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With NFL and NCAA football already established in the sports world, the USFL and XFL may have some fans scratching their heads … or buying tickets. So is the USFL the XFL? The answer is “No.”
Back in 1983, the USFL held its inaugural season, hanging on for a couple of years before folding. Nearly 20 years later, in 2001, the XFL tried its hand at spring football but fizzled out almost immediately. Now these two leagues are back for another try. With their combined seasons running from February through July, they’re attempting to conquer spring football once again, and we’ve got all the info you need, including the differences between USFL vs. XFL, answers about a USFL and XFL merger and the role of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in the XFL.
The USFL is back with eight teams split between two divisions — North and South. Each team has a 10-game schedule that includes two matchups, each with fellow division teams and one game against each team in the opposing division. The top two divisional teams will battle it out in a semifinal tournament, followed by a championship game. The upcoming season starts April 15, with each of the four host cities — Detroit, Memphis, Canton and Birmingham — playing games within the first three weeks. Here is a breakdown of USFL teams:
Originally the brainchild of World Wrestling Entertainment owner Vince MacMahon, the XFL rebooted after a 19-year hiatus. Unfortunately, that reboot came in 2020, causing the pandemic to sideline the league. After two failed attempts, the XFL is giving it another go. Is the third time a charm? It might be, considering The Rock is the new XFL owner, with Dany Garcia and Gerry Cardinale as partners. Plus, ESPN is slated to broadcast the games. The league will host a 10-week regular season followed by a three-week, three-game postseason championship series that will see these teams competing for the top spot:
So will fans see a USFL and XFL merger? All signs point to no. While they’re not going head to head on the field, they’ll be competing for that simple, age-old award — bragging rights. The two leagues won’t occupy the same playing calendar, but there will be a short stint of ratings battles starting in mid-April when their seasons overlap. In fact, the battle flag already dropped when the USFL ran a multi-month ad campaign advertising their entertainment as “real football” and not a Hollywood knockoff — a not-so-subtle stab at XFL owners Johnson and Garcia.
No matter which side of the USFL vs. XFL fence you’re on, Hibbett | City Gear is the place for football equipment, cleats and NFL gear to prepare in advance for the boys of fall.