USFL-XFL merged league teams, size, season speculation

[GDAWG]

Reading between the lines on the 46 (player LOIs), it's mostly the four teams mentioned plus Houston and Vegas. The teams that would have de facto mergers of their own would be the "Gambnecks" and Vegas/Pittsburgh (into Canton).

So what would that leave us with?

NORTH
Philadelphia
New Jersey
Michigan
DC
St. Louis
Ohio

SOUTH
Birmingham
Memphis
Arlington
San Antonio
Houston
New Orleans

There's a few things to work out there: Where does Anthony Blevins end up--if even at all since the guy who hired him's gone? How many hubs? How much modification to bring each's rules in line? What are we looking at schedule-wise/season setup?

I would suspect this is all in motion even before the OK is, well, OK'd.

The Comeback Period says that the 4 XFL teams returning will most likely play in their home venues:

[4th&long]

Bumped because of this latest rumor:

Good Catch Gdawg!

>> James Larsen@JamesLarsenPFN
Some more confirmation on this report, sounds like @InsideTheLeague has been hearing the same thing.

Nothing has been officially set in stone yet, but we should be getting official legal word on the #USFL-#XFL merger within a week, give or take.
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Quote
James Larsen@JamesLarsenPFN·
3h

DEVELOPING: Multiple sources have indicated that there is a strong possibility that all eight #USFL teams will survive the USFL-XFL merger.

A 12 team league could feature just four #XFL teams. STL, DC, SA, & Arlington would be the likeliest organizations to survive.
2:41 PM · Oct 20, 2023 <<

This makes more sense with the Hubs being talked about by some coaches and players. Also if going with more than 10/8 teams hubs make it easier.

The list of Stl, DC, SA & Arlington is the most logical and what you'd expect in a 8/10 team league in the merger. Having 6 games a week seems much unless they are saving 1 for cable or are having some concurrent games for regionalization for broadcast.

Remember its also on cost and availability of venues.

Let's get this bad boy announced!!

[Dome Dome Dome]

Curious then as to whether the eight USFL teams survive outright or we get relocations ala Tampa/Memphis.

[GDAWG]

It seems like they are keeping New Jersey and Philly for TV purposes, assuming of course those two are actually going to play in the cities that they have been assigned to.

[laxtreme56]

It seems like they are keeping New Jersey and Philly for TV purposes, assuming of course those two are actually going to play in the cities that they have been assigned to.

Philly notched a .37 local rating in the 2022 championship compared to Birmingham 10.1 local rating. That's basically test pattern ratings at this point. If you called them the Baltimore Stars at this point I doubt it would affect the Philadelphia ratings one way or the other.

[GDAWG]

It seems like they are keeping New Jersey and Philly for TV purposes, assuming of course those two are actually going to play in the cities that they have been assigned to.

Philly notched a .37 local rating in the 2022 championship compared to Birmingham 10.1 local rating. That's basically test pattern ratings at this point. If you called them the Baltimore Stars at this point I doubt it would affect the Philadelphia ratings one way or the other.

If the local rating is that low, then the league should get rid of the Stars.

I think this new league is fine with DC and Arlington, two large TV markets, that I am not sure they need Philly or New Jersey anyways.

[4th&long]

It seems like they are keeping New Jersey and Philly for TV purposes, assuming of course those two are actually going to play in the cities that they have been assigned to.

Well I've said that all along NJ/NY is needed. Philly makes sense too, though DC could have been replacement. But think of the reduced travel and hoped for rivalries coming from a NJ/Philly/DC, not to mention Arlington/Houston/SA.

Under this scenario that puts the USXFL at 21.6% household market share vs XFL2020 at 22%.
For reference USFL 2023 was 15.12% and XFL 2023 was 12.44. So this is a big improvement.

[4th&long]

It seems like they are keeping New Jersey and Philly for TV purposes, assuming of course those two are actually going to play in the cities that they have been assigned to.

Philly notched a .37 local rating in the 2022 championship compared to Birmingham 10.1 local rating. That's basically test pattern ratings at this point. If you called them the Baltimore Stars at this point I doubt it would affect the Philadelphia ratings one way or the other.

If the local rating is that low, then the league should get rid of the Stars.

I think this new league is fine with DC and Arlington, two large TV markets, that I am not sure they need Philly or New Jersey anyways.

The Phillies were playing on ESPN SNB at the same time. And nationally the USFL Championship beat the the SNB game. There are also more transplanted philadelphians across the country. Also remember philadelphia is 4x bigger than Birm.
No doubt you will generate more local news coverage and fan interest playing in market.

Actually SportsMediaWatch has Birm getting 11 rating in 2022 championship. Again note that ratings spiked after the Phillies game was over.

>> Viewership peaked at 1.83 million from 10:30-10:45 PM ET.<<

https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2022/0 ... g-weekend/

ACTUALLY - Philly had a .81hh rating for the game not a .37...

https://usflnewshub.com/usfl-news/usfl- ... _article=1

[4th&long]

Curious then as to whether the eight USFL teams survive outright or we get relocations ala Tampa/Memphis.

Good point - could be a Pitt to Ohio move?

[Rmbay]

It seems like they are keeping New Jersey and Philly for TV purposes, assuming of course those two are actually going to play in the cities that they have been assigned to.

Philly notched a .37 local rating in the 2022 championship compared to Birmingham 10.1 local rating. That's basically test pattern ratings at this point. If you called them the Baltimore Stars at this point I doubt it would affect the Philadelphia ratings one way or the other.

They did trademark the Baltimore Stars earlier this year.