XFL Showcase locations, dates announced

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Tank55
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Re: XFL Showcase locations, dates announced

Post by Tank55 »

GregParks wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 1:37 pm Regardless of the reason, I'm not really sure it matters, either? Especially if that city isn't going to be the base of operations for that team anyway (if they go the all operations based in Dallas, fly out to your home city to play type hub).
The benefit might be marginal but I don't think it's zero. If nothing else, it gives local media a chance to come out and do an easy story.

I don't know, it just seems like it would be just as easy to set something like this up in Orlando as it would be Tampa. (Maybe that's a bad assumption?) But if all other things are equal ... why not pick the market you plan to be in?
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Re: XFL Showcase locations, dates announced

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GDAWG wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 12:12 pm If the Bandits actually play in Tampa in 2023, a third pro football team in Tampa seems unlikely.
If.
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Re: XFL Showcase locations, dates announced

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Tank55 wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 2:08 pm
GDAWG wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 12:12 pm If the Bandits actually play in Tampa in 2023, a third pro football team in Tampa seems unlikely.
If.
I think that they have to if they want more than two seasons
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Re: XFL Showcase locations, dates announced

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I'm quite sure the USFL's medium-term future doesn't hinge on putting a team in Tampa Bay.
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Re: XFL Showcase locations, dates announced

Post by GregParks »

Tank55 wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 2:00 pm
GregParks wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 1:37 pm Regardless of the reason, I'm not really sure it matters, either? Especially if that city isn't going to be the base of operations for that team anyway (if they go the all operations based in Dallas, fly out to your home city to play type hub).
The benefit might be marginal but I don't think it's zero. If nothing else, it gives local media a chance to come out and do an easy story.

I don't know, it just seems like it would be just as easy to set something like this up in Orlando as it would be Tampa. (Maybe that's a bad assumption?) But if all other things are equal ... why not pick the market you plan to be in?
Could have something to do with ANC, which is helping to run the show. They could have a relationship with some of these locations that make it more cost-effective than renting a stadium in some of the home cities for a day.
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Re: XFL Showcase locations, dates announced

Post by GDAWG »

Tank55 wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 2:54 pm I'm quite sure the USFL's medium-term future doesn't hinge on putting a team in Tampa Bay.
Then why name them the Tampa Bay Bandits? That team will have to be in Tampa sooner rather than later. I'll be surprised if they continue to play in a hub in 2023. If they do I don't think it bodes well for their future.
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Re: XFL Showcase locations, dates announced

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GDAWG wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 2:58 pm That team will have to be in Tampa sooner rather than later.
They absolutely, definitely do not.
GDAWG wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 2:58 pm Then why name them the Tampa Bay Bandits?
They were recycling USFL identities and that was one of the ones they liked best? I don't know. Look, Tampa Bay could work; maybe they even expect it to work. But they have not yet committed to the market in any tangible way, and they're under no obligation to do so.

But to bring it back to the XFL, it doesn't even really matter. The XFL is going to be first to market. If the XFL wants to go back to Tampa (or anywhere else in this country outside of Birmingham), they can just do it and let the USFL deal with the consequences of trying to fill a stadium for a second set of games.
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Re: XFL Showcase locations, dates announced

Post by johnnyangryfuzzball »

4th&long wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 1:21 pm
Tank55 wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 10:46 am XFL 2.0's showcases were all invitation-only, I think? These have a $250 signup fee, or $410 to include video services. I always think these pay-to-try-out deals are super scummy, to be honest.

Glad to see D.C. on the list! That bodes very well for the return of the Defenders.

Interesting to see Arizona included. I wonder if that's still being considered as a potential market. If you can't land Allegiant Stadium in Vegas, and you are unwilling to go into California, Phoenix seems like a viable back up plan out west.

A bit surprised that the Florida showcase is in the greater Tampa Bay area rather than Orlando. Maybe the Vipers aren't dead after all.
Hmmm, TSL got a rash of sh#t for not paying players (most were uncharged). Now XFL is charging... $410 just to try out? Hmmm. USFL didn't charge anyone to get drafted.

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The XFL average salary was $1040 per week in the offseason. Players who make the roster would make up their investment before they even played a game.

Oh, and by the way, TSL charged $2000 for their tryouts, not $0. So sit down.
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Re: XFL Showcase locations, dates announced

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johnnyangryfuzzball wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 4:24 pm The XFL average salary was $1040 per week in the offseason. Players who make the roster would make up their investment before they even played a game.
In fact, players who appear in an XFL game will be reimbursed for the tryout fee.

Besides, I'm not really worried about them. Like Greg said, if you're really an XFL caliber player, you probably have an agent who can get your tape in front of the right people. Or even pick up the $250 if necessary.

The guys I'm worried about are the ones a cut below that. They're physically talented enough but aren't hooked up with an agent or aren't on the talent evaluators' radars for whatever reason. They spend the $250, get to run the 40 and do some drills.

And if you have $250 (plus whatever it costs to get to one of these cities) to spare to chase dreams, I guess that's fine. But a lot of these guys don't, and you're not doing anyone a favor unless a spot at the showcase gives the player an honest chance to be evaluated.

Maybe the XFL's showcases will, at least to the extent that's even possible in football. I can only speak from experience regarding the UFL's open tryouts, and those just felt like cash grabs.
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Re: XFL Showcase locations, dates announced

Post by GregParks »

I'm not TRYING to defend this process necessarily because I think I still prefer the invitation-only setting...but certainly if you're comparing pay-to-play vs. invitation-only, those guys you're talking about being just a cut below still have more of a chance of showing up and showing out at one they have to pay for than one like 2019 where it was invitation-only where you would almost certainly have to have an agent or know-a-guy-who-knows-a-guy to get on the list.

And I hope we can all agree that having a straight-up open tryout where anyone can come probably isn't the answer, either. You may end up wasting a lot of time on guys who have no business being there.
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