XFL, USFL in “advanced” merger talks

[johnnyangryfuzzball]

First of all, just call it the Unified Spring Football Leagues, which means you get to keep the USFL trademark active. Then you can keep both the USFL and XFL names active, which would also be handy with regard to trademarks.

But April start? I hate that. I really do. That's eight weeks for people to forget about football and expect them to jump back into it in the season that is just about as far away from traditional NFL/college/high school ball as you can get. I mean, I get wanting to avoid March Madness and the collision course that ESPN is set on with spring NCAA championships... but Fox doesn't have that problem.

Jumping in right as the NFL season is ending keeps people in a viewing pattern.

Plus if you're abandoning the XFL name and the February/March season... what's to stop Vince McMahon from taking it back and giving yet another effort at XFL4.0? NY and LA teams and all, NBC contract, etc...

[GDAWG]

First of all, just call it the Unified Spring Football Leagues, which means you get to keep the USFL trademark active. Then you can keep both the USFL and XFL names active, which would also be handy with regard to trademarks.

But April start? I hate that. I really do. That's eight weeks for people to forget about football and expect them to jump back into it in the season that is just about as far away from traditional NFL/college/high school ball as you can get. I mean, I get wanting to avoid March Madness and the collision course that ESPN is set on with spring NCAA championships... but Fox doesn't have that problem.

Jumping in right as the NFL season is ending keeps people in a viewing pattern.

Plus if you're abandoning the XFL name and the February/March season... what's to stop Vince McMahon from taking it back and giving yet another effort at XFL4.0? NY and LA teams and all, NBC contract, etc...

Federal investigation into sexual assault.

[GregParks]

But April start? I hate that. I really do. That's eight weeks for people to forget about football and expect them to jump back into it in the season that is just about as far away from traditional NFL/college/high school ball as you can get. I mean, I get wanting to avoid March Madness and the collision course that ESPN is set on with spring NCAA championships... but Fox doesn't have that problem.

I wonder if the April start would just be for 2024 simply because getting things squared away for a February start would be too (and I'll use the word again) ambitious given we're nearing the end of September right now. Then in 2025 you could conceivably move it back to February.

I agree, all things equal, the February start is better if only because basically all coaches/players that have been interviewed have noted how much better it is for the Feb. start to get players into NFL camps (and you saw it in action with XFL signings vs. USFL signings numbers this year).

[johnnyangryfuzzball]

First of all, just call it the Unified Spring Football Leagues, which means you get to keep the USFL trademark active. Then you can keep both the USFL and XFL names active, which would also be handy with regard to trademarks.

But April start? I hate that. I really do. That's eight weeks for people to forget about football and expect them to jump back into it in the season that is just about as far away from traditional NFL/college/high school ball as you can get. I mean, I get wanting to avoid March Madness and the collision course that ESPN is set on with spring NCAA championships... but Fox doesn't have that problem.

Jumping in right as the NFL season is ending keeps people in a viewing pattern.

Plus if you're abandoning the XFL name and the February/March season... what's to stop Vince McMahon from taking it back and giving yet another effort at XFL4.0? NY and LA teams and all, NBC contract, etc...

Federal investigation into sexual assault.

I don't follow. Does that suddenly erase his fortune?

[GDAWG]

First of all, just call it the Unified Spring Football Leagues, which means you get to keep the USFL trademark active. Then you can keep both the USFL and XFL names active, which would also be handy with regard to trademarks.

But April start? I hate that. I really do. That's eight weeks for people to forget about football and expect them to jump back into it in the season that is just about as far away from traditional NFL/college/high school ball as you can get. I mean, I get wanting to avoid March Madness and the collision course that ESPN is set on with spring NCAA championships... but Fox doesn't have that problem.

Jumping in right as the NFL season is ending keeps people in a viewing pattern.

Plus if you're abandoning the XFL name and the February/March season... what's to stop Vince McMahon from taking it back and giving yet another effort at XFL4.0? NY and LA teams and all, NBC contract, etc...

Federal investigation into sexual assault.

I don't follow. Does that suddenly erase his fortune?

No but it could be significant jail time for him, unless he's able to get away with it, which he probably will.

[MGB01]

First of all, just call it the Unified Spring Football Leagues, which means you get to keep the USFL trademark active. Then you can keep both the USFL and XFL names active, which would also be handy with regard to trademarks.

But April start? I hate that. I really do. That's eight weeks for people to forget about football and expect them to jump back into it in the season that is just about as far away from traditional NFL/college/high school ball as you can get. I mean, I get wanting to avoid March Madness and the collision course that ESPN is set on with spring NCAA championships... but Fox doesn't have that problem.

Jumping in right as the NFL season is ending keeps people in a viewing pattern.

Plus if you're abandoning the XFL name and the February/March season... what's to stop Vince McMahon from taking it back and giving yet another effort at XFL4.0? NY and LA teams and all, NBC contract, etc...

I don't think they'll necessarily wait until April. Fact their recent Big Ten/Big East/Big XII tourney proposal (which sounds way better on paper) combined with their touting of the WBC would seem to indicate they're ready to counter opening weekend again, just as they were with a sold-out Dome in 2020 when the shutdown hit.

The NHL TV schedule that came out a few weeks back had Saturday spots open on ABC (as I predicted the DHs for the most part went away), so there is that.

[Coffeeeyes]

Might be April start in 2024 cus USFL needs time to get up to speed, and the league also needs time to promote and market itself as it is practically a new entity.

[4th&long]

Might be April start in 2024 cus USFL needs time to get up to speed, and the league also needs time to promote and market itself as it is practically a new entity.

That's a good point.

[4th&long]

Called it... 10 teams:



>>XFL News Hub@XFLNewsHub
DEVELOPING: Looking like 10 teams for the 2024 season.. other teams will be on 'bench' to return in 2025 if they have a home location secure.. Pennsylvania USFL team in play .. things are still fluid #XFL #USFL
Last edited
8:23 AM · Sep 22, 2023<<

Glad its not just 8 but 12 was a stretch and over that was a non-starter.

[GregParks]

Not sure if this is out anywhere else, but Neil Stratton's Inside the League Friday Wrap has this:

"We’ve since heard the leagues will play in six hubs, USFL-style, rather than in the teams’ home cities, a la the XFL. The latest information we’ve gathered is that Detroit, Canton and St. Louis are among the six locales under consideration to host teams. We’ve also heard the new league would like to expand into new markets that didn’t host teams from either league, including Phoenix and Louisville, potentially."

Combining forces only to go back into USFL-style hubs ain't it, fam.