XFL Thread

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Bandit
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Re: XFL Thread

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Vince named former Houston Oilers quarterback (and the father of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck) Oliver Luck as the CEO of the XFL. He's also been involved with Major League Soccer and was there working on the creation of NFL Europe. So it's a pretty good choice, but too bad it'll go nowhere.

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Re: XFL Thread

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Seems Vince is still definitely all in with the XFL, to the tune of $500m over 3 years.

https://www.f4wonline.com/wwe-news/mcma ... xfl-260681

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/2394 ... illion-xfl

Half a billion :shock:

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Re: XFL Thread

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A better use of $500 million

Image

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Re: XFL Thread

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HEY PAL, WHY'S STING BURNING UP ALL MY MONEY??!!!!

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XFL Has No Plans to Resurrect Original Team Names, Identities

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Sports Illustrated wrote:The XFL has no plans to resurrect original team names and identities, XFL commissioners Oliver Luck said Tuesday at the NeuLion Sports Media & Technology Conference.

According to Luck, the jerseys will have "proper surnames" and the eight XFL franchise locations will be announced by the end of the year. Luck said to count on big markets because "Vince [McMahon] likes to go big."

With talk the emergence of the competing league, Alliance of American Football (AAF), Luck said he was focused on what the XFL is doing.

Luck also spoke on the question of talent and whether it's deep enough to create a quality league.

McMahon announced in January that the revived XFL would launch in 2020 with eight teams of 40 players playing a 10-game schedule. While other details were scarce, McMahon did repeatedly hint that players in his league would be required to stand for the national anthem.

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Re: XFL Thread

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Would make most sense to base the teams in areas of the country with no NFL team so you can develop a fan base there. The Raiders would be moved to Vegas by 2020 if I'm correct so why not set up a team in the Oakland area. Going big market makes little sense since in New York you have the Giants, Jets & Bills already. So setting up teams in areas where they've lost franchises but still have football fans is more likely to work.

I also can't see how Vince is going to sell the eXtreme element of it now. The other one was like based on the Attitude Era WWF but now it's PG you can't really incorporate anything from that. The original XFL was a product of its time but you've got Dick Ebersols sons football league and if anything they should merge. I'm guessing both leagues will be in the Summer because if you're directly competing with the NFL that's going to make the XFL look bad out of the gate if the first game has low ratings etc. Better Vince used the millions he's going to no doubt waste on improving WWE or investing in an already established sports franchise. He could in theory buy a U.K. Soccer team and if he owns the ground/stadium stage WWE events there.

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Re: XFL Thread

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Re: XFL Thread

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Start the hype!


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Re: XFL Thread

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CBS News wrote:Nearly two decades after its short-lived debut, the XFL has returned.

As CBS Sports first reported in January, the controversial professional league, which originated as a joint venture between WWE and NBC, is set for a 2020 reboot, complete with eight league-owned franchises. Touting everything from faster game play to decriminalized rosters (seriously), Vince McMahon's NFL alternative lasted just one season on its first run back in 2001.

But the new XFL, which still has two years to prepare for competition with the NFL and the newly formed Alliance of American Football among other leagues, took a step toward reality on Wednesday with the reveal of its eight teams and stadiums from MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Here's a rundown of which cities will be hosting games when the XFL kicks off again:

City: Dallas
Stadium: Global Life Park in Arlington (Arlington, Texas)

City: Houston
Stadium: TDECU Stadium (Houston, Texas)

City: Los Angeles
Stadium: StubHub Center (Carson, California)

City: New York
Stadium: MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, New Jersey)

City: Seattle
Stadium: CenturyLink Field (Seattle, Washington)

City: St. Louis
Stadium: The Dome at America's Center (St. Louis, Missouri)

City: Tampa Bay
Stadium: Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)

City: Washington, D.C.
Stadium: Audi Field (Washington, D.C.)

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Re: XFL Thread

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I can't see this new XFL succeeding. If the old one lasted one season and had gimmicks, was around during a wrestling boom period which attracted a mainstream audience and was something different. Now the only unique selling points they are pushing are faster gameplay and making players stand for the anthem, oh and the players having to have no criminal backgrounds. The whole thing is flawed from the beginning. Vince should have made it even more OTT than ever, get celebs involved as "team owners", sign Kap, Tebow etc, have He Hate Me as league commissioner, have teams in former NFL franchise areas etc. to tap into lapsed fan bases etc. Those sort of things would work but nope we'll get a buttoned down, 1950s style NFL. Reminds me of when Mr Burns wanted old ball players on his "ringer" Softball team.


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Re: XFL Thread

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I think Vince just wants it to be a moderate success on cable (I guess Fox Sports due to the WWE deal) just so he can think he redeemed himself in his mind so it really wasn't a failure. Then he will open up the World Bodybuilding Federation again to try to correct that failure so his obituary can say he was always successful at every thing (pal.) Then after the Big Dog beats cancer Vince will do a remake of No Holds Barred with him as Rip to try to get it to open at $100 million like Marvel movies :olol:

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Re: XFL Thread

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It'd be a dream of mine to see Colin Kaepernick make a comeback, even if it was in the XFL. I live in the heart of NFL boycott country, so the sweet schadenfreude of bitter white people tears would be great to taste. But I'm preparing for this league to be a dumping ground for the self-labeled patriots and other dim bulbs who fall for right-wing propaganda on social media.
Big Boss Man wrote:I can't see this new XFL succeeding. If the old one lasted one season and had gimmicks, was around during a wrestling boom period which attracted a mainstream audience and was something different. Now the only unique selling points they are pushing are faster gameplay and making players stand for the anthem, oh and the players having to have no criminal backgrounds.
I think the league itself should be over-the-top and be focused on making football fun but the game itself should follow NFL rules as close as possible. I'm concerned the XFL won't have enough money to put up a quality product and pay for talented and competent people. Where will the XFL get its officiating crews? They could end up with the scabs called up during the 2012 lockout, which will be a hilarious (and unprofitable) business decision.

For the XFL to get quality players, they'll need to leach off of the NFL's existing talent pool because regressing the game for second and third-string players will mean the return of boring old-fashioned football. Trying to watch a football game from say, the 1970s, is like watching a group of out-of-shape dads play a pickup game.

My guess is that the XFL will end up being a slower game with second and third-tier football players marketed to the disenfranchised angry white man.
Bandit wrote: Thu Dec 06, 2018 5:57 am I think Vince just wants it to be a moderate success on cable (I guess Fox Sports due to the WWE deal) just so he can think he redeemed himself in his mind so it really wasn't a failure. Then he will open up the World Bodybuilding Federation again to try to correct that failure so his obituary can say he was always successful at every thing (pal.) Then after the Big Dog beats cancer Vince will do a remake of No Holds Barred with him as Rip to try to get it to open at $100 million like Marvel movies :olol:
:rofl:

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Re: XFL Thread

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I don't think Kaepernick wants a comeback until his lawsuit goes to court. Any football employment (more so the NFL but even another league will get a "see, he's working" from NFL lawyers) will hurt his case. And he probably should try to play again now because I don't think he will win his case anyway.

But he'd never go to the XFL. Vince has been a semi-friend to Trump since the late 80s, a big GOP donor, and his wife Linda is in the Trump cabinet. Due to his stance he'd have to turn a deal down like he'd have to turn down the rumored Redskins possible offer because they go against his beliefs.

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Re: XFL Thread

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Bandit wrote: Thu Dec 06, 2018 6:44 am I don't think Kaepernick wants a comeback until his lawsuit goes to court. Any football employment (more so the NFL but even another league will get a "see, he's working" from NFL lawyers) will hurt his case. And he probably should try to play again now because I don't think he will win his case anyway.

But he'd never go to the XFL. Vince has been a semi-friend to Trump since the late 80s, a big GOP donor, and his wife Linda is in the Trump cabinet. Due to his stance he'd have to turn a deal down like he'd have to turn down the rumored Redskins possible offer because they go against his beliefs.
I hadn't considered the lawsuit, but that makes sense. "thumbsup

I wish that the XFL hadn't been as safe with its team locations. New York and LA obviously have the population to be appealing for ratings and such, but does MetLife Stadium need a third football team? At least picking StubHub Arena looks like a smart move with its smaller size.

The Texas teams make sense population and culture wise, but Dallas doesn't seem like a competitive market. Houston seems like a better fit, but maybe not if the Texans keep winning. Why not San Antonio?

The Seattle sports scene is about to go from undeveloped to packed with teams with the NHL (and eventually NBA) coming to town.

I'm excited to see what happens in St. Louis, I still think the Rams play there.

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Re: XFL Thread

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San Antonio or Austin would be my choices. Make it the Austin Stone Colds and have Stone Cold Steve Austin be their mascot. He can just drink beer the whole game and give kicker the Stone Cold Stunner if they miss a field goal or the receiver if they drop an end zone catch.

The best XFL city by far in 2001 was Las Vegas, as that was the only city every game sold out and they weren't lowering prices. But now they'll have the Raiders by the time XFL launches. I think they did well in Orlando as well.

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Re: XFL Thread

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Re: XFL Thread

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Bandit wrote: Thu Dec 06, 2018 5:57 am I think Vince just wants it to be a moderate success on cable (I guess Fox Sports due to the WWE deal) just so he can think he redeemed himself in his mind so it really wasn't a failure. Then he will open up the World Bodybuilding Federation again to try to correct that failure so his obituary can say he was always successful at every thing (pal.) Then after the Big Dog beats cancer Vince will do a remake of No Holds Barred with him as Rip to try to get it to open at $100 million like Marvel movies :olol:


But on a serious note you both make really good points. I'm with pix with a XFL team in Seattle. I'd go for Oakland too since the Raiders will be in Vegas then and you could tap into that fan base. I imagine the skill level will be below College Football and no way on par with the NFL. Asa comparison it would like League Two (the old English Fourth Division) competing with the Premier League (the old First Division).

I can't really see any notable ex player signing and it'll probably be full of journeymen and guys who are cut from practice squads etc. I think doing that 30 for 30 made Vince think he could do better this time around but times have changed since then. The WWF was super popular and he had that fan base crossover to watch that.

Interesting the WBF is mentioned but something that isn't brought up very often is Vince promoted a Sugar Ray Leonard fight in I think 1988 and To my knowledge that wasn't a big success. Vince Sr promoted boxing back in the day too and if anything Vince should have set up a MMA promotion or bought Bellator to compete with the UFC. As now with Ricky's new league soon there will be four football leagues.

When they tried to relaunch the ABA that didn't really get off the ground. The NASL eventually faded away despite getting Pele, Bobby Moore, George Best, Franz Beckenbauer. USFL was successful but only in the short term. Really Vince should focus on his core product, pro wrestling and make that better. Because again I can't see the new XFL lasting one season and be even less successful this time around. If he manages to make it work I'll genuinely be much surprised.

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Re: XFL Thread

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and if anything Vince should have set up a MMA promotion or bought Bellator to compete with the UFC.
PRIDE FC inquired about selling to WWE in 2007, according to Dave Meltzer Vince shot the idea down even though Shane begged him to buy it and let him run the company because he was concerned a fighter would be beaten to death, and he didn't want the negative publicity like he dealt with after the Owen Hart accident. He was also offered to buy a share of UFC in 1997 during the meeting with then owner Bob Meyrowitz over signing Ken Shamrock and turned it down because business was too bad to afford it.
Vince promoted a Sugar Ray Leonard fight in I think 1988 and To my knowledge that wasn't a big success.
That wasn't really Vince's fault IMO. It was because Leonard forced Danny Lalonde to drop to 168 pounds while he struggled to make his 175 pound usual fighting weight, so it wasn't a fair fight. The thought was Lalonde was going to come in weak and dehydrated to be easy for Ray, so the media was very negative on the fight. But it turned out to be good in the end.

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Re: XFL Thread

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That's interesting, thanks. I didn't know about the Pride story but that would have been cool. I'd imagine they'd have brought it over from Japan and run it more stateside instead. It's something I think they could have made work plus wouldn't they had Cro Cop, Nogueria et al under contract. Didnt the parent company behind Hustle own Pride and they got into issues because of alleged Yakuza involvement?

I thought the Sugar Ray thing was out of left field a little although like I said Vince Sr promoted boxing. I guess because of their success on PPV Vince Jr wanted to transition that into Boxing. Which say they went with Tommy Morrison, coming off Rocky V and he was challenging for the belt, put him on WWF programming, get him involved with a big angle and you got that audience rooting for him. Is the Sugar Ray promo bit on Summerslam 88 on the Network? as that and a long ad for the Survivor Series is on the UK VHS version.

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Re: XFL Thread

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Cro Cop's deal was over and he signed with UFC before PRIDE closed. They announced he was coming in December 2006 and PRIDE closed in March 2007. But they would have gotten Nogueira, Fedor, Barnett, Wanderlei, Hunt, Shogun, Frye, Gomi, Kang, Henderson, Lawler, Overeem, Werdum, Minowa, Yoshida, Belfort, Misaki, Arona, Kharitonov, Aoki, Randleman and even Butterbean and Sean O'Haire. So that was a legendary roster.

As for Tommy Morrison, Vince would love him for his look, and he was already on USA Network on the Tuesday Night Fights show before he was able to be on PPV in 1991. But in the late 80s even with Rocky V he wasn't big enough to put on PPV as a headliner because he wasn't fighting quality fighters until the early 90s. So Sugar Ray was the best choice since he was up there with Tyson in being able to sell PPVs. It was just that was a bad fight. But when he fought Hearns in his next fight it was a big success and may have been the biggest PPV seller of 1989.

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