Steve Levy on the XFL “The NFL wants this to work”

[LeoNY]

http://m.espn.com/general/play?id=28035100

Steve Levy was recently interviewed on the Le Batard and Stugotz podcast. Levy was asked why he thinks the XFL will work this time.

The reasons he cited were Disney, Fox, Vince McMahon and that the NFL “wants this to work”.

Levy stated that he feels that this is the last shot for a league like this to work. You can check out the audio in the link above. The Levy interview is not very long and the XFL question comes at about the 28:40 mark of the podcast.

[LeoNY]

https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#cl ... 10282683dc

The above link is audio and video of Diana Russini being asked about her role as XFL field analyst. She says that there are details about her access that she can’t reveal because the league wants to roll that out later. She is supposed to have full access to the coaches and players during the game.

[GregParks]

So, a couple things here:

(a) I thought it was interesting that Levy said "the NFL wants this to work." There was no follow-up from the interviewers on what he meant by that or how he knows that (it seemed like a lighting-round type of questions there so they may have been short on time). Certainly there is incentive for the NFL to have free-agents getting work in another league, giving them more experience and allowing their scouts to see more of players. But there's also obviously a limit on what the NFL is willing to do to make sure a spring league works, as we saw with what happened with the AAF.

(b) I do agree that this is the last chance for a league of this magnitude to work, at least for a long while. All the ingredients are there thus far for the XFL to succeed; if they keep on this track and it doesn't work, I don't know what could be done differently, and by whom, to ensure a different result.

(c) Levy said he didn't know what he'd be doing while Russini seems to be a little more clued-in even saying she couldn't reveal some of the details of her job. I don't know if Levy was being glib or the league/ESPN felt they needed to prepare the sideline reporters more by giving them more info on what the job will entail because it'll be different from the usual sideline reporter, where maybe the PBP job won't change all that much.

(d) Russini's role sounds a lot like what was expected of the sideline reporters in the original XFL (interviewing players after TDs, interviewing coaches in-game, etc.). That didn't always go smoothly, so I'm wondering if they've made some tweaks to how that'll work.

[Firecop]

Interviewing a player after a touchdown, blocked kick, interception or a great defensive hold is one thing, but interviewing a coach during the game is quite another. IMO, they need to leave the coaches alone during game action to do their jobs. Mic them up if you want but don't distract them during play. I certainly agree that this is spring football/alternative league's last best chance to succeed. The financials are right, the day to day management is right, the team locations are right and now we wait to see if the entire concept is right. I do wish someone would reach out to Levy to see if we could get a bit more clarification on the NFL comment.

[steinerfhc]

Interviewing a player after a touchdown, blocked kick, interception or a great defensive hold is one thing, but interviewing a coach during the game is quite another. IMO, they need to leave the coaches alone during game action to do their jobs. Mic them up if you want but don't distract them during play. I certainly agree that this is spring football/alternative league's last best chance to succeed. The financials are right, the day to day management is right, the team locations are right and now we wait to see if the entire concept is right. I do wish someone would reach out to Levy to see if we could get a bit more clarification on the NFL comment.

Most everyone wants it to work outside the blind haters of the first XFL end result or hates wrestling so because a wrestling owner is the backing of this, they see it as a failure before anything on field has happened. They have the right people in charge of the league itself. They have the perfect TV deal.The factor is that there isn't enough capital to the players, While I hope it succeeds, I feel the talent pool would be better if the players where at this level.

Starting QB (Tier one) where a 1 Million
Starting position making at less 100,000
and if you are on the team but may not be played. There max should be what the max is now for a regular. You likely have more talent interested in quality. Now this call can change in a couple years. A lot of people are saying the players possible max is still way to low.

[Firecop]

The salary issue still seems fuzzy to me but be that as it may; what else are you going to do? The majority of these players won't make the CFL, so what are your realistic options? International lesgues, that won't grease your skids into the NFL. Your best bet is to play in the XFL, make some amount of money and prove you are ready for the next level. Very few people are a Dan Dornivk and can hang up their cleats to be an MD.

[LeoNY]

The salary issue still seems fuzzy to me but be that as it may; what else are you going to do? The majority of these players won't make the CFL, so what are your realistic options? International lesgues, that won't grease your skids into the NFL. Your best bet is to play in the XFL, make some amount of money and prove you are ready for the next level. Very few people are a Dan Dornivk and can hang up their cleats to be an MD.

The CFL option is interesting. Lost in all the sauce is the fact that CFL players play 20 plus game seasons. Preseason and regular season games combined. More wear and tear than playing a 10 game season in the XFL. I would play in the XFL personally if I wanted to continue a potential pro career in the states.

[MikeMitchell]

The salary issue still seems fuzzy to me but be that as it may; what else are you going to do? The majority of these players won't make the CFL, so what are your realistic options? International lesgues, that won't grease your skids into the NFL. Your best bet is to play in the XFL, make some amount of money and prove you are ready for the next level. Very few people are a Dan Dornivk and can hang up their cleats to be an MD.

The CFL option is interesting. Lost in all the sauce is the fact that CFL players play 20 plus game seasons. Preseason and regular season games combined. More wear and tear than playing a 10 game season in the XFL. I would play in the XFL personally if I wanted to continue a potential pro career in the states.

There are a lot variables when it comes to the CFL, that go into play next season. The league has been around for a long time, so it’s nice to see players get a bump.

Like the XFL, the CFL pays their top quarterbacks premium six figure salaries.

The CFL average salary is supposed to be 65k. That’s 49 thousand dollars in US Dollars. It’s also over a 24 week span. 3 preseason games, 18 regular season games and 3 bye weeks. Players do not get paid during bye weeks. So for 24 weeks of employment. It’s roughly $2,000 dollars a week in US money. There are some other incentives and an increase in pay during free agency down the line.

[Firecop]

Thanks Mike, I think those facts and figures more or less make my point.

[MikeMitchell]

Thanks Mike, I think those facts and figures more or less make my point.

You’re welcome.

In theory, an XFL player could play an XFL season and even if the game film doesn’t land them a spot in the the NFL. The CFL will be watching for sure. They will be scouting the entire league. You could play a season in the XFL and then be signed by a CFL team. The XFL has a lot of quality talent on their eight rosters.

It happened with some AAF players and happened with the original XFL as well. Some players like Jeremaine Copeland and Jonathan Himebaugh, among others parlayed their XFL experience into extended CFL careers.