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Sport

25th Jan 2018

WWE CEO Vince McMahon has announced he is creating a new football league

Rory Cashin

Say hello to the XFL.

In the hours leading up to a live-streaming event on Thursday, everyone assumed that WWE CEO and Chairman Vince McMahon would be talking about something, y’know, wrestling related.

And everyone was WAY off…

In the announcement, McMahon said “The new XFL is an exciting opportunity to reimagine America’s favorite sport.”

“As we move towards kickoff, we look forward to listening and implementing innovative ideas from players, coaches, medical experts, technology executives, the media and most importantly football fans.”

The new XFL league is set to kick off in 2020 (just in time for a new/remaining President!), and will ‘deliver a fan-centric, innovative experience, including shorter, fast-paced games and a family-friendly environment, complemented by cross-platform viewing options and real-time fan engagement.’

The launch of the league is set to feature eight teams, with a 40-man active roster.

A regular season is set to last 10 weeks, culminating with two post-season semi-final playoff games, and one championship game.

Will the XFL be able to compete with the AFL and the NFL? Who knows. But the (other?) good news is that Vince McMahon will still be staying on as the head of WWE.