Category: Alternative Football

On February 4, 2001, I covered an XFL game between the Birmingham Thunderbolts and Memphis Maniax – played on the second day of the league’s first weekend. When it was over, I left Legion Field with a negative opinion of the fledgling spring circuit.

Nineteen years later (from the comfort of my futon), I watched the league rise from the dead – and rise to the occasion.

Over two days and four games, the new XFL has already surpassed the old XFL in my eyes. The organization is better, the football is better, and the prognosis is better.

No domestic spring football league has ever experienced long term survival, of course, but there’s nothing wrong with having a positive attitude after such a positive start.

XFL commissioner Oliver Luck talked with NPR’s Michel Martin last week and described how things will be different this time around.

“I think there are three things,” he said. “One is our founder, Vince (McMahon). He’s got the resources and has given us because of those resources a long time to plan. The second one is all of our games are going to be either on Fox or ESPN or ABC. So no other league has ever started with the visibility that these two media companies will give us. And the third thing is the game has really been elevated, and as a result, the players that are available to us – sort of the 500 best players in the country not under contract to another professional football league – these guys are good.

“Now, having said that, we know it’s a challenge, and we’re going into this eyes wide open. But we think we’ve got a pretty good shot at establishing a league that people want to watch.”

As someone who has spent more than 30 years spreading the gospel of alternative football leagues, I was pumped when McMahon announced XFL 1.0. But my enthusiasm waned once I saw all the World Wrestling Entertainment influences, and it was almost all gone after just one weekend.

So much time was spent on gimmicks the game was overshadowed, and by the time it limped to the end of its only campaign the league was little more than a punch line.

McMahon obviously learned his lesson.

Although I’m still not sure why he wanted to revive a brand that flopped in its original incarnation, this XFL is most definitely new and improved.

For starters, these are good football players who had plenty of training camp time and scrimmages to get better. The 2001 version was rather rushed, and it wasn’t until late in the season when most of the teams started looking cohesive.

I was impressed with the quality of play and quality of players last Saturday and Sunday.

The rap, of course, is that the XFL “isn’t the NFL.”

No, it isn’t.

And high school football isn’t college football and college football isn’t pro football, but any level and every level can be entertaining.

If you insist on comparing a spring league to the sport’s strongest league, you’ll always be disappointed.

That being the case, I’m taking it for what it is, which is – to date – a solid, professional product.

From a casual fan standpoint (me being the casual fan) I thought the DC Defenders’ 31-19 victory over the Seattle Dragons was the most fun game to watch. Winning quarterback Cardale Jones (235 passing yards and two touchdowns) played like he was having a good time, and his enthusiasm rubbed off on his teammates.

The Houston Roughnecks and quarterback PJ Walker really wowed me with their 37-17 takedown of the L.A. Wildcats. Walker finished with 272 yards and four TDs through the air and made his case as the XFL’s top QB to watch in 2020.

The New York Guardians’ 23-3 rout of the Tampa Bay Vipers was one-sided and never really in doubt, while the St. Louis BattleHawks’ 15-9 decision over the Dallas Renegades was a bit sluggish.

Yet a mixed bag of the good and the bad is to be expected. Obviously there were mistakes and miscues across the league, but anyone dwelling on that is simply looking for something to complain about.

This year’s Super Bowl had four interceptions, three fumbles (though none lost) and 69 yards in penalties. Point being, turnovers and infractions are part of the game.

From the standpoint of rules innovations, I like the non-collision kickoffs the best. The lords of football have been slow to deal with the CTE risk, and this is a step in the right direction.

It looks odd for the kicker to line up at his own 30 while the kicking team sets up at the opponents’ 35-yard line – five yards across from the receiving team – but it grew on me quickly.

Not allowing players on the line of scrimmage to be released until the ball is punted is also a positive change.

The tiered conversions, on the other hand, didn’t quite have the drama I’d hoped for.

Teams can go for a single point from the 2, two points from the 5 and three points from the 10, and I guess I was expecting far too much gambling.

I think it’s apparent the three-point conversion will be confined mostly to desperation situations, and I’m not convinced the two-point conversion will be utilized as much as I thought.

But I’m just quibbling; I like running and passing for points much better than the PAT.

TV ratings for opening weekend were quite good and ticket sales are reportedly brisk for this week’s slate, so XFL officials have a right to feel good about things.

Sure, the novelty might wear off and XFL 2020 – much like its 2001 namesake – could flame out by the time the season ends in late April.

Yet for now all is well, because this is football done well.

Heading into week two, that’s all you can ask for.

For more information on the league go to XFL.com.

As far as spring football goes, this venture seems to be getting off on the right foot.

Many of its coaches are known quantities, the players are largely of the NFL “just miss” variety, there are some clever rule innovations, and league officials appear to not only know what to do, but how to do it.

XFL 2020?

Nah, this is what I said about the Alliance of American Football this time last year – just a few days in advance of its debut and a couple of months before it failed to finish its only season.

To casual observers of the AAF, everything looked good up until it didn’t.

So here we are, three days before the revived XFL extends football season for fans, and so far it has made all the right moves.

Guys like Bob Stoops and June Jones are working the sidelines, and they’re proven winners.

The 52-man rosters are stocked with players who already have some NFL experience – men such as Josh Johnson, Cardale Jones, Landry Jones and Kony Ealy – and many more who are closer to being “haven’t-yets” than “has-beens.”

Three-point conversions, safer kickoffs, overtime shootouts and fast game play will make it unique.

And with respected football executive Oliver Luck serving as CEO and commissioner of the league, the XFL’s rollout has been professional and impressive.

But again, at first (and even second) glance, the Alliance checked all those boxes, too.

So what’s different?

A couple of things.

For starters, placing all eight teams in major cities is a smart move by the XFL. It will debut with squads in Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, St. Louis, Tampa Bay and Washington, D.C.

All but one have NFL franchises (and St. Louis had one up until 2016) and they represent five of the largest TV markets in the United States, including the top two.

That national footprint no doubt helped the XFL land contracts with ABC, ESPN and Fox, deals that call for all games to be televised.

Although media has changed dramatically just in the last few years, advertising dollars and television saturation is still important, especially to a fledgling sports league.

The Alliance had teams in Atlanta, Birmingham, Memphis, Orlando, Phoenix, San Antonio, Salt Lake City and San Diego, completely ignoring the northeast and dipping into only two NFL metro areas. That puzzled me because the geography gave off something of a regional league vibe.

Plus, its games were shown primarily on CBS Sports Network, the NFL Network and B/R Live, outlets that aren’t as easily accessible to many viewers.

The most important advantage the XFL has over the AAF, however, is Vince McMahon – or to be specific, Vince McMahon’s bank account.

The wrestling mogul and billionaire has reportedly sunk roughly $500 million into the league – enough to cover three full years of operation.

Unbeknownst to those of us on the outside looking in, the AAF was in financial trouble from the get-go when its original primary investor, Reggie Fowler, bailed after the first week. Co-founders Charlie Ebersol and Bill Polian then had to sell out to Carolina Hurricanes’ owner Tom Dundon to stay afloat.

Dundon pledged $250 million but was angling for a farm system-type deal with the NFL. When he realized one was not forthcoming, he tapped out after spending $70 million. Thus, the Alliance had no money to continue and died with two weeks still remaining in the regular season.

So considering the areas where it has improved over last spring’s gridiron swing and miss, the XFL is a can’t-miss proposition, right?

Hardly.

While it’s starting off with a strong foundation (it has had two full years to get up and running), history certainly isn’t on its side. No domestic spring league has lasted more than three seasons, and the one that did was the United States Football League – which sought major league status and was becoming a major force when it folded.

The World League of American Football, funded and operated by the NFL, fielded North American franchises for just two years before becoming an all-European circuit. It then bled money for 13 years before owners ended the feeder system.

McMahon’s original XFL had a one-and-done season in 2001 – and the viewing public lost interest quickly.

It tried to combine the bravado of World Wrestling Entertainment with AA brand football, and the result was largely boring games framed by sleazy shtick. It also holds the sad distinction of featuring the lowest rated prime-time telecast in TV history. On March 17 of that year the Birmingham-Las Vegas game drew a 1.6 audience share, and was part of a downward ratings spiral that began after a promising opening week in February.

But much has changed since the lowbrow, rasslin’-inspired XFL was rushed to market 19 years ago. This version has been carefully planned, shelved all the sideshow nonsense and looks poised to be a fan-friendly, “major” minor league.

So maybe – just maybe – second-tier pro football will finally defy all the odds and find a niche.

I mean, there’s a first time for everything, right?

For more information on the league, including schedule, TV times and rules, go to XFL.com.

 

 

With regular season games in England and the possibility – one day – of adding a franchise in London, the National Football League has certainly made a substantial international footprint.

But while its goals and approach are different, the Canadian Football League is stepping out as well.

In fact, its passport is already accumulating quite a few stamps.

On Tuesday, Brazil’s tackle football federation became the 13th such group to partner with the CFL as part of its International Alliance of Gridiron Football (IAGF).

“It is an honor to be part of this exciting partnership,” said Italo Mingoni, president of the Confederação Brasileira de Futebol Americano (CBFA). “Our work together will showcase the talent and skill of Brazilian players on the world stage and further develop the foundations of the game in our country.”

Brazil is the first South American country to become part of the IAGF, joining Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Norway and Sweden.

“Our international partnerships now include the leading football federations and leagues in South America, Europe and Asia, as well as, Mexico,” CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie said. “Together, we are building new pathways for players from around the world to seek opportunities in the CFL, for Canadians to play in other countries, and for the league to share its experiences and expertise on coaching, officiating and player development.”

The “mission statement” of the IAGF is as follows:

* Encourage more young people to try football, and to continue pursuing the game in all its forms – from a simple game of ‘catch’ to touch football, flag football, and tackle football at the amateur and professional levels.

* Build pathways which allow football players to fully follow their passion and fulfill their dreams, regardless of birthplace and unrestricted by borders.

* Share experiences and expertise in areas such as player health and safety, officiating, coaching and player development, and more, to develop best practices in each country.

* Seek new opportunities to serve fans with experiences that are deeper and more varied than ever, while attracting new fans and followers to the sport.

* Pursue revenue opportunities that elevate all members of the Alliance while exploiting none.

As an American who cheers for the CFL on and off the field, I’m for anything that helps the league grow stronger. And the movers and shakers pushing this initiative are doing more than just talking.

It started last season when CFL rosters featured designated “global players” (from outside Canada and the United States). Each of the nine teams could have up to three in 2019, while this summer a club may sign as many as five – two on the active roster and three assigned to the practice squad.

The athletes are chosen from combines held in member countries as well as a global draft, which is set to take place on April 16.

CFL Chief Financial Officer and Head of Football Operations, Greg Dick, oversees the combines.

Ambrosie also sees CFL regular season games being played outside of North America, possibly as early as the 2021 campaign.

This is a win-win for all involved, although ultimately I think the players who’ll benefit most will be the ones from Canadian universities.

With the CFL’s ratio rule that demands a minimum of 21 national players on a 46-player roster, there’s a limit to just how many global athletes will be able to find a football home in the league.

On the other hand, guys who played college ball in Canada but failed to make a CFL roster might be able to go pro abroad. Hopefully the addition of a 10th franchise in Halifax will soon increase domestic opportunities, but there will still be those left out. Many international leagues are quality circuits and getting better each year, and I’m guessing several clubs would gladly make room for experienced Canadian players.

“As we build a CFL that is both proudly Canadian and boldly international, we want to work with our partners, and see them work with one another, as we grow the game everywhere it’s played,” Ambrosie said.  “That cooperation and unity is what this International Alliance of Gridiron Football is all about.”