3 Key Points
- Dwayne Johnson’s Announcement: XFL Co-owner Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson confirms the merger of XFL and USFL on Instagram, outlining his vision for the league’s future.
- Merger Approval: The Department of Justice has approved the merger, marking a significant step in American football’s landscape.
- Future Prospects: The merger sets the stage for the 2024 season, with expectations of enhanced opportunities for players, coaches, and staff.
Taking to Instagram, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, co-owner of the XFL, recently shared a video from last year’s XFL Combine held in Arlington, Texas. In his post, Johnson reflected on his journey with the league, a venture he described as creating the “League of Opportunity” in the XFL’s 2023 season.
In the video, Johnson is seen engaging with XFL players and coaches, emphasizing the league’s culture that encourages players to seize their opportunities. As someone who missed out on the NFL himself, Johnson expressed his pride in witnessing XFL players advancing to sign NFL contracts. He described this as a “life comes full circle” moment, underscoring his personal connection to the league’s success and mission.
We created the “League of Opportunity” in our 2023 season of the @XFL 🏈
Creating a hungry culture for players to grab their opportunity and never let go.
I never made it to the @NFL but seeing our players ball out and sign NFL contracts this season was a very cool and very humbling “life comes full circle” moment for me as XFL owner.
Our merger has been approved by the Department of Justice — and now we all continue to work hard to create even greater opportunities for players, coaches & staffs in our 2024 season this spring.
Let’s get some.
Let’s work.
The highlight of Johnson’s message was the announcement of the XFL’s merger with the USFL. This move, approved by the Department of Justice, aims to foster even greater opportunities in the 2024 season. Johnson’s excitement for the upcoming season was palpable as he encouraged everyone to continue working hard.
Johnson’s wording in the post might suggest that the XFL name will remain post-merger. Despite some speculation about a possible name change to UFL, his reference to “our 2024 season” following a mention of the 2023 season implies continuity in branding.
This aligns with information from sources indicating that a name change is not certain. With the league set to kick off in less than 115 days on March 30th, and with NBC no longer a broadcast partner, a late name change seems increasingly unlikely.
The merger represents a major development in spring football, particularly for the XFL and USFL. It signifies a strengthened platform for emerging talent and a unified approach to the game’s future. Johnson’s role as a visionary and leader in this endeavor is clear, and his commitment to the league’s growth and the opportunities it offers to players, coaches, and staff is evident in his enthusiastic and forward-looking message.
After talk of an XFL-USFL merger, there was some speculation that maybe Johnson, XFL Co-Owner and Chairwoman Dany Garcia would be out after the merger. That it would be more of a Fox Sports operation. That too is seemingly unlikely.
This picture is a very important one as it shows all the major players involved with the XFL-USFL merger. We break down why in one of our XFL podcasts.
The sports community eagerly anticipates the combined strengths of these leagues in the 2024 season, a testament to the enduring spirit and evolving landscape of spring football.
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