The 2020 revival of the XFL saw many iconic moments, from St. Louis’ great support for their BattleHawks, to the iconic “beer snake” at the DC Defenders home games. There was a lot to take in for those 5 short weeks before the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One aspect of that league, however, never came back to the 2023 XFL nor the 2024 UFL.

The New York Guardians were an inaugural member of the Vince McMahon-backed 2020 XFL season, as part of the East division of the league. The symbol that identified the team was a black and gray gargoyle with red talons (gargoyles were commonly used in old New York City architecture) with its body meant to represent the design of the Empire State Building.

The team played its inaugural season in MetLife Stadium, home to the New York Giants and New York Jets. They finished the short lived season 3-2 including a 2-0 home record. When the XFL returned in 2023 under new ownership by The Rock and Dany Garcia, the Guardians were moved, due to stadium conflicts, from the Meadowlands to the Sunshine State in Orlando. They were housed in Camping World Stadium, finishing a league-worst 1-9 in a neon green livery, only to cease operations after the USFL and XFL merged to create the UFL.

The Guardians were a true, shining spirit in what New York City depicts since its creation; a menacing, fearless, cold beast, but an epicenter to new beginnings and larger-than-life levels of inspiration. This falls nearly perfectly in line in relation to the missions and the plans the UFL seeks to conquer and grow.

While the 2020 attendance only saw 17,634 and 12,116 come to watch Guardian football in a titanic cavern such as MetLife, the numbers could have increased significantly had they continued their season with a winning record of 3-2. While MetLife may be expensive and filled with major events such as concerts and motorsport shows, it can be a great venue to showcase spring football once again with NFL-level amenities and nationwide notoriety. If MetLife is not a viable option, Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey or NYCFC’s Etihad Park that is under construction could also perfectly house the “watchdogs over the metropolis” with a more contemporary atmosphere with smaller capacities and safer natural grass fields.

Weather in New York City is a major point of discussion, as the 2020 XFL season began in early February, one week after Super Bowl LIV, in contrast to the UFL which starts in late March. Having warmer weather for a northeastern city such as New York could result in great reception for temperatures in the 60s and 70s rather than below freezing conditions that the fans of the Giants and Jets are accustomed to.

New York City is a major television and attendance market to adhere to for the United Football League, as most UFL games are broadcasted on network TV channels, Fox and ABC, and the metropolitan area being the most populated metro area in the entire world.

The UFL plans to expand as early as next season,, and the New York Guardians would be an incredible opportunity for both league and fans alike in the Big Apple.

image credit: All-Pro Reels, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons