Main Information
The United States Football League and XFL announced on Sunday the establishment of a new United Football League, a merged spring league, as part of a partnership to create a league with “significant capabilities and resources” after many failed attempts to establish a spring football league over the years.
Participating Teams
The new United Football League will consist of five teams from the XFL and three teams from the United States Football League, according to The Washington Post. The five teams from the XFL will include the D.C. Defenders, Arlington Renegades, Houston Roughnecks, San Antonio Brahmas, and St. Louis Battlehawks, while the three teams from the United States Football League will include the Birmingham Stallions, Memphis Showboats, and Michigan Panthers.
Merging Process
The merger will result in the closure of some teams from both leagues, including teams located in Orlando, Seattle, Las Vegas, Houston, New Orleans, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh, although it has not been determined how players from those teams will be incorporated into the new league.
Start Date and Broadcast
The new league will kick off its first game on March 30, 2024, between the Arlington Renegades and Birmingham Stallions, who won the championships of the XFL and the United States Football League earlier this year, respectively. Games of the new United Football League will be broadcast on Fox, ESPN, ABC, and Fox Sports 1, according to XFL owner Dany Garcia.
Background
The United States Football League and XFL announced in September their intention to merge, pending regulatory approval, to create a new league that will “operate superiorly based on the most recent seasons of both leagues.” Both leagues confirmed that the merger will provide professional spring football with “significant capabilities and resources” that will ensure “future growth.” The USFL plays its season in the fall and winter. The XFL was originally launched in 2001 as a partnership between NBC and World Wrestling Entertainment, although the league shut down after its first season. Former WWE executive Vince McMahon led efforts to revive the league in 2020, although the season ended early due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. A group of owners including Dwayne Johnson and Garcia along with RedBird Capital Partners purchased the league for $23.5 million and held a full season in 2023. The United States Football League was launched in the early 1980s and closed in 1985. Fox relaunched the league again in 2022.
Interesting Facts
The XFL lost about $60 million during its opening season this year, according to industry sources from Forbes. The league is projected to generate $100 million in revenue in the 2024 season.
Big Numbers
751,000. This is the average number of viewers for United States Football League games across Fox, FS1, NBC, and USA Network. The average viewership for the XFL was 627,000.
Side Information
The new United Football League played between 2009 and 2012, before suddenly shutting down during the 2012 season.
Further Reading
XFL and USFL announce merger to form United Football League
USFL and XFL announce intention to merge to create new spring football league
Here’s what to know about the USFL – the new spring football league kicking off this weekend
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