suspension of their operations and their lack of plans for 2021.
The XFL didn't do poorly at the gate and even though their television ratings slid from their opening week, I believe that had the perfect scenario not occurred with Covid-19, the league would have returned for the second season and then who knows what could have happened.
I really enjoyed the XFL as I did the AAF and I'm sad to see the XFL go because I still think there is a market for spring football.
However, I'm at a loss on how best to present the product.
Both the XFL and AAF struggled with quarterback play and when the quarterbacks struggle, fans don't always stick with the product.
If you are going to be what is in effect a minor league, the casual fan doesn't seem interested and only wants to compare the league to the NFL.
That's a dumb reason because college football isn't the NFL either and it's plenty popular.
The USFL had some very good quarterback play with two eventual Hall of Famers in Steve Young and Jim Kelly, but that avenue has its problems as well.
Going after star players means you are stepping on the NFL's toes and having to pay to land those players.
Paying big money means even larger losses as you attempt to get the league off the ground and almost every new league professes a business plan and plenty of cash to offset the initial losses.
That lasts until the losses start coming in and that's followed by panic.
The WLAF tried in the spring with NFL backing and it too failed, although there were some successes with a few of the European teams.
The NFL's problem in these matters seems to come down to this- They would like to see a league like the WLAF (or the AAF, who they came close to an agreement with) be available for training and developmental purposes, but the teams are then skittish about potential injuries.
That concern alone would likely see only undrafted free agents allocated to a league and almost certainly not a quarterback with questions about the also developmental status of offensive lines in such a league.
Vince McMahon tried going gimmicky with XFL 1 and more football-based with XFL 2 and neither succeeded, although I'm going speculate that the reasons that the XFL isn't back for a second season are the losses from Covid-related cancellations and the recent huge tumble in WWE stock may have combined to make McMahon hesitant to continue with the venture.
I don't have an answer for what would work for spring football, but I wonder why these investors/owners start leagues/buy franchises if they don't have the stomach for early losses.
Any new venture in sports is going to lose money and lots of it- if you can't afford to lose money for years and one would think that you would know that before even considering getting into sports, why would you throw your money away knowing you are (no pun intended) out of your league.
In the end, it's another failed team to add to the graveyard of teams with the Kentucky Colonels, Cleveland Crusaders, Southern California Sun, Chicago Blitz, Arizona Wranglers, Memphis Showboats, San Francisco Demons, Arizona Hotshots and now the D.C. Defenders.
R.I.P.
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