From the ashes of the one and done Alliance of American Football (AAF) back in 2019 arises a new football league, the XFL. I have to admit, at first, I didn't think any football league other than the NFL had a spec of a chance at survival; that was until I finally sat down and watched an XFL game from start to finish.
What I left with was a sense of surprise and excitement for football during the perceived "offseason", which is the thought behind this league, to never be without football. No more extra-points, but the opportunity to get either one, two, or three more points following a touchdown, sign me up! Not to mention new kickoff rules that penalize touchbacks. There are no ties in the XFL and a new 25-second play clock was implemented. The XFL has taken all the boring parts of football away to create a faster-paced game with more unpredictable events.
But the true reason why I love the XFL and why it should stick around for years to come is the media access and viewer experience. Coaches and star players are interviewed after every scoring play or turnover (yes even the kickers). Offensive coordinators are mic'd up so viewers can here play calls as they unfold. Referees can be tuned into when debating penalty calls. All the curtains the NFL puts up during game-day are now open to the public in the XFL.
Sure, it's not great strategically speaking because the opponent knows your play calls via a major network broadcast, but there's no doubt this viewer experience makes explaining the game of football so much easier. It also allows us to hear athletes and referees when we desperately wondered in the NFL "what are they thinking in this moment?"
I applaud the creation of this league for not only giving former NFL players and athletes a second chance, but for reinventing a game that is rooted deeply within American culture.
Have you seen the logos and team names for the XFL? They are just as jaw-dropping as the media access. The Seattle Dragons, Dallas Renegades, and St. Louis Battlehawks (to name a few) bring brightly colored blue and green jerseys while giving fans brand new team names that sound frighteningly wonderful.
With major broadcasting networks like "ESPN", "FOX", and "ABC" already on-board, you have to imagine the exposure of this league will grow exponentially by the time the inaugural 2020 season is in the books by the end of April.
The only major flaw with this league is that the money is still within the NFL. We are left to wonder…will the XFL lose their star players when NFL teams approach them with much richer contracts? This test of loyalty will soon be upon these XFL athletes. However, until then, kick back, grab some chips and dip and watch an XFL game, I promise it won't disappoint. There is something for every type of football fan.
