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Vince McMahon to Target Alienated NFL Fans with 'New XFL'

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by deepest_background, Dec 27, 2017.

  1. DanOregon

    DanOregon Well-Known Member

    I saw the line that they'll make it through the entire season as being -2000. As long as the tv partners are handling all of the production costs and have an incentive to promote the viewing by collecting all the TV ad money - probably a better plan than paying for the time. I do think if the XFL is going to be relying on ticket sales, they may want to borrow a page from the MLS and develop "official fan group" areas of a stadium, do cheers, maybe have a small band to enhance the in-game experience.

    And I totally dig this stadium. Looks like the league/stadium has decent corporate sponsorship with Bud Light and Progressive.
     
  2. HappyCurmudgeon

    HappyCurmudgeon Well-Known Member

    The stadium is great. Visually it looks good. It sounds like the crowd is right on top of them. The full player/coach access is probably something the NFL is going to have to reluctantly succumb to. Those mid-game Belichick interviews are going to be amazing.
     
  3. britwrit

    britwrit Well-Known Member

    The AAF games generally weren't bad either.

    I'm biased. I want more football to watch and hope this will fit the bill as well. (I finally realized how shallow I was when I realized one of the worst events of 2019 for me was tjhe AAF shuttering.)
     
  4. mpcincal

    mpcincal Well-Known Member

    Tuning in to the LA-Houston game and Fox announcer can't keep the nicknames straight. He's called the Houston team the Renegades twice now. Uh, the Renegades are in Dallas, buddy. I just heard him mention Roughnecks, so the production crew must have finally got in his ear.
     
  5. HappyCurmudgeon

    HappyCurmudgeon Well-Known Member

    The AAF was pretty well done with the on-field product. So well done I'm shocked one of these XFL teams didn't hire Spurrier the minute that league folded.
     
  6. PCLoadLetter

    PCLoadLetter Well-Known Member

    A few thoughts after watching the ESPN game...

    1) The focus on gambling is really off-putting. The over/under and spread were onscreen at all times, and the announcers seemed more interested in the gambling results than the actual score. Most people watching aren't betting and don't give a damn.

    2) Waaay too many on-field interviews. I don't want to hear from the players. Players never have anything interesting to say and it felt really intrusive.

    3) Having a hot mic on the coach sounds more interesting than it ultimately is.

    4) The rules changes... eh. I like using the college one-foot rule on a catch. Beyond that, didn't really add anything.

    5) Jim Zorn may be the least inspiration man to walk the earth. Seemed close to disinterested. (Which I understand, but odd for a coach.)

    6) Enjoyed watching Pep Hamilton cover his mouth while calling plays into a live microphone.

    7) The football was... OK? A few guys can play. Most cannot.

    8) The whole vibe felt like the Pro Bowl meets American Gladiator. Low rent TV spectacle built around mediocre, low-stakes football.

    9) The replay reviews were terrific. Every sport should be that transparent.

    If I were a massive football obsessive I might be back for game two... but I'm not, so I won't. Not the worst thing I've ever seen but I can find plenty of other things I'd rather do or watch.
     
  7. Neutral Corner

    Neutral Corner Well-Known Member

    Birmingham has had eight or nine non-NFL football teams, and they've all gone belly up. Forgive me if I'm not investing any emotional capital in this league.
     
    HanSenSE likes this.
  8. Batman

    Batman Well-Known Member

    Except neither Birmingham nor Memphis, the other capital of minor league football failure, has an AFL franchise. Gotta wonder if that was a conscious decision?
     
  9. heyabbott

    heyabbott Well-Known Member

    Fix the games, get the DC team to be the best in the XFL and they will outdraw the RSkins
     
  10. PCLoadLetter

    PCLoadLetter Well-Known Member

    But they put one in Los Angeles, which I find hilarious given that no one gives a shit about the NFL team already playing in a soccer stadium there.
     
  11. Neutral Corner

    Neutral Corner Well-Known Member

    I don't know why they'd leave them out unless it was for bigger cities. B'ham's football franchises attendance figures were generally in the top third of the various leagues, the teams were supported - at a minor league, spring football level of support, but still good for that level.
     
  12. Neutral Corner

    Neutral Corner Well-Known Member

    Bottom line is that the only pro team folks here are really interested in is the Tide.
     
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