3 WINNERS and LOSERS from the XFL-USFL merger 

With the right growth and good ownership, I believe you're right. Two spring leagues battling each other didn't make sense to me, but I loved that year round football. I don't think casual fans would invest in that much football that's not the NFL.

@@johnlewissports Casual fans that hate how rigged the NFL appears just might be interested in spring football. Look at how many people turned up in Saint Louis for BattleHawks home games. Place was packed, and I heard the stadium had to _add_ more tickets after they sold out initially for the first home game. Only made sense to keep STL in the merger, along with the reigning champions of both leagues.

@@AdderTude I went to a Battlehawks game last year and the atmosphere was incredible. As much as I liked the USFL, I think seeing fans and the buzz like that on TV made for a better product for casual fans.

Thing is, this belief that America is "football crazy" simply isn't true. We're NFL crazy and college football crazy in segments of the country but history is littered with defunct leagues started by people who believed it. I hope the league lasts and I think the merger was a smart idea but history is not on it's side.

Good point. A lot of people believe they can just put football out on a field and everyone is going to snap it up. Good football with good marketing, yes. But as you point out, I think we can name how many leagues in just the past 20 years that folded.

Don't blame you for being bummed. The Dragons had a great logo, colors, and fans. I also figure they're on the return radar.

I thought once the Vegas debacle happened, Seattle might be in trouble in the merger because they're kind of on an island. I loved how the community and the Seahawks really embraced them. I'm hoping for a comeback too!

I recognize that, Sea Dragons 🐉 are a good fan base, better than Orlando and San Antonio. But you’re going to have to wait for such expansion because the USFL has a 5 year plan. And they’re going into their 3rd year. So you probably have to wait 3 more years. Just remember that the USFL is a league of ratings and are into hubs cities they could care less about the fans. I will think that after 5 years the Fox Corporation will sell their USFL brand to Dwayne Johnson and Dani Garcia and then will have the expansions teams.

@@thomasjoseph3488in 2020 they did but 2023 they were lame and the crowds weren’t happy either with the change to sea dragons 🐉

@@johnlewissportsthe Seahawks embraces the dragons ?? 🤔 interesting

Thank you so much! I am looking forward to seeing what this new league has to offer. Hope this is the beginning of something special in spring football. And yes, hopefully special enough to see some new cities/team enter the league. I'm hoping to hit a few games this year

I appreciate that subscription! I've always said last year was the Golden Year of spring football. This year, you're exactly right, this might be make or break.

Same huge alt league fan

Correct.

Wasn't that just the case for the first season of the new USFL?

@@SavagePatch115 yes some of the original USFL team owners and executives sued FOX for using the trademarks, but FOX settled in May of 2022.

Too kind! I appreciate that. I was waiting on some actual news to start doing some videos again. Looking forward to the season and I really appreciate your comments.

It's been wild for sure. I'm with you: this is the last chance...until the next chance.

@@johnlewissports well if this enterprise folds. Then it will be a very long time until we get the next one.

@@Mike-aka747 agreed. Especially one that has this much financial backing and network exposure.

@@johnlewissportsplus these two leagues are older now. And had fan bases from 1983 Usfl and 2001 Xfl so after looking into spring leagues most never get anywhere or never leave the gate sort of speak. These are the best two in my opinion with any success. Supposedly the NFL was behind this idea but I can’t verify it but I seen several speak of it. It’s a alt league dream come true I think

@@jummyran agreed. We've all seen a lot of "one and done" or worse "not even one full season" leagues come and go. Hopefully this merger provides some staying power!

That's definitely a dream league! I was really hoping for at least 10 teams. Maybe if the league is successful, they'll bring some back in 2025. How good was last year with a full year of pro football?

Hopefully the merger succeeds and we can see some of those teams come back to life!

Agreed. Keeping it at eight teams is a mistake. Plus, they need to place more teams out west. If the Breakers are returning, they should be moved to San Diego, IMO.

They will expand with time, that just need to make money this year and I’m sure the old teams will be back in play

I really thought 10 was the right number, but 12 could have worked. Seemed like Seattle might have been a late cut. Let's hope for expansion in 2025.

What’s with all the heartache over seattle ??? It was a great market in 2020 but not last year but it’s by far the team a lot of people are missing as with stars vipers and generals

@@jummyran I think Seattle got hosed by some bad scheduling last year. There was a strong fan base, especially as you point out, in 2020. I can see why they felt jilted but with the merger, no doubt being on that west coast island hurt their chances.

Agree 100%. DC has a great fan base, but it sure doesn't hurt they're playing in a 20,000 seat stadium. Looks great on TV. That was always the knock on the USFL with the empty hub stadiums. I hope that changes in 2024!

I think they might have been a late cut. If this league is successful, maybe an expansion to the west would include Seattle. Their scheduling last year was criminal.

I think if we go back and look at the ratings, Orlando was on ABC and got some of the largest ratings even though they were truly the worst team.

@@johnlewissports lol yes I remember that lol they beat the defenders though that was wild

@jummyran still the weirdest win of the 2023 XFL season 😂

@@johnlewissports yup lol ended their undefeated streak if I remember correctly?

One of my favorite footballs in my collection!

I love the 2020 xfl ball too @@johnlewissports

That would be awesome to add another division and call it the AAF. I'm sure Charlie Ebersol would sell that name 😂

When the merger was first announced, it sure sounded as if the XFL was merging to save its life, but now it seems as if they have a lot of say in the UFL. Good question.

I think you're right about the stadium deal. I wonder if the league failed to find a viable place for New Orleans to play in 2024. Glad to see DiFilippo back and building a good team in Memphis.

Makes sense to me. Expansion west of Texas would make the most sense. I'd love to see the Invaders back. The way the Broncos are trending, the Gold might catch on as well! I was surprised Orlando didn't make the cut. Maybe the third time is the charm for a Guardians team.

I think it’d be a no-brainer to bring New Orleans and Seattle back into the league. A dream come true would be if the UFL could get the rights to the Orlando Apollos name but I think Florida and either Pennsylvania or New York will be the next set of markets given teams

@@loganspencer9330 I do wonder if Vegas hadn't been the debacle it was if the merger could have included the Vipers and Seattle. With the Vipers being shuttered that really left Seattle on a geographical island. With New Orleans, there are a couple of stadium renovations and plans. I'm hoping they have a home there. And yes, being back the Apollos if no other reason those sweet unis

Outside of Texas, you're right. Hopefully if there's an expansion in 2024-25, it goes west.

Good question! This is actually the third league called the UFL (not including the scam league called that that's being run right now on a much more minor league circuit). The second UFL ran 2009-2012. I'm doubting they copyrighted or even protected much of its IP.

@@johnlewissports You really know the history. I had no idea there were other leagues who used that name. Thank you.

@@nickhill8612 I'm just old! Thanks for watching and commenting!

@@johnlewissports Age = knowledge and wisdom.

@nickhill8612 I'll go with that 😂

I don't think that was the best financial move for the merger. I hope one day we see that, though!

@johnlewissports I agree , maybe they add 4 next year with a great 2024 season

@@AntoineRideaux-wd1zk that's what I'm hoping for. You know how it is: let's get to a postseason first and then start hoping for more!

Right now, the western half of the nation has no teams. Hope that changes if an expansion happens.

For sure. Really thought there might be a place for Tampa with the USFL, but seems like it wasn't happening and there was a place for Memphis. And moving the Vipers to Vegas...woof.

Agreed. They're starting the season the same weekend as the NCAA basketball regionals, which is more likely to draw the casual sports fan over spring football. Could be a tough start when you're trying to develop a larger fan base.

Hopefully that changes if the league is successful enough to A) continue to 2025 and B) expand outside the original 8.

Unfortunately as we all know with these kinds of businesses, they exist to make money, not to take care of players. The only way they can expand is, of course, make money and figure it's feasible to expand to make even more.

@@johnlewissports yeah I'm subscribing. You seem to understand economics.

@frankym69 I don't know that I understand economics but I've seen my share of alt-football leagues come and go and they all seem to fail for one reason: bad management. Hoping for better for the UFL.

Could be but I'd hate to see the USFL and XFL names fall by the wayside.

Add the Stars in there bro!! You are killing me!!

Seems like it could work there. The Apollos drew around 20k per game. I think if you put a good product on the field and make it an "event" fans will choose it over the alternatives.

I hope the league is successful enough to expand next season and add some west coast (or at least west of Texas) teams, including the Sea Dragons. They really got hosed with some bad scheduling last year. I thought the Maulers might have been moved to Canton. Las Vegas was such a debacle I wonder if any alt-football league will try again there. Agree with a lot of what you're saying.

@@johnlewissports I don't know why people didn't like Vegas as the fans did get behind the team as most of the complaints were that the stadium sucked which is dumb to even point out it's an old baseball stadium and needs to be used or it's just going to sit and decay. I didn't mind the stadium. Also they talked about expanding both the XFL and USFL this year but merged two 8 team leagues into an 8 team league. I think that the reason most alt football leagues don't last is because the people running them assume that just because it's football that people will get behind the teams that they place in a city when football is more culture than just a sport and it takes time to build that culture like if they just focused on putting out quality football instead of trying to turn a massive profit in year one of their league fans would have more trust in the league and be willing to support it going forward plus they always choose the largest markets knowing full well that they'll be expensive. If I were to start a spring football league I'd look at markets that want a pro football team but are flat out ignored by the NFL plus I'd recruit from high schools in the area of each team seeing as not all of them are going to get picked up by a top college team and sign them to three year contracts hire some coaches and team staff that have been to the NFL before to be able provide the players with that knowledge. Plus with the players on a three year contract I wouldn't have to worry about getting players every season and it gives the players the three years out of high school playing time needed for the NFL draft

@@RavenStorm332 talking with some people in Vegas, they said the marketing there was so poor only the die hards knew there was a game happening. As far as the stadium goes, I spoke with some people who worked on the television crews and they said the setup was terrible. That kind of stuff won't draw casual fans, which is what any alt-football league needs to survive in addition to the grassroots fans. I get why the UFL started with 8 (although I was really hoping for 10), but you're right, drawing from some regional fans has to be a key element.

@@johnlewissports I don't think that alt football needs casual fans they'll get invested in play on the field is good so as long as that's quality it should get enough invested to help spread word of mouth. The downside is that if all the stadiums the owners of cashman field didn't promote the games at all whereas lumin field did, it was as if cashman field owners expected people to show up because the Vipers social media team as well as the at game guests were promoting that they were going to be there so the owners figured their fans would show up to the games I want the UFL to put a team in Brockton Massachusetts we have a newish baseball field that hosts our minor league baseball team that I think would be perfect for a UFL team like if they do expand in 2025 I'd gladly take the Vipers team plus they could keep the Red and black colors on their uniforms as our high school Football team uses the same colors plus Campello Stadium looks better than cashman field

@@RavenStorm332 I think you have to have casual fans to grow the game, which is why the league announced the news on the FOX NFL pregame show (which draws pro football fans) and ESPN's College Gameday (for the NCAA crowd). We are part of a strong but small base of die hard fans. To build the game, you have to have the fans who will also tune in from time to time. Then, to your point, I think word of mouth spreads. The owners of the field aren't responsible for promoting, it's the team and the league, and I think the efforts were hit and miss across the board. Vegas was definitely a miss. I'll be interested to see if the league is successful this season if there's expansion west and northeast. Here's to hoping!

Sadly, they're out for now. I'm really hoping there's enough success this season to revive some of those franchises.

Tampa Bay Bandits too… damn!

They rebranded the Bandits last season as the Memphis Showboats. Dont think Tampa Bay is going to happen again anytime soon sadly.

@@mattmurdock7444they’ve been gone for awhile now since the showboats replaced them

Seattle was definitely a loser in the merger. I think the Texas teams are the result of the HQ being in Arlington, a good fan base in San Antonio and Houston being a "crossover" market from both leagues. Plus financially, with all the teams hubbed in Arlington, travel costs are lower when those teams play each other.

I was surprised when they went with UFL. Maybe the third (or so) time is the charm for a league with that name.

I don't disagree. I do wish they had gone with 10 teams rather than 8, but I'll take fewer if it means long term success.

The Gamblers did kinda stay. Just called the Roughnecks, which is still hard to grasp. Long live Kippy Brown 🙌