Vince McMahon and Dick Ebersol announces the formation of the XFL – a new professional football league

February 3, 2000

Greenwich, CT – Vince McMahon on ESPN announced the founding of a new football league, the XFL, to begin play in the spring of 2001. McMahon announced the new league, a league completely independent of the NFL would be “tasked with re-imagining the game of football.” Standing beside him was Co-Founder Dick Ebersol, the television executive for NBC. Ebersol added, "We’re excited to be a part of this historic and unique opportunity to launch a new football league to air on NBC in primetime beginning each February at a time when the public’s interest in football is at its absolute peak – one week after the Super Bowl. Together with the McMahon organization, we want to put the fun back into professional football."

McMahon announced that the league would initially be operated as a single-entity model, with the league owning the rights to the teams, players, and coaches under the corporate names, Alpha Entertainment LLC(McMahon) and Legendary Field Exhibitions LLC(Ebersol). The agreement calls for each group to own 50% of the league. The two ownership groups have already committed 200 million dollars to the new league, enough to finance the league, according to McMahon for it’s first four seasons. The league does plan to move towards a hybrid franchise model with each team essentially operated as its own business with different owners and the league itself was a separate entity which in exchange for franchise fees paid by the team owners provided rules, officials, scheduling and the other elements of organizational structure, while a pool of money was allotted to teams to aid in travel costs. The plan is for owners to pay $10M to buy a half interest in a team. The league would own the other half.

Ebersol then spent considerable time outlining the major tenets of the new league, among them we highlight the following:
-- An eight team league to play a 10 game season from early February into May, concluding with a 4 team playoff, and the XFL Championship game, which will be known as The Million Dollar Game which will have the players on the winning team garnering $25,000.
-- The XFL has negotiated a television contract with NBC, TNN and UPN that would air all four games every weekend, including 8pm Eastern Time featured games on Saturday and Sunday night. The arrangement with these three outlets likely would garner some exposure for the league, but little revenue. The networks would however cover all production costs.
-- Teams, along with their coaching staffs, venues and identities will be announced over the next months, with all teams expected to have full operations ready to go for ticket sales by August, and a player draft on October 28th, 29th and 30th of 2000.
-- Each team will have a roster size of 40 players. The XFL will pay a "non-negotiable" standardized player salary of $37,500($1,500,000 per team).
-- The objective of every XFL player will be to win games. XFL players will be paid salaries to play, but they’ll be paid more to win. Each week the winning teams will share in a victory bonus pool, giving added significance to each week’s matchups.
-- The coaching salaries varied by title, with $500,000 for head coaches, $200–250,000 for coordinators, and $75–150,000 for position coaches. Each team employed ten total coaches, putting the total coaching staff expenditures at around $1.5 million per staff and $12 million for the entire league.
-- Players and coaches under contract will be permitted to sign with the NFL or CFL but only after the conclusion of the XFL Championship game.
-- The league is open to allowing collegiate underclassmen to sign and enter the XFL Draft.
-- The league has already hired several members of its football operations team, including the league’s Director of Football Operations, Michael F. Keller, League President and Chief Operations Officer, Basil V. DeVito Jr, Vice President, Billy Hicks, and the Director of the Football Competition, Dick Butkus.

Television viewers will be given unprecedented access with cameras positioned in locker rooms, on sidelines and in the helmets of selected players. XFL players, coaches, locker rooms and huddles will also be mic'd, providing viewers with unique insight into the strategy of the game and enabling them to fully experience the true emotion, attitude, and intensity of the players, both on and off the field. Both, Ebersol's NBC and McMahon's WWE will cross-promote the XFL during their respective programming.

It is also reported that the XFL is currently negotiating with players such as Jim Druckenmiller, Dave Krieg, Rashaan Salaam, Jeff Hostetler and Bobby Hebert.

"The XFL is a new venture of affordable entertainment that will take advantage of the abundance of athletic football talent available and will provide it to more fans in more cities," said McMahon. "We are encouraged by the overwhelming response from potential owners and stadium operators and are anxious to begin building XFL franchises in various cities across the country, and possibly abroad."

Paid to Play, Paid More to Win

March 15, 2000

Greenwich, CT – Why is there so much interest in this league? Mostly because the XFL salary scale is unique, and may prove to be beneficial to many players, especially the ones who play on winning teams. The league has stated that they will be paying a base salary of $37,500 for each player per season. There is also an incentive plan, with players on teams that win getting more cash. Of course it is the incentives that make this league worthwhile. After each winning game, winning team will split $100,000. The team that wins the championship will split an additional bonus of $1,000,000. On a 40 man roster, these incentives can add up in a hurry. For example, a regular player who plays on a winning team, with an 7-3 record for example, and that goes on to win the championship will actually make about $85,000. The potential is there for a player to more than double his base salary. On the other hand, a player on a losing team, with a 3-7 record for example, and that misses the playoffs, would make about $45,000. Not too bad for three months work.

Oliver Luck Named XFL Commissioner & CEO

March 28, 2000

Greenwich, CT – The XFL today announced that former NFL and NCAA executive and quarterback Oliver Luck has been named the league's Commissioner & Chief Executive Officer. The XFL kicks off in early 2001 and will deliver a fan-centric, innovative experience, including fast-paced games and a family-friendly environment, complemented by cross-platform viewing options and real-time fan engagement.

"Oliver and I share the same vision and passion for reimagining the game of football," said Vince McMahon, XFL Founder and Chairman. "His experience as both an athlete and executive will ensure the long-term success of the XFL."

"Football has always been a constant in my life and I'm excited about the unique opportunity to present America's favorite sport to fans in a new way," said Oliver Luck. "The XFL will create first-class organizations that local cities across the country will be proud of."

XFL Almost Ready to Reveal Inaugural Locations and Teams

May 2, 2000

Greenwich, CT – A planned competitor to the National Football League has identified the eight markets it would like to open with next year, and hopes to unveil some of the locations in the next month. “I think we’re going to have an announcement, probably next month, relative to the first three or four teams,” XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck said on Thursday. “Once we do that, you’ll know more about where we stand with respect to the rest of them.”

The XFL, with initial funding from Vincent K. McMahon and Dick Ebersol, said it would begin play with eight teams in February 2001. However, they believe a successful season will attract owner-investors, help negotiate a bigger TV broadcast deal and build league branding, Luck said in an interview on NBC. The XFL would be the latest in a series of leagues to compete with the NFL since the 1970s, including the World Football League, the United States Football League -- all of which failed. "McMahon and Ebersol is very serious about the XFL, and others may join him soon," Luck said.

Luck, the former Commissioner with NFL Europe, declined to reveal other owner names, but said “they’re well known, very financially strong people who either have some ownership interest in football or hockey primarily.” He said each owner would put up at least $10 million initially, and they have been told to expect losses of $10 million to $20 million a year for the first three years. Profits would follow somewhere in the third to fifth years. The plan is to begin with eight teams -- although it may start with six -- mostly in markets not served by the NFL, such as Los Angeles and Las Vegas. On top of those two, Luck said markets would also likely include some other larger cities based on feedback from fans signing up to reserve tickets. Orlando, Florida, was a strong East Coast contender, while San Antonio, Texas, appeals to the Hispanic fans that the XFL plans to court aggressively, he added. While Luck said no stadium deals have been officially signed, the XFL has agreements with six stadiums. He said the XFL is talking with cities about using their stadiums in deals under which the XFL would pay a facility fee and share revenue generated on football game days. Luck said past NFL rivals failed due to overspending, unrealistic expectations and overly gimmicky approaches. The XFL, however, will have a salary cap -- like the NFL -- and is assuming average per-game attendance conservatively at 20,000.

“We’re much more realistic in our expectations. We’re managing our costs better than I think the other failed leagues did. The XFL will not spend heavily on a few star players like the USFL did. The XFL model is based on attracting players from the bottom half of NFL rosters, many of whom have turned into NFL stars when given a chance to play. The XFL will aim to be more innovative, possibly putting microchips in balls to help referees with ball placement, as well as embracing the betting side of the sport by allowing broadcasters to talk openly about point spreads. We’re obviously going to make sure we protect the integrity of the game, but it’s foolish not to think the NFL hasn’t made a significant amount of revenue off its television product because there are wagers on the games,” Luck said.

XFL Announces Head Coaches

May 10, 2000

Greenwich, CT – The XFL is excited to announce that it has selected eight highly qualified and well-respected head coaches for its 2001 season. The head coaches include leaders across collegiate and professional football, including Buddy Ryan, Jerry Glanville, Wayne Fontes, Galen Hall, Ron Meyer, Jim Criner, Al Luginbill and Gerry DiNardo. This group not only shares the XFL's passion for sport and innovation, but brings the football pedigree, leadership experience and visionary outlook needed to play an active role in the building of the league and development of the players.

"Our head coaches are a group of leaders, champions and hall of famers with experience competing and coaching at the highest level in football. Not only will they be mentors to our players, but they are also ambassadors of the XFL as we work together to build tomorrow's league," said Dick Ebersol, Co-Founder. "What is most exciting about our talented coaches is that they all share our vision for the XFL and are committed to advancing the game of football for players and making it into a must-watch program for fans. The XFL is anchored in the belief of opportunity, and, just like our players, these football legends will drive the future of the game."

"We've brought together a respected group of coaches with elite football experiences, proven track records of success and a passion for the game. Our executives were a big part of the recruitment process, identifying true leaders in the sport that aligned with our vision and bring the best of the best to the XFL," said Vince McMahon, Co-Founder. "I look forward to collaborating with each of them and witnessing the active role they play in shaping their respective teams."

"This is yet another huge moment for the XFL. I have experienced first-hand the positive influence and impact that coaches can have on a player's life, and with our group of smart, accomplished and motivating head coaches, I expect nothing less. Not only will these coaches be mentors to our players, but they will be a big part of the cities in which we will operate. Stay tuned," said Dick Butkus, Director of the Football Competition.

"When seeking coaches for the XFL we set out to find the most outstanding individuals to lead our teams," said XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck. "We sought leaders with successful NFL backgrounds, who were excellent communicators and teachers of the game and were excited about building new franchises. We were fortunate to find four individuals who embody these attributes. These men are truly winners in every sense of the word."

“I have been following the formation of the XFL closely,” Luginbill said. “I believe the football on the field is going to be first class, and I am happy to get in on the ground floor of this league.”


Dallas Awarded First XFL Franchise

June 1, 2000

Dallas, TX – The XFL has awarded Dallas Cowboys' owners Jerry Jones, Jerry Jones Jr. and Stephen Jones the first XFL team for Dallas, announced XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck prior to bringing out Jerry Jones alongside his sons to announce that they would be investing $10M into the league, and bringing the Dallas Desperados to the XFL. Former Cowboys Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin, and Darryl Johnston were on hand for the announcement. The new team will be run on a day to day basis by Stephen Jones, and begin play as soon as February 2001. "Our new XFL team will provide the opportunity for sports fans in Dallas to enjoy the game of football year-round," said Stephen Jones. "The XFL is legitimate big-time football. The Cowboys are committed to providing championship-caliber XFL football in a family and fan-focused environment in the city of Dallas."

"The hottest and fastest-growing sport in the nation is honored to be associated with established and successful NFL owners like the Jones family," said Luck. "Stephen and his staff will help shape the future of the XFL by serving fans through the development of fan-friendly, year-round football."

NFL bylaws previously prohibited NFL owners from investing in other sport leagues or teams but an amendment to NFL rules was adopted on May 22, 1998 allowing for an exception for teams in an NFL club's own market.

Former Atlanta Falcons' Head Coach Jerry Glanville was named the Head Coach, while Wes Chandler, Steve Carson and Drew Pearson were named as the Offensive Coordinator, Defensive Coordinator and General Manager respectively. Now immersed in year-round football, Cowboys special teams coach Joe Avezzano will also serve in the same position. Avezzano is in his 12th season with Dallas. The Desperados will be playing their home games in Texas Stadium. “We have brought a proven winner and a colorful person to Dallas and he is certain to excite and entertain our fans,” Jones said. “His enthusiasm not only for the game, but also for what we are trying to achieve in Dallas and with the XFL is infectious.” The XFL has welcomed the colorful Glanville with open arms. “By hiring Jerry Glanville, we have underlined our commitment to bring fans of the XFL top-quality coaches who have a winning pedigree and are household names."

For Glanville, it was a simple decision. “You never get tired of coaching,” Glanville said. “If you do, they’ll be throwing dirt in your face. You’ll be dead in the ground and still want to coach. What your whole deal is that you’re a teacher. You just hope that can take a guy and make him play better than what he used to play. If you can do that with one guy, you had a good day. If you can do it with 30 guys, you’ve got a good team.”

"If we eventually have someone on the Desperados play for the Cowboys, great," Pearson said. "But this is not a farm system. This is not a minor league. The XFL has it's own identity. It's its own entity."

XFL Makes Big Splash with Next Three Teams

June 6, 2000

Chicago, IL – XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck announced Las Vegas, New York and Chicago as the next three cities the XFL would be invading. Each of the three cities, announced their coaching and front office staffs, their venues and their identities.

"The selection process of naming each team began by listening to our fans and working with each city to hear their suggestions and determine a long list of great ideas," said Dick Ebersol, XFL Co-founder. "After we culled that list down through local market research, testing and a dynamic group of advisers in each city, we had our short list. Then, more testing, and ultimately, Vince and I had some decisions to make. We feel strongly that our team names identify with the great cities we call home to our teams and positively represent the region and our fans."

"I'm psyched to reveal the cities that our players will have the chance to represent and compete in. This is another massive moment for the XFL, and I'm ready to feel the electricity our dedicated fans will bring to these iconic venues," added Vince McMahon, Co-Founder. "There is great energy building within our league and there is still much more to come and I can promise it's going to be worth the wait. We have been working on fresh, new logos and uniforms that will match the dynamic and innovative vision of our league. We see you, we hear you and your excitement fuels us to continue to bring you the absolute best. We have just under seven months until kickoff and the countdown is officially on."


The Chicago Enforcers were the first team announced and they set the tone. Former Chicago Bears' Defensive Coordinator and Philadelphia Eagles' head coach Buddy Ryan was announced as the Enforcers' head coach, while Peter Vaas, Rusty Tillman, and Dick Butkus would be serving as the Offensive Coordinator, Defensive Coordinator and General Manager respectively. The Enforcers would be playing their home games at legendary Soldier Field.


The Las Vegas Outlaws would be introduced next, and doing so would be Head Coach Jim Criner. Criner was the NFL Europe's Scottish Claymores head coach for the last six seasons. Joining Criner on the staff would be his son, Mark, who would be serving as the Defensive Coordinator along with Joe Paopao as the Offensive Coordinator and Bob Ackles as the General Manager. The Outlaws would be playing their home games at Sam Boyd Stadium.

"Las Vegas, get excited that your Outlaws will bring fun and affordable football to the city. The Outlaws will be the fan favorite with great family friendly entertainment," said Ackles. "Outlaws fans get ready to cheer your home team to be vicious and victorious in the XFL."


The New York Guardians were the third team announced on the evening, and former SMU Head Coach Ron Meyer would be leading the team, while Joe Lombardi would be leading the offense, Doug Graber would be leading the defense and Steve Ehrhart would be in charge of putting together the initial roster. The Guardians would be playing their home games at Giants Stadium.

"It was critical to us that we took our time in selecting team names that we felt best reflected the local community while simultaneously defining the personality of the team," said Commissioner Oliver Luck. "When selecting a name for the New York franchise, we wanted to pay homage to the individuals who protect the city including the NYPD, FDNY, the Port Authority and so many other dedicated organizations who bravely watch over the city."

The XFL Unveils Names, Logos and Colors of Final Four Teams

June 13, 2000

Greenwich, CT – XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck announced Birmingham, Los Angeles, Orlando and Minneapolis as the last four cities to receive inaugural XFL teams. These four cities would be sharing their venues, coaching staffs, general managers and team identities to conclude the process. To start off the evening, Luck introduced the owner of the NHL's Minnesota Wild, Bob Naegele Jr., to the crowd, and Naegele announced that he along with Naegele Sports LLC would be bringing the Minneapolis Wild to the XFL as well. "Earlier the month, we proudly released the names and logo packages of our first four teams and the reception was absolutely electric across all four markets. We strongly believe that was due to the fans playing such a critical role in the selection process and working with each city to understand their suggestions and ideas," said Luck. "Today we release the names and logos of our last four teams with enthusiasm and pride as we give our final four teams their identity within our league. I can't wait to start seeing fans wearing their team colors and joining our league."

"We've had a clear vision for the XFL, the values to instill, the quality of our leaders, the innovation of the game and how we want to deeply engage with our communities so they can help bring this vision to life. Today, our league takes another step closer to our inaugural kickoff as we officially announce where our teams will play," said Vince McMahon, Co-Founder. "What brings a league to life is the passion of the fandom behind it. In each of these cities we will co-create with our fans and build these teams from the ground up so that they represent the unique fabric of our communities. We welcome all football fans to join us as we get ready for kickoff in February."


The XFL's Minneapolis Wild would share a name, logo, city and ownership group with the NHL's version that started their inaugural season a few months ago. The Wild would be coached by former Detroit Lions' Head Coach Wayne Fontes alongside Jim Skipper and David Catapano, as the offensive and defensive coordinators. Steve Ortmayer will be serving as the General Manager for the team calling the Metrodome home.


Next team introduced was the Orlando Rage, who will be playing their home games in the Citrus Bowl and be coached by the former University of Florida and NFL Europe's Rhein Fire Head Coach Galen Hall. The offensive coordinator will be Bart Andrus and the defensive coordinator will be Pete Kuharchek, while the General Manager will be Tom Veit. Veit will also serve as the league's Head of Business Operations.

"We could not have been more fortunate in hiring a coach of Galen's Hall stature," Veit said. "Galen has coached many championship teams at both the college and professional levels and is widely respected throughout the coaching ranks for his ability to identify and develop young talent and then produce winning football teams with those players. That experience, combined with the fact that he is a long-time Central Florida resident and well known in the community, made Galen the ideal candidate for this position."

"The XFL presents a unique and exciting opportunity for me," Hall added. "The chance to come back home to coach professional football was an important factor in my decision, but it was not the over-riding factor. From the beginning, I was extremely impressed with the XFL's commitment to the sport. We're going to put a product on the field that's going to be fast-paced, exciting and fun and I am looking forward to the challenge of helping to build the Rage into one of the league's best franchises."

"When reviewing markets for the XFL, we focused on cities who were looking for more football. Orlando has already proven to be a passionate, loyal and engaged fan base that loves the game, yet they don't have a professional football team to call their own," said XFL co-Founder Dick Ebersol.


The Birmingham Steel were the third team announced and they would be coached by former Louisiana State University Head Coach Gerry DiNardo. Fellow former LSU Head Coach Curley Hallman would be serving as the defensive coordinator, while Kippy Brown as the offensive coordinator and Tim Berryman as the General Manager. The Steel would be playing their home games at Legion Field. The Steel pays tribute to the hard working steel workers who provided the Iron that fueled the industrial revolution. The people of Birmingham are tough, hard working, passionate, strong and dependable, attributes that will quickly become synonymous with the Birmingham Steel. The team colors - royal blue, steel grey and brushed silver - are derived from the three elements needed to make steel, Iron Ore, Coal and Flux. The logo, a stylized football, pays tribute to the passionate football fans of Alabama.

"Birmingham is the largest city in one of the most-populated states without a professional sports team. For a market with such a passion for the game of football, we knew early on that we needed to address that and expand the football offering for fans," said Dick Ebersol, XFL co-founder. "There are a number of exciting changes happening in Birmingham that make it an ideal destination for a professional sports team, including a new stadium currently under construction. We look forward to becoming an integral part of the community and I know this community will rally around and support the Birmingham Steel."


The eighth and last XFL team for the inaugural season, has professional football returning to Los Angeles for the first time since 1995. The Los Angeles Stars will be coached by former San Diego State and Amsterdam Admirals Head Coach Al Luginbill. Former Toronto Argonauts' Head Coach Jim Barker will be designing the offense with Bob Valesente calling the defense and Michael Lang building the roster. Al's son, Tom Luginbill, will also be on the staff as the QBs Coach. The Stars will be playing their home games at the Los Angeles Memorial Stadium.

“We are very fortunate to have a man with coach Luginbill’s experience,” Lang said. “He has been a proven winner at all levels. Now, he gets to return home to Southern California.”

"We are proud to work with eight fantastic cities. The selected cities expressed a commitment to forging a partnership and have a passion and love for the game of football. The reception we have felt at each unveil has been tremendous, and is just a taste of what's to come. Early on in our process we identified markets that we felt would make ideal destinations for our first eight cities," said Ebersol. "With so many great cities coming forward and many strong relationships being established, we are now confident that we not only have our first eight cities for year one, but a number of strong candidates for 2002 and beyond."

"The common theme amongst our cities is a shared passion for the game of football," said Dick Butkus, Director of the Football Competition. "There is a legitimate demand for spring football in North America. It is our job to deliver a world class football experience both on and off the field and it is our mission to be the top spring league in the world. With our football operations team firing on all cylinders, I'm extremely optimistic about our future and the dynamic football we will deliver to our fans this upcoming spring."

Faster, Smarter, Better Football

August 15, 2000

Greenwich, CT - According to XFL commissioner Oliver Luck, the XFL is making "more than two dozen changes" to their rulebook. Among the items that will be altered are a running clock, scramble for the ball and single-play overtime possessions.

"What we did is listen to fans," Luck said. "And what they told us is that they love this game, but they would like it at a little more of a faster pace and with a little more excitement. They thought there is too much idle time. We tried to listen to what they didn't want, also. They didn't want gimmicks or things that were inauthentic. They also didn't want to be complicit when it comes to player safety. So what we wanted to do is take a great game and make it a little better."

Cameras and microphones will catch all the action of the game -- in the huddles, on the sidelines, in the locker rooms, in the stands and among the cheerleaders. "In a scrimmage, we had a cameraman right on the field," said XFL President Basil V. DeVito. "Cameras right inside the huddle to hear everything being said after a good play and bad. We've removed boring plays like the fair catch and the point after touchdown kick, which is usually a signal to get a beer from the refrigerator."

Some of the larger rule changes will be:
-- During punts, players can't leave the line of scrimmage until after the punter kicks the ball away, so there won't be any blocks. No fair catches on punts.
-- Punts that go into the end zone or out of play will be spotted at the 35-yard line or wherever the ball lands out of bounds. The concept of fair catches and pinning the opposition down deep are being eliminated with this type of rule.
-- Like the NCAA players will only be required to have one foot in bounds to establish possession on catches. The XFL believes that will make the game easier to officiate and won't lead to long reviews.
-- Replacing the coin toss at the beginning of each game was an event in which one player from each team fought to recover a football 20 yards away in order to determine possession. Both players will line up side by side on one of the 30-yard lines, with the ball being placed at the 50-yard line. At the whistle, the two players would run toward the ball and attempt to gain possession; whichever player gained possession first was allowed to choose possession (as if he had won a coin toss in other leagues).
-- One offensive player is allowed to move toward the line of scrimmage once he was outside the tackles.
-- Full bump and run coverage allowed. Defensive backs were allowed to hit wide receivers any time before the Quarterback released the ball, as long as the hit came from the front or the side.
-- Players who commit a foul which is not serious enough to warrant a penalty flag will be sent off the field for one play. This type of enforcement will keep the game moving quickly without allowing players to break the rules.
-- Teams can attempt two forward passes on the same play, so long as the ball never crosses the line of scrimmage before the second pass. This also means that if a pass is batted back towards the quarterback, he is eligible to throw it again.
-- A play clock of 35 seconds from the end of the previous play, five seconds shorter than the contemporary NFL play clock of 40 seconds, in an effort to speed up the game.
-- Players will be mic'd up and will be allowed to wear a nickname on the back of their jersey, as opposed to the legal last name most professional sports leagues have required since the 1960s.

It appears that the XFL is trying to put out a high-octane, exciting product that football fans will gravitate towards. These rule changes should certainly make for an interesting game and could get fans to tune in early on.

Luck Believes There's lots of Talent Available for the XFL

August 20, 2000

Greenwich, CT – With locations now picked and teams formed, each franchise’s individual front office will be responsible for crafting a roster, with a draft being scheduled as opposed to players being allocated to a team. “We want this league to have legitimate integrity and legitimate competition,” XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck said. “There’s no better way to get the competitive juices of eight coaching staffs going.”

As far as the talent pool available is concerned, Luck has no doubt that there will be more than enough players capable of competing at a high level. “There are more better college players coming out that are just not good enough for the NFL,” Luck said. “They may be too light, they may be an inch or two too short, they may be a little bit too slow to play or don’t have the size to come off the edge as an outside linebacker. But these guys were college all-conference players and in some cases college All-Americans. Doug Flutie would be the perfect player for a league like the XFL. Noting a recent lunch he had with Flutie to gain some insight. He’s an undersized guy who wasn’t that statuesque 6-4, 240-pound quarterback, but, gosh, was he fun to watch and he made things happen. I believe because of the growth and success in the last 15 or 20 years of college football there are more and more players with a name brand coming out of college who won’t make the NFL. We’ll look to get the best players we can possibly get. If the best player is playing minor league baseball, trying to work his way up but is still interested in football, or somebody is trying to reclaim his career by playing up in the CFL, we’ll certainly take a look at those type of guys.”

One thing that could be a unique aspect of the XFL is the lack of the NFL’s age requirement. “What’s very interesting — and most folks don’t realize this — is that no other professional football league is subject to the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement,” Luck said. “That’s the agreement between the players’ union and the NFL which lays the requirement to be out of high school for three years. Maybe we’ll decide at some point to take guys who are two years out of college. There are plenty of guys at that point who, because of injuries and wear and tear on their bodies, they may want to say, ‘listen, I’d rather play a year in the XFL, be a professional athlete and get compensated as opposed to a third year in college.’ But those are things we haven’t decided yet. That’s what we need to do, because the American public wants more football in the spring, but they want quality football. That’s important and that’s our goal.”

Commissioner's Invitations Start XFL Player Recruitment Process

September 7, 2000

Greenwich, CT - XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck this week will start to invite an exclusive list of top free-agent players to be part of the league's first draft pool. "Extending invitations to our tryouts and draft process marks the next step on an extraordinary football journey," said Luck. "Many of the outstanding athletes who receive a Commissioner's Invitation will be among the first to take the field in our new league, proudly representing their fans and their communities. I am delighted to offer them this exciting opportunity."

"It's difficult to put together a composite guy that will be an XFL player," Luck said. "But each of them will have a unique story. In some cases, they were in a bad spot. Maybe they were a fifth-round NFL draft pick but ended up on a team with four or five really good running backs. They're all players that we believe can play quality football."

XFL Tryouts Attract More Than 1,000 Players

September 20, 2000

Greenwich, CT - The XFL teams building their rosters for the inaugural season attracted more than 1,000 players hoping to earn a professional football contract to open tryouts in five cities. "That was a very good group of guys and there is a lot of potential there," said Los Angeles Stars head coach Al Luginbill. "When you are testing these players you want to see how they take to coaching and see if a player is able to do what you're teaching him. Now we will go back and discuss the players who were here and see how they meet the needs we have on our roster. Once we have done that and watched film, I am sure a good number of them will be invited to training camp."

"Without question we saw some guys that we are going to bring back for further evaluation," said Rage head coach Galen Hall. "A razor thin margin separates many of these athletes and that makes the evaluation process difficult. But that certainly is a good problem to have. Our only goal right now is to identify and sign the very best players we can for the start of training camp in January. These open tryouts and private workouts are an important part of that process."

"There really is a lot of talent out there. I've been saying to the fans that they're going to see something that they'll be pleasantly surprised by," said Minneapolis Wild head coach Wayne Fontes.

Fans attending the tryouts liked what they saw. "It is about time for a pro football league like the XFL," said XFL fan Tim Casey, "this is affordable and in your face football."

XFL Uniforms Unveiled

October 5, 2000

Las Vegas, NV - The XFL unveiled it's new team uniforms for it's inaugural season at a spectacular event at the Grand Hall of the Fashion Show Mall in Las Vegas. "We listened to the fans who wanted dynamic and distinctive uniforms for eight teams and you can tell by the reaction here that they are pleased with the results," said XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck. "Some of our marquee players were eager to be here this week and model the uniforms for the first time and only a few weeks from now they will be proudly wearing them again when the XFL season kicks off.

"We could not be more excited to unveil our new team uniforms. Countless hours of creative sessions and collaboration went into bringing these team brands to life. Each team's identity represents the fabric of their local community while also embodying the XFL's vision and ethos. They are authentic, dynamic, modern, and unapologetically bold," said Vince McMahon, Co-Founder. "We can't wait to see our XFL fans representing their favorite XFL teams this upcoming season."

"Every one of these uniforms has a unique energy, intensity, and electricity that each team and their fans will bring on game day. Now is the time for our fans to get behind a team, their team and wear these logos and represent their city with pride," Ebersol added. "From the start, Vince and I have wanted to deliver our fans nothing but the best, and it is motivating to see our creative vision come to life. We have our cities, our team identities, and our rockstar coaches. Now we get to fill our rosters with hungry and deserving players that will wear their uniforms with XFL pride."

"The team names and logos are the results of the diligent work and tireless collaboration between the league marketing team, ownership and our creative partners. This is the moment where our brand comes to life and our shared vision becomes reality for our cities and fans everywhere," added Luck. "We couldn't be more excited by what we have built, and there is more on the horizon."

Offensive XFL Rosters are Built

October 28, 2000

New York, NY - The XFL draft may prove to be one of the more exciting events that the XFL has staged on the road to its inaugural game on the 3rd of Feb 2001. Over the weekend, a total of 480 players will be picked from a draft pool reported to be over 1500. The XFL held their offensive skill position player draft in New York, NY. Each team had twenty selections to draft Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers and Tight Ends to fill out their offensive depth charts. Notable players will be highlighted here:

Los Angeles Stars - QBs Scott Milanovich, Steve Sarkisian and Tommy Maddox, RBs Ken Oxendine, Rashaan Shehee and Saladin McCullough, WRs Darnell McDonald, Jeremaine Copeland, Todd Doxzon, Latario Rachal, Damon Gibson and Damon Dunn, TEs Tremayne Allen and Josh Wilcox
Orlando Rage - QBs Jeff Brohm, Brian Kuklick and Jim Arellanes, RBs Michael Black, Derrick Clark and Brian Shay, WRs Mario Bailey, Dialleo Burks, Shannon Culver, Tony Gaiter and Kevin Swayne, TEs Lawrence Hart, Vince Marrow and Terrance Huston
Las Vegas Outlaws - QBs Mike Cawley, Chuck Clements and Ryan Clement, RBs Pepe Pearson, Ben Snell, Rod Smart and Chrys Chukwuma, WRs Mike Furrey, Yo Murphy, Corey Nelson, Eric Guliford and Nakia Jenkins, TEs Rickey Brady, Marlon Chambers and Keith Jennings
Minneapolis Wild - QBs Jim Druckenmiller, Craig Whelihan and Marcus Crandell, RBs Rashaan Salaam, Rafael Cooper, Roosevelt Potts, and Brent Moss, WRs Darryl Hobbs, Charles Jordan, Kevin Prentiss, Beau Morgan, Damien Dodson and Alvin Harper, TEs AJ Ofodile and Mark Thomas
New York Guardians - QBs Corte McGuffey, Wally Richardson and Charles Puleri, RBs Dino Philyaw, Keith Elias, Mike Archie and Joe Aska, WRs Fred Brock, Kirby Dar-Dar, Andre Coleman, Zola Davis and Anthony DiCosmo, TEs Ryan Collins and Marcus Hinton
Chicago Enforcers - QBs Tim Lester, Paul Failla and Kevin McDougal, RBs John Avery, LeShon Johnson and Charles Wiley, WRs Roell Preston, Ryan Yarborough, Aaron Bailey, Fred Coleman, Zechariah Lord and Luther Leverson, TEs William Tate, Tim Martin and Tyji Armstrong
Birmingham Steel - QBs Jay Barker, Casey Weldon and Graham Leigh, RBs Curtis Alexander, Ketric Sanford and James Bostic, WRs Stepfret Williams, Quincy Jackson, Steve Smith, Kevin Drake, Joe Douglass and Kaipo McGuire, TEs Ed Smith, Scott Thompson and Reggie Johnson
Dallas Desperados - QBs Pat Barnes, Oteman Sampson and Mike Pawlawski, RBs Vaughn Dunbar, Derek Brown, Kelvin Anderson, Jamie Reader, Terry Battle and Juan Johnson, WRs Jimmy Cunningham, Robert Gordon, Calvin Shexnayder, James Hundon, Travis Moore and Brian Roberson, TEs Brian Roche, Joe Kavanaugh and Sean Manuel

Defensive XFL Rosters are Built

October 29, 2000

New York, NY - The XFL held their defensive position player draft in New York, NY. Each team had twenty selections to draft Defensive Lineman, Linebackers and Secondary members to fill out their defensive depth charts. Notable players will be highlighted here:

Los Angeles Stars - DL Ramondo Stallings, Curtis Eason, John Kirksey, Eric Johnson, Matt Keneley and Chad Pegues, LBs Brendon Ayanbadejo, Steve Russ, Rico Mack, Juan Long and Shawn Stuckey, DBs Clifton Abraham, Reggie Durden, Leomont Evans, Dell McGee, Donnell Day and Terry Billups
Orlando Rage - DL Mark Campbell, Sedric Clark, Ben Huff, Ken Anderson, Bill Duff, Andre Purvis and James Roberson, LBs Shawn Banks, Patrise Alexander, James Burgess, Jimmy Clements, Joe Cummings and Kevin Jefferson, DBs Hassan Shamsid-Deen, Ricky Bell, Stephen Fisher, Louis Riddick and Kelly Malveaux
Las Vegas Outlaws - DL Antonio Edwards, Kelvin Kinney, Michael Mason, Carl Simpson and Angel Rubio, LBs Joe Tuipala, Kurt Gouveia, Jonathan Jackson, Mike Crawford and Toran James, DBs Kelly Herndon, Kory Blackwell, Kevin Scott, Donnie Caldwell, Jamel Williams, Hurley Tarver, Brandon Sanders and Chris Bayne
Minneapolis Wild - DL Antonio Anderson, Shante Carver, Tramont Lawless, DJ Cooper, Marvin Thomas and Leonta Rheams, LBs Richard Hogans, Paris Lenon, Cornell Menafee, Patrick Sapp and Caspor Stiles, DBs Corey Sawyer, Shinzo Yamada, Tyrone Bell, Kevin Cobb and John Williams
New York Guardians - DL Dwayne Sabb, Israel Raybon, Christian Maumalanga, Jermaine Smith, James Cotton and Henry Slay, LBs Vernon Crawford, Haven Fields, Ben Hanks, Bernard Russ and Ron Merkerson, DBs Damen Wheeler, Tawambi Settles, Butler B'ynote, Joey Eloms, Mark Tate and Tyree Talton
Chicago Enforcers - DL Matt Finkes, Larry Fitzpatrick, Jason Chorak, Nathan Davis, Aaron Humphrey, Sterling Palmer and Hubert Thompson, LBs Jamie Baisley, Chike Egbuniwe, Carlos Timmons and Casey Dailey, DBs Raymond Austin, Corey Ivy, Dorian Brew, Jason Bray, Troy Saunders and Kerry Cooks
Birmingham Steel - DL Quinton Reese, Charles Preston, Cedric Pittman, Abdul-Salam Noah, Jarrett Loggins and James Brumbaugh, LBs Dion Foxx, Keith Franklin, Malcolm Hamilton and James Willis, DBs Duane Butler, Steve Gleason, Sedrick Curry, Calvin Jackson, Toya Jones, Eric Sloan and Chris Shelling
Dallas Desperados - DL Emile Palmer, Albrey Battle, Jomo Cousins, Eric England, Mike Ulafale, Carl Hansen and Jermaine Miles, LBs Otis Floyd, Jon Haskins, Sam Manuel, Barrin Simpson, Craig Powell and James Williams, DBs Wendell Davis, Dwayne Harper, Terrance Joseph, Kevin Kaesviharn, Ty Howard, Greg Williams and Terrell Sutton

The Trenches Have Been Built

October 30, 2000

New York, NY - The XFL held their third and final player draft in New York, NY. Each team had twenty selections to draft Offensive Lineman and Special Teams Specialists to finish off their rosters. Notable players will be highlighted here:

Los Angeles Stars - OL Bruce Beaton, Scott Whittaker, Bobby Singh, Derek West, Jose Portilla, Jonathan Himebauch, Nate Miller, Jerry Crafts and Chris Brymer, K Jose Cortez and P Noel Prefontaine
Orlando Rage - OL Jeremy Akers, Dan Collins, Cal Dixon, Jason Gamble, Dan Goodspeed, Sean Love, Garin Patrick, Cheston Blackshear and Jeff Miller, K Jay Taylor
Las Vegas Outlaws - OL Tony Berti, Jon Blackman, Lamont Burns, Patrick Kesi, Mark Nori, Adriano Belli, Lonnie Palelei and David Diaz-Infante, K Paul McCallum and P Marcus Williams
Minneapolis Wild - OL Harry Boatswain, Isaac Davis, Jesse James, O'Lester Pope, Glenn Rountree, Mike Sheldon, Tim Seymour and Bernard Williams and P Ignacio Brache
New York Guardians - OL Ben Cavil, Harvey Goins, Chris Perez, Curtis McGee, Juan Porter, Troy Stark and David Camacho and K Leo Araguz
Chicago Enforcers - OL Bennie Anderson, Paul Janus, Octavious Bishop, Derrick Turner, Bryan LaBelle, Rob Murphy and Tony Ramirez and K Andy Crosland
Birmingham Steel - OL Ed King, Ozell Powell, Oliver Ross, Michael Lies, Matt Hogg, Mike Edwards and Antonio Fleming and K Brad Palazzo
Dallas Desperados - OL Scott Adams, Scott Scifres, Brian Waters, Seth Dittman, Pita Elisara, Ben Nichols and Jeff Buckey and K Mike Panasuk

"When we began allocating players to teams, we knew the talent would be there and we would be able to produce a good football game for the fans," said Oliver Luck, XFL Commissioner. "After three days of drafting, our coaches and scouting staff are amazed at the quality of players and how the talent level has far exceeded our expectations. These players are some of the best in their positions but have not been given the opportunity to display their skills. The XFL is giving them the time to shine and their time is now."

"The players who have signed with the Las Vegas franchise thus far are a top-notch line-up of former NFL veterans and skilled players who have the experience to produce on the field," said Las Vegas head coach Jim Criner. "I am anxious to complete my roster and begin training camp in January."

"In the inaugural season, it has been very exciting going through the player allocation process and utilizing a blank canvas to create a winning franchise," said Dallas Desperados head coach Jerry Glanville. "There are many talented players who are looking for another chance to shine and I am glad the XFL is providing that opportunity for both of us."

Success is in the Cards

December 11, 2000

Greenwich, CT - The XFL today named Topps as its exclusive trading card licensee. Topps’ XFL product for the inaugural season is scheduled to hit retail shelves in March 2001, with premium-quality collector cards featuring players from each of the league’s eight teams, including popular autograph and authentic relic inserts. Topps will also produce cards featuring XFL cheerleaders. “When you think of trading cards, you think of Topps,” said XFL President Basil V. DeVito, Jr. “Their products are and have always been first class, and we are excited to have their expertise to help us showcase our league in such an important way.” Topps’ XFL collector cards will feature juiced-up graphics and “smash-mouth” action photography.

XFL Teams Start Training Camps Today

January 4, 2001

San Antonio, TX - The countdown to the XFL's inaugural season reaches another milestone today. The eight teams in the XFL, begin training camp today in San Antonio, Texas. Each team starts camp with 60 players, with rosters cut to 40 for the start of the season.

"As we get closer to our first snap on February 3rd, our experienced general managers and personnel teams have been working around the clock to build their rosters and offer players a chance to begin, extend or revitalize their careers," said Oliver Luck, XFL commissioner. "I know the pressure and dedication that goes into building a championship-caliber team and it's been exciting to see our rosters fill up with talented athletes that have come from all over the country, from small universities in the Midwest to powerhouse SEC schools and successful NFL franchises. They are all vying for another shot in professional football."

"Each day, when I see the personnel notice come across my desk, I'm reminded of why the XFL is a league of opportunity. These players deserve a chance to continue their football careers and I'm honored they chose my league," said Vince McMahon, XFL co-founder. "With our Super Bowl champion league executives, our best-in-class coaches and general managers, these players will take the field in February prepared and supported by those who have been there before them with an opportunity to compete at a high level in front of passionate, engaged fans."

Health Takes Ryan Away from Chicago

January 9, 2001

Chicago, IL - Due to health concerns, legendary former Chicago Bears' defensive coordinator, and current Chicago Enforcers' Head Coach Buddy Ryan is stepping away from the team less than one month prior to the start of the season. Defensive Coordinator Rusty Tillman has been promoted to acting Head Coach, while Defensive Line Coach Jim Tomsula has been promoted to Defensive Coordinator.

NFL Officials Dismiss XFL as Competitor

January 31, 2001

Greenwich, CT - "The NFL has forgotten about the fan," said Vince McMahon. "Middle-class America can't afford to go to an NFL game, which is what brought us to the dance. The NFL is more about corporate America. What we're doing is respecting the fan, giving them more than their money's worth and bringing them closer to the game."

"They have these crazy rules like no fair catches," said Gene Upshaw, executive director of the NFL Players' Association. "I don't even know if it's football they're playing."

"Would you ask the same question to Warner Brothers if they started a league?" McMahon bristled. "The WWF moniker on the XFL is not a negative, it is a plus. What we do in the WWF is entertainment. A sport is a lot easier."

"Well, we don't make much of it, because frankly we've spent so much time focused on our own issues and challenges that we have really not been able to focus on the XFL," NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue said. "In terms of competition, I don't know."

"That'll be another slam or shot -- that we're a minor league for the NFL," XFL Director of Football Dick Butkus said. "We're not. This is a work in progress. America doesn't think when we kick off we'll be on par with the NFL either."

Preview the XFL

February 2, 2001

Greenwich, CT - Let's preview the eight teams of the XFL.

2001 Orlando Rage - The Rage have an experienced quarterback with Jeff Brohm who has bounced around on a couple of NFL teams. He was even the backup for the Cleveland Browns for one game this season. His main target will be Mario Bailey. Bailey is the all-time leader in yards and receptions in NFL Europe. WR Kevin Swayne was a star player with the Iowa Barnstormers of the Arena Football League. Derrick Clark will be the starting running back. He's spent most of his career playing for Rhein Fire of NFL Europe. The Rage don't really have any standout out players on defense. They do have some players (DE James Roberson, DB Stephen Fisher, DT Ken Anderson) who all played under Hall when he coached the Rhein Fire of NFL Europe. Hall has a lot of players with NFL Europe lineage on his roster. He wanted players on his team he was familiar with. It does make sense considering he has led the Rhein Fire to two NFL Europe championships.

2001 New York Guardians - The Guardians have a good quarterback in Charles Puleri and Andre Coleman could be his main target. Puleri was Kurt Warner's backup with the Iowa Barnstormers. He was one of the last cuts by the Dallas Cowboys in training camp and was a first round pick of New York in the XFL Draft. Dino Philyaw was Ricky Williams backup for the New Orleans Saints in 1999. Fullback Keith Elias is one of the local guys on the team playing his college ball at Princeton and playing professionally for the New York Giants. The Guardians should play strong defense because Tillman is a defensive-minded coach. One of those players who could have an impact is DL Christian Maumalanga who has played with 5 NFL teams. The Guardians will be a very aggressive team, blitzing a lot and trying to force turnovers. The Guardians have sold around 20,000 season tickets, that shouldn't surprise people because the waiting lists are so long to get Giants and Jets season tickets.

2001 Birmingham Bolts - Weldon was the second player chosen in the XFL draft. He's another journeyman NFL quarterback that most recently played for the Washington Redskins in 1999. If he struggles it won't take long for the fans to demand local guy Jay Barker. Barker led Alabama to an undefeated national championship in 1992. Besides Quincy Jackson another wide receiver that should be productive is Stepfret Williams, who played with the Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals. Bostic will be the starting running back. He was a two time all SEC player with the Auburn. He bounced around on a couple of NFL teams but never really got the opportunity to play. On defense the Bolts best player is LB James Willis who played seven years in the NFL. He had a career high 96 tackles with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1998. The Bolts have a several SEC players on their roster that should be no surprise considering DiNardo coached two SEC teams.

2001 Chicago Enforcers - Tim Lester was named the starting quarterback. He played college football at Western Michigan. McDougal start the season as a backup. He played with the Milwaukee Mustangs of the Arena Football League last season. The deep threat and kick returner for the Enforcers will be Roell Preston. He played for the Green Bay Packers. Ryan Yarborough is another veteran receiver who has played with the NY Jets and Baltimore Ravens. John Avery will be the starting running back. He was a first round pick with the Miami Dolphins in 1998. Johnson will be his backup. Johnson has played six years in the NFL. In 1998 he missed the entire season with non-hodgkins lymphoma. In 1999 he came back with the New York Giants and rushed for 163 yards in 16 games. Right now Johnson says his health is not a concern. On defense the Enforcers have a lot players who have played in NFL Europe. (DE Jason Chorak, LB Jamie Baisley, DT Larry Fitzpatrick, DE Matt Finkes and others) The Enforcers play their first three games on the road (at Orlando, at Los Angeles and at Birmingham). If they don't get off to a good start it could be a long season for the Enforcers.

2001 Los Angeles Stars - Tommy Maddox beat out Scott Milanovich for the starting quarterback job. It looks like playing Arena Football last season helped resurrect Maddox's playing career. Milanovich was the first player chosen in the XFL draft. When Jeremaine Copeland played at Tennessee he was one of Peyton Manning favorite targets. He played for the Barcelona Dragons last season setting an NFL Europe record 74 catches in one season. In one game last season, he caught 19 passes for 164 yards. He will be the best receiver for the Stars. The Stars will have a solid one-two punch at the running back position. Shehee played for the Kansas City Chiefs. Oxendine played for the Atlanta Falcons. The Stars most experienced player on defense is LB Steve Russ who earned two Super Bowl rings playing for the Denver Broncos. Al Luginbill is an offensive- minded coach. He coached Kurt Warner in NFL Europe. Look for the Stars to be putting a lot of points on the scoreboard.

2001 Dallas Desperados - Pawlawski was named the starting quarterback for the Desperados. He is the most accomplished quarterback in the XFL. In his five years with the Albany Firebirds, he threw for 16,673 yards and 303 touchdowns, leading the Firebirds to an Arena Football Championship in 1999. Barnes is a more than capable backup. His played in NFL Europe, and helped lead the Frankfurt Galaxy to a World Bowl championship in 1999. It's a shame one of these guys will have to be the backup. The starting running back for the Desperados will be Dunbar. He has not played football since 1995, but was a first round pick in the XFL draft. Another running back who could see some playing time is Derek Brown who did play for the New Orleans Saints. The Desperados have a very experienced secondary. Harper played with three NFL teams(Seattle, Detroit and San Diego). Wendall Davis played with the Dallas Cowboys. The Desperados will have the best home field advantage in the XFL. They have sold over 25,000 season tickets.

2001 Minneapolis Wild - Marcus Crandell beat out Druckenmiller and Whelihan for the starting quarterback job. He played college football at East Carolina. Most of his playing experience has been in the CFL. He is a mobile quarterback with a good arm. He will have plenty of experienced wide receivers to throw to. Harper won two Super Bowl rings with the Dallas Cowboys. Charles Jordan has played with the Packers, Raiders and Dolphins. Darryl Hobbs has played with the Raiders, Saints and Seahawks. The starting running back for the Wild will be Heisman Trophy winner Salaam. He hopes playing in the XFL will get him back with an NFL team. Jeff Hall kicked briefly for the St. Louis Rams connecting on 4 of 5 field goals. He may be the best field goal kicker in the XFL but kickers also have to punt. The Wild have some experienced players on defense. LB Patrick Sapp played for the Chargers and the Cardinals. DB Corey Sawyer played with the Bengals and the NY Jets.

2001 Las Vegas Outlaws - Ryan Clement will be the starting quarterback. He played college football at Miami. His favorite target could be Todd Floyd. He played college football at UNLV and helped the Frankfurt Galaxy win a World Bowl championship in 1999. The running backs for the Outlaws only have college football playing experience. Chrys Chukwuma (Arkansas) and Rod Smart (Western Kentucky). At the age of 36, Diaz Infante was brought in to provide veteran leadership to the offensive line. He will coach the younger lineman on the team. He won two Super Bowl rings with the Denver Broncos. On defense their leader will be Gouveia who has played with the Chargers, Eagles and Redskins. Defensive end Antonio Edwards played with the Atlanta Falcons. Defensive back Ron Carpenter has played with the NY Jets and won a Super Bowl ring with the St. Louis Rams.

XFL Week 1: XFL debuts before sellout crowd in Vegas

February 3, 2001

Las Vegas, NV – Moments before the XFL’s first red-and-black football was kicked into the desert night, Vince McMahon stood alone at the 50-yard line of Sam Boyd Stadium. Deafening cheers poured down from the packed stands. “We welcome you to our game!” McMahon shouted. “Thank you for the privilege of competing before you tonight!” Both sport and entertainment, both circus and sideshow, the XFL muscled its way onto the national sports scene with its first two games Saturday night. Though the quality of play wasn’t much better than that of NFL Europe or the CFL, the game was only part of the spectacle. “What you saw was an honest game tonight,” McMahon said.

With exuberant cheerleaders and trash-talking players sharing center stage, the Las Vegas Outlaws beat the New York Guardians 19-0, while the Orlando Rage beat the Chicago Enforcers 33-29 in Florida. As in most early season football games, the XFL’s defenses appear to be ahead of the offenses. Ryan Clement threw for 188 yards and two touchdowns in the Outlaws’ victory, while Orlando’s Jeff Brohm threw for four touchdown passes. Though the slow, choppy and one-sided game in Las Vegas — which included a scoreless second half — left much to be desired, the XFL’s scores and highlights might be secondary. Only Vince McMahon would have the audacity to script something like this upstart league, which unveiled its unique combination of old-fashioned football, technological innovations and a heavy dose of marketing savvy. “This is the culmination of a lot of dreams and a lot of hard work for everybody out here,” McMahon said. “This is all about football, pure and plain and simple.”

“People are here to see what this is all about,” said Dick Butkus, the Hall of Fame linebacker who’s the XFL’s director of competition. “They know what Vince can do, and they like the combination of Vince and football.” The XFL already has made a splash in Las Vegas, a town where garish spectacles are routinely and unabashedly embraced as quality entertainment. The parking lots began to fill with RVs and tailgaters five hours before kickoff. By game time, there was a buzz in the stadium, where merchandise shops nearly outnumbered food stands. Ticket scalpers lined the road to the game, which was sold out on Friday. “This is a great time of year for football. Nobody ever gets tired of football, and Vince knows that. I have so much respect for the players out here,” Butkus said. “They’re doing this just for the love of football. I just know this league is going to grow into something special.”

The opening game was watched on NBC by an estimated 14 million viewers. During the telecast, NBC switched over to the game between the Orlando Rage and the Chicago Enforcers, which was a closer contest than the blowout taking place in Las Vegas. The opening night drew a 9.5 Nielsen rating. The opening-week games actually delivered ratings double those of what NBC had promised advertisers.

-- (0-0)Outlaws 19 - 0 Guardians(0-0)
(LV): QB Clement - 13/28 188 yards, RB Smart - 13 carries, 46 yards, TE Rickey - 3 catches 29 yards, RB Smart - 2 catches, 48 yards
(NY): QB McGuffey - 9/16 103 yards, RB Elias - 6 carries, 45 yards, WR Brock - 8 catches, 97 yards, WR DiCosmo - 4 catches, 38 yards

-- (0-0)Rage 33 - 29 Enforcers(0-0)
(ORL): QB Brohm - 14/22 217 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT, RB Clark - 16 carries, 62 yards, RB Black - 15 carries, 52 yards, WR Burks - 5 catches, 53 yards, 2 TDs, WR Bailey - 3 catches, 60 yards, 1 TD, WR Swayne - 2 catches, 56 yards, 1 TD
(CHI): QB Lester - 12/20 134 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs, RB Avery - 25 carries, 157 yards, 1 TD, RB Avery - 3 catches, 93 yards, 1 TD

XFL Week 1: Pawlawski Outguns Maddox in Dallas

February 3, 2001

Dallas, TX – Dallas K Mike Panasuk kicked a last second 33-yard field goal to lead the Desperados to a 15-13 victory over the Los Angeles Stars. Another new twist followed and that was an immediate interview of the "star" of the game. Now this game, on UPN network, was much more entertaining that the Las Vegas versus New York game.

Desperados QB Mike Pawlawski passed for 288 yards and two touchdowns. He showed a lot of poise and made several good decisions on the team's last possession, taking the team 57 yards to set up the game-winning field goal. Stars QB Tommy Maddox, who played in the Arena Football League last year, had an average performance. He threw for 164 yards, one touchdown and was intercepted once. It may take a while for Maddox to learn head coach Al Luginbill's offensive scheme.

-- (0-0)Desperados 15 - 13 Stars(0-0)
(DAL): QB Pawlawski - 31/47 288 yards, RB Dunbar - 10 carries, 10 yards, WR Roberson - 12 catches, 127 yards, WR Hundon - 4 catches, 59 yards
(LA): QB Maddox - 15/27 164 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, RB Shehee - 13 carries, 37 yards, WR Copeland - 6 catches, 59 yards, WR McDonald - 2 catches, 47 yards, 1 TD

XFL Week 1: Salaam Runs Wild in Birmingham

February 4, 2001

Birmingham, AL – Former Heisman Trophy winner Rashaan Salaam rushed for 154 yards and two scores to lead the Minneapolis Wild to a 22-20 victory over the Birmingham Steel. Other ex-NFL players helped the Wild win the game as well. Darryl Hobbs, most recently with the Seattle Seahawks, caught a 49-yard touchdown pass from Marcus Crandell and Jeff Hall, a member of the 2000 St. Louis Rams, made a key 40-yard field goal late in the third quarter.

Give the Steel some credit, as they overcame a 19-0 deficit in the second quarter to make things interesting. The fans were booing QB Casey Weldon in the opening half and when local hero Jay Barker was shown on the jumbotron, the jeers immediately turned to cheers. Steel head coach Gerry Dinardo ignored the crowd and stuck with Weldon, which turned out to be a good move. The former Florida State star passed for 312 yards and two touchdowns, including one to Quincy Jackson late in the fourth. However, the Wild recovered an onside kick with 22 seconds left to clinch the victory.

-- (0-0)Wild 22 - 20 Steel(0-0)
(MIN): QB Crandell - 11/19 173 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, RB Salaam - 27 carries, 154 yards, WR Prentiss - 7 catches, 94 yards, 1 TD, WR Hobbs - 2 catches, 67 yards
(BIRM): QB Weldon - 24/42 312 yards, 1 INT, RB Bostic - 13 carries, 39 yards, WR Williams - 6 catches, 72 yards, WR Smith - 5 catches, 43 yards, WR Jackson - 4 catches, 66 yards

XFL Opening Weekend an Unqualified Success

February 7, 2001

Greenwich, CT – The XFL had a strong start to its season, exceeding the league's attendance and TV ratings expectations for the first weekend, and delivering an entertaining product to fans. The league is today releasing the official numbers from last weekend and they speak for themselves: Attendance: 140,461, an average of 35,115 for each of the league's four games. Ratings: A 9.5 on NBC on Saturday night and a 3.1 on UPN on Sunday afternoon for a cumulative 12.6 with a stunning cumulative 13.5 among males 12-34, 18-34 and 18-49. In total, more than 54 million unique viewers watched the XFL last weekend.

"It was a great kickoff for our first season and it gives us a strong foundation on which to build," said XFL President Basil V. DeVito, Jr. "We've got 11 more weeks of football ahead of us and everyone associated with the league is truly energized."

"This weekend's four terrific games illustrated that XFL football is an exciting, fast-paced game, featuring players with enormous ability," said Ken Schanzer, NBC Sports President. "As more and more people are exposed to the game, they are going to become fans of the league and in turn, more viewers."

XFL Week 2: Maddox leads way for Stars

February 10, 2001

Los Angeles, CA – Pro football returned to Los Angeles on Saturday night, but it obviously wasn’t the NFL. Former UCLA and NFL quarterback Tommy Maddox threw 65 passes, completing 38 for 412 yards and four touchdowns Saturday night, the last on Los Angeles’ second possession of overtime, as the Stars won their home debut 39-32 over Chicago.

A loud, slightly rowdy crowd of 35,813, many of whom wore Raiders’ gear, watched as the Stars evened their record at 1-1 and the Enforcers fell to 0-2. After bringing Los Angeles back from a 25-13 deficit with two fourth-quarter scoring drives, Maddox capped his big homecoming with a 20-yard scoring pass to Darnell McDonald in the second overtime. The Enforcers failed to score on their ensuing possession, as Tim Lester’s final pass was incomplete in the end zone.

The game, the first pro football contest of any significance in the Los Angeles area since the Raiders and Rams left following the 1994 NFL season, had a few technical glitches. NBC lost power to its truck — a generator ran out of gas — and missed televising most of the first quarter. The network lost its feed 1:45 into the contest, switched to Dallas’ game at Orlando, then returned to the Enforcers-Stars with 4:30 left in the first quarter when the generator was refueled. When Los Angeles’ Rashan Sheehee headed for the goal line early in the game, celebratory fireworks erupted on the rim of the Coliseum. Only Sheehee’s 3-yard run was a yard shy of the end zone. Maddox then sneaked in for the TD, and the fireworks began again. There was a carnival atmosphere in the stands, and particularly in the “Star Zone” — the potted palm-lined area where the party tent was located. Early in the second half, one Chicago fan stood isolated in the stands — with others scrambling to get out of the line of fire — as Stars fans pelted him with wadded-up paper, food and beer. He seemed unfazed. Another fan waved a sign reading, “I’m here for nothing but cheerleaders.”

Los Angeles kicker Jose Cortez slipped on his first field goal try, missing from 34 yards. He missed another 34-yarder in the first half, and one fan said, “He better have kept his roofing tools.” Cortez has worked as a roofer in Corvallis, Ore.

-- (0-1)Stars 39 - 32 Enforcers(0-1)
(LA): QB Maddox - 38/65 412 yads, 2 TDs, 2 INTs, RB Shehee - 8 carries, 36 yards, WR Copeland - 17 catches, 190 yards, 1 TD, WR McDonald - 7 catches, 85 yards, 1 TD, WR Rachal - 6 catches, 63 yards
(CHI): QB Lester - 11/19 220 yards, 2 TDs, RB Avery - 15 carries, 69 yards, RB Avery - 3 catches, 84 yards, 1 TD, WR Bailey - 2 catches, 96 yards, 1 TD

-- (1-0)Rage 26 - 14 Desperados(1-0)
(ORL): QB Brohm - 10/21 161 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, RB Black - 12 carries, 60 yards, RB Clark - 9 carries, 45 yards, 1 TD, WR Burks - 3 catches, 50 yards, WR Bailey - 1 catch, 49 yards, 1 TD
(DAL): QB Pawlawski - 36/52 294 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, RB Dunbar - 6 carries, 25 yards, WR Cunningham - 10 catches, 95 yards, 1 TD, WR Hundon - 5 catches, 51 yards

-- (0-1)Steel 19 - 12 Guardians(0-1)
(BIRM): QB Weldon - 17/26 290 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs, RB Bostic - 18 carries, 107 yards, WR Williams - 8 catches, 134 yards, 1 TD
(NY): QB Puleri - 13/24 193 yards, 1 INT, RB Elias - 21 carries, 51 yards, RB Archie - 6 carries, 8 yards, 2 TDs, WR DiCosmo - 6 catches, 65 yards

-- (1-0)Outlaws 25 - 3 Wild(1-0)
(LV): QB Cawley - 3/13 51 yards, RB Snell - 6 carries, 46 yards, WR Furrey - 2 catches, 26 yards
(MIN): QB Crandell - 9/21 134 yards, RB Salaam - 17 carries, 82 yards, WR Prentiss - 5 catches, 99 yards, WR Jordan - 4 catches, 40 yards
*Outlaws' QB Clement left game in 3rd quarter with injury

XFL Week 3: Road Rage hits Guardians

February 17, 2001

East Rutherford, NJ – The XFL team from Florida heated up in the cold of Giants Stadium to remain unbeaten. The Orlando Rage rallied to beat the New York Guardians 18-12 Sunday night, leaving the Rage at 3-0 and the Guardians winless in as many games in the new league.

Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jeff Brohm, looking like Steve Young, scrambled 33 yards down the middle, juking three defenders on his way to the winning touchdown with 2:33 remaining. “There were a lot of guys slipping out there,” Brohm said. “Maybe that’s why I got in. I played under Steve and learned from one of the best.”

When the sputtering offenses found some rhythm in the second half, the announced crowd of 25,626 came alive. “You could tell we were the warm weather team early on,” Brohm said. “The field and the conditions affected us, but we sucked it up and showed we are the best team.”

The Guardians began moving the ball in the second half behind backup quarterback Wally Richardson. Heeding the advice from several signs in the stands saying “Pull Puleri,” Hitmen coach Ron Meyer benched struggling quarterback Charlie Puleri after another poor half. Richardson guided New York 74 yards on 12 plays and a fourth-quarter touchdown. He hit tight end Marcus Hinton over the middle from the 20 and Hinton bulled into the end zone for a 12-3 edge.

“He did a pretty good job for the first time in there,” Meyer said. “We were just trying to get a spark out of somebody.” The Guardians took the lead 6-3 when Leo Araguz, who had a 42-yard field goal in the first half, made one from 39 in the third quarter. It was set up by Damen Wheeler’s interception and 12-yard return to the Rage’s 29. But Wheeler was victimized for a 42-yard reception by Dialleo Burks that led to Jay Taylor’s second field goal, a 45-yard yarder that made it 12-6. Burks later beat him again for a 22-yarder to the Hitmen 1 and Derrick Clark scored to tie it.

“The field was like a block of ice,” Burks said. “It was like playing in the street. But that is no excuse for us to play the way we did early in the game.” When Richardson’s seam pass to Hinton went off the receiver’s shoulder and was intercepted by Stephen Fisher, it set up Brohm’s decisive dash. “I’m going to tell the coach to put him at running back,” Burks said of Brohm, who vehemently shook his head no at that suggestion.

The Hitmen got to the Orlando 34 in the final minute, but a 20-yard sack and Fisher’s second interception ended the threat. One mic'd Orlando player then pointed to the fans and said, “You all can go home now.”

-- (2-0)Rage 18 - 12 Guardians(0-2)
(ORL): QB Brohm - 10/21 124 yards, 1 INT, QB Brohm - 6 carries, 64 yards, 1 TD, RB Clark - 11 carries, 37 yards, 1 TD, WR Burks - 5 catches, 88 yards
(NY): QB Richardson - 10/19 126 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs, RB Blair - 7 carries, 21 yards, WR DiCosmo - 4 catches, 39 yards, WR Davis - 3 catches, 57 yards

-- (1-1)Steel 14 - 3 Enforcers(0-2)
(BIRM): QB Weldon - 16/27 152 yards, RB Bostic - 23 carries, 77 yards, 1 TD, WR Williams - 7 catches, 81 yards, WR Jackson - 4 catches, 45 yards
(CHI): QB Lester - 12/24 yards, 145 yards, 2 INTs, RB Avery - 20 carries, 87 yards, WR Bailey - 5 catches, 89 yards

-- (1-1)Desperados 13 - 6 Wild(1-1)
(DAL): QB Pawlawski - 19/37 184 yards, 2 TDs, RB Battle - 6 carries, 35 yards, WR Hundon - 7 catches, 68 yards, RB Battle - 5 catches, 54 yards, 1 TD
(MIN): QB Crandell - 11/23 141 yards, 1 INT, RB Salaam - 16 carries, 42 yards, WR Jordan - 6 catches, 109 yards, WR Hobbs - 4 catches, 61 yards

-- (1-1)Stars 12 - 9 Outlaws(2-0)
(LA): QB Maddox - 16/30 166 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, RB Oxendine - 14 carries, 27 yards, WR Copeland - 5 catches, 32 yards, WR Dunn - 2 catches, 70 yards, 1 TD
(LV): QB Cawley - 14/25 129 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs, RB Smart - 15 carries, 24 yards, WR Nelson - 6 catches, 53 yards, WR Furrey - 4 catches, 34 yards

XFL commissioner Oliver Luck on early attendance, TV ratings: 'Something that we can build on'

February 20, 2001

Greenwich, CT – XFL commissioner Oliver Luck isn't about to draw any grand conclusions from the first three weeks of the league's inaugural season, a sample size of merely 12 games. But as Week 4 approaches, he said he's been pleased with the early returns on two important fronts: attendance figures and television ratings which are trending upward.

"I think with both of those factors, both of those criteria, we’re satisfied with where we started," Luck said. "I think we realize we’ve got a long way to go, still, but I think we’ve got something that we can build on. We’ll wait until the end of the year to really draw any conclusions. At this point, I think everybody’s had their home opener but two or three games is not much of a sample size. So those are things we have to have a full year to draw any conclusions."

Through three weeks, the XFL has attracted an average of 19,004 announced fans per game

XFL Week 4: Salaam rushes for 122 yards as Wild beat Stars

February 24, 2001

Los Angeles, CA – Rashaan Salaam splashed his way to 122 yards and a touchdown as the Minneapolis Wild beat the Los Angeles Stars 18-12 in a downpour Sunday night.

Salaam, the 1994 Heisman Trophy winner at Colorado, scored on a 21-yard run in the game that featured 11 fumbles — eight by the Wild and three by the Stars. Both teams lost two fumbles.

Jim Druckenmiller, starting in place of the injured Marcus Crandell, threw a 2-yard TD pass to Mark Thomas and finished 13-of-22 for 215 yards for the Wild(2-2). Jeff Hall kicked field goals of 29 and 23 yards. Los Angeles’ Tommy Maddox was 11-of-35 for 121 yards and a TD, a 6-yarder to Darnell McDonald in the third quarter. Jose Cortez kicked field goals of 40 and 47 yards for Los Angeles(2-2).

The game drew 35,813 fans despite the rain which forced the Stars’ scantily clad cheerleaders to don pants, caps and rain gear.

-- (1-2)Wild 18 - 12 Stars(2-1)
(MIN): QB Druckenmiller - 13/22 215 yards, 1 TD, RB Salaam - 26 carries, 122 yards, 1 TD, WR Prentiss - 4 catches, 100 yards, WR Jordan - 4 catches, 76 yards
(LA): QB Maddox - 11/35 121 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs, RB McCullough - 7 carries, 33 yards, WR McDonald - 6 catches, 68 yards

-- (0-3)Guardians 13 - 0 Enforcers(0-3)
(NY): QB Richardson - 9/13 88 yards, RB Aska - 25 carries, 66 yards, 1 TD, WR Davis - 3 catches, 45 yards
(CHI): QB Lester - 5/14 55 yards, 1 INT, RB Johnson - 16 carries, 48 yards, WR Bailey - 1 catch, 22 yards
*Enforcers RB John Avery missed game due to injury

-- (3-0)Rage 30 - 6 Steel(2-1)
(ORL): QB Brohm - 14/19 167 yards, 1 TD, RB Shay - 6 carries, 58 yards, RB Clark - 9 carries, 52 yards, 1 TD, WR Gaiter - 2 catches, 31 yards
(BIRM): QB Weldon - 27/37 269 yards, 1 TD, RB Bostic - 12 carries, 16 yards, WR Jackson - 8 catches, 132 yards, 1 TD, WR Williams - 5 catches, 38 yards

-- (2-1)Outlaws 16 - 9 Desperados(2-1)
(LV): QB Grieb - 11/23 105 yards, 1 TD, RB Smart - 18 carries, 90 yards, 1 TD, Furrey - 4 catches, 70 yards, 1 TD
(DAL): QB Pawlawski - 25/35 223 yards, 1 TD, RB Johnson - 8 carries, 67 yards, WR Hundon - 6 catches, 70 yards, WR Cunningham - 6 catches, 51 yards
*Outlaws QB Mark Grieb was signed this week

Tell the League to open the Checkbook one more time for the Rage!

February 27, 2001

Orlando, FL – The Orlando Rage are now 4-0, $400,000 dollars richer, and sitting 2 games ahead of the Steel after an easy win against Birmingham. “We have put ourselves in a great position,” Rage Head Coach Galen Hall said. “But I think our players are smart enough to know that it is very early in this season. For the most part, teams in this league are very evenly matched. Even last week, our game would have been a lot closer if you take away a couple of plays.” This week the Rage head to Minneapolis to take on a Wild team hot off a big win against the LA Stars. Since he got the call, QB Jim Druckenmiller has been good for the Wild. When asked if he thinks he should start next game he simply said, “Absolutely.”