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Let’s Discuss the 800-Pound Gorilla - The New XFL

By Mark Tyler

Major league baseball, the NBA and NHL all have developmental leagues. The NFL is the biggest of the major four, yet it has no type of D-league. The closest thing there is to that is college football - where the players must take on a full workload (I use this term loosely for some teams) of classes to remain eligible to play. But guess what, MLB, the NBA and NHL all have college teams too. So why is the NFL the only one to not have some type of professional developmental league?

Enter the XFL... again.

in 2020, WWE founder and chairman Vince McMahon will launch an eight team league that will play ten regular season games around the country. Unlike his last shot, which lasted just one season, the “New” XFL will not be about gimmicks and flashy cheerleaders. This will supposedly be real football.

One premise of the new league will focus on faster games. McMahon said the goal is to keep the games around two hours. This should be a relief for fans, who constantly complain about the lengths of NFL games going over three hours.

Another thing that should help attract fans, is that McMahon has said players will not be given the forum to take a personal stance “while on the playing field”.

“People don’t want social and political issues coming into play when they are trying to be entertained,” McMahon said. “We want someone who wants to take a knee to do their version of that on their personal time.”

So, the question begs, can the NFL use this as sort of their D-league in the future? Can an amicable partnership exist between the two leagues that will mutually benefit both parties?

What do you think of this new XFL, and what type of future impact do you see it having on the NFL, if any?

Poll

How long will the new XFL last?

This poll is closed

  • 26%
    It will fold before it even starts.
    (109 votes)
  • 34%
    1-2 years
    (144 votes)
  • 13%
    3-5 years
    (57 votes)
  • 13%
    It will become a long-term developmental league for the NFL for many years to come.
    (56 votes)
  • 12%
    Is "He Hate Me" the new commissioner?
    (50 votes)
416 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Will you watch the XFL?

This poll is closed

  • 35%
    Absolutely - its football!
    (145 votes)
  • 37%
    Maybe, but only if nothing else is on.
    (152 votes)
  • 12%
    No, this is a gimmick.
    (51 votes)
  • 4%
    I’d rather go blind.
    (19 votes)
  • 9%
    I will watch it instead of the NFL, because I don’t have to deal with all the political issues.
    (39 votes)
406 votes total Vote Now

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