XFL

[jfish26]

I watched about 60% of the first game and maybe a grand total of 10 minutes after that.

I don’t think the quality of play was awful but it’s going to struggle to keep people interested.

I think the (a?) problem is that...dirty little secret...football is generally very fucking boring to watch. So much down time.

The primary exception is when the players and schemes are outrageously great (which is not present in the XFL). The secondary exception is when the pageantry and atmosphere and emotion are outrageously rich (which is also not present in the XFL).

The XFL is like if someone thought, "college football, but sterile."

[NewtonHawk11]

I watched about 60% of the first game and maybe a grand total of 10 minutes after that.

I don’t think the quality of play was awful but it’s going to struggle to keep people interested.

I think the (a?) problem is that...dirty little secret...football is generally very fucking boring to watch. So much down time.

The primary exception is when the players and schemes are outrageously great (which is not present in the XFL). The secondary exception is when the pageantry and atmosphere and emotion are outrageously rich (which is also not present in the XFL).

The XFL is like if someone thought, "college football, but sterile."

Well I think the XFL does a good job of moving things along quickly.

They keep it with the booth on replay reviews, do player/coach interviews during the game and at halftime.

They are doing their best to keep things as interesting as they possibly can while having a subpar (in relation to NFL and in some cases college) product on the field.

[PhDhawk]

No interest, haven't watched.

But I was curious which cities had teams. Dallas, Houston, LA, Seattle, DC, NY, St. Louis, Tampa.

The only one of those that makes sense to me is St. Louis. Why have it in cities that already have NFL teams?

Wouldn't it make more sense to have something like, St Louis, San Diego, San Antonio, Austin, Jacksonville, San Jose, Charlotte and Portland? Cities that don't have a team?

[pdub]

I love a lot of things about the NFL but because KU basketball ramps up when the NFL ends, it makes for a perfect transition of attention.

I don't need more football.

[ousdahl]

I suppose the xfl deserves a little credit if they can speed up the game.

Otherwise, yeah, lots and lots of downtime. Games are officially 60 minutes, but average damn near 4 hours, and only feature a few minutes of actual gameplay. Lots of nonplay even when the clock is ticking. Gameplay only happens when an active play is snapped, and plays only last a few seconds apiece.

(Contrast that with hoops, where a 40 minute college game takes about 2 hours, and gameplay happening constantly, even when the clock is stopped)

And either way, it’s a weird time to launch a new league considering football is trending down

[CrimsonNBlue]

No interest, haven't watched.

But I was curious which cities had teams. Dallas, Houston, LA, Seattle, DC, NY, St. Louis, Tampa.

The only one of those that makes sense to me is St. Louis. Why have it in cities that already have NFL teams?

Wouldn't it make more sense to have something like, St Louis, San Diego, San Antonio, Austin, Jacksonville, San Jose, Charlotte and Portland? Cities that don't have a team?

I wonder if they chose places they know that are football crazed (Dallas, Houston, Seattle, DC) and they'd get a spillover crowd from NFL. And have to look at if there are any personal/business ties with Vince behind the owners/cities.

But as far as San Jose, Charlotte, and Jacksonville--they all currently have NFL teams.

[PhDhawk]

No interest, haven't watched.

But I was curious which cities had teams. Dallas, Houston, LA, Seattle, DC, NY, St. Louis, Tampa.

The only one of those that makes sense to me is St. Louis. Why have it in cities that already have NFL teams?

Wouldn't it make more sense to have something like, St Louis, San Diego, San Antonio, Austin, Jacksonville, San Jose, Charlotte and Portland? Cities that don't have a team?

I wonder if they chose places they know that are football crazed (Dallas, Houston, Seattle, DC) and they'd get a spillover crowd from NFL. And have to look at if there are any personal/business ties with Vince behind the owners/cities.

But as far as San Jose, Charlotte, and Jacksonville--they all currently have NFL teams.

My brain ignores the mid-90s NFL expansion.

But San Jose might be the best of both scenarios. It's its own city, but close enough that you get spillover.

Maybe they've tried that, I think the Dallas team is playing Arlington, so maybe they get the Dallas spillover and and Ft. Worth fans who don't/can't go to Cowboys games but want their 'own' team.

No matter how you do it, it's a long shot to make it successful.

They might also be better off going into even smaller markets, like the CBA did when it was basically the NBA minor league.

[CrimsonNBlue]

I think places like Reno, Wichita, Grand Rapids, etc. would eat up the XFL. I'm guessing Vince has eyes on a bigger prize, but if the crowds show up, that's better than (inevitably) failing again.

[ousdahl]

so guess what I’m watching!

I’m apparently the only one watching too.

No seriously, I haven’t watched so few fans in the stands watching since I watched a mizzou basketball game.

not that anyone watches that.

[CrimsonNBlue]

Color. Me. Shocked.

Told tophawk from the beginning that Vince would fail again.

https://twitter.com/espn/status/1248656 ... 15361?s=20

[pdub]

Coronavirus just sped up the inevitable with that one.

[Cascadia]

This is why I bought a Tampa Bay shirt early. I think XFL 2.0 may have lasted 2 seasons if not for covid-19, but it was never going to last long term

[Deleted User 289]

I sincerely feel terrible for those directly impacted who have lost their jobs - but I say good riddance to the league.

[Deleted User 318]

The Rock buys the XFL.

https://www.si.com/xfl/2020/08/03/dwyne ... 15-million

Just let it die already.

[pdub]

Can you smell what the Rock is cooking?
Bankruptcy.

[NewtonHawk11]

Such a small chunk of change for him. He's going to try and bring fans that are not maybe all into football just based on his past career.

[Deleted User 318]

Such a small chunk of change for him. He's going to try and bring fans that are not maybe all into football just based on his past career.

We don't know if the deal includes him assuming any debts the XFL may have. Also, it's going to be a lot of operating expenses to actually get up the league again.

And how can folks believe the XFL will work if it twice burned folks by shutting down years before it said it would give the runway. Obviously 2020 is different, but WWE cut ties so easily I still wouldn't trust anything with XFL on it.

[twocoach]

No interest, haven't watched.

But I was curious which cities had teams. Dallas, Houston, LA, Seattle, DC, NY, St. Louis, Tampa.

The only one of those that makes sense to me is St. Louis. Why have it in cities that already have NFL teams?

Wouldn't it make more sense to have something like, St Louis, San Diego, San Antonio, Austin, Jacksonville, San Jose, Charlotte and Portland? Cities that don't have a team?

I wonder if they chose places they know that are football crazed (Dallas, Houston, Seattle, DC) and they'd get a spillover crowd from NFL. And have to look at if there are any personal/business ties with Vince behind the owners/cities.

But as far as San Jose, Charlotte, and Jacksonville--they all currently have NFL teams.

My brain ignores the mid-90s NFL expansion.

But San Jose might be the best of both scenarios. It's its own city, but close enough that you get spillover.

Maybe they've tried that, I think the Dallas team is playing Arlington, so maybe they get the Dallas spillover and and Ft. Worth fans who don't/can't go to Cowboys games but want their 'own' team.

No matter how you do it, it's a long shot to make it successful.

They might also be better off going into even smaller markets, like the CBA did when it was basically the NBA minor league.

Like the UFL from 2009-2012?

Orlando, Vegas, Omaha, Sacramento, Virginia Beach and Hartford.

It sucked.

[PhDhawk]

All minor leagues suck.

Appreciate the five month old bump though.

[pdub]

I enjoy minor league baseball more than major league baseball when actually at the ballpark.