Here is what we know so far,
Eight teams start in 2020
Most likely Eastern Division
St. Louis
New York
Tampa Bay
Washington DC
Most likely Western Division
Los Angeles
Dallas
Houston
Seattle
I think back to NFL in 1980 where you had,
NFC East
New York Giants
Washington Redskins
St. Louis Cardinals
Dallas Cowboys
Philadelphia Eagles
NFC Central
Chicago Bears
Detroit Lions
Minnesota Vikings
Green Bay Packers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NFC West
LA Rams
Atlanta Falcons
San Francisco 49ers
New Orleans Saints
AFC East
New England Patriots
Baltimore Colts
Buffalo Bills
Miami Dolphins
New York Jets
AFC Central
Houston Oilers
Cleveland Browns
Cincinnati Bengals
Pittsburgh Steelers
AFC West
Oakland Raiders
San Diego Chargers
Kansas City Chiefs
Denver Broncos
Seattle Seahawks
My thoughts are, and this is just from looking at history from when the NFL was at its pinnacle, in my opinion, was a system that worked. Everyone was bought in, every major market had a team to root for, and life was good until the NFL became greedy.
Just in the last couple of days, we've had four teases dropped by the XFL as to what the team artwork/names could be.
Now we could go round and round about who or what these items mean but, I think it's just fun talking about it.
Isn't that what it's all about?
Fans excited about a different pro football league than the corrupt NFL and their money scheming ways, whereas the NFL has no issue with leaving fans holding the bag after a team/NFL has bled a fan base dry of any potential revenue we have the XFL coming in to rejuvenate football fans around the nation to a new idea of professional football outside of the corrupt NFL and their carpet-bagging owners.
The truth is, Vince McMahon was visionary back in 2001 with the XFL then. Unfortunately, he didn't have the monetary support that was necessary to succeed, that and he tried to go head to head with the NFL. He has learned a precious lesson, don't go mono a mono with the 800-pound gorilla in the room unless you want an ass-whooping' like you wouldn't believe. He has learned, wisely, to differentiate yourself from the competition. Become what people wish the NFL would be. Be innovative but, if it isn't broke, don't fix the damn thing! This has been the crux of the NFL's current issues. The NFL cannot get out of its own way. When an entity has no direct competition (the same thing can be said about WWE), those entities become complacent. That is what has happened to the NFL, and the time to strike a visceral blow is now.
The XFL sits in a moment when we will look back in 10-15 years and say to ourselves, "That was when the tables turned" The job of XFL brass is to be anti-NFL be everything for the real fans of football that the NFL has dismissed. Ingratiate your brand to the fans and show them that the XFL is all about the fans and what they want to see. Don't be the NFL; be everything the NFL isn't.
In the future, I genuinely do feel that the NFL is in serious trouble with the XFL. The NFL has screwed fans for years, and now fans will have an alternative to the NFL that is more affordable, family-friendly, and more in tune with the needs and desires of its fan base.
I am personally excited about the competition that will bring the options it will bring to the fans. I hope you are excited about it.
And........
Are you ready for some football?!
Derek King