Buyers have apparently shown interest in purchasing the XFL

XFL Football discussion.
User avatar
XFLGUY
Quarterback
Posts: 266
Joined: Sun Mar 24, 2019 1:04 pm
Location: South Bend, Indiana

Buyers have apparently shown interest in purchasing the XFL

Post by XFLGUY »

https://xflnewsroom.com/news/potential- ... the-xfl/

Could be the leagues last chance. I’m not holding my breath though.
User avatar
Joker
Quarterback
Posts: 391
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2018 2:35 pm

Re: Buyers have apparently shown interest in purchasing the XFL

Post by Joker »

... and monkeys will fly out of my butt.

I may be overly negative, but I was here when the first XFL folded and I heard the same rumors. None of it happened.

With the sports world rocked, and other leagues looking at the possibility of folding, I think the idea of someone investing their cash in the bankrupt XFL to be a pipe dream.
Fan of the XFL from the beginning. You may remember me from the original XFLboard.
MGB01
MVP
Posts: 3313
Joined: Wed Aug 14, 2019 8:42 pm

Re: Buyers have apparently shown interest in purchasing the XFL

Post by MGB01 »

This last part seems to be a little thick:
“There are many folks interested and calling us, but we are not working on anything, and without a billionaire stepping in for Vince, we are not interested,” Kline, a former NFL player who is now a partner at Park Lane, wrote in an email. “If Vince McMahon was 100% committed to the XFL, I think it could have survived COVID-19 and much worse.
I mean doling out for Oliver Luck and Bob Stoops seems to be a pretty strong commitment right there. The problem is where are the revenues coming from in the next year or two? Hell, it's not hard to see the NFL having a truncated (though no less than 12) season with the same thing WWE is doing now. That's why the league isn't coming back, not a lack of commitment. As if we wouldn't be gearing up for playoffs on Saturday.

I wouldn't sell for pennies on the dollar either, how much of a slap in the face is that?
4th&long
MVP
Posts: 6474
Joined: Sun Nov 24, 2019 2:27 pm

Re: Buyers have apparently shown interest in purchasing the XFL

Post by 4th&long »

MGB01 wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2020 12:16 am This last part seems to be a little thick:
“There are many folks interested and calling us, but we are not working on anything, and without a billionaire stepping in for Vince, we are not interested,” Kline, a former NFL player who is now a partner at Park Lane, wrote in an email. “If Vince McMahon was 100% committed to the XFL, I think it could have survived COVID-19 and much worse.
I mean doling out for Oliver Luck and Bob Stoops seems to be a pretty strong commitment right there. The problem is where are the revenues coming from in the next year or two? Hell, it's not hard to see the NFL having a truncated (though no less than 12) season with the same thing WWE is doing now. That's why the league isn't coming back, not a lack of commitment. As if we wouldn't be gearing up for playoffs on Saturday.

I wouldn't sell for pennies on the dollar either, how much of a slap in the face is that?
I think having a healthy (financially) guy like VM in the entertainment industry with connections was the point. He was committed to losses for 3 yrs.

Take a listen to the Steve Levy interview - the overall impression was that XFL was going to work and only this China Wuhan virus was able to take it down.
User avatar
johnnyangryfuzzball
Head Coach
Posts: 1855
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2019 8:22 pm

Re: Buyers have apparently shown interest in purchasing the XFL

Post by johnnyangryfuzzball »

4th&long wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2020 9:12 am
MGB01 wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2020 12:16 am This last part seems to be a little thick:
“There are many folks interested and calling us, but we are not working on anything, and without a billionaire stepping in for Vince, we are not interested,” Kline, a former NFL player who is now a partner at Park Lane, wrote in an email. “If Vince McMahon was 100% committed to the XFL, I think it could have survived COVID-19 and much worse.
I mean doling out for Oliver Luck and Bob Stoops seems to be a pretty strong commitment right there. The problem is where are the revenues coming from in the next year or two? Hell, it's not hard to see the NFL having a truncated (though no less than 12) season with the same thing WWE is doing now. That's why the league isn't coming back, not a lack of commitment. As if we wouldn't be gearing up for playoffs on Saturday.

I wouldn't sell for pennies on the dollar either, how much of a slap in the face is that?
I think having a healthy (financially) guy like VM in the entertainment industry with connections was the point. He was committed to losses for 3 yrs.

Take a listen to the Steve Levy interview - the overall impression was that XFL was going to work and only this China Wuhan virus was able to take it down.
Heck, look at the Chapter 11 filing. It's not like this league was awash in hundreds of millions in losses. Their liabilities are in the tens of millions, along with their assets. Once you take care of startup expenses, this league was surprisingly solvent. Vince McMahon had somehow managed to find a business model for professional non-NFL football that worked.
4th&long
MVP
Posts: 6474
Joined: Sun Nov 24, 2019 2:27 pm

Re: Buyers have apparently shown interest in purchasing the XFL

Post by 4th&long »

johnnyangryfuzzball wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2020 9:51 am
4th&long wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2020 9:12 am
MGB01 wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2020 12:16 am This last part seems to be a little thick:



I mean doling out for Oliver Luck and Bob Stoops seems to be a pretty strong commitment right there. The problem is where are the revenues coming from in the next year or two? Hell, it's not hard to see the NFL having a truncated (though no less than 12) season with the same thing WWE is doing now. That's why the league isn't coming back, not a lack of commitment. As if we wouldn't be gearing up for playoffs on Saturday.

I wouldn't sell for pennies on the dollar either, how much of a slap in the face is that?
I think having a healthy (financially) guy like VM in the entertainment industry with connections was the point. He was committed to losses for 3 yrs.

Take a listen to the Steve Levy interview - the overall impression was that XFL was going to work and only this China Wuhan virus was able to take it down.
Heck, look at the Chapter 11 filing. It's not like this league was awash in hundreds of millions in losses. Their liabilities are in the tens of millions, along with their assets. Once you take care of startup expenses, this league was surprisingly solvent. Vince McMahon had somehow managed to find a business model for professional non-NFL football that worked.
I've been saying it... there is TOO MUCH MONEY in FB, even now (no live sports) what are sports nets playing? - Classic FB games, not Baseball, and much less Bktball and Hockey etc...

The question is this the last chance for spring FB - NO way.... XFL and even AAF (to much lessor extent) proved that people will go to games (XFL 18.5k avg) and watch on TV (1.9mm avg; 2.1mm on ABC; 2.4mm on Fox, 1.6mm ESPN, 1.0mm ESPN2, 1.1mm FS1) - There is NO way another league will not be started with numbers like that.

And as you say startup cost were sunk costs. Only a major onetime event like a China originated pandemic could have taken this down. Also its clear VM has low confidence in some of the gloom and doom governors who are talking no fans into eternity. But as fast as they went south things could turn fast if Remdesivir works in June/July or Vaccine is ready on Fall.

With Chapter 11 XFL is not tied to a 3 yr unpaid deal. It was worth it to get ESPN SC coverage and promo, but with the TV numbers XFL (or what ever) can sign a paying deal - Fox needs programming. So 2022 is a possibility for sure by someone. Also if CBS loses SEC they may be interested - their XFL coverage was oddly solid for a net not involved.

The XFL could come back as a 6 team league in 2022 (2021 less likely but if Remdesivir is approved anything is possible) with a 6 team league (maybe 8 games even) and then ramp back up to 8 teams/10 games in 2023.

Optimistic? Totally. But TV needs programming and FB delivers fall ... or spring.
MGB01
MVP
Posts: 3313
Joined: Wed Aug 14, 2019 8:42 pm

Re: Buyers have apparently shown interest in purchasing the XFL

Post by MGB01 »

4th&long wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2020 9:12 am
MGB01 wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2020 12:16 am This last part seems to be a little thick:
“There are many folks interested and calling us, but we are not working on anything, and without a billionaire stepping in for Vince, we are not interested,” Kline, a former NFL player who is now a partner at Park Lane, wrote in an email. “If Vince McMahon was 100% committed to the XFL, I think it could have survived COVID-19 and much worse.
I mean doling out for Oliver Luck and Bob Stoops seems to be a pretty strong commitment right there. The problem is where are the revenues coming from in the next year or two? Hell, it's not hard to see the NFL having a truncated (though no less than 12) season with the same thing WWE is doing now. That's why the league isn't coming back, not a lack of commitment. As if we wouldn't be gearing up for playoffs on Saturday.

I wouldn't sell for pennies on the dollar either, how much of a slap in the face is that?
I think having a healthy (financially) guy like VM in the entertainment industry with connections was the point. He was committed to losses for 3 yrs.

Take a listen to the Steve Levy interview - the overall impression was that XFL was going to work and only this China Wuhan virus was able to take it down.
Those losses though are under normal circumstances.

Here's the monster in the room: LA and NY, much as they were under-underwhelming at the gate, were helping the league succeed. You've got asshats like Garcetti and Murphy (and Newsom/DeBlasio/Cuomo in the background) who will have LA and Jersey shut down for the next year, setting up potentially the mother of all fed vs state showdowns (unless Jello gets elected and we're back to the stone age, seriously Biden's the first candidate I've ever seen in my life running on 'We must remain closed'). Take them out of the equation and it's almost impossible to get that back.

Oddly enough Vince would be sort of in the same spot as WCW was when they lost their TV (of course WCW was also losing millions).

But Kline should have phrased it better: it comes off as not being committed to the league, when he's merely not committed to the losses in this environment. And given that every market is under a stay order there's really no way forward at the moment.

WWE, the NFL, and so on, can withstand this, the XFL can't.
4th&long
MVP
Posts: 6474
Joined: Sun Nov 24, 2019 2:27 pm

Re: Buyers have apparently shown interest in purchasing the XFL

Post by 4th&long »

MGB01 wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2020 12:42 pm
4th&long wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2020 9:12 am
MGB01 wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2020 12:16 am This last part seems to be a little thick:



I mean doling out for Oliver Luck and Bob Stoops seems to be a pretty strong commitment right there. The problem is where are the revenues coming from in the next year or two? Hell, it's not hard to see the NFL having a truncated (though no less than 12) season with the same thing WWE is doing now. That's why the league isn't coming back, not a lack of commitment. As if we wouldn't be gearing up for playoffs on Saturday.

I wouldn't sell for pennies on the dollar either, how much of a slap in the face is that?
I think having a healthy (financially) guy like VM in the entertainment industry with connections was the point. He was committed to losses for 3 yrs.

Take a listen to the Steve Levy interview - the overall impression was that XFL was going to work and only this China Wuhan virus was able to take it down.
Those losses though are under normal circumstances.

Here's the monster in the room: LA and NY, much as they were under-underwhelming at the gate, were helping the league succeed. You've got asshats like Garcetti and Murphy (and Newsom/DeBlasio/Cuomo in the background) who will have LA and Jersey shut down for the next year, setting up potentially the mother of all fed vs state showdowns (unless Jello gets elected and we're back to the stone age, seriously Biden's the first candidate I've ever seen in my life running on 'We must remain closed'). Take them out of the equation and it's almost impossible to get that back.

Oddly enough Vince would be sort of in the same spot as WCW was when they lost their TV (of course WCW was also losing millions).

But Kline should have phrased it better: it comes off as not being committed to the league, when he's merely not committed to the losses in this environment. And given that every market is under a stay order there's really no way forward at the moment.

WWE, the NFL, and so on, can withstand this, the XFL can't.
I was telling my friends here the lockdown wont last much past April, people won't tolerate it and the benefit vs longterm cost will be staggering. The lockdown states are quickly backing down under pressure and will reopen more prudently. NJ/NY have bigger issues so they won't be as fast as others. Germany, Denmark and others are opening in April. All of this is phased and each phase will open up more.

Perhaps VM will buy the assets himself. Stranger things have happened - perhaps he wanted out of a 3 year no pay deal.
User avatar
johnnyangryfuzzball
Head Coach
Posts: 1855
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2019 8:22 pm

Re: Buyers have apparently shown interest in purchasing the XFL

Post by johnnyangryfuzzball »

4th&long wrote: Sat Apr 18, 2020 8:44 pm I was telling my friends here the lockdown wont last much past April, people won't tolerate it and the benefit vs longterm cost will be staggering. The lockdown states are quickly backing down under pressure and will reopen more prudently. NJ/NY have bigger issues so they won't be as fast as others. Germany, Denmark and others are opening in April. All of this is phased and each phase will open up more.

Perhaps VM will buy the assets himself. Stranger things have happened - perhaps he wanted out of a 3 year no pay deal.
And even in NY/NJ, it's mostly the areas immediately around NYC that were out of control—and they turned the corner last week. You go north of Westchester County, and infection rates are comparable to the rest of the country.

A lot of this depends upon how quickly the numbers fall. So far, most Americans have cooperated, but their patience is limited. As you noted, you're starting to see protests already (and a few governors thinking they're infallible and making restrictions that don't help anything) that will only intensify as the weeks go on. It's going to be an interesting dynamic between fear and pent-up frustration/deferment.

As for the bankruptcy/who buys it... I don't know. Like I said, you'd need an entity that has the hundreds of millions in cash to cover this and also has the interest and ability to maintain it. It won't be Charlie Ebersol :lol: . Fox fits that bill; I could see Fox buying a stake in the league to keep it up and running. I don't think ESPN has that much liquidity right now.

Also: in another thread, someone noted that Glanville said his contract had a bankruptcy out clause, so this might just be a procedural move to avoid what happened with the UFL and everybody suing the ownership.
Sounder
Coach
Posts: 697
Joined: Tue Mar 19, 2019 9:04 am

Re: Buyers have apparently shown interest in purchasing the XFL

Post by Sounder »

My wishful thinking would have Fox and ESPN/ABC actually purchasing and owning the league if they truly believe in the product they were producing that we were all in high praise of. At least if they owned it's assets ..they could decide if it's worth a look sometime when whatever sense of normalcy we come to know takes hold and if our ecomony will ever be at a point where a fringe pro league could find an audience in an atmosphere where discretionary spending will be much less. Maybe that's what Vince sees. It's not like it wasn't a gut wrenching, heartbreaking decision for him.
Post Reply