You know what would be funny?

[Northern_Blitz]

If people end up trusting the fairness of officiating in the XFL more than in the NFL.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/22213241/vince-mcmahon-gimmick-free-xfl-return-2020

I think it would be funny if the "sports entertainment" company ended up putting out a product that people felt was more honest than the NFL.

"To me the landscape has changed in so many different ways," McMahon said. "Just look at technology and companies like Facebook and Amazon bidding for sports rights. Even if ratings go down, there's no denying that live sports rights continue to be valuable and continue to deliver."
One of the ways McMahon envisions enticing major media partners is to offer them something the NFL hasn't: more creative feeds of the same game.I think that part is really interesting. If (1) the games are competitive, (2) players are skillful, (3) they keep games to 2 hours as with fewer commercials and (4) stream games online it might even be worth watching.

[Jigawatts]

I guarantee the Patriots with both the XFL and NFL championships in 2020. Head official Hacksaw Jim Duggan will make sure of it.

[feltdizz]

This is going to fail unless Vince McMahon dials it back some.

He said he is taking out the politics in football and then list off all these things players must do and can't do. That press conference didn't sound exciting, it sounded bland and reactionary.

He also said players can't have a criminal record or a DUI. That's just dumb. There was a wrestler who just got his second DUI and he was wrestling 3 days later in the WWE.

the schedule is awesome tho. Really smart to use the gap between the SB and the draft. Only issue is March madness, gotta schedule around that because it's the only time folks watch college basketball.

[Buzz]

I hope it succeeds. Maybe it could serve as a catalyst for some good changes in the NFL.

[Sugar]

I hope it succeeds. Maybe it could serve as a catalyst for some good changes in the NFL.

I would also be interested if it became a feeder program for the NFL. I hate the NCAA.

[Northern_Blitz]

This is going to fail unless Vince McMahon dials it back some.

He said he is taking out the politics in football and then list off all these things players must do and can't do. That press conference didn't sound exciting, it sounded bland and reactionary.

He also said players can't have a criminal record or a DUI. That's just dumb. There was a wrestler who just got his second DUI and he was wrestling 3 days later in the WWE.

the schedule is awesome tho. Really smart to use the gap between the SB and the draft. Only issue is March madness, gotta schedule around that because it's the only time folks watch college basketball.

I agree that failure (again) is the most likely result.

I do like the ideas of the schedule, the streaming, and the game length though.

I think that the criminal record part sounds good to some, but I think it won't end up being enforced.

[fordfixer]

I agree that failure (again) is the most likely result.

I do like the ideas of the schedule, the streaming, and the game length though.

I think that the criminal record part sounds good to some, but I think it won't end up being enforced.

Players will be leaving to go to the NFL so they can rape, rob, and pillage.

[Shoe]

I'm not a visionary, so I can't imagine this being successful in this new incarnation. I think you need a different angle. I think the market in Europe is still the best, where if you can somehow create brands with European cities, and somehow make it more a European game (i.e. more emphasis on kicking? smaller field like Arena? less players, so it is easier to understand?). I just think the American public is too knowledgeable about football at this point, and watching second-rate players just doesn't appeal to them. Even if the NFL decided to start this same league that McMahon is proposing, with their own teams (i.e. the Steelers field a team of practice squad and others), viewership would be much less as it is basically worse action than a preseason game (which I usually tune off after a while).

[SteelerOfDeVille]

He said he is taking out the politics in football and then list off all these things players must do and can't do.

I think he's counting on that... the people who left due to the protests during the national anthem would consider this...

[Shawn]

I'm not a visionary, so I can't imagine this being successful in this new incarnation. I think you need a different angle. I think the market in Europe is still the best, where if you can somehow create brands with European cities, and somehow make it more a European game (i.e. more emphasis on kicking? smaller field like Arena? less players, so it is easier to understand?). I just think the American public is too knowledgeable about football at this point, and watching second-rate players just doesn't appeal to them. Even if the NFL decided to start this same league that McMahon is proposing, with their own teams (i.e. the Steelers field a team of practice squad and others), viewership would be much less as it is basically worse action than a preseason game (which I usually tune off after a while).

The only way you can make football more appealing to the American public is to make it more violent. Adding a legal kick to the head (see A. Brown circa 2014) might be the way to go.

[Djfan]

Don't know if it succeeds, but I just want to see honest football again. That can't be too hard.

Maybe his angle on the criminal thinking is that it will keep the kids clean? Not sure how that plays out.

I will watch at first. He gets a fair chance here.

[feltdizz]

I think he's counting on that... the people who left due to the protests during the national anthem would consider this...

yeah, that's a terrible idea. Those fans are hypocritical and hypersensitive, they will find something to b!tch about after the first week.

[birtikidis]

Take replay out of the game. Have a replay official review the plays. Play continues while the review happens. If the refs are wrong, the team can choose to fight the refs at midfield.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Don't know if it succeeds, but I just want to see honest football again. That can't be too hard.

Maybe his angle on the criminal thinking is that it will keep the kids clean? Not sure how that plays out.

I will watch at first. He gets a fair chance here.

I know when I think of honest competition, the first thing that pops into my mind is professional wrestling.

[Shawn]

Take replay out of the game. Have a replay official review the plays. Play continues while the review happens. If the refs are wrong, the team can choose to fight the refs at midfield.

I would totally watch that.