersol asked Vince McMahon about merging the AAF (which had then yet to start its ultimately-aborted sole season) with the XFL. Orlando was also one of the original XFL's most successful markets and second in attendance for the 2019 AAF season). The contracts expire at the end of the season, freeing players to sign with any other league. [24], The XFL discourages political gestures by players during games such as, for example, taking a knee in protest. "[154], Viewership for the first week of play averaged 3.1 million, but by Week 4 the average had decreased to 1.4 million. [56], On March 12, 2020, the league canceled the remainder of its regular season games over concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic; similar concerns led other major sports leagues, including the NBA, NHL, MLS, MLB, MLR seasons and NCAA to suspend or cancel games. Brett Regan, March 3, 2020 … With the XFL not using the same set of requirements for players, there is the possibility the league will sign players who are less than 3 years out of high school. [128] As with the original XFL, sideline reporters are given full access to coaches and players for interviews at all times. [38] The league sent solicitations to thirty metropolitan areas as potential locations for a team.[39]. [23] He liquidated an additional $270 million in WWE stock (representing a 4% stake in WWE) in March 2019 to provide additional funding for the league. Teams are able to attempt two forward passes on the same play, so long as the ball never crosses the line of scrimmage before the second pass. What rule changes might be in store for the #XFL2020? [103], The league uses the amateur football (high school and college) and CFL standard of one foot in bounds for a complete forward pass.[104]. The second, flaghumpinger incarnation of the XFL is, it appears, truly actually happening next spring. Teams are given two time-outs per half instead of three. For the love of football. McMahon also did not rule out playing on artificial turf. [27] The XFL chose a more flexible salary structure so as not to overpay for the lower ends of the roster and to be more competitive for better starting quarterbacks.[82]. In the event the defense secures a turnover and returns the ball for a touchdown, the defensive team scores the same number of points as the offense was aiming to score. [23] Players did not form a labor union by the time play commenced, thus league policies are not subject to collective bargaining, which could help prevent work stoppages like a lockout or strike. Another distinctive mark is at each end of the ball, where a two-tone "X" in the home team's colors adorns each point and runs through the middle of each panel of the ball, intended to allow the receivers to track the ball easily. Eastern Conference-Atlanta Blaze – The city has become the de facto football capital of the South. Returning to the field in 2022. [82] Many of these kickoff rules were adapted from rules created by The Spring League's predecessor, the Fall Experimental Football League.[83]. Unlike the NFL and NCAA, the XFL's kickoff spot was set at the 30-yard line. Something the NFL does not do", "ESPN International to Deliver Comprehensive Global Coverage of the XFL to More than 100 Million Households in over 200 Countries", "XFL draws small but enthusiastic crowds at first two games", "XFL Week 1 winners and losers: Inaugural weekend good for TV networks, gamblers", "XFL 2020 Week 1 takeaways: From P.J. [139] Fox also auditioned Greg Olsen for the second XFL broadcast team in October 2019 by having him call a NFL game during his bye week from the Carolina Panthers[140] and eventually hired him as color commentator for the second broadcast team, which features Kevin Burkhardt on play-by-play. The XFL’s new owners, Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia have prominently featured their eight adopted teams in photos and the recent XFL 2022 teaser video. Even if ratings go down, there's no denying that live sports rights continue to be valuable and continue to deliver. The league was founded by professional wrestling executive Vince McMahon in 2018, as a reboot and successor to the league of the same name he founded in 2001. There are activation fees (i.e. He hopes to do the same for the XFL", "The XFL's reboot is 'made-for-TV football,' and ESPN's Steve Levy will be its lead voice", "ESPN, Fox finalize top XFL broadcast teams", "Greg Olsen raised his broadcasting stock as bye week fill-in", "So this is cool: I'm told NJ natives Kevin Burkhardt and Greg Olsen will be in FOX broadcast booth together as a team for handful of XFL games, per source", "Cam Jordan Set to Make Guest Appearance on FOX Sports' XFL Broadcast Saturday, March 7", "ABC and ESPN Announce Commentator Teams for XFL 2020 Season", "iHeartMedia, VSiN, XFL To Provide 'BetCasts' For Inaugural Season", "ESPN Player to stream every single game of the 2020 XFL season", "Live stream XFL: how to watch the new football league online from anywhere", "XFL to gain international audience on ESPN Player", "r/xfl - XFL being telecast in India on Sony ESPN. 2020 XFL Defensive Rankings Ranked by Yards/Game Allowed. [22][15] Luck stated in October 2018 that the ban on protesting during the national anthem would be written into player contracts as a condition of employment and that the stipulation was McMahon's idea; Luck agreed that the league aimed to be as non-political as possible. "[22] Luck stated that broadcasts would not feature the same sports entertainment gimmicks as the original XFL, explaining that "in football, you don't need that bravado and swagger and flair, because it's always there. I've Got The Keys Now", "The Rock Supports XFL Players Kneeling During the National Anthem (Video)", "Dean Blandino is the XFL's head of officiating", XFL sends team to Mississippi to explore potential rule changes. Kickoffs that go out of bounds, or fall short of the receiving team's 20-yard line. The same touchback rules for kickoffs also applies to punts. game checks) during the season of $1,685 and victory bonuses of $2,222", XFL quarterbacks will make 10 times the salary of their teammates, "Veteran backup Josh Johnson among three QBs signed by XFL", "Exclusive: XFL Could Target 2019 NFL Rookies With Six-Figure Bonuses | The Action Network", A quick recap of Oliver Luck on radio row, "XFL restates it's not restricted by eligibility rules", "The rules of the NFL Draft | NFL Football Operations", "Oliver Luck Talks Locations, Coaches, QB's, Rule Changes and more | XFL2k", "XFL to be broadcast on TSN in Canada, DraftKings deal announced", "In Merger, DraftKings Announces Plans to Go Public in First Half of 2020", "United States of sports betting: An updated map of where every state stands", "How Broadcasters Plan to Leverage Audio Access in XFL Telecasts", "How to bet on the XFL: What you need to know", "XFL's Week 1 Games Generate 20 Times the Betting Handle of AAF", "XFL, Boom Sports Gets Into Sports Betting With PlayXFL Mobile App", "XFL Strikes TV-Rights Deal With Fox, Disney", "XFL to broadcast games on ABC, ESPN, Fox", "Details on XFL Schedule and Financial Arrangement With Fox and Disney", "Joe Cohen's expertise helped the WWE succeed. [7], The original XFL ran for a single season in 2001, as a joint venture between the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and NBC spearheaded by Vince McMahon and NBC executive Dick Ebersol. Pic credit: XFL/YouTube. Five balls, each with a different texture of leather, were tested during the Summer Showcases and The Spring League. The #1 source for XFL news since 2018. [16] McMahon had purchased the trademarks of the defunct United Football League and an alternative brand, "UrFL" (Your Football League), in early 2017. [141] Brock Huard was the sideline reporter for Fox’s lead broadcast while Jenny Taft covered the sidelines for their second broadcast team. Fox Sports broadcasts in Hong Kong, Macau, Papua New Guinea, and Southeast Asia. A minor touchback occurs when the ball bounces into the endzone, which results in the receiving team taking possession at the 15. [146] ESPN's British partner BT Sport,[147] and Canada's TSN (which is minority-owned by ESPN) also air XFL games, as does Sony ESPN in India. In a press conference, McMahon stated that the new XFL would be dissimilar to its previous incarnation, stating that "There's only so many things that have 'FL' on the end of them and those are already taken. All rights reserved. [144], A league-produced pregame show was released before each game day on the XFL's official YouTube channel. The NFL, in exchange for not signing young players who would ordinarily play in the NCAA, is allowed nearly unlimited access to scout and recruit college players. 11 practice squad. [52], In the week leading up to the kickoff, the XFL secured sponsorships from Gatorade and Anheuser-Busch. In week 5, New Orleans Saints star Cameron Jordan served as a guest sideline reporter for Fox’s lead broadcast. The XFL has proven it is far from a gimmick league. [90][91] Unlike other football leagues, a coin toss is not used to determine who is on offense first; instead, the visiting team is on offense first and home team on defense first for each round, similar to baseball. Team 9 is a specialized team that acts as a hybrid farm team and practice squad for the league, and was inspired by a similar scheme employed by NFL Europe. The XFL has a 10-week regular season, with each team hosting 5 home games, and no bye week. ET (ABC), when the DC Defenders host the Seattle Dragons. Jones enjoyed particular success at … Each team has a team president. Notable players, coaches, teams, schedule for new Alliance of American Football league", "XFL wants to score bankrupt football league's assets stored in San Antonio warehouse", "Bankrupt football league's gear sold at San Antonio court auction", "XFL rejected merger with AAF, takes lessons from failed league", "XFL reveals names, logos for its eight teams", "XFL uniforms ranked: Will the L.A. Wildcats be the best dressed team in the league? [87] Training camps began in November. The large stadiums with multiple decks only open the lower bowl for XFL games, similar to the former AAF games and MLS matches played in large stadiums. "California also has a pending voter referendum that could legalize sports betting. Team 9 does not include the specialist positions of kicker, punter, or long snapper, who are instead reserved in a separate "player pool. [131], In January 2019, Sports Business Journal reported that the XFL was desiring that the majority of games air on broadcast television, and was in preliminary talks with ABC/ESPN and Fox Sports as potential broadcast partners. [56][74] Johnson, who previously worked for McMahon as WWE wrestler The Rock, briefly played collegiate football with the Miami Hurricanes in the 1990s and as a professonal with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League; he and Garcia were married from 1997 to 2007 and have remained business partners since their divorce. This is the same schedule model used by the original XFL and by the former AAF. On August 21, 2020, the transition of ownership was completed, with Johnson stating "The deal is officially closed and 'the keys' to the XFL have been handed over." [29] Later, when announcing new changes to overtime rules, it was implied that television broadcasts would have three-hour time slots, into which the entire game and overtime would fit. Players will be paid on a bi-weekly basis at $2,080 per paycheck starting in December. [18] While the league was able to launch in 2019, a year before the XFL's first season, it went bankrupt before its first season finished after it twice lost its major investors. “It’s an uphill battl… [85], The football used in XFL games is the traditional brown color used in most other leagues, but a unique feature is that each team has their own balls for use in home games, marked with the XFL logo and team's name in their respective colors. October 1, 2020 at 10:04 am Professional sports is about watching the best vs the best. [79][80], These are rule changes the league officially confirmed in the January 7, 2020 release of the official rule book:[81], The league has an active interest in reviving the kickoffs as an element of the game. Now with the schedule and rosters set and kickoff closing in, the outlook for the 2020 XFL season is coming into shape. [102] The design was created and is manufactured by Team Issue of Dallas, Texas, in what became their first professional football contract. XFL Fantasy guides and DFS insight. Team Offense Defense Play List Scoring Possession. Penalty enforcement places priority on fouls that pose a threat to player safety, with less emphasis on procedural violations so as not to slow down the game with unnecessary penalty calls. [60] Other potential 2021 actions included moving the Tampa Bay Vipers to Orlando and the New York Guardians to a smaller New Jersey stadium, Red Bull Arena. [35] Doug Whaley, most recently general manager of the Buffalo Bills, was hired as the league's senior vice president of football operations on November 8, 2018. [101] The winning texture, a custom patent-pending design known as "X-Pebble," was released November 25, 2019. Additionally, fans attending an XFL game can opt-in to play a 4-Question Pick’em contest pertaining to the game they are attending for the chance to win prizes, including merchandise and tickets, from the applicable home team.