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SPORTS Saturday 27 January 2018

Spring football could work, but XFL2 not the answer

By PAUL NEWBERRY to do with politics, nothing entity plan — he’ll be the league stadiums (San Anto- ing lower-level pros who
AP Sports Columnist to do with social issues,” he sole owner of the eight- nio comes to mind). might thrive in a bigger
Vince McMahon is resusci- said. “That’s what the fans team league — there’s un- — Restrict ownership to role and college stars pro-
tating the XFL. want. When they tune in to likely to be nearly enough those who not only have jected to go in the later
OK, let’s get the bad jokes rounds of the NFL draft. Al-
out of the way: Are some ways be on the lookout for
teams going to be wear- someone like 2016 Heisman
ing masks and represent- Trophy winner Lamar Jack-
ing parts unknown? Will son, the subject of wildly
the hook-and-ladder play varying draft projections,
involve smashing someone who might have a better
with a real ladder? chance at playing time in
The XFL was a “colossal fail- a new league. And let’s not
ure” the first time McMahon forget: Colin Kaepernick is
tried it — his words — and still unemployed.
there’s every reason to be- — Line up a traditional TV
lieve XFL2 will meet a similar deal to provide financial
fate. stability, perhaps some
But a spring football league, combination of a ma-
done the right way, could jor network and a newer,
work. sports-themed cable outlet
And, no, we’re not kidding such as NBCSN or Fox Sports
around. 1. But also be on the cutting
The United States Foot- edge of subscription servic-
ball League came up with es, mobile streaming and
the most feasible concept other innovative conduits
back in the 1980s, only to that appeal to a younger
crumble after just three audience.
seasons because of out- In essence, follow the mod-
of-control spending and el laid out by the late Da-
a suicidal push by owners vid Dixon, the New Orleans
such as Donald Trump to businessman whose long-
compete directly against time push for an out-of-sea-
the NFL . son league finally came to
But the USFL might still be fruition with the launch of
around today if it had stuck the USFL in 1983.
to its original concept, In this Feb. 4, 2001, file photo, San Francisco Demons wide receiver Brian Roberson jumps over Looking back, that first sea-
which was to serve as more Los Angeles Xtreme cornerback Dell McGee duringthe fourth quarter of an XFL football fam in San son was a rousing success
of a complement to the Francisco. Associated Press in many ways. The Denver
NFL than a direct competi- Gold averaged more than
tor. a game, they don’t want money to lure any recog- deep pockets, but are to- 41,000 fans. Overall atten-
The timing is ripe for anoth- to deal with political issues. nizable names, unless Tim tally committed to the con- dance was roughly in line
er attempt. They want to watch good Tebow (yes, he came up cept (i.e., not simply trying with the hoped-for 25,000
While the economy is football.” during the announcement to turn their investment into per game. TV ratings on
booming and football re- Good football will likely be Thursday) decides to make a merger with the NFL). ABC and then-fledgling
mains the nation’s most the fatal flaw in McMahon’s a football comeback. Point out the relative bar- ESPN actually exceeded
popular sport, the NFL is new venture, just as it was But an updated version of gain of owning a team in projections. The quality of
contending with shrinking for the original XFL. While the USFL concept would the new league compared play was solid.
TV ratings, empty seats and the risque cheerleaders have a real chance at suc- to, say, the Carolina Pan- But the seeds of the USFL’s
a lingering debate over and close ties to wrestling ceeding during the spring thers, whose selling price downfall were already in
players kneeling during the brought plenty of much- and summer, football’s tra- will surely exceed $2 bil- motion. When the New Jer-
national anthem to protest deserved ridicule, it was ditional offseason. lion. Maybe Mark Cuban sey Generals skirted the sal-
social injustice. For the first the amateurish quality of Here’s a few ideas: would be interested in a ary cap to lure Heisman Tro-
time in decades, there are play that ultimately caused — Start with 10 or 12 teams, Dallas franchise. Reach out phy winner Herschel Walker
actually some cracks in the its downfall. As Bob Costas split between major NFL to Oprah Winfrey about a away from Georgia, it only
league’s armor. memorably observed, it cities such as New York, Chicago team. led more teams to dole out
Clearly, those issues figured was “mediocre high school Chicago and Los Angeles; — Don’t get into a bid- big bucks in pursuit of stars.
into McMahon’s planned football” combined “with a those that have lost teams ding war with the NFL over That, in turn, led to huge fi-
re-launch of the XFL in 2020 . tawdry strip club.” (San Diego, St. Louis and players. Focus heavily on nancial losses. Dixon wisely
“As far as this league is con- Since McMahon’s new XFL soon-to-be Oakland); and scouting and develop- walked away after that in-
cerned, it will have nothing will follow the same single- untapped markets with big ment, which means pursu- augural season.q