G Parks: The cold, hard truth about the hurdles facing XFL 3.0

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4th&long
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G Parks: The cold, hard truth about the hurdles facing XFL 3.0

Post by 4th&long »

I think what Greg P is stating logical. If this group is a no go it will be a shame that VM was ridiculed away from repurching the league as clearly he was what ESPN and Fox thought gave the league credibility.

https://xflboard.com/news/column-the-co ... g-xfl-3-0/
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Re: G Parks: The cold, hard truth about the hurdles facing XFL 3.0

Post by MGB01 »

Can't disagree with much of it, just a couple points:

1)Being that FOX is full speed ahead for the NFL in the next TV contracts (which they sort of have to, see mid 90s CBS and late 90s-mid-00s NBC) you kind of wonder what long term future there was with them, only so much $$$$$ to go around when they could be paying per year more than what they got the NFL for total in the first place. This is around the time that Alpha would have expected a paying TV deal.

2)Wish they would stop throwing around the failure tag (or even the 3.0 label when 2.5 is more accurate) when pretty much everything was shut down, we'll never know. Are we going to extend it to everything that ratings-wise has been a total meh since coming back? Be consistent, yes it's hard but c'mon Greg you can pull it off, it's just us not CNN

You can tell Steve Levy misses the XFL from his journey through the motions (although to be fair, it might be the "Booger legacy" dragging him down): "Raiders trying to convert their first fourth down of the game"--the go-ahead score was on fourth and goal at the 1😬😬😬😬😬
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Re: G Parks: The cold, hard truth about the hurdles facing XFL 3.0

Post by GregParks »

MGB01 wrote: Tue Sep 22, 2020 1:56 am
2)Wish they would stop throwing around the failure tag (or even the 3.0 label when 2.5 is more accurate) when pretty much everything was shut down, we'll never know. Are we going to extend it to everything that ratings-wise has been a total meh since coming back? Be consistent, yes it's hard but c'mon Greg you can pull it off, it's just us not CNN
It's not that I believe the XFL 2.0 was a failure, but that's how it's going to be framed by media and seen by a lot of other people. It's easier to lump that version in with the long line of previous spring league losers than to make caveats for it. Hardcore XFL fans know this, but as I argued in my article, the league needs to reach beyond just the hardcores to be successful.

That being said, I was surprised Vince gave up on the league so quickly - I thought he could've furloughed some employees during the offseason to give more time to see what the landscape would be like February of 2021. You could even see some fans being let back into games by then, as is happening in the NFL and NASCAR, even if it's not capacity. I have a hard time blaming the pandemic as 100% the reason the league folded when it seems like alternatives were possible to keep it afloat. Easy for me to say though - it's not my money, and the pandemic almost certainly would've caused Vince to adjust the projections on how much he'd need to spend.

I also wonder if Vince really thought he could swoop in and pick the pieces back up in bankruptcy, getting around having to pay high-dollar folks like Luck. Maybe he didn't expect such resistance to him putting a bid in to run it again. So maybe he DID always plan to keep it going, just after the bankruptcy allowed him to get out from under some of the debt.
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Re: G Parks: The cold, hard truth about the hurdles facing XFL 3.0

Post by Tank55 »

I think it's TBD if this is 3.0 or 2.1. If they reboot with the same teams, same format, same strategy, and scoop up a lot of the former employees, then it's the next edition of the same version. But that's not yet clear what's happening.
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Re: G Parks: The cold, hard truth about the hurdles facing XFL 3.0

Post by MGB01 »

GregParks wrote: Tue Sep 22, 2020 11:32 am
MGB01 wrote: Tue Sep 22, 2020 1:56 am
2)Wish they would stop throwing around the failure tag (or even the 3.0 label when 2.5 is more accurate) when pretty much everything was shut down, we'll never know. Are we going to extend it to everything that ratings-wise has been a total meh since coming back? Be consistent, yes it's hard but c'mon Greg you can pull it off, it's just us not CNN
It's not that I believe the XFL 2.0 was a failure, but that's how it's going to be framed by media and seen by a lot of other people. It's easier to lump that version in with the long line of previous spring league losers than to make caveats for it. Hardcore XFL fans know this, but as I argued in my article, the league needs to reach beyond just the hardcores to be successful.

That being said, I was surprised Vince gave up on the league so quickly - I thought he could've furloughed some employees during the offseason to give more time to see what the landscape would be like February of 2021. You could even see some fans being let back into games by then, as is happening in the NFL and NASCAR, even if it's not capacity. I have a hard time blaming the pandemic as 100% the reason the league folded when it seems like alternatives were possible to keep it afloat. Easy for me to say though - it's not my money, and the pandemic almost certainly would've caused Vince to adjust the projections on how much he'd need to spend.

I also wonder if Vince really thought he could swoop in and pick the pieces back up in bankruptcy, getting around having to pay high-dollar folks like Luck. Maybe he didn't expect such resistance to him putting a bid in to run it again. So maybe he DID always plan to keep it going, just after the bankruptcy allowed him to get out from under some of the debt.
But we know the XFL with no gameday revenues coming in basically is DOA, and moving more money over (whether it's part of WWE or perceived as such) isn't/wasn't an option. Now Vince isn't totally blameless here, all that mocking he did of Turner in the Billionaire Ted skits (using stockholder money to pay Hulk Hogan's salary, FTC violations) comes back to somewhat bite him nearly 25 years later, although it's a pretty safe bet that with such a relatively small number that it was setup-related.

Sure they could have done what everybody else has done, but the difference: they can withstand it, some better than others but they can. Hell even the CFL, a 60-year league with teams that even predate the NFL, is only 50/50 to come back from it for more or less the same issues. This wasn't about 2020, it's about 2021 and possibly beyond, thus your article.
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Re: G Parks: The cold, hard truth about the hurdles facing XFL 3.0

Post by 4th&long »

GregParks wrote: Tue Sep 22, 2020 11:32 am
MGB01 wrote: Tue Sep 22, 2020 1:56 am
2)Wish they would stop throwing around the failure tag (or even the 3.0 label when 2.5 is more accurate) when pretty much everything was shut down, we'll never know. Are we going to extend it to everything that ratings-wise has been a total meh since coming back? Be consistent, yes it's hard but c'mon Greg you can pull it off, it's just us not CNN
It's not that I believe the XFL 2.0 was a failure, but that's how it's going to be framed by media and seen by a lot of other people. It's easier to lump that version in with the long line of previous spring league losers than to make caveats for it. Hardcore XFL fans know this, but as I argued in my article, the league needs to reach beyond just the hardcores to be successful.

That being said, I was surprised Vince gave up on the league so quickly - I thought he could've furloughed some employees during the offseason to give more time to see what the landscape would be like February of 2021. You could even see some fans being let back into games by then, as is happening in the NFL and NASCAR, even if it's not capacity. I have a hard time blaming the pandemic as 100% the reason the league folded when it seems like alternatives were possible to keep it afloat. Easy for me to say though - it's not my money, and the pandemic almost certainly would've caused Vince to adjust the projections on how much he'd need to spend.

I also wonder if Vince really thought he could swoop in and pick the pieces back up in bankruptcy, getting around having to pay high-dollar folks like Luck. Maybe he didn't expect such resistance to him putting a bid in to run it again. So maybe he DID always plan to keep it going, just after the bankruptcy allowed him to get out from under some of the debt.
This was ALL on Covid - or more accurately the over reaction to it. VM saw his stock value way down, hysterical armageddon panic all over the news and he panicked. After sometime when the hysteria started to dial down he was ready to buy back in without the over paid O Luck and a non-paying TV deal. Hayes and others balked and DG / Rock / Card bought it out.

Who knows they may bring VM back in.
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Re: G Parks: The cold, hard truth about the hurdles facing XFL 3.0

Post by 4th&long »

MGB01 wrote: Tue Sep 22, 2020 1:56 am Can't disagree with much of it, just a couple points:

1)Being that FOX is full speed ahead for the NFL in the next TV contracts (which they sort of have to, see mid 90s CBS and late 90s-mid-00s NBC) you kind of wonder what long term future there was with them, only so much $$$$$ to go around when they could be paying per year more than what they got the NFL for total in the first place. This is around the time that Alpha would have expected a paying TV deal.

2)Wish they would stop throwing around the failure tag (or even the 3.0 label when 2.5 is more accurate) when pretty much everything was shut down, we'll never know. Are we going to extend it to everything that ratings-wise has been a total meh since coming back? Be consistent, yes it's hard but c'mon Greg you can pull it off, it's just us not CNN

You can tell Steve Levy misses the XFL from his journey through the motions (although to be fair, it might be the "Booger legacy" dragging him down): "Raiders trying to convert their first fourth down of the game"--the go-ahead score was on fourth and goal at the 1😬😬😬😬😬
Fox is Full Speed ahead for LIVE sports which was their guidance after divesting (selling) their film studio (20thCenturyFox), Cable channels (eg FX), Sky broadcasting and Regional Sports nets. They had GREAT XFL ratings and will give XFL 3.0 a hard look.

I'm concerned that the lack of VM may be a big network turnoff.
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Re: G Parks: The cold, hard truth about the hurdles facing XFL 3.0

Post by MarkNelson »

Greg, you hit all the salient points with this article. I also wonder how deep the owners' pockets might be, and how much money they are prepared to invest (lose) before they give up.

At least the AAF and XFL 2.0 had a chance to make money at the gate, but no broadcasting revenue. Is The Rock's star power, and Dany's production savvy, enough to warrant a paid broadcasting deal? You're right as this being a big factor in what happens to the XFL.
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Re: G Parks: The cold, hard truth about the hurdles facing XFL 3.0

Post by FootballYoda »

Greg, I love what you did there. Sure it’s hard to stomach, but the truth is sometimes that way. I think people in this board have covered this topic well, spelling out the hurdles without pulling punches.

That’s why I’m here. This is the place to learn the truth.

Also Greg, I like your writing. It’s easy to read. Good flow. I like how you don’t have as any ads as other sites. Much appreciated.
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Re: G Parks: The cold, hard truth about the hurdles facing XFL 3.0

Post by GregParks »

FootballYoda wrote: Tue Sep 22, 2020 7:27 pm Greg, I love what you did there. Sure it’s hard to stomach, but the truth is sometimes that way. I think people in this board have covered this topic well, spelling out the hurdles without pulling punches.

That’s why I’m here. This is the place to learn the truth.

Also Greg, I like your writing. It’s easy to read. Good flow. I like how you don’t have as any ads as other sites. Much appreciated.
Thank you. I really appreciate it.
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