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St. Louis BattleHawks Reportedly Set for a Comeback

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During the 2020 XFL season there was one team that stood out from before anyone even hit the field; the St. Louis BattleHawks. Maybe it was partially because they were the only city without an NFL franchise, but the St. Louis locals embraced the team from the very beginning giving them one of the largest following of the league.

The BattleHawks led the XFL in attendance in the shortened season, and were even on track to have over 50,000 in attendance for their week 7 matchup against the Los Angeles Wildcats.

Last week XFL co-owner Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson joined CNBC Tech Check, during which he took the chance to speak about the upcoming return of the XFL. In the segment Johnson mentions that news should be coming early next year, and specifically mentions new teams and cities.

Naturally, this led the fans to speculation on which teams would stay and which would go. The biggest concern on the internet was the possibility that the XFL would not return to St. Louis.

Well, it seems that we may have an answer… sort of…. possibly.

Former St. Louis BattleHawks guard Bruno Reagan took to Twitter to say “BattleHawks are back”.

It was expected that St. Louis would still be in play for the XFL return, but it’s nice to see some possible confirmation.

In the last week since we heard from The Rock we’ve seen a lot of talk on social media about the franchise. Well, it wasn’t just fans; it was also lawmakers.

State Rep Nick Schroer penned a letter to the XFL, laying out his reasoning for the team’s return to St. Louis when the league reopens in 2023.

We’ll need to wait a little bit longer until it’s made official, but it looks as if everything is on track for a BattleHawks return to STL.

Since the very beginning there have been some very vocal podcasts assuring fans that the team would be back in the mix, and kudos to the XFL STL Talk Show for following the developments throughout the year. As we ramp up towards the return, you expect a lot more news to be coming through the pipeline.

UPDATE: Since our original report we have seen some stating that the team is not officially back in St. Louis. Woodside does say that the league has been in touch with the city about using The Dome, but nothing is in writing just yet.

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After this came out, a fan asked Reagan what his thoughts were on the rebuttal, and he seemed surprised. He also seemed to drop a few more pieces of potential XFL news in his response.

Reagan goes on to say that everything he’s heard has been confirmed by multiple people. Additionally, he gives us some more information on the rest of the locations.

According to him teams in California and Texas are on the table, with Miami and Orlando in consideration for new markets. He also says that the XFL wants to expand to 10 teams, which could happen after a successful first season with an initial eight franchises.

We’re looking forward to hearing what the XFL has in store for it’s return in 2023, and we’re ready to find out where the teams will land when they they make them official.

If the BattleHawks return to St. Louis should they still play out of The Dome, or move to the new MLS stadium? Let us know down in the comments below or join the conversation on Discord.

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Stephan Rachuk
Owner/Editor XFL Newsroom
Originally from Detroit, I grew up a Lions fan, which has now led me on a lifetime journey to find better football. I'm now living in the greater Houston area and I am one of the few journalists covering spring football. Contact: stephan@rachuk.com
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12 Comments

  1. The MLS stadium would be great as it is grass, brand new, fans close to the field, etc. The dome is old but if the city has the same interest as before, to see 50k fans would be awesome.

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  2. The smaller venue would be inviting, but can’t imagine the soccer team with a new stadium having a football team tearing up the turf in the game they would play. Plus, it would be difficult to duplicate the noise level that exists in the Dome.

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  4. The city just was awarded a fat check from NFL. Do some modest updates to the dome and let’s fill it up with 50,000+!

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  5. “According to him teams in California and Texas are on the table,”

    San Antonio Commanders and San Diego Fleet, baby!

    “with Miami and Orlando in consideration for new markets.”

    Typical that Rock would want a team in his home away from home. I hope the others talk some sense to him of why it’s a bad idea to compete with the Dolphins (who are now winning again). On the bright side, Orlando Rage (or Apollos), baby!

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  6. Gotta be the dome. The fan base was growing weekly and 50,000 + screaming is better than 22.000 all-day long. Kaw kaw!!!

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  7. Definitely in the new outdoor MLS stadium. They could use some help paying for it. With that 780 million stl got from the NFL, we could knock down that old relic dome. Nobody likes it, even when we had the NFL here.

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  8. Many fans, including me will not endure the weather to watch an XFL team. The dome is the only venue that makes sense in STL. Kakaw Kakaw

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  9. Cannot believe the XFL is not going to Oakland & San Diego. Like St. Louis they are spurned NFL cities & would support football like we have done. Kaw Kaw!

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  11. For several reasons, I can’t see using the MLS stadium. One, if the interest is even close to before, 22k isn’t big enough. Two, that would assume the season is in a different time of year as before. Feb in STL is pretty much a non-starter for outdoor football. Three, absolutely zero indication that the MLS stadium has any design to be multi-sports purpose. Yes, talk of concerts, but that’s much different than another sport on the same field/pitch. I can’t imagine MLS or that owner group would be interested in sharing their jewel.

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  12. I personally believe and have stated for the past several years since the return of the XFL was announced by previous league owner Vince McMahon in 2018 that the XFL should ultimately expand to a grand total of 16 American teams in major American Cities across the United States and the XFL as it currently stands now us only halfway there with both the eight current XFL Franchise Cities and teams that are part of the league in the New York Guardians, Washington Defenders, Tampa Bay Vipers, Seattle Dragons, Houston Roughnecks, Dallas Renegades, Los Angeles WildCats,and my city of St.Louis and our Pro Football team iwith the XFL in the St Louis BattleHawks and the next intelligent course of action should be to finish the job by both bringing back ALL eight of the current XFL teams in their current and respective XFL Franchise Cities in New York, Washington, Tampa Bay, Seattle, Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles, and my city,the GateWay City,St Louis for the return of the XFL to the field to play Pro Football in February of 2023 and most assuredly expand to other major American Cities that have such strong and longstanding history of supporting their Pro Sports and Pro Football 🏈 teams across America such as Chicago, Baltimore, Orlando, Atlanta, San Francisco, San Diego, Minnesota, and Miami and award those cities with new XFL Expansion Teams to join the XFL by either the beginning of the 2023 XFL Season or no later than 2024 or 2025. Also,this will ultimately do a tremendous amount of good things for the XFL as more American East Coast cities join the league with new XFL Expansion Teams in cities such as Chicago, Baltimore, Orlando, Atlanta,and Miami it would finally restructure and straighten out the XFL Eastern Conference with more teams in the XFL that are actually located on the East Coast of the United States to begin with and would create natural rivalries with current XFL Eastern Conference Cities and teams such as the New York Guardians, Washington Defenders,and the Tampa Bay Vipers with these teams having brand new opponents in the XFL Eastern Conference with XFL Expansion Teams in added to the league in Chicago, Baltimore, Orlando, Atlanta,and Miami and it would finally allow and enable my St.Louis BattleHawks to move where we should correctly be in the league in the XFL Western Conference which would undeniably create great rivalries with the St.Louis BattleHawks and the Seattle Dragons, Houston Roughnecks, Dallas Renegades, and the Los Angeles WildCats with all the Pro Football 🏈 history between L.A. and my city of St.Liouis and if and when the XFL expands to other major West Coast American Cities such as San Francisco,Minnesota,and San Diego,we and our beloved BattleHawks here in St.Louis would have a great series of games with both new XFL Expansion Teams in San Francisco and San Diego which would undeniably bring million of new American Pro Football 🏈 Fans into watch and supporting the XFL with new Pro Football 🏈 teams in all of those cities which will also make the XFL millions of dollars in guaranteed revenue on an annual basis as well in my view. The Time To do this is precisely now. Go For,Rock and The XFL!!!!! Get It Done and Get The XFL Back On The Field In February of 2023!!!!!

    Reply

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