Spring football is back. And this time, it might actually stick around.
For years, alternative football leagues came and went. The original XFL folded after one season in 2001. The Alliance of American Football lasted eight weeks in 2019. But two leagues are now competing for the same audience, the same players, and the same television screens every spring. The XFL and the USFL are both very much alive, and fans are starting to ask a real question: which one is actually worth watching?
A Brief Look at Where Both Leagues Stand
The USFL launched in 2022 under the backing of Fox Sports. It runs an eight-team format with games played in a centralized hub city rather than home markets. The league keeps costs low by doing it this way, which probably helps with long-term survival. The XFL came back in 2020 under Vince McMahon, collapsed again due to the pandemic, and then returned in 2023 under new ownership that included Dwayne Johnson and a group of investors. That version of the XFL ran through 2024, when the league officially merged with the USFL under a new combined brand called the USFL/XFL merger. For anyone keeping score at home, that’s a lot of restarts.
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The On-Field Product: Which League Plays Better Football?
This is the core question. And honestly, the answer isn’t simple.
XFL’s Approach to Rule Changes
The XFL built its identity around rule experiments. Things that the NFL wouldn’t try. The XFL used a different kickoff format that produced more returns. It allowed players to run before the snap in some situations. It added a double forward pass option, though it rarely worked in practice. The XFL also let players talk to referees openly, which sounds small but actually made games feel more transparent and accessible to casual fans.
Some of those rules worked well. Some didn’t really change much. But the league deserves credit for trying.
USFL’s More Traditional Setup
The USFL took a different road. It kept rules closer to traditional NFL standards. The idea was to let the football speak for itself without gimmicks. That probably appeals to a certain type of viewer – the kind who just wants to see competitive games between players trying to earn an NFL roster spot.
And those games have been competitive. The USFL has produced close finishes, surprising teams, and moments that genuinely felt like real football. Not perfect football. But real.
Star Power: Who’s Playing in These Leagues?
Here’s something that might surprise casual fans:
- Both leagues have featured players who later signed with NFL teams
- Several quarterbacks used spring football as a second chance after washing out of the NFL
- Some players used the leagues to extend careers past what the NFL would allow
The XFL signed some higher-profile names in its 2023 season. P.J. Walker was there. Bo Levi Mitchell was there. Those aren’t household names for most people, but they’re real quarterbacks who know how to run an offense. The USFL had similar talent at other positions, especially at running back and wide receiver.
Neither league has produced a true mainstream star that casual fans recognize. That’s probably the biggest challenge both leagues face. Without a breakout player, it’s hard to get someone who doesn’t already love football to tune in.
Viewership and Business: Who’s Growing Faster?
This is where things get more interesting.
The USFL had a built-in advantage from day one: Fox Sports. Fox promoted the league aggressively during its biggest events, and the league was able to slot games into windows where casual sports fans were already watching. That kind of distribution matters a lot. It probably kept the USFL alive through years when the numbers weren’t spectacular.
The XFL in 2023 had ESPN and FX as broadcast partners. That’s also solid. But the XFL’s viewership numbers were inconsistent. Some weeks were fine. Some weeks weren’t great. The league struggled to build week-to-week momentum in a way that loyal fans and sponsors could count on.
Both leagues also dealt with attendance issues. Games in empty or half-full stadiums don’t look good on television. It’s a chicken-and-egg problem – you need fans to attract more fans, but you can’t get fans without established credibility.
What the Merger Means for Both Brands
When the XFL and USFL officially announced plans to merge, reactions were mixed. Some fans saw it as consolidation that could make the league stronger. Others worried it would dilute what made each league unique.
The merger created a single spring football league with more teams, more television coverage, and a cleaner business structure. That’s probably good for survival. It removes the weird situation where two leagues were competing for the same limited pool of players and viewers.
But there are real questions the merged league still needs to answer:
- Can it keep a consistent city-based structure that builds local fanbases?
- Will it keep any of the experimental rules that made the XFL feel different?
- Can it develop a genuine marketing strategy around individual players?
These aren’t small questions. The history of spring football leagues suggests that getting the business model wrong – even once – can be fatal.
The Bigger Picture: Why Spring Football Keeps Coming Back
Spring football makes logical sense on paper. The NFL ends in February. College football ends around the same time. There’s a window. Sports fans exist. They need content. So why not fill that gap?
The problem has never been the concept. It’s been execution. Too much ambition too fast. Too many games in markets that didn’t have built-in football audiences. Too little patience from investors expecting quick returns.
The USFL seemed to understand this better than the XFL did. It kept operations lean. It didn’t overextend. That doesn’t make for exciting business press, but it probably explains why the USFL is still around while its rivals aren’t.
The XFL had better branding and more celebrity involvement. Dwayne Johnson’s name brought attention that no press release could buy. But attention and a sustainable business are different things. And at some point, the league needed the second one more than the first.
Which League Won the Spring Football War?
Saying one league “won” might be the wrong way to think about it. The merger means neither version survived unchanged. What fans are getting now is a hybrid – some USFL structure, some XFL energy, and a shared hope that spring football can finally be something consistent.
Can it actually work this time? Probably. The television deals are there. The player pool – made up of former NFL players, college prospects, and career backup quarterbacks – will keep producing interesting performances. And there seem to be enough fans who want spring football to at least keep the league viable.
But the bar for success keeps shifting. It isn’t just about surviving anymore. A league that only survives isn’t winning. It needs to grow. It needs a moment – a player, a game, a controversy even – that makes people who weren’t watching start paying attention.
Spring football has had many chances. This might be its best one.
