This league won't die.

https://fbschedules.com/the-rock-redbird...l-for-15m/

Let the speculation begin. Same teams/cities? New locations?4

(08-03-2020 03:37 PM)TardisCaptain Wrote:  This league won't die.

https://fbschedules.com/the-rock-redbird...l-for-15m/

Let the speculation begin. Same teams/cities? New locations?4

It's nice Covid-fodder to have The Rock and the XFL to talk about, but you are correct, we know how this story ends - the XFL will organize and sign players and play games on TV and then ... a month or so into the season when even The Rock realizes he will have to make Fast and Furious movies until he is 90 to keep up with the operating losses, the plug will be pulled yet again.

I have an idea—take all of the whiny PAC 12 players and have them be the XFL. When the league files for bankruptcy again maybe then they will have learned the the logos on the helmets make all the difference.

The Rock, Dany Garcia, RedBird Capital Buy McMahon's XFL for $15M
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2902...bankruptcy

the xfl is now the rfl...the rock football league..since duane "the rock" johnson is part of the group who bought the xfl...

(08-03-2020 03:37 PM)TardisCaptain Wrote:  This league won't die.

https://fbschedules.com/the-rock-redbird...l-for-15m/

Let the speculation begin. Same teams/cities? New locations?4

Why wouldn't they keep the same setup? Definitely do not need to add more cities until they get a couple of seasons under their belts.

(08-03-2020 03:37 PM)TardisCaptain Wrote:  This league won't die.

https://fbschedules.com/the-rock-redbird...l-for-15m/

Let the speculation begin. Same teams/cities? New locations?4

Literally sounds like a plot line from The Rock's HBO series "Ballers".

With the demise of the AAF, there are opportunities to move some of the teams with no attendance to places that would draw for spring football. Orlando, Salt Lake, and San Antonio should have teams in the New XFL.

(08-03-2020 07:23 PM)whittx Wrote:  With the demise of the AAF, there are opportunities to move some of the teams with no attendance to places that would draw for spring football. Orlando, Salt Lake, and San Antonio should have teams in the New XFL.

Not Salt Lake. Their attendance was dreadful.
Tampa Bay could be moved to Orlando, but they weren't paying rent at Raymond James Stadium.

The buyers also assumed upwards of $8M in unpaid bills/coaching contracts/training site agreements.

It's a shame COVID hit and killed the XFL this year because it was actually pretty entertaining. Hoped that they would stick around, but when it comes to startup football leagues it seems none of them can avoid Murphy's Law.

(08-03-2020 05:39 PM)HiddenDragon Wrote:  

(08-03-2020 03:37 PM)TardisCaptain Wrote:  This league won't die.

https://fbschedules.com/the-rock-redbird...l-for-15m/

Let the speculation begin. Same teams/cities? New locations?4

Why wouldn't they keep the same setup? Definitely do not need to add more cities until they get a couple of seasons under their belts.

Before Corona, there was chatter that the XFL would move some of their weaker-attended teams to the more successful AAF cities (Tampa to Orlando, someone to San Antonio?). Depending on TV contracts, do you need 8 teams, or do you go with 6 teams, televising 3 games per week? Do you need teams in New York and Los Angeles for media coverage, or is it maybe not 1985 anymore where the back page of the sports section drives TV viewership?

St. Louis, Washington, and Dallas (playing in the Rangers' old park) showed a lot of promise.

With a little luck and some spring sports momentum, in a few years Johnson and his business manager/ex-wife could sell this for a ton.

(08-03-2020 09:11 PM)DFW HOYA Wrote:  St. Louis, Washington, and Dallas (playing in the Rangers' old park) showed a lot of promise.

With a little luck and some spring sports momentum, in a few years Johnson and his business manager/ex-wife could sell this for a ton.

I hope so.

(08-03-2020 10:00 PM)Kit-Cat Wrote:  

(08-03-2020 09:11 PM)DFW HOYA Wrote:  St. Louis, Washington, and Dallas (playing in the Rangers' old park) showed a lot of promise.

With a little luck and some spring sports momentum, in a few years Johnson and his business manager/ex-wife could sell this for a ton.

I hope so.

I think we all hope so. Heck back in February I was enjoying the XFL games, was just starting to get in to it when Covid-19 struck.

But the reality is, the XFL was going under soon enough even if CV never hit our shores. Bottom line is, these spring leagues can attract around 15,000 to 20,000 fans in the stands, and you just cannot run professional football on hockey/basketball size crowds.

(08-03-2020 10:15 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  But the reality is, the XFL was going under soon enough even if CV never hit our shores. Bottom line is, these spring leagues can attract around 15,000 to 20,000 fans in the stands, and you just cannot run professional football on hockey/basketball size crowds.

Works for MLS.

(08-03-2020 09:11 PM)DFW HOYA Wrote:  St. Louis, Washington, and Dallas (playing in the Rangers' old park) showed a lot of promise.

With a little luck and some spring sports momentum, in a few years Johnson and his business manager/ex-wife could sell this for a ton.

Seattle was another keeper.

(08-03-2020 10:42 PM)DFW HOYA Wrote:  

(08-03-2020 10:15 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  But the reality is, the XFL was going under soon enough even if CV never hit our shores. Bottom line is, these spring leagues can attract around 15,000 to 20,000 fans in the stands, and you just cannot run professional football on hockey/basketball size crowds.

Works for MLS.

MLS has smaller rosters and less equipment requirements.

I am more surprised that Garcia spoke with ESPN's Seifert and proclaimed that they intend to play in 2021. Bubble or not, that seems very aggressive as they are starting over with no employees.

(08-03-2020 10:42 PM)DFW HOYA Wrote:  

(08-03-2020 10:15 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  But the reality is, the XFL was going under soon enough even if CV never hit our shores. Bottom line is, these spring leagues can attract around 15,000 to 20,000 fans in the stands, and you just cannot run professional football on hockey/basketball size crowds.

Works for MLS.

MLS is not football. Well, OK, it's futbol, but you get the point. Real American football teams have greater expenses than soccer teams.

One thing I might try if I am the XFL is playing from say April - July. IMO, starting these leagues up right after the Super Bowl is a mistake, as much as we like football, by the time of the Super Bowl I think most fans are ready for a break. Yes, I know if you play in my frame, you are now going up against MLB and the NBA and NHL playoffs, as opposed to just the NBA and NHL regular seasons with a February start. But I think football fans will watch football, and the two month break from February to April would whet the appetite a bit.

(08-04-2020 08:27 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(08-03-2020 10:42 PM)DFW HOYA Wrote:  

(08-03-2020 10:15 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  But the reality is, the XFL was going under soon enough even if CV never hit our shores. Bottom line is, these spring leagues can attract around 15,000 to 20,000 fans in the stands, and you just cannot run professional football on hockey/basketball size crowds.

Works for MLS.

MLS is not football. Well, OK, it's futbol, but you get the point. Real American football teams have greater expenses than soccer teams.

One thing I might try if I am the XFL is playing from say April - July. IMO, starting these leagues up right after the Super Bowl is a mistake, as much as we like football, by the time of the Super Bowl I think most fans are ready for a break. Yes, I know if you play in my frame, you are now going up against MLB and the NBA and NHL playoffs, as opposed to just the NBA and NHL regular seasons with a February start. But I think football fans will watch football, and the two month break from February to April would whet the appetite a bit.

I would highly agree with this. IMHO I think that Salt Lake would have had better attendance with a season in this time frame. The idea of sitting out in the bitter Utah cold in February for minor league football wasn't very appealing to me. Even a late March start would be better than February.

I also think that Salt Lake should have done what Arizona was doing. Giving away tickets through local Carl's Jr. locations. Build up an audience and a fan base for future growth.

If the schedule was set in these months and the XFL brought a team to Utah, I'd check them out.