World Wrestling Entertainment Chairman Vince McMahon announced on January 25 that he intends to resurrect the defunct XFL football league. McMahon plans on launching the season in 2020.
McMahon had previously launched an XFL football league in 2001; but despite some original interest the league only lasted a single season.
The revamped XFL will consist of eight teams in a 10 game season with a four team postseason.
The new league will come under Alpha Entertainment and will not be a part of his WWE in any way.
Speaking on the new league McMahon said “our approach to presenting games will be multi-platform, which will allow us to engage fans and customize the viewing experience in ways that were unimaginable just a few years ago.”
McMahon is also looking at making some major changes to the game of football including simplifying the game – including fewer rules infractions -, invoking more action, and shortening the game to only two hours.
Other ways the XFL will dffer from the NFL is that McMahon intends to add a rule requiring every player to stand during the playing of the National Anthem because, “people don’t want social and political issues coming into play when they are trying to be entertained.”
Noting that the new XFL is looking only for players with “a high moral character,” players with an type of criminal past will not be allowed to participate in the league.
Team cities, names, and personnel have yet to be announced; nor has McMahon revealed what part of the year he intends to have the games played – will they coincide with the NFL or whether they will play in the NFL off season.
feature photo credit: By Airman 1st Class Nicholas Pilch – http://public.charleston.amc.af.mil/photos/index.asp?galleryID=1542&page=3, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1546145