WI - XFL not canned

Anyone with a knowledge of US sports knows about the XFL - the one season American football league that has been derided as a failure. It did have many teething troubles - the games weren't so high scoring due to the smashmouth-oriented rules in the first few weeks, and it was difficult to take seriously. However, it got better attendances than the current UFL, and according was actually looking at adding two expansion teams - one in Detroit, the other in Washington DC.

In the end, NBC pulled the plug, and UPN were only willing to broadcast games if one if WWF Smackdown was trimmed from two hours to 90 minutes. So, what if either NBC didn't pull the plug, UPN didn't make the ultimatum or McMahon went for the shortened Smackdown?
 
It's probable, especially if Vince had gone with the shorter WWF shows, that the two brands would begin leaking into each other, with stars from both XFL and WWF/E eventually appearing in each other's shows. EG a footballer becoming a manager or indeed having a one-off appearance in a match (remember Wrestlemania II's battle royal between NFL stars and wrestlers?) or someone like The Rock psyching up the crowd at an XFL game.

What I don't think would ever happen is the XFL somehow surpassing the NFL. Its niche audience might have been cemented by a second season but ultimately my gut says we're looking at it staggering on a few more years, not really surviving long term. I don't have the knowledge of the business decisions and actions taken in that time or in football generally, but the problems that killed the XFL weren't likely to go away IMO.
 
I agree it wouldn't be a long term threat to the NFL. It might cause the NFL to change tactics. Perhaps the NFL would offer to buy the league, and eventually that happens? Could we have seen the XFL as a development league to the NFL, or the NFL asset stripping it? I doubt we'd get an XFC.
 
I can't see the XFL becoming a developmental league as they were quite different in styles and attitudes. The UFL is purposefully starting up to become a developmental league.

I can see the XFL players going too the NFL though, as some did after the league folded. I think Vince McMann tried to do too much in that season and it wasn't what it was made out to be.
 
Everyone knows WWE is fake and many people thought the XFL was fake. I don't know for a fact if the games were rigged or not. Personally I thought if it were scripted it would be more exciting.

My idea to make the league better: make it 100% fake. That way it is entertaining and we wouldn't have to guess. Impossible plays that happen once or twice a season in the NFL happen every quarter. Scores not only rival NFL games but rival NBA games. And the whole thing is 90 minutes to two hours in length. Also lots of stupid off field drama.

Will it rival the NFL for ratings? No, not a chance. Would people watch it? I would. Sometimes I need to turn my brain off for a while and I don't do drugs.
 
Everyone knows WWE is fake and many people thought the XFL was fake. I don't know for a fact if the games were rigged or not. Personally I thought if it were scripted it would be more exciting.

My idea to make the league better: make it 100% fake. That way it is entertaining and we wouldn't have to guess. Impossible plays that happen once or twice a season in the NFL happen every quarter. Scores not only rival NFL games but rival NBA games. And the whole thing is 90 minutes to two hours in length. Also lots of stupid off field drama.

Will it rival the NFL for ratings? No, not a chance. Would people watch it? I would. Sometimes I need to turn my brain off for a while and I don't do drugs.

Someone get this man a time machine and an appointment to meet with Vince McMahon.
 
I could see the XFL making a decent appeal to NFL fans disillusioned with the politically correct direction it has taken (excessive celebration penalties, obsession with "good-guy" personalities, giving fines to players such as Chad Ochocinco for displaying too much personality...)

Of course, this would require the XFL to be more serious with its format as opposed to the male soap-opera that is professional wrestling.
 

MacCaulay

Banned
I can't see the XFL becoming a developmental league as they were quite different in styles and attitudes. The UFL is purposefully starting up to become a developmental league.

Why not? There was just as much in the rules differences as there is between the NFL and, say...the CFL, or Arena Football. Heck, even college football has it's share of rules differences.

It still could've been a good farm league, or even something akin to what the Truck Series is in NASCAR: a station for folks on their way in and their way out. That's no knock on folks who would be in the league, it'd still be a hell of a thing to see.
 
The sportsguy blog had a lot of good points. I especially liked the idea of good vs evil teams. If they did that though it might be better to have the teams non-region based. There wouldn't be a team called the Atlanta Falcons, just the Falcons. This would not only not alienate a region with an evil team but allow the teams to tour around and play anywhere. Basically every game would be an exhibition game.

Signature plays might be fun as well. Like signature moves for wrestlers except with a team. They would be ridiculous and impractical for any real football team but fun to watch nonetheless.

If I had a team this is what it would be:

Name: The Vipers
Type: Evil Team
Colors: Green and Black
Signature Play: The Viper Stike. A quarterback sneak with two fullbacks blocking. (note: the two fullbacks will have similar names like Mike and Spike) Defensive line is usually tossed into the air as a result.
Touchdown Celebration: Quarterback bites the ball and pops it.
Coach: Clancy Brown
 
Why not? There was just as much in the rules differences as there is between the NFL and, say...the CFL, or Arena Football. Heck, even college football has it's share of rules differences.

It still could've been a good farm league, or even something akin to what the Truck Series is in NASCAR: a station for folks on their way in and their way out. That's no knock on folks who would be in the league, it'd still be a hell of a thing to see.

the rules might not be a big deal, but the attitude and style of the game would make things harder for those players to transition to the NFL.

The UFL has started up to develop players for the NFL.

I'm not saying guys couldn't go from the XFL to the NFL but the XFL wasn't meant to funnel guys into it.
 
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