3 Key Points

• Merger Mechanics: The impending XFL-USFL merger outlines structured draft dates and retains eight teams from both leagues for the 2024 season.
• Compensation Clarity: Uniform game day pay across all players, with specific figures for active and inactive roster spots announced.
• Draft Dynamics: A mini-dispersal draft followed by a super-dispersal draft will determine player placements and finalize team rosters.

Amidst the anticipation for the XFL-USFL merged leagues, Las Vegas Vipers’ Jeff Badet has revealed key plans for XFL players, leaking a email message he received. With a dispersal draft scheduled for January 15th and training camp commencing on February 23rd, the leagues are setting the stage for a combined kickoff on March 30th, 2024.

Although eight teams are expected to form a new league name, it remains tentative, hinging on the definitive creation of the league by early January 2024, signaling potential adjustments should league executives diverge.

https://t.co/ny8KxuH189 pic.twitter.com/x6d7dtKMF6

— Jeff Badet (@JeffBadet__) December 21, 2023

Expected Teams In 2024

The new league will see a realignment with four USFL teams continuing:

• Birmingham Stallions
• Houston Gamblers (potentially as Houston Roughnecks with Gamblers’ roster)
• Memphis Showboats
• Michigan Panthers

Latest word is that the Houston team brand for the merged league hasn’t been finalized yet.

— Mike Mitchell (@ByMikeMitchell) December 21, 2023

However, this realignment means bidding farewell to:

• New Orleans Breakers
• New Jersey Generals
• Philadelphia Stars
• Pittsburgh Maulers

The XFL will retain:

• Arlington Renegades
• DC Defenders
• San Antonio Brahmas
• St. Louis Battlehawks

Yet, we’ll witness the departure of:

• Vegas Vipers
• Seattle Sea Dragons
• Houston Roughnecks (name remains, players leave)
• Orlando Guardians

Training Camp

The commencement of training camp is slated for February 23, 2024. The players will be accommodated in a designated hotel, ensuring their focus is solely on preparation, and will receive a weekly housing stipend of $400 for the duration of the season.

Player Pay for 2024

A uniform pay structure has been established for the players, same as last season, ensuring equity across the board. A ten-game season with no bye weeks is planned, with inactive players set to earn $2,500 per game, while those on the active roster will take home $5,350 per game.

Draft Information

In a significant shift from traditional practices, players from dissolved XFL teams are restricted from signing with USFL teams directly. Before December 27, 2023, XFL teams will safeguard 42 players each, leaving the remainder as free agents. The mini-dispersal draft on December 27 allows XFL teams to select from these unprotected players, with a cap of 10 additions per team. Subsequently, on January 15, 2024, a super-dispersal draft will enable both XFL and USFL teams to draft from a pool of players, finalizing the rosters for the training camps.

Recap Section

The XFL and USFL merger ushers in a new era for the leagues with significant team changes and a combined eight-team structure for the 2024 season. Player payments are standardized, and a multi-stage draft process will shape the team rosters. All eyes are on January 2024, when the new league is expected to officially emerge, marking a pivotal moment in American football’s alternative league landscape.