Notes from Mike Mitchell on the Markcast

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GregParks
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Notes from Mike Mitchell on the Markcast

Post by GregParks »

Mike was on the Markcast this week for about 90 minutes. Here are some XFL-related notes he dropped:



-ESPN has been very happy with the XFL's performance in the 18-49 demographic when it comes to viewership numbers
-The XFL was hoping for a higher opening-week number on ABC, but both ESPN and XFL are happy with the cable ratings, which is why some games have been flexed.
-Mike cited a DigiDay article with XFL CMO Janet Duch (https://digiday.com/marketing/why-the-x ... all-field/). I hadn't seen it discussed here before, but it notes the XFL has spent $125,000 on marketing for 2023 which is...an extremely low number.
-Mike mentioned the Sportico article saying the ESPN is in with the XFL for $150 million and the reason neither has come out and made that figure public is that there are various escalators built in to the deal so there's no flat "this is what we're making" number
-He feels the XFL on-field play through five weeks (as well as the TV broadcasts) have been better than the USFL was last year. Specifically, QB and WR play has been better, while USFL RBs have been better
-A big reason ESPN went after the XFL is to build up FX and ESPN+
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Re: Notes from Mike Mitchell on the Markcast

Post by MGB01 »

The low marketing expenditure isn't ideal but it tells me two things: One, they're establishing a floor, risky yes but at the end of the day no moreso than anything else tried in the last 40 years. Two, they almost know the hardsell crowd that's been overkilled by one-and-dones and would rather wait to see a year two is there, so no point in running up the credit card.

ESPN using the XFL to build up ESPN+ and FX makes sense the same way they put major college basketball games on ESPN2 at the beginning of its run (and FOX did similar with FS1 in the 2014 MLB TV deal as well as when they first got Big East basketball). HOU/SEA should have stayed on FX.
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Re: Notes from Mike Mitchell on the Markcast

Post by 4th&long »

GregParks wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 1:18 am Mike was on the Markcast this week for about 90 minutes. Here are some XFL-related notes he dropped:



-ESPN has been very happy with the XFL's performance in the 18-49 demographic when it comes to viewership numbers
-The XFL was hoping for a higher opening-week number on ABC, but both ESPN and XFL are happy with the cable ratings, which is why some games have been flexed.
-Mike cited a DigiDay article with XFL CMO Janet Duch (https://digiday.com/marketing/why-the-x ... all-field/). I hadn't seen it discussed here before, but it notes the XFL has spent $125,000 on marketing for 2023 which is...an extremely low number.
-Mike mentioned the Sportico article saying the ESPN is in with the XFL for $150 million and the reason neither has come out and made that figure public is that there are various escalators built in to the deal so there's no flat "this is what we're making" number
-He feels the XFL on-field play through five weeks (as well as the TV broadcasts) have been better than the USFL was last year. Specifically, QB and WR play has been better, while USFL RBs have been better
-A big reason ESPN went after the XFL is to build up FX and ESPN+
Thanks - I didn't get a chance to listen yet.

Most of this MM has mentioned before. As far as they wanted to build up FX, well like I said earlier XFL goals and Disney goals likely not aligned. Disney wants to fill prog void and XFL wants ratings. Posted that today. But at same time they are flexing off FX - so even that is not consistent.
As far as the sportico article not being discussed, why not discuss and mention escalators? Or a range? Are they meeting those escalators ? Its still the murkiest part of the XFL.
I feel QB play has been worse than expected so far (and slightly less than USFL) as they made that a point emphasis and it hasn't panned out like hoped. But like Mike its just IMO.

Disney/XFL would never state ratings are under expectations (they might state publicly if opposite). So far weeks 2 - 5 (1st game) they are getting 549k a game. FX IMO has done better than expected and ESPN/ESPN2 slightly worse and agree ABC well under performed wk 1. They are trending to be around what USFL got, mid 700's, at the lower end of my preseason projection mainly due to under performing week 1. That could change either way.

What we did not hear is if XFL was oK with the ratings. Are they? Is RBC and are they fully on board for funding at least X years. As long as they are league will survive. That's what's most important.

And the beat goes on...
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Re: Notes from Mike Mitchell on the Markcast

Post by DavedaHammer »

More spin from Mitchell. How can he defend those horrid numbers with a straight face? He's getting into used car salesman territory
GregParks
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Re: Notes from Mike Mitchell on the Markcast

Post by GregParks »

DavedaHammer wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 6:08 am More spin from Mitchell. How can he defend those horrid numbers with a straight face? He's getting into used car salesman territory
This you?
DavedaHammer wrote: Tue Dec 27, 2022 11:18 pm I'm calling it right now. The Rock will forego the league starting on February because it can't get Vegas online for a venue. Citing the logistics is too great for a February date. The Rock postposes it kickoff to run concurrent along the CFL schedule that runs during the Summer months
DavedaHammer wrote: Tue Dec 20, 2022 11:36 pm With the changes of management in Disney. look for the XFL to be axed from the network's lineup.
I'm not sure you're the one who should be throwing stones at someone else's credibility.
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Re: Notes from Mike Mitchell on the Markcast

Post by GDAWG »

Unless Gerry Cardinale gets "I want to own an NFL team" fever over the next 2-3 years and joins in with a group, he's going to continue to be involved in the XFL for the next few years.
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Re: Notes from Mike Mitchell on the Markcast

Post by MGB01 »

GregParks wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 12:17 pm
DavedaHammer wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 6:08 am More spin from Mitchell. How can he defend those horrid numbers with a straight face? He's getting into used car salesman territory
This you?
DavedaHammer wrote: Tue Dec 27, 2022 11:18 pm I'm calling it right now. The Rock will forego the league starting on February because it can't get Vegas online for a venue. Citing the logistics is too great for a February date. The Rock postposes it kickoff to run concurrent along the CFL schedule that runs during the Summer months
DavedaHammer wrote: Tue Dec 20, 2022 11:36 pm With the changes of management in Disney. look for the XFL to be axed from the network's lineup.
I'm not sure you're the one who should be throwing stones at someone else's credibility.
He's basically all but admitted he's just here to make sure everybody knows the CFL has a viewership stateside of at least a mil and ESPN is getting in the way. 4th couldn't be this tribal (although he's testing that daily).
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Re: Notes from Mike Mitchell on the Markcast

Post by Tank55 »

GregParks wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 1:18 am -Mike cited a DigiDay article with XFL CMO Janet Duch (https://digiday.com/marketing/why-the-x ... all-field/). I hadn't seen it discussed here before, but it notes the XFL has spent $125,000 on marketing for 2023 which is...an extremely low number.
That is crazy. From that article:
As the season progresses, the XFL will also leverage YouTube football influencers for co-marketing efforts, according to Duch, to widen the brand’s reach to Gen Z football fans
Has this started to happen? I think this would be smart. I'd have been paying MrGo30 to make XFL videos, getting the SickosCommittee guys to cover games, etc. Of course, I pulled the plug on Twitter, so maybe stuff like that' is happening and I'm just out of the loop?
This strategy follows a whole marketing budget reset, after the XFL shut down in 2020. During its 2020 season, the XFL only had one approach to social media: to publish highlights from the live games. Similar to the NFL, the XFL’s marketing and content departments are working closely to revamp the brand’s social strategy before its return, with a plan to reach fans wherever they are rather than only distributing content on one social media platform.
Is this true? Again, I'm not as in the loop as I used to be, but I thought XFL 2020's social media efforts were a strength, and they definitely only weren't on one platform.
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Tank55
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Re: Notes from Mike Mitchell on the Markcast

Post by Tank55 »

And thanks Greg for the summary, I really appreciate it.
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GregParks
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Re: Notes from Mike Mitchell on the Markcast

Post by GregParks »

Tank55 wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 1:36 pm
As the season progresses, the XFL will also leverage YouTube football influencers for co-marketing efforts, according to Duch, to widen the brand’s reach to Gen Z football fans
Has this started to happen? I think this would be smart. I'd have been paying MrGo30 to make XFL videos, getting the SickosCommittee guys to cover games, etc. Of course, I pulled the plug on Twitter, so maybe stuff like that' is happening and I'm just out of the loop?
Deestroying is one YouTube star (and former CFL/FCF player) they’ve had on the sidelines of a few games. In fact I think they interviewed him from the sidelines during one of the games recently. How that translates for the league, or they’re able to leverage that, though, I have no idea.
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