Expansion 2021?

[johnnyangryfuzzball]

There has been little proof that Chicago can support a non-NFL pro football team. Alternative leagues have tried and failed to find a footing in Chicago. I don't know how XFL 2.0 would be different in Chicago. Same for Las Vegas. Alternative leagues have tried and failed in spectacular fashion in Las Vegas. The Raiders will do well in Vegas because it's an NFL team. Like Chicago, there would be no guarantee Las Vegas would work in XFL 2.0. Boston is in the exact same boat as Las Vegas and Chicago. The USFL went there and failed miserably. The FXFL (pre-cursor to the Spring League) also failed there.

The Alliance of American Football tried Atlanta and Phoenix. Neither worked. So what would be different?

To be fair, the FXFL was a pretty solid disaster all-around, not just in Boston. As for the USFL, their problem was more of a stadium issue: they couldn't get Harvard Stadium or Alumni Stadium and were stuck in tiny Nickerson. That stadium problem will be the challenge any Boston team has... and they don't even want to try Foxborough. Boston would be a risk but a worthwhile one.

But as far as the more recent examples... Chicago, Vegas, Atlanta, Phoenix... yeah, all of them terrible ideas that've been tried and failed. That "huge fan base for NFL, college" never showed up for the AAF and there's no real reason why we should suspect they'd show up for the XFL. Vegas might be slightly better since the old XFL was fairly successful there.

The main correlation between a lot of these inaugural markets is that all but Seattle and Houston have NHL teams, and Seattle's getting a team in 2021. None of them have an NBA team but not an NHL team. Perhaps it says something about the cities' fan base and tastes in sport.

[johnnyangryfuzzball]

Although the XFL going into 7 NFL markets is a bit of a gamble, at least they didn't go into the default markets of alternative football like the original league did. The default markets are: Birmingham, Memphis, Orlando, Sacramento and San Antonio. Las Vegas was on the list, but they are getting the Raiders soon, so they are off.

I never quite understood why Birmingham and Memphis keep getting teams over and over when they consistently fall short in fan support.

I mean, I can understand Orlando, since they're almost always solid and supportive, and Sacramento and San Antonio have typically done well, too... but those two, it's almost cliché. Back in the 90s, they were outdrawn by a team in Shreveport! Tiny Shreveport, which even if you combine nearby Texarkana, it's still barely a million people.

Speaking of Shreveport, it might be interesting to see if there are markets that might not make sense on paper but turn out to be good ideas for the league, like Shreveport was for the CFL, Jacksonville for the USFL, Omaha for the UFL, even Green Bay if you want an NFL example. Perhaps Tucson: they have a decent stadium, no sports scene to speak of other than the AHL, population about a million, good weather in February, snowbirds galore, and separate from the morass that is Phoenix as a sports market. They made a pitch for the Raiders last year.

[battlesharks]

There has been little proof that Chicago can support a non-NFL pro football team. Alternative leagues have tried and failed to find a footing in Chicago. I don't know how XFL 2.0 would be different in Chicago. Same for Las Vegas. Alternative leagues have tried and failed in spectacular fashion in Las Vegas. The Raiders will do well in Vegas because it's an NFL team. Like Chicago, there would be no guarantee Las Vegas would work in XFL 2.0. Boston is in the exact same boat as Las Vegas and Chicago. The USFL went there and failed miserably. The FXFL (pre-cursor to the Spring League) also failed there.

The Alliance of American Football tried Atlanta and Phoenix. Neither worked. So what would be different?

To be fair, the FXFL was a pretty solid disaster all-around, not just in Boston. As for the USFL, their problem was more of a stadium issue: they couldn't get Harvard Stadium or Alumni Stadium and were stuck in tiny Nickerson. That stadium problem will be the challenge any Boston team has... and they don't even want to try Foxborough. Boston would be a risk but a worthwhile one.

But as far as the more recent examples... Chicago, Vegas, Atlanta, Phoenix... yeah, all of them terrible ideas that've been tried and failed. That "huge fan base for NFL, college" never showed up for the AAF and there's no real reason why we should suspect they'd show up for the XFL. Vegas might be slightly better since the old XFL was fairly successful there.

The main correlation between a lot of these inaugural markets is that all but Seattle and Houston have NHL teams, and Seattle's getting a team in 2021. None of them have an NBA team but not an NHL team. Perhaps it says something about the cities' fan base and tastes in sport.

GDAWG, and johnnyangryfuzzball thank you guys for your input. Both of you made some valid points. I do hope they expand outside the city that does not have a football team.
GDAWG, maybe a big difference could be the potential tv coverages XFL have in place with ABC,ESPN, Fox Sports, and FS1 for Sat,Sun (https://www.xfl.com/watch). Having said that, growing up I knew the NFL had tv coverage for their games as they started out. I was very young when USFL was around, not sure if they had the potential tv coverage like NFL. Do you guy remember if they did?
AAF, I thought the owners fold because he wants NFLPA to pool some of their players not playing and incorporate into his league? I heard the league was off to a good start, it was the owner stubbornness (which is very sad for those players). There was a 3-year plan to turn that league into a minor league platform to prepare the players for the fall. (https://www.sportingnews.com/ca/other-s ... 8ehpwpv3xt).
Also, some league like the arena football tried to get national tv coverage. But the sports network just show the playoff or and championship games.

Other than that I would like to see some more cities in the league. Until then Seattle Dragons it is.

[Arlo83]

id expand4 more team making it a 12 team leauge, Philadelpha, Boston, San Diago then i go to San Joes or San Franciso depending on venue

[The One]

I would love to see Kansas City on the expansion list. It would be amazing to see the NFL partner with the XFL and use them as farm teams to aid in the development of players.

[Arlo83]

I would love to see Kansas City on the expansion list. It would be amazing to see the NFL partner with the XFL and use them as farm teams to aid in the development of players.

So in other words do what the NFL couldn't even make work (WLAF)?

The last thing the XFL wants do with be known as a "farm" league. The minute you do that, winning and losing no longer matters and guess what happens when winning and losing no longer matters? fans do NOT care.

Vince will never be a feeder system to anyone....he will sell off teams and keep ownership of the league

[johnnyangryfuzzball]

I would love to see Kansas City on the expansion list. It would be amazing to see the NFL partner with the XFL and use them as farm teams to aid in the development of players.

No on the developmental bit. That's a sure way to kill any pro football league, and besides, the NFL doesn't want it.

But Kansas City... they're like Cincinnati and Baltimore: they have MLB and NFL but nothing in the winter. It'd be a natural fit for the XFL to take a shot there. Plus, if St. Louis catches on, a natural rivalry.

[GDAWG]

Kansas City would be interesting. However, I would go for Children's Mercy Park (home of Sporting KC) on the Kansas side of Missouri rather than Arrowhead Stadium.

[johnnyangryfuzzball]

Kansas City would be interesting. However, I would go for Children's Mercy Park (home of Sporting KC) on the Kansas side of Missouri rather than Arrowhead Stadium.

Agreed.

If not, Booth Stadium in Lawrence is a little further out of the way but decently sized and in the same metro area.

[Logofan]

I think if the XFL make it to year 2 there will definitely be expansion and maybe a relocation or two.

Based on what we're seeing with NFL results, I don't see LA working out and I think them relocating is a high probability but staying in-state. Maybe SF or Sacramento...SD would be perfect but stadium situation is a question mark.

If either Dallas or Houston stumble, I can see a jump to SA once the dust settles from the AAF mess.

On the expansion side, I think they'll be really strategic with this. Tampa is on an island in the deep south by themselves and there's no midwest presence. I'm thinking Nashville (27th tv market) and Chicago (3rd) would be good choices.

Next wave maybe Phoenix and Denver. That gives them a decent blanket of markets spread across the country. Just my two cents, anyway.