In February 2001, a new professional football league made its debut in the United States: the XFL. Co-founded by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) chairman Vince McMahon and NBC executive Dick Ebersol, the XFL was meant to be a more extreme, high-octane version of the National Football League (NFL), with fewer rules and more excitement. However, despite a promising start, the XFL struggled to attract viewers and fans, and it folded after just one season. Yet, nearly two decades later, the XFL has risen again, and this time it might have a better chance at success. In this comprehensive history of the XFL, we’ll take a closer look at its rise and fall, as well as its recent revival.

Origins of the XFL

The idea for the XFL began in 1999, when Vince McMahon and Dick Ebersol began discussing the possibility of creating a new football league that would be more exciting and innovative than the NFL. They envisioned a league that would appeal to younger viewers, with faster gameplay, more scoring, and more aggressive play. McMahon, who had a background in professional wrestling, also wanted to incorporate elements of sports entertainment into the league, such as player nicknames and trash talking.

To bring their vision to life, McMahon and Ebersol formed a joint venture between WWE and NBC, called the XFL LLC. They invested $100 million in the league and recruited a team of experienced football executives, including former NFL commissioner Basil DeVito and former NFL coach Rusty Tillman, to help run it.

The XFL Debuts

The XFL made its debut on February 3, 2001, with two games broadcast on NBC and one on UPN. The league featured eight teams, divided into two divisions, with a ten-game regular season and a playoff system similar to the NFL. However, the XFL also had several unique features, including:

• No fair catches: Returners had to catch the ball and run with it, or risk losing possession.
• No point-after-touchdown kicks: Teams could earn one, two, or three extra points by running or passing the ball into the end zone from different distances.
• More lenient rules on player conduct: The XFL allowed players to use nicknames on their jerseys and encouraged them to trash talk their opponents.

The XFL’s first game, between the New York/New Jersey Hitmen and the Las Vegas Outlaws, drew a strong television audience, with 14 million viewers tuning in. However, subsequent games saw a sharp decline in ratings, as viewers grew tired of the league’s gimmicks and poor quality of play. Many of the XFL’s players were former college stars who hadn’t made it in the NFL, and the league struggled to attract top-tier talent.

The XFL’s Decline

As the XFL’s ratings continued to drop, the league faced mounting financial losses. NBC, which had invested $50 million in the league, lost nearly $70 million on its XFL broadcasts, and advertisers began pulling their support. McMahon and Ebersol tried to boost ratings by introducing new features, such as on-field cameras and cheerleaders, but it wasn’t enough to save the league.

The XFL played its last game on April 21, 2001, with the Los Angeles Xtreme defeating the San Francisco Demons in the championship game. The league folded shortly thereafter, with most of its teams and players never to be heard from again.

The XFL’s Rebirth

In January 2018, Vince McMahon announced that he was bringing back the XFL, with plans to launch a new league in 2020. This time, McMahon promised a more serious, football-focused league, with fewer gimmicks and a focus on player safety. The XFL 2.0 had a new structure, with eight teams owned by the league instead of individual owners, and a partnership with ESPN and Fox Sports for broadcasting rights. The XFL 2.0’s inaugural season was set to kick off in February 2020, but it was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The league played five games before suspending its season, and ultimately decided to cancel the rest of the season and file for bankruptcy. However, in August 2020, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, along with his business partners Dany Garcia and RedBird Capital, bought the XFL for $15 million. They announced plans to relaunch the league in 2022, with a renewed focus on fan engagement and player safety.

The Current XFL

At the time of writing this the XFL is wrapping up the newest season in 2023 and it has gone pretty well. The championship is in a week or so and the numbers have been good so far for the league. The league is hoping on coming back in 2024 even better and I am so excited for what is it to come in the next couple years.