XFL 3.0 What to Expect
The XFL returned in 2020 and was highly favored but due to the pandemic COVID-19 it ended… Now XFL 3.0 is here and brought to you by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and his ex-wife and business partner Dany Garcia.
Is the third time the charm? This time around the “X” stands for “intersection of dreams and opportunity.”
The “league of tomorrow” kicks off Saturday February 18th, as well as the following Sunday with eight teams and iconic coaches! Which team will you back to represent?
Here’s the backstory of the league, where to watch it's anticipated return and what to expect with game rules & teams.
The original XFL founded in 1999, but ceased operations in 2001 and folded due to crippling losses incurred by both NBC and WWE. A completely different entity bearing the XFL name was launched in 2018 and the man managing the new incarnation was Vince McMahon. The Covid-19 pandemic led the new league into bankruptcy and The Rock, alongside Danny Garcia and Gerry Cardinale, purchased the XFL in 2020.
The XFL was known in 2020 for bringing unprecedented fan access. How does that continue now?
“Through innovative technology, fans will experience new perspectives as they watch the game. The sideline team will provide a unique vantage point for analysis and added live access for fans throughout the game. We're able to get you that instant reaction that you're looking for. Being on the sideline if a cool play happens, if there's a pick or a sack, we're able to try to go up to the coaches, even the players and say, 'Hey, can you break this down for us on the spot?”
How does the XFL differ from the NFL?
“The XFL will feature exciting gameplay innovations that deliver fans a faster pace of play and more action. And for our coverage, you can expect interesting production elements in every game. Everybody loves the Skycam. That's going to be hovering above the field for all of our games. Our coaches and some key players are going to be mic'ed up, so you're going to be hearing the game as it's going.”
The unique rules of the XFL
EXTRA POINTS
Tiered extra points are back! Teams will have three run/pass only options for extra points following a touchdown: From the 2-yard line = one point. From the 5-yard line = two points. From the 10-yard line = three points. So yes, in theory, you could see a team score 27 points on three touchdowns.
GAME TIMING
The XFL will operate with a 35-second play clock, which begins following the previous play.
The clock will start following incomplete passes and out of bounds plays prior to two-minute warning of either half. The clock will stop following first downs after two-minute warning of either half. The first and second half will be split by just a 10-minute halftime.
KICKOFFS & PUNTS
Teams begin play five yards apart - kicking team at opponent’s 35-yard line and return team at own 30-yard line. Note that in the NFL, 37% of kickoffs are returned. IN 2020’s XFL, close to 97% kickoffs were returned. Stay alert!
Similarly, the punt rules are very friendly for returners: With coaches like Terrell Buckley an Reggie Barlow, this could get interesting.
OPTIONS TO KEEP BALL
Teams will have two options to keep the ball after scoring: The traditional onside kick (any time during game) or a 4th and 15 conversion from their own 25-yard line, beginning in the game’s fourth quarter.
DOUBLE FORWARD PASS
If a team completes a forward pass behind the line of scrimmage, that team is allowed throw a second forward pass, as long as the ball has not crossed the line of scrimmage. Once the ball has passed the line of scrimmage, no forward passes are permitted. Note that the first pass may fall incomplete rather than becoming a fumbled lateral.
OVERTIME
Consists of alternating attempts from opponent’s 5-yard line; three attempts per team (two points per score) or until winner is decided.
INSTANT REPLAY
Centralized replay with all plays subject to review from the Replay Official. Replay may correct errors on non-reviewable plays, regarding player safety at any point during the game, and any issue in the last five minutes of regulation plus overtime. Each Head coach can challenge one on-field ruling per game, including those involving a foul or potential foul. Final rulings are made by designated members of officiating department in the Van Nuys command center.
That command center will be a lively place to be come its season opener! The first game kicks off February 18th at 1pm MST, the Vipers at the Renegades, Coaches Woodson vs Stoops.
Courtesy of Van Hurst (MST Time Zone)
Team Uniforms Display
Where to Watch Games
Player 54: Chasing the XFL Dream - Official Trailer
Directed by Peter Berg, the original series chronicles the building of the XFL and follows the unique stories of players and coaches throughout the inaugural season.
Series to debut on Thursday, February 16 at 5PM ET on ESPN2. Episodes will be available to stream exclusively on ESPN+.
CLICK to JOIN our LEAGUE!
History of XFL
The Original XFL Was A Joint Venture Between WWE And NBC, McMahon had plans to purchase the Canadian Football League and bring it to the United States but with NBC looking to start a pro league of their own, the two corporations got together and founded the XFL, pro football in the style of pro wrestling. The initial investment was $100 million. It was a way for the franchise to capitalize as a competitor against the “boring” NFL.
Unfortunately, the XFL did not last very long. People tuned in to watch the first couple of months, but the ratings collapsed shortly after and the XFL was shut down after one season. NBC, the joint owner, refused to air the second season of the league, and while Vince McMahon tried to keep the project going, he was forced to give up when United Paramount Network presented him with a number of outrageous demands, resulting in the WWE chairman calling it quits. XFL was forced to shut down, many assumed that McMahon would never try to venture into the world of pro football ever again.
Fast-forward nearly two decades later, Vince McMahon was at it again. The WWE boss founded a separate corporate entity by the name of Alpha Entertainment. The objective of this new company was to explore investment opportunities across the sport and entertainment landscapes, including professional football. Even before founding Alpha Entertainment, Vince McMahon had stated time and time again that he was considering a revival of the XFL. On January 25, 2018, Alpha Entertainment announced the new XFL. Vince McMahon was back in the pro football world.
This was not a reboot of the original XFL but an entirely different corporation. Unlike the original, which was a joint venture, XFL 2020 was wholly owned by Alpha Entertainment. In contrast to the edgy and raunchy XFL, the new league would feature simple football, without the elements from pro wrestling. Television deals were inked with FOX Sports, a draft was held in the fall of 2019, and everything was going well. Then the pandemic came along.
Covid-19 pandemic brought the entire world to a standstill and the XFL was suspended mid-season, merely five games in. On April 10, 2020, it was announced that the league would be suspending operation and all employees were laid off. Bad luck struck twice, this time in the form of a pandemic.
To add to it the television company FOX Sports that contracted with the XFL saw opportunity to create it's own league, in which it did forming what you may know as the USFL. Despite another league competing for a spring season some would say there is a uniqueness to the XFL that no other league can match.
This brings us to today. A new league with a history in its name “XFL”. Is the third time a charm?
One thing is for certain is that this league comes with a loyal, passionate fan base prior to it's success that will soon kickoff to change the football community.
Let us know what you think in the comments below ⬇️⬇️⬇️
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