- The XFL and USFL could be nearing a merger that would create one spring professional football league.
- According to reports, the XFL and USFL are aiming to resume playing football in 2024 following the merger.
- The XFL lost $60 million in its first season under the new ownership group.
The spring football landscape could look much differently next year. Per Axois’ report, the XFL and USFL are in the advanced stages of negotiations to agree on a merger. If the merger is approved, the two spring football leagues will combine to form one organization.
In 2022, spring football returned after the XFL folded two years earlier. The USFL was revived by the Fox Corporation following a nearly four-decade hiatus. When the league collapsed in 1986, the USFL was in the hole for $200 million.
The USFL closed up shop shortly before the league was planning on going head-to-head with the NFL in the fall. In its second iteration, the USFL went down the safer route and launched in the spring with the intention of attracting football-staved fans.
However, it didn’t take long for the USFL to gain a new competitor. Days before the USFL kicked off in April 2022, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson officially announced that the XFL was resuming play in 2023.
XFL Bleeds Money In Return To Field
In 2020, Johnson, Dany Garcia, and RedBird Capital Partners purchased Alpha Entertainment LLC’s assets, which included the XFL, for roughly $15 million.
Founder of Alpha Entertainment LLC, Vince McMahon, brought the XFL back to life for one season. Despite getting off to a promising start, the league was forced to close its doors prematurely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Johnson and his business partners viewed this as an opportunity to buy the XFL at a discount. The 2023 XFL season began a week after Super Bowl LVII in February and continued through May.
In its first season with Johnson at the helm, the XFL lost approximately $60 million and subsequently had to make job cuts.
Nevertheless, Johnson and Garcia remained undeterred about the XFL’s future potential. In June, Garcia said, “We’re extremely well-capitalized for the long-term. This is our new WWE. The next massive live property.”
Considering the XFL’s failures in the past, comparing the spring football league to the WWE is rather optimistic. The XFL produced mediocre results for ESPN, which paid the XFL $20 million for the television rights to the league’s games.
This past season, an average of 622,000 viewers watched the XFL’s ten-game regular season. The XFL Championship and Week 1 netted the most viewership for the league.
According to ESPN’s vice president of programming and acquisitions, the TV ratings met expectations: “It performed within our expectations. We ended on a high note.”
Juxtaposed to the USFL, the XFL has been the loser in the battle for revenue. The USFL’s estimated annual revenue is roughly $7.5 million, according to Fox executives. Backed by a media empire, the USFL appears to be in a much better position than the XFL.
Details of Merger Undisclosed
Officials from the XFL and USFL have not commented on a potential merger between the football leagues. Several specifics will need to be addressed before a season can be played.
There are a few questions in particular that we as football fans will be interested in learning more about. For instance, what will happen to the current XFL and USFL teams? Also, which rule book will be adopted for the new league?
The XFL and USFL each have eight clubs in their leagues. The USFL is split into four hubs: Detroit, Memphis, Canton, and Birmingham. Whereas, the XFL plays out of their home markets.
Will the merger retain all the teams to form a 16-team league? Additionally, the rules vary slightly between the XFL and USFL. It will be interesting to see if the rules are combined, or if one rule book is adopted.
While both leagues have been publicly adamant about the future success of their brands, the only way forward for spring pro football may be a merger between the XFL and USFL. Any merger will need to obtain regulatory approval before it can become official.
