XFL

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www.f4wonline.com/wwe-news/espn-debuting-xfl-edition-30-30-february-224346

ESPN DEBUTING XFL EDITION OF '30 FOR 30' IN FEBRUARY
BY JOSEPH CURRIER | @josephcurrier | NOV 10, 2016 8:10 AM

The story of the XFL will soon be coming to your television screens.

ESPN announced in a press release on Thursday morning that an edition of their 30 for 30 documentary series focusing on the XFL would premiere on February 2nd at 9 p.m. ET. The project -- titled "This was the XFL" -- was previously announced by Jonathan Coachman on an edition of The Ross Report with Jim Ross last May.

It seems that Vince McMahon will be heavily present in the documentary, with ESPN's press release touting that it will feature both McMahon and NBC executive Dick Ebersol. Director by Ebersol's son Charlie, the documentary will focus on McMahon and Ebersol's friendship as they attempted to build the failed football league.

Calling the league a "bold challenge, a fearless experiment and ultimately, a spectacular failure," the press release noted that the documentary will focus not only on the failure of the XFL, but the influence it had on the way that sporting events are broadcast today.

The XFL operated as a collaboration between WWE and NBC for one season in 2001 while losing tens of millions of dollars for both companies.

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www.pwinsider.com/article/106720/vince-mcmahons-xfl-gets-its-own-hall-of-fame.html?p=1

VINCE MCMAHON'S XFL GETS ITS OWN HALL OF FAME
By Mike Johnson on 2016-12-24 09:45:00


As part of a promotion for the ESPN documentary on the WWE-owned XFL football league, there will be a XFL Hall of Fame presented for one day in NYC next month. The New York Post broke the story:



ESPN Films 30 for 30 ✔ @30for30
Fun Fact: The XFL Hall of Fame is coming to NYC!

Here's everything you need to know. #ThisWasTheXFL nyp.st/2ilWXDT
4:59 PM - 23 Dec 2016
Photo published for Ill-fated XFL getting resurrected with NYC hall of fame
Ill-fated XFL getting resurrected with NYC hall of fame
For one short-lived season in 2001, the XFL graced TV screens with its brash brand of football, marked by outsize personalities, tawdry titillation — and what ended up being lousy play. The pro
nypost.com
83 83 Retweets 94 94 likes

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www.pwinsider.com/article/107038/new-location-for-saturdays-xfl-hall-of-fame-exhibit-in-nyc-free-screenings-of-xfl-documentary-added-and-more-on-film.html?p=1

NEW LOCATION FOR SATURDAY'S XFL HALL OF FAME EXHIBIT IN NYC, FREE SCREENINGS OF XFL DOCUMENTARY ADDED AND MORE ON FILM
By Mike Johnson on 2017-01-11 12:06:00




A one-day exhibition of the XFL Hall of Fame, celebrating the lone season of the winter football league owned and operated by WWE will take place this Saturday 1/14 in New York City at The Cooper Union (41 Cooper Square) featuring memorabilia and mementos from the league including real XFL team jerseys, helmets, game equipment, unique photos and more as well as a section highlighting the famed XFL cheerleaders. The HOF will be free to visit.

The Hall of Fame is designed to help promote the ESPN 30 For 30 documentary "This Was The XFL", which will debut on 2/2 over Super Bowl weekend and is said to feature the revelation that Vince McMahon has had early discussions with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones about the idea of creating a new "minor league" football league.

There will be three free screenings of the documentary this Saturday at the XFL Hall of Fame exhibit - 11 AM, 1 PM and 3 PM. The Hall of Fame will be free to visit all day.

Among those interviewed for the film are Vince McMahon, Dick Ebersol, Jesse Ventura, Sports Illustrated's Peter King, Bob Costas, longtime WWE exec Basil S. Devito and a number of former XFL players.

Meanwhile, WWE recently filed a new trademark on the XFL letters, so it's possible they intend to use them in some fashion down the line.

ESPN issued the following press release in support of the film:

ESPN Films’ 30 for 30 “This Was the XFL” to Premiere in February

Documentary, directed by Charlie Ebersol and featuring Dick Ebersol and Vince McMahon, to debut on February 2 at 9 p.m. ET

Three days before Super Bowl LI, ESPN Films will premiere the 30 for 30 documentary “This Was the XFL,” directed by Charlie Ebersol, chronicling the short-lived, ill-fated pro football league. The documentary, airing on February 2 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN, tells the story in fascinating, candid, and often rollicking fashion featuring fellow television legends and close friends – Dick Ebersol and Vince McMahon.

A bold challenge, a fearless experiment and ultimately, a spectacular failure. In 2001, sports entertainment titans Ebersol and McMahon launched the XFL. It was hardly the first time a league had tried to compete with the NFL, but the brash audacity of the bid, combined with the personalities and charisma of Ebersol and McMahon and the marketing behemoths of their respective companies -- NBC and WWE -- captured headlines and a sense of undeniable anticipation about what was to come.

Bringing together a cast of characters ranging from the boardrooms of General Electric to the practice fields of Las Vegas, “This Was the XFL” is the tale of -- yes -- all that went wrong, but also, how the XFL ended up influencing the way professional team sports are broadcast today. And at the center of it all - a decades long friendship between one of the most significant television executives in media history and the one-of-a-kind WWE impresario. This film will explore how Ebersol and McMahon brought the XFL to life, and why they had to let it go.

“I grew up on the sidelines watching my father and Vince enjoy incredible success with just about everything they touched, and then, along came the XFL,” said director Charlie Ebersol. “I saw them take bold creative risks, face unparalleled success and failure with dignity, but most importantly they maintained and celebrated a friendship where most would have cut and run. I learned more about integrity and character in those 18 months than just about any other time in my life, so when ESPN Films asked if I wanted to tell the story of the XFL, I jumped at the opportunity because I knew that the real story was that of an unbreakable friendship.”

John Dahl, Vice President and Executive Producer, ESPN Films said: “We felt that the colorful personalities and storylines featured throughout the rise and fall of the XFL deserved a more detailed examination, and as Dick Ebersol’s son, Charlie provided a personal understanding of it all. The XFL was a gamble, and even though the league didn’t ultimately succeed, we think audiences will really enjoy this tale of risk and ambition.”

About ESPN Films

ESPN Films has been an industry leader in documentary filmmaking since its inception in March 2008, producing more than 100 documentaries that have showcased some of the most compelling stories in sports. The high quality of storytelling, highlighted by the Peabody and Emmy-Award winning 30 for 30 series and the documentary event “O.J.: Made in America,” has led to record viewership as well as multiple honors and film festival appearances. Additional projects from ESPN Films over the years have included 30 for 30 Shorts, Nine for IX and the SEC Storied series.

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variety.com/2017/tv/news/xfl-espn-30-for-30-vince-mcmahon-dick-ebersol-1201976706/

‘This Was the XFL’ Director on Vince McMahon, Concussions and Whether League Could Make a Comeback

When the XFL kicked off its first and only football season on NBC in 2000, it did so to a Nielsen ratings more than double what the broadcaster had promised advertisers. By the time that season ended, the league was posting record lows for its Saturday-night time period.

A partnership between NBC and the WWE, the XFL is largely remembered as the most significant failure of the two men who spearheaded it — WWE founder Vince McMahon and longtime NBC Sports President Dick Ebersol. Taking its cues from McMahon’s wrestling operation, the league billed itself as a more violent, more titillating, more fun alternative to the NFL. But with a hastily thrown together football operation and teams composed of NFL cast-offs, the quality of play was too terrible to sustain viewers’ initial curiosity.

“This Was the XFL,” a documentary premiering Thursday night as part of ESPN’s “30 for 30” series, argues that, despite its many failings, the XFL changed the way that sports was broadcast, introducing innovations in marketing and production that the NFL and other leagues, and their broadcast partners now employ regularly. It is also an exploration of the relationship between Ebersol and McMahon, two of the most successful and controversial broadcasters of their generation. The film is directed by Charlie Ebersol — Dick Ebersol’s son and president of TV production company The Company.


“The one thing that my dad and Vince had never spoken about was XFL,” Charlie Ebersol says. “When the idea got run by me, I said to ESPN, ‘This is great, but the film I want to make is a love story between these guys over 15 years.'”

Charlie Ebersol spoke with Variety about the XFL’s failures, its successes, and the challenges of making a movie about his father and his father’s best friend.

How did your dad feel about the fact that you were going to make a movie about what was, essentially, the biggest failure of his career?
I’ve done a handful of documentaries that have done okay, with festivals and HBO and et cetera. And he had a sense of what I did. So he called Vince, and they had about an hour-long conversation about doing it, and they were definitely trepidatious. But once they commit to things, they go all the way in. They were making phone calls for me. Vince called Jesse Ventura. A lot of the stuff that came together was a function of the two of them committing fully to doing it. Afterward, when I showed it to them, they both said “This is the autopsy that the XFL needed.” I like that they refer to it like a murder victim.

How did Bob Costas come in? He plays like the villain of the movie.
You couldn’t make the film without Costas. First of all, you shouldn’t make any movie without Bob Costas. He’s the greatest personality of all time. I did a documentary on Africa and I seriously considered putting him in there as mid-film comic relief. He’s wonderful in that sense. Also, I wanted a critical voice, and I wanted a critical voice that wasn’t mean-spirited. A lot of people had a bone to pick with Vince and my father, especially TV critics. So there were a lot of people I could have gone to who wrote perfectly horrible things about the XFL. But Bob, who’s a very good friend of my dad and Vince, could come in and comment and be funny and not come off as a vindictive guy.

Because you are your father’s son, you can tell the story from a point of view that another director might not get at, but do you also expose yourself to potential criticism that you’re being a homer for your dad?
Are you suggesting that there are people on the internet or in the press that are going to take a negative view of me, my father, or Vince McMahon? That’s such an unconventional idea. Can you give me any example ever of anyone going on the internet and saying anything negative about those people? I just don’t think there’s any precedent for it.

I worked really hard in the film to try to create a balanced view. That’s why Costas is in there and Peter King, guys who are sort of the arbiters of decency. And look, if you want to see negativity about the XFL, just Google “XFL.” The first 700 news hits prior to my film coming out were “Failure! Failure! This is a stain on Dick Ebersol and Vince McMahon’s record!” I just didn’t feel the need to do that in the film. I also think that people conveniently ignore the fact that the NFL and the NBA and Major League Baseball and Fox and CBS and ABC just lifted all the technologies and techniques that worked about the XFL, and still rolled their eyes about the XFL’s viability.

At the end of the film, your dad and Vince are joshing about trying to revive the XFL. How serious are they being?
Look, when I interviewed Jerry Jones for the film, he brought it up. And when I interviewed Vince, he brought it up. My dad’s not going to do it. He’s really, really happily retired. Vince is still on the road three days a week producing 17 pay-per-views and 104 “Monday Night Raws” and “Smackdowns” a year. He’s a madman. If Vince has put enough thought into it, I never question the validity, because you never know when he’s going to walk into the press room and announce that he’s doing it.

Costas talks about this in the film, but the league was sold as being more violent than the NFL, and now you can’t really have a non-fan conversation about football without talking about concussions. Were you concerned about how that would flavor the story you were telling?
No, and the reason I didn’t think that is because during the making of the movie the UFC sold for $4 billion. Look, the media plays an important role, but I think the media is an echo chamber to a huge degree. So the concussion story and the CTE story, which, by the way, permeated not just football but also UFC and all these other sports, I think these stories are similar to the outrage that the press had over things that Donald Trump was saying that, if you really went into his voting group, they didn’t care that he was saying. Concussions are real and scary and the NFL does have a responsibility to their players. But if you look at the playoff ratings, clearly the public isn’t really that upset about it.

What did your dad say when you showed him the movie?
The only thing scarier than interviewing my father and Vince was I showed it to them together. At the end of the film, the only note I got was from a WWE exec on cutting back something that was critical of Vince, and Vince cut the person off and said, “No, first of all, we’re not giving notes, and second, you should feel confident about putting that in because that’s what really happened.” I was mesmerized by that. All through my life, I’ve seen my dad and Vince note everything to death. I did a documentary about schools in Africa and got 15 pages of notes from my father. I was expecting notes. I was not expecting them to defend the parts of the film that I was most nervous to show them.

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www.wrestlinginc.com/wi/news/2017/0703/627712/big-e-raps-for-the-usos-video/

WWE Files For New XFL Trademark

WWE recently filed to trademark XFL for entertainment use on a wrestling series instead of football. WWE applied for another XFL trademark for wrestling use back on September 4th, 2012 and while that trademark is still active, they requested an extension of time to file the "statement of use" at the same time as they filed for the new trademark.

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deadline.com/2017/12/xfl-return-rumored-as-wwe-head-vince-mcmahon-forms-new-venture-1202228724/


XFL Return Rumored As WWE Head Vince McMahon Forms New Investment Venture

Wrestling mogul Vince McMahon has created Alpha Entertainment, a separate venture from his WWE kingdom that is self-funded and may be the vehicle for a revived XFL, the television-driven pro football league that lasted one season in 2001.

The WWE confirmed the move in a statement and said the new venture will explore “investment opportunities across the sports and entertainment landscape, including professional football.” The story was first reported by the Deadspin website.

The XFL was a joint venture between NBC and McMahon’s World Wrestling Federation (WWF), now known as the WWE. An outdoor league that played in the National Football League’s off-season, it was touted as having fewer rules than the more-traditional NFL. The XFL had eight teams in two divisions, all owned by the league, with games televised by NBC, UPN and TNN.

The league is best remembered for several innovations, including sky cams and on-player microphones. WWE talents like Jesse Ventura were part of the on-air commentary teams, and players like running back Rod “He Hate Me” Smart were encouraged to have their nicknames on their jerseys.

NBC and the WWF both lost $35 million on a $100 million investment in the first season, causing NBC to pull out of the project, citing poor viewership. McMahon wanted to continue, but said demands by UPN led the league to cease operations in May 2001. McMahon later called the league a “colossal failure”.

However, with NFL ratings down and fans discontented with player national anthem protests, McMahon may see an opportunity. There have been several reports that the revived XFL may be announced as soon as next month.

ESPN recently ran a 30 for 30 documentary on the XFL and director Charlie Ebersol (the son of Dick Ebersol, the NBC sports head who was a key to the league) asked McMahon whether he ever thought about bringing back the league.

“Yes, I do,” McMahon said. “I don’t know what it would be. I don’t know if it’s going to be another XFL or what it may be, or how different I would make it. It seems like, in some way, it would tie in either with the NFL itself or the owners.”

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www.pwinsider.com/article/114345/complete-details-on-new-trademarks-filed-for-xfl-revival.html?p=1

COMPLETE DETAILS ON NEW TRADEMARKS FILED FOR XFL REVIVAL
By Mike Johnson on 2017-12-21 18:18:00
As noted in Dave Scherer's reporting of today's WWE stock sale by Vince McMahon, his new company Alpha Entertainment filed for five trademarks today related to the XFL. The trademarks were applied for on 12/16 and are in relation to:

*"ntertainment services in the nature of professional football games and exhibitions; providing sports and entertainment information via a global computer network, mobile applications, commercial on-line computer service or by cable, satellite, television and radio; arranging and conducting athletic competitions, namely, professional football games and exhibitions; production and distribution of radio and television programs in the field of sports; entertainment services in the nature of live shows featuring football games, exhibitions, competitions, and musical and dance performances; sporting activities, namely, football skills competitions and showcases; distribution of television programming to cable and satellite television systems; distribution of television programs for others; entertainment services, namely, a continuing subscription video program in the field of sports broadcast over the internet; Entertainment services, namely, a continuing subscription audio program in the field of football broadcast over the internet; Entertainment services, namely, providing online electronic games; football fan club services; providing a web site featuring sports news and entertainment news; Entertainment services in the nature of a fantasy football game; mail order, on line retail store services and mail order catalog services, all featuring general consumer merchandise related to sports and sports teams; television broadcasting services; television transmission services; distribution of television programming to cable and satellite television systems; distribution of television programs for others; cable television broadcasting; radio broadcasting; broadcasting programming on the Internet; information transmission via electronic communications networks; transmission of information through video communication systems; communication services, namely, audio and video broadcasting; broadcasting services and provision of telecommunication access to video and audio content provided via a video on demand service via the Internet and television; streaming of audio material on the Internet; streaming of video material on the Internet; telecommunication services, namely, transmission of podcasts; electronic delivery of images and photos via a global computer network; providing multiple-user access to a global computer information network for the purpose of participating in interactive polling in the field of football; wireless communications services, namely, transmission of text, graphics, data, and entertainment information to mobile phones; mobile media services in the nature of electronic transmission of entertainment media content."


*"Downloadable software in the nature of mobile applications for displaying information relating to football exhibitions, football schedules, media guides, audio and visual recordings relating to football; football helmets, protective helmets, sports helmets, cell phone covers, magnetic coded charge cards, decorative magnets, prerecorded compact discs and DVDs featuring the sport of football, video games and computer game software, computer mouse pads, sunglasses, eyeglass cases, downloadable ring tones, graphics and music via a global computer network and wireless devices, decorative refrigerator magnets, video and computer game tapes, video and computer game discs, video and computer game cassettes, video and computer game cartridges, video and computer game CD-roms, cinematographic and television films, namely, motion picture films in the nature of football."

*"Toys and sporting goods, namely, plush toys, stuffed animals, toy action figures, toy action figure accessories, cases for action figures, playsets for use with action figures, toy vehicles, dolls, sports balls, golf bags, golf club covers, footballs, board games relating to football, playing cards, jigsaw puzzles, billiard balls, dart boards, playing cards, miniature helmets, toy helmets, toy foam hands, hand-held units for playing electronic game other than those adopted for use with an electronic display screen or monitor, tabletop action skill games; construction toys, Christmas tree decorations; toy spinning tops; arcade games, kites, bobble-head dolls, puppets, card games, toy guitars, toy water guns, doll furniture, party favors in the nature of crackers and noisemakers, skateboards, toy scooters paper party favors."

*"Posters, calendars, pictorial prints, series of books relating to football, magazines relating to football, stickers, bumper stickers, printed tickets to sports games and events, souvenir programs for sports events, trading cards, notepads, pictorial prints, picture postcards, art pictures, stationery, pens and pencils, printed collectible cards, collectible card and memorabilia holders, Cardboard and paper hangtags; packaging, namely, blister cards, paper for wrapping and packaging, collector albums for sticker collectables, stickers, sticker albums, collectable photos, photo albums, photographs, framed pictures, labels, namely, printed paper labels; folders, paper place mats, paper table mats, paper napkins, paper tablecloths, paper table linens, paper lunch bags, greeting cards, pictures, calendars, posters, decals, temporary tattoo transfers, coloring books, children's activity books, notebooks, memo pads, note pads, date books, address books, agenda books, markers, pens, pencils, calendars, pencil sharpeners, pencil cases, rubber stamps, stamp pads, chalk, paper banners, printed paper signs for doors, drawing rulers, erasers, rubber erasers, chalk erasers, blackboard erasers; bumper stickers, window decals, lithographs, paper party bags, paper party favors, stencils for tracing designs onto paper, paper gift wrap, paper cake decorations, paper, stationery, indoor ornaments of paper."

*"Jewelry, watches, clocks, earrings, pins, bracelets, necklaces, charms, rings, collectible coins, commemorative coins, non-monetary coins of precious metal, pendants and key chains made of precious metal, charms in precious metals or coated therewith, costume jewelry, cuff links, tie clips, decorative boxes made of precious metal, charms, key chains of precious metals, lapel pins, medals, ornamental pins, precious metal trophies"

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www.wrestlinginc.com/wi/news/2017/1221/635193/vince-mcmahon-sells-portion-of-wwe-shares-to-fund-alpha/

Vince McMahon Sells $100 Million Of WWE Stock To Fund Alpha Entertainment, New XFL Trademarks Filed

As we previously reported, Vince McMahon is apparently once again interested in getting into the football business. The news, which was originally broken by freelance writer Brad Shepard, was reported by Deadspin after they reached out to WWE regarding the possible relaunch of the XFL. The response from WWE is that Vince McMahon has started a company separate from WWE, called Alpha Entertainment, and is geared to "explore investment opportunities across the sports and entertainment landscapes, including professional football." In conjunction with the trademark filing in June, the WWE spokesperson did not confirm or deny the possible resurrection.

Today Vince McMahon sold 3.34 million shares of WWE to fund his Alpha Entertainment, LLC. Here is the full SEC form detailing the sale, which will net McMahon around $100 million:

"On December 21, 2017, Vincent K. McMahon ("Mr. McMahon"), Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (the "Company"), sold 3,340,000 shares of the Company's Class A common stock in a block trade made in accordance with the provisions of Rule 144 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Mr. McMahon executed the sale primarily to fund a separate entity from the Company, Alpha Entertainment LLC, which Mr. McMahon established to explore investment opportunities across the sports and entertainment landscapes, including professional football. Mr. McMahon has informed the Company that he has no current plan to sell additional shares of the Company's stock and that he intends to continue in his capacity as the Company's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for the foreseeable future.
The shares sold by Mr. McMahon represent approximately 4.3% of the Company's total outstanding shares of Class A and Class B common stock. After the sale, Mr. McMahon beneficially owns 32,193,375 shares of the Company's Class B common stock, which represents approximately 82.8% of the Company's total voting power and approximately 41.8% of the Company's total outstanding shares of common stock."

ESPN Sports Business Reporter, Darren Rovell, also noted that Alpha Entertainment filed for five trademarks to "XFL" on December 16 with it showing up in the trademark office filing today. This is in addition to McMahon recently filing additional football trademarks, which included "URFL", "United Football League", "UFL", and "For the love of football." As noted, WWE filed for XFL trademarks back in June with the foreign filing deadline expiring on December 28.

twitter.com/darrenrovell?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wrestlinginc.com%2Fwi%2Fnews%2F2017%2F1221%2F635193%2Fvince-mcmahon-sells-portion-of-wwe-shares-to-fund-alpha%2F

While the initial hype of the XFL generated a strong audience, die-hard fans of the NFL began to heavily criticize the league, and numbers started to reflect the dissatisfaction. As a result, the XFL lasted only one season in 2001, with it resurfacing earlier this year on the ESPN 30 for 30 This Was the XFL documentary.

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www.wrestlinginc.com/wi/news/2018/0124/636291/the-xfl-is-reportedly-slated-to-return-in-2020/

The XFL Is Reportedly Slated To Return In 2020

According to PWInsider, WWE's production team has begun working on video footage for the eventual return of the XFL. The report stated that the XFL will officially make its comeback in 2020 to make sure they have a proper foundation put together for the league. This would include building out rosters and coaches.

As noted, Vince McMahon had started a company separate from WWE, called Alpha Entertainment - which in a statement given from WWE last month - is geared to "explore investment opportunities across the sports and entertainment landscapes, including professional football." Since that times multiple trademarks had been filed by McMahon's company, including: "UFL" and "United Football League."

Last month, McMahon sold 3.34 million shares of WWE to fund his Alpha Entertainment, LLC. The sale netted McMahon just under $100 million.

While the initial hype of the XFL generated a strong audience, die-hard fans of the NFL heavily criticized the league, and numbers started to reflect the dissatisfaction. As a result, the XFL lasted only one season in 2001, with it resurfacing earlier this year on the ESPN 30 for 30 This Was the XFL documentary.

Source: PWInsider

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www.sescoops.com/alpha-entertainment-xfl/

Alpha Entertainment Leaks New XFL Logo

www.facebook.com/comiccollectorsguide247/photos/a.560910034069304.1073741826.560909994069308/956606307833006/?type=3&theater


This appears to be confirmation that Vince McMahon’s “major sports announcement” scheduled for 3pm (Eastern) later today is indeed the return of the XFL football league.

The Alpha Entertainment press conference will stream across the company’s new digital platforms, including their official YouTube channel.

The company has already posted a “Live Video” as a placeholder for the press conference. During the live feed, viewers got a glimpse of what’s to come later today.

As seen above – the XFL is back. The league is expected to return in 2020.

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www.wrestlinginc.com/wi/news/2018/0125/636311/what-we-know-about-the-xfl-number-of-teams/

What We Know About The XFL: Number Of Teams, Vince McMahon's WWE Role, Rosters, More



As noted, Vince McMahon officially announced today the formation of his Alpha Entertainment company, which will be funding the return of the XFL. The league will kick off in early 2020, with Vince McMahon saying it would launch in late January or early February.

Alpha Entertainment provided us this fact sheet:

* Football is by far the most popular sport in the U.S., with 70 million fans driving a $14 billion marketplace. A seven-month gap in play along with today's media landscape and new technology provide untapped opportunities to reimagine the way the game is played and presented, adding layers of innovation and interactivity for fans.

* Vince McMahon is personally funding this venture through Alpha Entertainment, a new private entity.

* Vince McMahon will continue in his role as WWE Chairman & CEO.

* The new XFL is scheduled to launch in early 2020.

* The XFL is a single entity structure with plans for eight teams at launch, all of which will be owned by the league.

* The selection of cities will take place over the coming months, and a mix of major and mid-major markets in all regions of the U.S. are possibilities.

* Team identities and logos will be announced following city selection.

* Plans include each team playing a 10-game regular season, with a postseason consisting of two semifinal games followed by a championship game.

* Active rosters will have approximately 40 players.

* The players' salary structure is still in development, but players will be paid to play and paid more to win.

* An advisory board comprised of experts in an array of fields, including football, media, technology and medicine will be built to help guide league management.

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www.f4wonline.com/wwe-news/vince-mcmahon-announces-xfl-relaunch-2020-250491

VINCE MCMAHON ANNOUNCES XFL RELAUNCH FOR 2020
BY JOSEPH CURRIER | @josephcurrier | JAN 25, 2018 1:06 PM

"The new XFL will kick off in 2020, and quite frankly, we're gonna give the game of football back to fans," Vince McMahon said this afternoon as he announced the revival of the XFL.

At the start, there will be eight teams, 40-man rosters, a 10-game regular season, and a postseason with two semifinals and a championship game. They haven't decided on which cities will have teams yet, but the league won't be using a franchise model and there won't be individual owners.

Plans are for the season to start in January or early February, which is around the end of the NFL calendar.

There will be a multi-platform approach to presenting games, with them available on big screens and mobile devices. McMahon said there's been no initial talks with broadcast partners but claimed there's interest out there.

On the subject of WWE, McMahon said the XFL revival will not affect his current role. There will also be no crossover of talent between the groups. McMahon said WWE isn't involved with the XFL because the initial $100 million investment was too rich.

McMahon said the quality of the human being will be as important as the quality of the player when it comes to who plays in the XFL. He said they don't want players who have any criminality associated with them, and you won't play in the XFL even if you have a DUI.

McMahon noted that the league will have nothing to do with politics and will stay out of social issues. When asked if players would be required to stand for the national anthem, McMahon called it a time-honored tradition in sports to stand for the anthem and said players will know the rules and regulations.

The XFL will be hiring experienced executives and McMahon won't be the public face of the league.

McMahon said they'd be listening to fans, players, coaches, medical experts, technology executives, members of the media, and anyone else who loves football. He mentioned eliminating halftime, having fewer commercial breaks, making the game faster, and simplifying the rules as possible ideas. Their goal is for games to be approximately two hours long.

The original XFL ran for one unsuccessful season in 2001. An ESPN 30 for 30 documentary on the league premiered last year.

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www.yahoo.com/news/play-xfl-5-player-ideas-223131937.html

Who Should Play in the XFL? 5 Player Ideas After Vince McMahon Announces Return of NFL-Challenging League

The XFL is coming back! Sure, not until 2020. But in WWE chief Vince McMahon's announcement on Thursday, it was clear he was serious about reviving the failed football league.

The original XFL existed for one season, in 2001. It had a TV deal with NBC and was billed as the more fun, more violent NFL competitor. But it fizzled out amid struggles to differentiate itself from the NFL, if not in the ratings than in fan loyalty. It wasn't a total failure, though. Rod Smart became a proto-meme thanks to taking the field in a jersey with the name "HE HATE ME" on the back. Tommy Maddox, the first and only XFL MVP, got a second shot at the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers. (He was eventually replaced by Ben Roethlisberger.) And... Yeah, OK, that's about it.

When it comes to XFL 2.0, maybe some star power could help get it off the ground. There are certainly some guys out there who could use the work—I mean, who have name recognition! Here are a few pros who could add some sizzle to the new XFL.

Johnny Manziel

This is so obvious it hurts. The tweets about Johnny Football started nearly the second the XFL reports surfaced. He even posted about it on Instagram. The former Cleveland Brown burned out of the NFL amid an apparent problem with substance abuse and lackluster play. He also faced assault charges by his former girlfriend, which were ultimately dropped under the condition the quarterback complete courses in substance abuse and anger management.

Despite his troubles both on the field and off, the former Heisman-Trophy-winner has remained a fan favorite. When he played at Texas A&M, Manziel was dynamic and a thrill to watch. This year he flirted with the Canadian Football League and promoted the hashtag #ComebackSzn (comeback season) on social media. So maybe by the time the XFL launches he'll be ready to chuck the old pigskin around on American soil. He already has the nickname and WWE-like money-rubbing hand gesture.

But there's a complication: The XFL might not want Manziel. When asked about the quarterback in Thursday's call, McMahon said anybody with a criminal record wouldn't be allowed in his league. "You want someone who does not have any criminality whatsoever associated with them," McMahon said.

So Manziel looks like he's out. But 2020 is still a ways off, which gives some marketing exec time to convince everyone how much money they could all make off Johhny Football.

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Robert Griffin III

The former Washington and Cleveland quarterback could potentially revive his career with the XFL after struggling to regain his form after a knee injury. He was drafted No. 2 overall in 2012 and was thrilling as a rookie, but he strugggled through injuries and recoveries and was mostly mediocre before not playing at all in 2017. Griffin did claim he had NFL offers this year and simply turned them down, so it's possible he'll be on an NFL roster by 2020. If not, his self-styled good guy image might clash with the brashness of McMahon and the XFL. But not every player can be an XFL heel.

Terrell Owens

I am ready to see T.O. back on the gridiron. We all should be. He recently appeared on MTV's The Challenge—which he left in a blaze of glory—and appeared to be in phenomenal, ready-to-crush-situps-in-the-driveway shape. You say you want the XFL to be fan-driven, McMahon? Make the call.

Chad Johnson (neé Ochocino)

Sure, Johnson is a 40-year-old dad who has seemingly settled down. But let the dude run some routes and bless us with touchdown celebrations. He was so much fun. I mean, he once legally changed his last name to Ochocino so he could get his nickname on his jersey, which was one of the major things the XFL was known for back in the day. It just fits.

Tim Tebow

Sure, the Heisman Trophy winner is busy with his minor league baseball pursuits and TV spots. But he also brings a circus of attention wherever he goes, which sounds like a something a fledgling league could really benefit from. And he's certainly never had trouble with the law. The possibility came up at the press conference, and McMahon didn't rule Tebow out. "If Tim Tebow wants to play he could very well play," McMahon said.

This article was first written by Newsweek