The XFL has now completed six weeks of competition in 2023, surmounting the invisible Week 5 ceiling set by the league in 2020. As the XFL marches on toward the postseason and championship game, should they be concerned about the return of the USFL on April 15th?
The United States Football League returned to action in 2022 after 35 years of dormancy. Every game was played in the city of Birmingham, Alabama, removing the opportunity for local fans to see their team in action.
Because all 2022 USFL games were played inside the same stadium, ticket sales were dismal. This created for a poor on-air product that was made even more laughable by the insertion of artificial crowd noise.
Despite the USFL’s less-than-impressive first season, they appear to be all-in for year number two.
This season the USFL aims to utilize four hub stadiums for all regular season games, which will leave over half the league in the cold. The XFL, despite worst-than-expected television ratings, can at least boast solid ticket sales and attendance in many markets.
The Houston Roughnecks will have to compete directly with the Houston Gamblers of the USFL for local fans. Only one problem – the four markets for USFL games in 2023 include Canton, Ohio, Detroit, Michigan, Memphis, Tennessee, and, once again, Birmingham, Alabama.
The league advertised the 2023 season heavily during the NFL Playoffs, taking a few potshots at the XFL in the process.
One such advert described the XFL as “Hollywood,” a reference to their A-List owner, Dwayne Johnson (aka The Rock).
“We’re all in entertainment and all connected to Hollywood, so I thought that ad – we got a big laugh out of that ad… Also, it’s much easier to talk trash when you’re hiding behind the corporate walls and a computer. We’re very forward facing. We’re not hard to find.”
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
The XFL’s games are featured on ESPN, ABC, and other networks that fall under the Disney corporate umbrella. USFL games will air on NBC and the FOX family of networks.
“I do think that there’s room for [both] leagues. I think one great thing about having two leagues in this slot is you’ve got to sharpen, you’ve got to give more, you’ve got to take better care of your athletes.”
Dany Garcia – XFL Chairwoman and Co-Owner
Another undeniable edge that the XFL has over the USFL is timing. The XFL season concludes just weeks before the onset of training camps in the NFL. This gives their player pool a chance to sign with an NFL franchise for the upcoming season, whereas the USFL has their players locked up through mid-summer.
The sites listed among our online sportsbook reviews create game lines and futures for both the XFL and USFL, proving that they’re solid betting sports.
While the betting alone will not be enough to support either league, it does keep football gamblers active throughout the spring and provides a solid base for growth.