XFL, USFL announce intent to merge

The XFL and USFL, two competing spring football leagues, will vie against each other no more. The two plan to merge.

The USFL made the announcement Thursday morning, saying the paperwork had been filed to merge with the XFL, which is owned by superstar Dwayne ‘the Rock” Johnson.

The USFL issued a statement to the media, explaining what the league has done so far to legally unite the two leagues.

“Subject to customary regulatory approvals and if the transaction is consummated, the new league will establish best-in-class operations based on the most recent seasons of both leagues. This historic combination will anchor professional spring football with substantial capabilities and resources to ensure future growth and continue to enhance the development of the collective players, coaches, and staff that are coming together.”

XFL, USFL got their starts years ago

Both the XFL and USFL are reiterations of their former selves. Both leagues came online decades ago, only to fold. The XFL, which first played football in 2001, made a second premiere in February 2020. But the pandemic canceled its season a month later. The league went bankrupt, with Johnson and his partner, Dany Garcia, buying it. The league, again, premiered this past February.

The USFL, a league that started in the 1980s as a one-time competitor to the NFL, kicked off in its current form last year. However, all the teams practiced and played their games in Birmingham, Ala. This year, the franchises moved to their own cities and stadiums. The USFL started as the XFL was winding down.

The XFL has franchises in Arlington (TX), Houston, Las Vegas, Orlando (Fla), San Antonio, Seattle, St. Louis and Washington D.C.

The USFL plays in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Birmingham, Houston, Detroit, Memphis and New Orleans. The New Jersey Generals, which is a nod to the original USFL franchise once owned by Donald Trump, played their games in Canton, Ohio this past season.

Neither of the two leagues set themselves up as competitors to the NFL. However, both are second-chance leagues with most rosters populated with players who’d like another chance at the big show. Plus, the networks use their games as content to fill their spring schedules. Disney broadcasts the XFL, while Fox and NBC push the USFL.