Eight XFL Teams Coming in 2020; Recap Of Press Event

Just about three week ago, XFL Officials hosted a press conference at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, which you can watch in the video below:

The press conference began with New Jersey Governor Philip Murphy. He thanked WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon, WWE’s John Saboor, XFL Commissioner & CEO Oliver Luck and the entire XFL Team. Murphy then said that Jersey is thrilled to welcome them. He also commented on that day being a national day of mourning for President Bush, then pointed out various elected officials in the audience. Murphy then touted how MetLife has hosted Bruce Springsteen, Beyoncé, The NFL’s Super Bowl, among others. MetLife is currently home to two other professional football teams but they have room for a third and Jersey couldn’t be happier to be one of the host sites for XFL’s 2020 revival season. Murphy then said that it is not just what happens on the field that matters, it is also the jobs and the economic impact of thousands of fans coming to the area. Murphy also said that the return of The XFL will be a welcome addition to many families across the region that rely on the stadium to stay strong.

Murphy then added that The WWE Brand has been a marquee name in American households for decades, one that has touched fans across generations and the world. Murphy then said that The XFL has everything they need right there in that region. Murphy then concluded by saying that MetLife & The Meadowlands will be ready when The XFL kicks off. Murphy then introduces “the one, the only, the singular” Vince McMahon.

XFL will be launching on February 8th & February 9th, 2020

Vince McMahon would start off by wishing everyone a good morning and thanking everyone for being there. He also thanked the 8 city representatives and the venues that The XFL is partnering with for the inaugural season. He also thanked the media. Vince then said that it’s ironic that the original XFL started 20 years ago. He also said that a lot has changed since then and they are looking forward to bringing a more innovative, exciting product. Vince then announced that The XFL will be launching on February 8th & February 9th, 2020, the weekend following The Super Bowl. Vince then said that they are really looking forward to once again establishing an exciting, innovative form of football, one we have never seen before. Vince then said that so much has changed since then, citing social media and ways of distributing, plus other options that were not available before. With that in mind, Vince then introduced a man who loves football, a man who brought all of this to life, one with impeccable integrity – Oliver Luck, The CEO & Commissioner of the league.

“less stall and more ball”

Oliver Luck would then welcome everyone and call that day a momentous day. Luck would then talk about how they have been seeking input from key stakeholders and fans and they believe that launching in 2020 will give them the time they need to get everything right. Luck would then say that they believe that they are well on their way to bringing fans a fast paced, high impact product with fewer stops and more plays. Luck would then reveal that THE XFL’s motto is “less stall and more ball.” Luck then said that this is football re-imagined. Luck would then say that they are paying great attention to player safety, a more advanced fan experience with technology. Luck also said that research shows fans want more football and The XFL intends to provide that. Luck also said that The XFL wants to compliment regular football. Luck then said that they have talked with other football leagues and players. Luck then talked about how they launched their “Football Re-Imagined Committee” with the advisers that were recently revealed on The XFL website, plus media executives, health professionals and others.

Tweaking The Game

Luck then said that they held a series of meetings to talk about the game they love, how they will tweak that game for a familiar but innovative experience. Luck then said that they are looking at bringing a quality game played under 3 hours with meaningful on-field acts and changes to rules such as the play clock, kickoffs, extra points and more, including the in-game rhythm, the in-game flow. Luck then said that they plan to accomplish this by limiting game timeouts and TV timeouts and by simplifying things. Luck then said that they are also improving player safety and making that a top priority. Luck then said that they are establishing an extensive health & wellness program with various professionals from several medical fields. Luck then said that the league is committed to listening to fans, connecting with them through surveys and focus groups. Luck then said that some of their best ideas so far have come from the fans. Luck then said that they will bring a product that is fan-centric, family friendly, with a good, solid in-game stadium experience that is affordable for families.

XFL Rule Changes

Luck would then talk about more XFL rule changes and several other additions to the league that would make The XFL a better, more innovative, more action-packed, player-safety and fan-driven league once it relaunches in February 2020. Luck then said that they are a big proponent of giving fans a safe and legal way to bet on games. Luck then said that they have been keeping an eye on sports gaming. He then noted how some states have legalized sports gambling and they expect more states to legalize it by the time they launch in 2020. Luck also noted that the media partnerships are very important to the league. Luck then said that they are confident that their games will be widely available on multiple platforms for an incredible level of exposure. Luck then said that they have exciting news to share soon on the specifics of distribution. Luck also noted that more than 30 cities expressed interest in securing an XFL Team. Luck then said that the league felt that it was important to not just look at coming into a city and renting a building, their goal was to establish true partnerships and build organizations that have a year-round presence in the cities. Luck then said that they are confident that they picked the right venues and cities to help with that goal. Luck then prepared to introduce the 8 teams for the inaugural season and noted that they have been “thinking big” as Vince likes to think big.

8 New Teams

The 8 teams and venues for The 2020 season of The XFL were announced as follows:

– New York City (could be NY/NJ region but phone number was New York City) = MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ

– Dallas, Texas = Globe Life Park in Arlington, TX

– Houston, Texas = TDECU Stadium

– Los Angeles, California = StubHub Center

– St. Louis< Missouri = The Dome At America’s Center

– Seattle, Washington = CenturyLink Field

– Tampa Bay, Florida = Raymond James Stadium

– Washington, D.C. = Audi Field

XFL Expansion After 2020 Season

It looks like there could be plans to expand to other major cities once The 2020 season has wrapped up. DomainNameWire.com reports that the league registered several domain names for potential host cities and regions. The domains are using the format of XFLCity.com, CityXFL.com & XFLCityAbbreviation.com. For example, they registered XFLChicago.com, ChicagoXFL.com & XFLCHI.com. The 21 cities or regions that they registered domains for are: Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas/Arlington, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Minnesota, Nashville, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, Washington D.C. & Tampa Bay. These locations could be a sign of where they plan to expand to with future seasons or places that have been under consideration. All 8 cities revealed for The 2020 season are included in the list of domains registered.

Luck then noted that a quarter of The United States population is represented in these 8 cities combined and a good chunk of the “I Hate It When Football Season Ends” fans are there. He also announced that fans can place a deposit on season tickets now before they go on sale to the general public. Luck then said that they will be making hires, announcing team names & logos and more in the coming months. Luck then said that the quality of football is their #1 priority and they will do everything to get that right. Luck then said that The XFL will be fast-paced, affordable, family-friendly, interactive and as technically advanced as possible. Luck ended by saying that The XFL is being built for fans and built to last.

Stay tuned for the latest XFL team news on XFL News Hub.