Vince McMahon considers move to bring back the XFL

[The Unknown Poster]

On 2019-11-07 at 8:14 PM, SpeedFlex27 said:

Must be nice for McMahon to be a billionaire & be able to cash in his stock options from WWE to finance this little venture, Ha ha. That alone should have told him it can't work. Huge ego on McMahon's part thinking only he can make tis league a success.  And you're right about not caring.  After the CFL & NFL seasons back to back & the hype leading up to the Super Bowl, I do need a break & watching inferior football doesn't interest me. Most fans think the same. It was proven to be true last spring. 

He can certainly afford it.  But he’s banking on tv rights fees being worth a bundle, more so than ever before and higher value for lower ratings.  

[SpeedFlex27]

1 hour ago, The Unknown Poster said:

He can certainly afford it.  But he’s banking on tv rights fees being worth a bundle, more so than ever before and higher value for lower ratings.  

He blew it with the XFL the first time. I can see it happening again. 

[The Unknown Poster]

23 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

He blew it with the XFL the first time. I can see it happening again. 

True. And I think it will be unsuccessful.   But it was a different time.  The ratings he got the first go around would be successful now. He’d make money.   Also that first go around, he tried to make it very wwe oriented.  This time it’s supposed to be legitimate football.  
 

also Vince wanted to do a second season last time.  But nbc backed out.  UPN was willing to do it but only if Vince accepted a reduction in SD from two hours to 90 minutes.  Vince wasn’t willing to hurt wwe to take a chance on XFL (any more than he already had). 

[SpeedFlex27]

I've never understood the fascination with starting new football leagues. Every one of them has failed. No league since the AFL has been successful & yet so called sane businessmen are more than willing to face financial ruin trying. After the original ABA (not the recent league) no one has tried again. No one has ever tried a third pro baseball league. No other pro hockey league other than the WHA has ever been a success. Yet, when it comes to pro football every few years we seem to go through it.

Edited November 9, 2019 by SpeedFlex27

[Goldkobra]

28 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

I've never understood the fascination with starting new football leagues. Every one of them has failed. No league since the AFL has been successful & yet so called sane businessmen are more than willing to face financial ruin trying. After the original ABA (not the recent league) no one has tried again. No one has ever tried a third pro baseball league. No other pro hockey league other than the WHA has ever been a success. Yet, when it comes to pro football every few years we seem to go through it.

I think because of the popularity of football versus the number of decent sized cities without pro football teams. I guess some people refuse to see how college football fills that gap. Likely,  places like Orlando Florida,  Columbus Ohio or Austin Texas could support a 2nd tier football team.  They just don't want to  

[Rod Black]

42 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

I've never understood the fascination with starting new football leagues. Every one of them has failed. No league since the AFL has been successful & yet so called sane businessmen are more than willing to face financial ruin trying. After the original ABA (not the recent league) no one has tried again. No one has ever tried a third pro baseball league. No other pro hockey league other than the WHA has ever been a success. Yet, when it comes to pro football every few years we seem to go through it.

The road to big time franchise ownership is through smaller franchise ownership. The other thing is, owners don’t use their own money. Stan Kroenke - L.A. Rams, Shahid Khan - Jacksonville Jaguars, both examples of moving up the ladder. There are others...the upside potential value to an NFL franchise is phenomenal. 

Edited November 9, 2019 by Rod Black

[SpeedFlex27]

36 minutes ago, Rod Black said:

The road to big time franchise ownership is through smaller franchise ownership. The other thing is, owners don’t use their own money. Stan Kroenke - L.A. Rams, Shahid Khan - Jacksonville Jaguars, both examples of moving up the ladder. There are others...the upside potential value to an NFL franchise is phenomenal. 

The cost of the new LA Stadium has ballooned to $5 billion dollars & there are fears that Rams owner Stan Kroenke won't be able to finance the cost over run of the new home of the Rams & Chargers. The situation is so bad that the NFL wants to negotiate a new CBA with the players & have an agreement by Thanksgiving. If the NFLPA gets involved financially, the NFL is prepared to give the players 49% of revenue sharing. Which just goes to show that even in the NFL there are financial limits. 

 

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2858427-report-nfl-owners-want-players-to-fund-part-of-25b-needed-for-new-la-stadium

[Rod Black]

8 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

The cost of the new LA Stadium has ballooned to $5 billion dollars & there are fears that Rams owner Stan Kroenke won't be able to finance the cost over run of the new home of the Rams & Chargers. The situation is so bad that the NFL wants to negotiate a new CBA with the players & have an agreement by Thanksgiving. If the NFLPA gets involved financially, the NFL is prepared to give the players 49% of revenue sharing. Which just goes to show that even in the NFL there are financial limits. 

 

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2858427-report-nfl-owners-want-players-to-fund-part-of-25b-needed-for-new-la-stadium

I didn’t know that. The virtuous Spencer Strasmore has a plan that helps players and owners. 

[66 Chevelle]

do I think the XFL will succeed? no, not really... but I do think it has a chance though...

but I think you all under estimate the following that the AAF had... for a league that paid 0 dollars on promotion or advertising, they felt word of mouth was sufficient, they had great support in both TV ratings and fans in the seats... that was, until the rumors of the league folding 2 weeks before it did...

the one thing that I think he's done wrong from the start though is putting a franchise in LA and New York... too much competition and a tough market in New York... and LA? they've proven that they will not support a football team... ever... not since the Rams of the 70's has LA been able to attract and support a professional football team...

but Rod Black is right, the allure is the possibility of owning a franchise worth at least $1 billion each... it always comes down to dead presidents, will one run out before the other shows up is the question... 

[Mr Dee]

For my part, I can’t wait till the XFL becomes the EX-FL

[66 Chevelle]

I hope it succeeds, but then again I have a vested interest as somebody I know will be playing for the Battlehawks...

for me, I'm excited for it much for the same reasons that I love the CFL, it's a small league and a person is able to actually follow each team, watch every game every week, and know and follow the players participating... the NFL, the only games I actually watch religiously are the Chiefs games... after that, it's only 'good' match ups until playoffs..

truth be told, it's impossible to follow the NFL like you can the CFL, or soon to be XFL... there are only 5 games on Sunday with 4 of them competing against each other in time slots, then your Monday and Thursday games... of the 16 weekly games you can really only watch 5, unless you're willing to pay the stupid outrageous price that you cable supplier is asking for all games... I watch every CFL game every week... all of them... I follow the CFL way closer than I do the NFL mostly because it easier to do so...

and probably the biggest thing is that the players are approachable as they aren't so far removed from reality like the multi millionaire NFL players... after AAF games players would come up to the side of the field and interact with fans... outside the stadium they would stop and talk, take pictures, spend time with the fans and seemed to really enjoy it all... you see them out in the community, acting just you or I would, not all full of themselves... people you can root for and wish success for, at least in my opinion...

over the last 3 years I've gotten to know quite a few CFL and AAF players... I want this for them because if you talk to them, all they really want to do is play ball for the fans and the love of the game... 

[SpeedFlex27]

CFL is struggling. The last thing we need is another league poaching players. I hope the XFL dies. 

[66 Chevelle]

5 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

CFL is struggling. The last thing we need is another league poaching players. I hope the XFL dies. 

appreciate the honesty... everyone that I've talked to on message boards about these upstart league always say that it won't have any impact on the CFL... that's generally followed by mocking those that are playing in these other league(s)... and generally putting the whole thing and everyone involved with it...

I like the idea of the XFL, but, if I had to choose between it and the CFL... CFL hands down...

but I don't think it will impact the CFL too much... I still think the player pool is large enough to provide adequate talent for each league, especially since they lowered the rumored amount of base pay...

[SpeedFlex27]

1 hour ago, 66 Chevelle said:

appreciate the honesty... everyone that I've talked to on message boards about these upstart league always say that it won't have any impact on the CFL... that's generally followed by mocking those that are playing in these other league(s)... and generally putting the whole thing and everyone involved with it...

I like the idea of the XFL, but, if I had to choose between it and the CFL... CFL hands down...

but I don't think it will impact the CFL too much... I still think the player pool is large enough to provide adequate talent for each league, especially since they lowered the rumored amount of base pay...

For almost every position except qb. We saw just how poor qb play was this season. I don't anticipate it getting any better with the XFL signing another 24 qbs off the market. Other than Dane Evans, Nick Arbuckle. Cody Fajardo & Vernon Adams I don't see any bright lights at that position ready to break out. This is the weakest I've ever seen the CFL for qbs.  

[Pete Catan's Ghost]

On 2019-11-10 at 3:30 AM, SpeedFlex27 said:

For almost every position except qb. We saw just how poor qb play was this season. I don't anticipate it getting any better with the XFL signing another 24 qbs off the market. Other than Dane Evans, Nick Arbuckle. Cody Fajardo & Vernon Adams I don't see any bright lights at that position ready to break out. This is the weakest I've ever seen the CFL for qbs.  

The thing is, who would have predicted the success that the 4 QBs you named would have? 
DE and NA were no names & CF and VA were retreads. 
Injury or poor play (of current starting QBs) could very well uncover a few new stars. 

[wbbfan]

On 2019-12-08 at 11:48 AM, Pete Catan's Ghost said:

The thing is, who would have predicted the success that the 4 QBs you named would have? 
DE and NA were no names & CF and VA were retreads. 
Injury or poor play (of current starting QBs) could very well uncover a few new stars. 

A lot of people especially on here have maligned 3 of those 4. And continue to talk bad about MBT (who belongs in that list imo)

It seems like the actual pay is going to be well below the cfl level (average to average) So I dont see them draining a lot of big name prospects we would other wise gets or cfl starters. (maybe some one like jonathon jennings) Im sure they will stumble on one or 2 guys with a pulse. But they wont stumble into enough QBs to make a whole league work. 

[66 Chevelle]

On 2019-12-09 at 2:46 PM, wbbfan said:

A lot of people especially on here have maligned 3 of those 4. And continue to talk bad about MBT (who belongs in that list imo)

It seems like the actual pay is going to be well below the cfl level (average to average) So I dont see them draining a lot of big name prospects we would other wise gets or cfl starters. (maybe some one like jonathon jennings) Im sure they will stumble on one or 2 guys with a pulse. But they wont stumble into enough QBs to make a whole league work. 

while that may be true when you consider as a whole that a CFL team has a cap of $5.75M for 2020 and the XFL only a $4M cap for 2020, but when you compare those totals on a 'per game' average you get a very different perspective...  now taking that into consideration, the CFL pays $319,444 per game or S6,944 per player, on average... the XFL will pay $400,000 per game or $7,962 per player, on average... a non QB player in the XFL that plays on a 5-5 team will make $55K, on average, not to mention playoff money and performance bonus... go undefeated and that can put another $11K in your pocket, plus playoff bonus... now, when you take into account the dollar conversion rate that becomes $72.7K on a 5-5 team to $87.3K for being on an undefeated team, plus playoff bonus... PLUS the XFL provides housing for all players that simply request it AND you play 8 fewer regular season games and your season runs from Feb thru April (3 months) vs. the CFL whose season runs July thru November (5 months)...

also, when players look at what happened with the AAF, even though it failed, upon failing there were still 100 AAF players that signed NFL deals... 83 made to camps... and at last count 17 actually remain in the NFL on either an active roster (8) or a practice roster (9)... may not sound like a huge number but not bad for a league that lasted all of what, 8 games?  many players will view the XFL as potentially a faster track to the NFL for no other reason than those aforementioned numbers... however, I don't think it will necessarily hurt the CFL as I believe they will both still be pulling players from different 'pools'... for some, the CFL isn't an option to them for whatever reason; relocating to another country, passport issues, real job opportunities, or some will continue to work state side waiting for a call... the CFL has to cut some players, a lot of them untested at the professional level due to nothing more than the ratio and will ultimately land in the XFL...

the one key area that could possibly be effected is the QB position as both leagues have similar pay opportunities for those positions... however, on the bright side, how many Div 1 FBS QBs wash out in the NFL while FCS and lower division QBs actually make it? many overlooked for the level of ball they played or the school they attended... however, all 8 of the designated starting QBs have had NFL experience, some more than others... Cardale Jones actually started 11 NFL games...

bottom line, the pool of talent is and will be large enough moving forward to provide adequate talents for both leagues... as many here have witnessed, the games are different, one player may thrive in the CFL and bomb in the XFL or NFL, or vice versa... when you consider there are over 13,000 players that graduate each year, there are a lot of potential 'diamonds' out there, it may just be a little tougher for everyone to find them though, but they're out there...

[kelownabomberfan]

Michael Che had a good joke on SNL on the weekend - he said that Vince McMahon is starting up the XFL again, and he said this time all XFL merchandise will just be shipped straight to Haiti.

[Colin Unger]

@66 Chevelle  I agree with you that you can’t ignore the fact that the time commitment is less in the xfl as well as the injury potential and wear and tare on the body.  However, many of these guys will be looking at maximizing their earning on an annual basis and the dollar amounts will he higher in the cfl.  There’s also a bit of a timing issue for the xfl. Players coming right out of college will want to focus on making the nfl and then if that opportunity isn’t there they will be offered earnings more quickly from the cfl.  A good number of the best cfl prospects are guys who only sign right before cfl training camp.  Chris Streveler and Marcus Sayles come to mind as players who waiting to sign in the cfl until close to training camp.  There is also going to be a significant bump to the cfl salary cup for next season as the players had a clause in the latest negotiation to receive a percentage of any new tv deal. 
 

But like you said there is plenty of talent out there.  Players will get cut from an xfl team and make an impact in the cfl and vice versa. There’s also the element that the xfl will pay money for some nfl name who would likely not have any impact in the cfl. I don’t see a cfl starting qb going to the xfl because there wouldn’t be name recognition in the states and a qb who had put in the hard works to learn to excel as a cfl qb it’s going to give that up for anything less than nfl bucks. 

[wbbfan]

Is this league dead yet?

 

[Colin Unger]

Apparently Sergio Castillo play for the Houston Roughnecks.  I imagine his plan is to bank some extra money and then take a shot at the NFL.

 

[Goldkobra]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ewrestlingnews.com/news/wwe-and-vince-mcmahon-sued-by-shareholder-over-xfl/amp

[Tracker]

11 hours ago, Goldkobra said:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ewrestlingnews.com/news/wwe-and-vince-mcmahon-sued-by-shareholder-over-xfl/amp

And so it begins.......

[wbbfan]

13 hours ago, Tracker said:

And so it begins.......

I'd say 40% chance the league gets pushed back a year and 25% that they don't play a game. 95% chance it's irrelevant in terms of tv and attendance and as a pro League 1 week into the regular season. 0% chance they have a third off season. 

[The Unknown Poster]

On 2019-12-27 at 10:25 PM, Goldkobra said:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ewrestlingnews.com/news/wwe-and-vince-mcmahon-sued-by-shareholder-over-xfl/amp

An investor savvy enough to realize Vince is a screwing shareholders but not so savvy that he wants Vince to spend MORE time with wwe.