Not that long ago the XFL made its debut as an unusual yet amusing side venture brought to life by the founder behind WWE, Vince McMahon. The year was 2001, and people didn’t quite know what to make of it. After almost two decades, the league made a comeback with broader ambitions: to establish itself as both a developmental league for the NFL and a credible spring football option for sports lovers.
But at that time COVID-19 happened and shut down everything in its path. The XFL was no exception. It halted operations and filed for bankruptcy in no time. However, another WWE legend intervened to revive the league. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and his business partner, Dany Garcia, intervened and bought the series to start again in 2023. Here is what you need to know about it.
Brief Intro & Format
Every sport is a beautiful mix of talent, strategy, and just the right amount of luck. It’s like a game of poker, where poker winning hands can only take you so far without a full team behind you to secure the victory. Luck was also a factor in the XFL league. In August of that same year, The Rock, Garcia, and a group of businessmen bought the XFL for 15 million dollars.
The regular season of the XFL championship will be composed of 10 weeks, which will start on Feb, 18 and end on April 23, while the playoffs will be segmented on two dates and will take place on April 29 and 30. To top it all up, the match for the championship will be played on May 13.
Among the coaches who will be in charge of the XFL teams, there will be an NFL experience. Hins Ward, a legend with the Pittsburgh Steelers will lead the Brahmas. For his part, Rod Woodson, champion of Super Bowl XXXV with the Ravens, will be coach of the Vipers. But let’s break down the info about teams in more detail in the following section.
All About XFL Teams
This competition is made up of eight teams grouped into two divisions: North and South, respectively.
South Division
- Arlington Renegades: Bob Stoops (head coach), Choctaw Stadium (home ground)
- Houston Roughnecks: Wade Phillips (hc), TDECU Field (hg)
- Orlando Guardians: Terrell Buckley (hc), Camping World Stadium (hg)
- San Antonio Brahmas: Hines Ward (hc), Alamodome (hg)
North Division
- DC Defenders: Reggie Barlow (head coach), Audi Field (home ground)
- Seattle Sea Dragons: Jim Haslett (hc), Lumen Field (hc)
- St. Louis Battlehawks: Anthony Becht (hc), The Dome at America’s Centre (hg)
- Vegas Vipers: Rod Woodson (hc), Cashman Field (hg)
XFL vs. NFL Rules
The XFL has some different rules from college football or the NFL with the intention of making this sport more attractive to spectators, in addition to decreasing the duration of the matches. These include:
Extra-point Attempts
Unlike the NFL, there are no attempts at extra points. After the touchdowns there will be plays that can give from one to three points depending on the yard in which the ball is placed.
For the actions of one point it will be placed in yard two, for those of two it will start in yard five, and to obtain three units it will be placed 10 yards from the scoring zone.
Match Duration
The XFL took measures so that the meetings lasted less than three hours. One of them is that the half-time is only ten minutes; another is that there will be an officer dedicated only to placing the ball so as not to extend the commitment.
When a player leaves the field of his will, the clock will not stop automatically as in the NFL. The stopwatch will stop until the officer in charge of placing the ball places it on the striking line.
Onside kick
In the starting kicks, the franchise that makes it will be placed in the 35th yard of the rival field, while those that receive it will be placed in its 30th yard to avoid high-speed impacts with the aim of reducing injuries.
Until the returner catches the ball or three seconds pass since the ovoid touches the ground, the other elements can move to make blocks or tap the opponent who has the ovoid.
Overtime shootout
This instance is too different from the NFL because the teams will have five rounds on the offensive, as in soccer penalties, in which they will be placed five yards from the promised area.
To top it all up, the team that scores the most will be victorious. It is important to consider that each score achieved in this phase will be worth two points. If both have been tied, it will be decided in sudden death because there are no ties.
Double forward pass
Unlike the NFL, in the XFL two advance passes will be allowed in an offensive play. If the attacker completes an advance pass behind the strike line, you will be able to make a second throw, otherwise the second pass will not be allowed.
Where to Watch XFL Matches
ESPN has snatched up the broadcasting rights for all the XFL games during the season. You won’t be able to catch any of the action unless you can access ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, and FX, all exclusively broadcasting this championship.
With that being said, if you want to stream these channels without a cable or satellite TV service, then you’ll have to invest into one or more streaming services that can make it happen. We recommend that you direct your attention over here: FuboTV, SlingTV and DIRECTV STREAM, which are just a few providers available to help steer you in the right sports direction.
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