Where there's smoke.... https://www.google.com/amp/s/247spo...McMahon-plans-to-bring-back-XFL-112337540/Amp "Vince McMahon has established and is personally funding a separate entity from WWE, Alpha Entertainment, to explore investment opportunities across the sports and entertainment landscapes, including professional football," the WWE statement said. "Mr. McMahon has nothing further to announce at this time." At the time of its inception, the XFL was billed as football without the strict rules that governed the NFL product. However, the on-field play didn't live up to expectations. Amid public backlash and plummeting ratings, the XFL was disbanded in May 2001. NBC, the league's TV partner, and the XFL each reportedly lost $35 million of a $100 million investment in the venture. McMahon himself even called it a "colossal failure." Will the second time be the charm?
If this is going to happen, it kind of feels like they need to go to one extreme or another re: the physicality of the game. There might be a niche in appealing to those who have spent the last several years complaining about the "softening of the game of football." Unfortunately, this seems like the most likely scenario. Of course, they may also be able to find success in developing a safer, more player-friendly version of the game. Perhaps players would be more willing to play in a smaller, rogue league for a little less money if they knew they would be able to play more years and might not have as much risk to their post-playing years lives.
What I would do is emphasize collisions and impact, but with equipment that transmits the force from the tackler to the offensive player safely so they are enjected on impact. The key is to let the defensive player hit, protect the offensive player, but allow for the appearance of maximum carnage. Air it at midnight on Saturday so we have something to watch aka American gladiators. But absolutely emphasize contact and action.
So, he wants to bring back a league that cared less for player safety than the NFL does? Yeah, that will work.
I have been telling people in conversations the time is right to challenge the NFL. Have a league that does not alter rules every off season, one that embraces full contact physical football and eliminate the scumbags who beat women and disrespect the national anthem. With no players union just kick anyone out if they do something stupid
Bring it!!! I would much prefer the USFL, remember the Gamblers? Damn it was nice to have a team worth watching. Btw I haven't watched all year and am ready for baseball.
https://www.yahoo.com/amphtml/sport...t-response-nfl-anthem-protests-203217339.html Looking more likely, I just wish somebody other than Mcmahon would take advantage of this opportunity.
I loved the Gamblers. That was some exciting football. Wonder if they could use that name or the Oilers name.
Surely, "they" have learned what worked and what didn't. I thought the USFL was pretty exciting. The XFL was really cheesy.
The Titans still own the Oilers brand. It's quite possible that Donald Trump still owns the rights to the Gamblers. The Gamblers were sold to him before the league folded.
Maybe they learned from their mistakes but with Mcmahon who knows. NFL is boring now so it wouldn't take a whole lot to put a better product on the field.
There aren't enough good QBs to make NFL games exciting...much less the XFL. It was boring because it was bad football. Vince McMahon is a far better promoter than I'll ever be...but I just don't the sense the public is clamoring for more football. Maybe I'm wrong.
The funny thing is, there may well be a strong contingent of people that would buy the whole "Make (America) Football Great Again" sales pitch...but I bet they wouldn't be too successful finding decent players. In the end, if you can't put a good product on the field, the venture is doomed. What they need to do is convert the entire field into trampolines and have mid-air, high speed collisions as well as running backs vaulting 10 ft over would-be tacklers. It can't possibly fail like that trampoline basketball league that I can only assume is hugely successful and not a massive failure at all...
“Has been” and “never were” leagues have tried and failed. Targeting players who are not NFL eligible is intriguing. Go head to head with NCAA.