XFL
WWE CEO Vince McMahon founded a pro football league that he hoped would have faster and simpler play than the NFL. After an initial 2001 season that experienced a mixed bag of success and viewership, the league folded, costing McMahon and his partner, NBC executive Dick Ebersol, $35 million.
McMahon attempted to reboot the XFL in 2018, hiring a commissioner Oliver Luck, and announcing its eight host cities. Its first game took place on February 8, 2020. Unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic forced the XFL to shut down after its fifth week. A month later, the league filed for bankruptcy, setting into motion negotiations that culminated in actor and former WWE star Dwayne Johnson, along with his partners, buying the team for $15 million. Co-investor Dany Garcia announced that the next XFL season would begin on February 18, 2023.
- Founded: 2001
- Founder: Vince McMahon (rebooted in 2018 and 2023)
- Owners: RedBird Capital, Dany Garcia, Dwayne Johnson
- Headquarters: Arlington, Texas
- Teams: 8
- Team names: Arlington Renegades, D.C. Defenders, Houston Roughnecks, Orlando Guardians, San Antonio Brahmas, Seattle Sea Dragons, St. Louis Battlehawks, Vegas Vipers
Featured articles:
XFL Teams: What You Need to Know About the 8 Squads Kicking Off in 2023
XFL Coaches: Familiar Names Lead the Teams in the New XFL
The Vince McMahon and Oliver Luck XFL Marriage Was Destined for Divorce
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Read the latest articles about the XFL:
The United Football League (UFL) was founded on Dec. 31, 2023, and its high-level minor league play began this past March. In its first regular season, the league averaged more viewers than the United States Football League (USFL) and XFL. UFL’s 40 regular-season games on ABC, Fox, ESPN, ESPN2, and FS1 averaged 816,000 viewers According […]
Kickoffs are going to look very different in the NFL next season. The top professional football league in the world adopted a new format that was first implemented by the XFL last season. Ironically, the new United Football League completely abandoned its own system. 77% of kickoffs went for touchbacks in the National Football League […]
Who is D’Eriq King? He is a QB for the DC Defenders who is sparking the team to wins despite his small stature.
Who is Jordan Ta’amu? He is the starting QB for the DC Defender and a QB who once beat out Taylor Heinicke for a job in the old XFL.
Who is Ben DiNucci? He is a QB for the Seattle Sea Dragons in the new XFL and a player who Cowboys fans will remember well.
Who is Brett Hundley? He is a QB for the Vegas Vipers in the new XFL and a player who Packers fans will remember.
Who is Luis Perez? He is the starting QB for the Vegas Vipers in the new XFL and a player with a unique path to professional football.
Who is Brandon Silvers? He is the starting QB for the Houston Roughnecks in the new XFL and a Spring football veteran.
Who is Drew Plitt? He is the starting QB for the Arlington Renegades in the new XFL and a player who Bengals fans might remember.
Who is Jack Coan? He is the starting QB for the San Antonio Brahmas in the new XFL and a player college football fans know well.
