Among all the moves made by football leagues this offseason, the hiring of Oliver Luck to run the XFL was "perhaps the smartest," according to Mike Freeman of BLEACHER REPORT. Luck's hiring was a "major step toward credibility." This version of the XFL "seemed to be on shaky ground," as the hires "have been slow, and the league has been mostly quiet." But the hiring of Luck "changes all of that." Luck "gives the league a shot at long-term viability" as one of the "most respected sports executives out there." Luck said that the XFL's business plan "calls for the league to go 'well into'" the next decade. He said, "We want to build a league that will last." Freeman notes no league opposing the NFL has "lasted more than a few years." The XFL "didn't the first time." Freeman: "This time, because of Luck, that might just change" (BLEACHERREPORT.com, 6/6). YAHOO SPORTS' Pat Forde wrote this gives XFL Founder Vince McMahon a chance to "drive home the proclamation that the new XFL will bear little resemblance to the old XFL." In adding Luck, McMahon is "hiring a CEO who provides instant respectability." Forde: "If a classy guy like Luck is willing to throw in with the XFL, that should resonate with potential corporate partners and companies considering media rights." The premise of XFL 2.0 "appears to be less about showbiz and more about playing decent football" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 6/5). In Indianapolis, Zak Keefer writes under the header "XFL Banks On Oliver Luck Bringing Credibility To Rebooted League." But Luck "quickly dismissed the notion that the XFL will compete with the NFL." Luck said, "I don't think we intend to be a competitor" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 6/6).
AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT: Luck in a Q&A with THE ATHLETIC's Chris Cannini said there are a "number of details" that need to be worked out for the XFL. Luck: "We've not finalized the playing schedule. We need to flesh out our football operations group and have a lot of those discussions. The good news is we have plenty of time to take a deep dive and figure out what is best for the XFL to have the best players we can to offer the highest level of competition we can." When asked about salary structure, Luck said, "One thing Vince and I are committed to is merit-based pay. That was one of the attractive things about the original XFL, the bonus pay for winning games. That's absolutely appropriate and will be a part of the compensation structure as we start to define it." Luck, on how the XFL will market to fans, said, "We want to offer a family-affordable, family-friendly, top-notch product, and we want to make sure we're engaging our fans as best as we possibly can." Luck added, "We want to offer as safe as a game as we possibly can, given football will always be a contact and rough sport. We want to be on the forefront of health and safety measures that do as much as we can to protect players." On the television situation, Luck said the league will be "multi-platform." Luck: "There will be digital and linear elements to it" (THEATHLETIC.com, 6/5).
