After months of silence, the XFL dropped a massive bomb on Monday, as an agreement between the league and the NFL was announced.
Athletes, innovation and advancing the sport of football are core pillars for us @xfl2023. Our collaboration with the @NFL is powerful for the future of our athletes & pro football. It's a win Iām proud to usher forward as Chairwoman. More to come! https://t.co/oYbZjilQyG pic.twitter.com/8Dj0fp4n3x
— Dany Garcia (@DanyGarciaCo) February 21, 2022
This was a surprise to some, as spring football entities have experienced past difficulties when attempting to work with the NFL. However, the XFLās new ownership was able to make something happen, and it might just change the future of spring football forever.
Before we get ahead of ourselves, it is crucial to understand the important details of this collaborative agreement – at least the few that we know of so far.
Feeder League Is A No-Go
Right off the bat, the XFL made it clear that they do not plan on being a feeder league for the NFL. Dany Garcia, one of the XFLās co-owners, said that this partnership is not going to put the business in that position.
While the two organizations will be working together, the XFL has prioritized having and maintaining their own identity, as they plan on playing professional football at a high level during the spring. Their cumulative goal has always been, and always will be to be known as a stand alone professional football league; and this agreement is not going to change that.
Testing Grounds For The NFL
That being said, this move will allow for the NFL to use the XFL as an avenue to test and develop new rules, innovations, ideas, and more. In a way, the XFL will serve as a testing ground for the NFL. Marc Ross, Executive VP of Football Operations for the league, discussed the new deal on the NFL Network.
Game changing day for @XFL2023 with the announcement of collaboration with @NFLFootballOps @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/V3zSktlB4K
— Marc Ross (@MarcRoss) February 21, 2022
Essentially, the XFL will still be their own independent entity – but will work with the NFL to implement innovations that will change the game for the better. Dany Garcia said this about the new agreement:
āWe are extremely pleased to collaborate with the NFL in these important areasā¦We are bringing forward an XFL that is progressive and forward-thinking when it comes to innovation, leveraging the newest technology to enhance gameday experience. We have an open field for innovative rules to enhance in-game access. Sharing insights and practices between the XFL and NFL will do a tremendous amount of good for the game of football and support the player ecosystem overall.ā
Since its resurrection in 2018, the XFL has always been about innovation. With this deal in place, the XFL has the opportunity to continue to create new ways to watch the game of football for years to come.
What Does The Future Hold?
Without a doubt, having a deal in place with the NFL makes the XFLās chances of success much higher moving forward. While it doesnāt guarantee that everything will be picture perfect, the league is in an excellent spot to build upon their 2023 season with the NFLās support.
Currently, we do not know all of the details that this deal holds. Is the XFL making a profit off of it? Will the NFL be providing financial support to the league through this agreement? Right now, we do not know.
With that in mind, this agreement could set the tone for spring football as we approach the XFLās 2023 kickoff; and we should expect the leagueās ownership to bring nothing but the best out of this deal for both sides.
Exciting time in football as our @XFL2023 will join forces with the @NFL to collaborate on innovation opportunities to expand & grow the game of football.
As an XFL owner, my #1 priority will always be the players.
āļøšš¾https://t.co/thLLn4NI9o#XFL#NFL#InnovationAndOpportunity pic.twitter.com/rr0WPc3ua3— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) February 21, 2022
Are you excited for the XFL to work with the NFL? Do you think the XFL will succeed in 2023? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!