3 Key Points:
- High-level meeting in DC: XFL Chairwoman Dany Garcia, along with co-owners Dwayne Johnson and Gerry Cardinale, discussed the future of the league.
- Potential announcements: Information suggests a significant announcement regarding the league could come by mid-December.
- Name retention likely: Speculation indicates that the league will retain the XFL or USFL name, rather than adopting a new one.
This past week XFL Co-owners Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Dany Garcia were on Capital Hill to talk Military recruitment and the XFL. We are hearing from sources that the military recruitment would be part of a partnership with the XFL. A couple days later Garcia posted the following on her Instagram.
What was interesting is who was in the 4th photo in the post. The order as follows;
Dwayne Johnson:
- Co-owner of the XFL, acquired in partnership with Dany Garcia and RedBird Capital
- CEO of Seven Bucks Companies, founder of Teremana tequila, ZOA Energy, and Project Rock collection with Under Armour
- Global box-office powerhouse with film revenues exceeding $10 billion
Gerry Cardinale:
- Founder & Managing Partner of RedBird Capital Partners
- Views the XFL as an opportunity to create a live event media company with global potential
- Aims to position the XFL as a credible football league with a focus on fans and players
Eric Shanks:
- CEO and Executive Producer of FOX Sports
- Chairman of the USFL’s Board of Directors
- Instrumental in the formation of FoxBet and other major FOX Sports initiatives
Burke Magnus:
- President Of Content for ESPN
- Former Executive VP of programming and scheduling at ESPN
- Involved in securing XFL broadcasting rights for Disney and Fox
- Focuses on positioning the XFL for broadcast exposure and fan engagement
Mark Dowley:
- Chief Operating Partner at RedBird Capital Partners
- Former Chief Strategy Officer of MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings and partner at Endeavor
- Founded Art & Science (A&S) for strategic marketing and sponsorship portfolio management
Russ Brandon:
- CEO / President of the XFL
- Former Managing Partner and President of the Buffalo Bills, and President and Alternate Governor on the Sabres
- Notable for his tenure with the Bills, including major renovations and hosting significant sporting events
Dany Garcia:
- Chairwoman of the XFL
- Co-founded Seven Bucks Productions with Dwayne Johnson, grossing $4.6 billion at the box office
- Owns Teremana Tequila, GSTQ clothing brand, and involved with multiple other ventures
These are the major players behind Spring Football in the US. They will all be part of this new merged XFL-USFL. The question for many fans is when will we find out, what would the league be called and how many teams. Lets break each of these questions down.
We are hearing from sources that the new league has not been approved by US regulators. The main issue boils down to the number of teams. The XFL-USFL wants to keep the number at 8. The government is 12 to 14 teams. The issue for regulators in the number of layoffs based on the merger. That is players, coaches, team staffs and so on. The XFL-USFL are waiting for the latest proposal response from regulators to come in early December. This is still a fluid situation. If this continues to drag on, both leagues could play separate in 2024, then come together in 2025.
As for what will the league be called, don’t be surprise if the XFL or USFL name will still be used instead of something new like NSFL or UFL. Based on the picture above and who was in it don’t be surprised if its called the XFL. If both entities are interested in saving money, why create a whole new brand if you plan on playing in 2024.
