McMahon last week cashed out $270M worth of WWE stock that will go toward the league next yearGETTY IMAGES
XFL Founder Vince McMahon's willingness to invest more money in his spring football league ahead of its planned '20 debut than Tom Dundon did with the AAF "should guarantee the XFL a longer shelf life," but after the failure of the AAF, "absolutely no one is going to give this league the benefit of the doubt from the get-go," according to Kevin Kaduk of YAHOO SPORTS. Kaduk: "Why should they?" The American public has "roundly rejected every outdoor football league not named the NFL and it’s hard to ever see that changing." McMahon last week cashed out $270M worth of WWE stock that "will go toward the league next year and the XFL is reportedly interested in acquiring some of the AAF’s assets" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 4/3). In St. Louis, Jeff Gordon writes even though McMahon "still plans to revive" the XFL despite the AAF's troubles, he is still "curbing [his] enthusiasm over the XFL's dim prospects" (STLTODAY.com, 4/3). ESPN's Tony Kornheiser said, "If I've invested even a dollar in the XFL, I'm going to try and pull that money out" ("PTI," ESPN, 4/2).
FAILURE TO LAUNCH: FS1's Jason Whitock said the AAF "didn't let the gestation period go long enough" before launching, while the XFL is "going to come in with a much stronger foundation and plan" ("Speak for Yourself," FS1, 4/2). USATODAY.com’s Steven Ruiz wrote the XFL “would be better off shutting things down now and just accepting that a second pro football league will NEVER work.” It “does not matter how well things are planned out, there just isn’t a demand for a second professional sports league of any kind -- regardless of the sport” (USATODAY.com, 4/2). USA TODAY’s Jim Reineking writes the XFL when it begins play in ’20 “likely will be greeted with big TV ratings and significant fan interest at its launch, only to have those hopes and dreams crushed by April” (USATODAY.com, 4/3).
