The XFL, the football league owned by Dani Garcia and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, could be on the verge of merging with the USFL.
Rock and Garcia teamed up with RedBird Capital to buy the bankrupt XFL in 2021 after Vince McMahon folded the league when its 2020 season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
They made an agreement with Disney to air games across channels such as ESPN, FX, and ABC. The inaugural relaunch season happened earlier this year, with the Arlington Renegades defeating the DC Defenders in the championship game.
Shortly after the inaugural season had come to a close, Forbes reported the league lost an estimated $60 million this year after paying $23.5 million for it. Next season, the league projects $100 million in revenue, with about a quarter of its income coming from ESPN, which pays the league $20 million per season. Garcia was quoted as noting that she remains optimistic about the future of the league.
Axios.com reports that the XFL is seeking to merge with the USFL. The report states the two sides are in “advanced talks.” Sportico is also reporting the two leagues are in talks.
Per Axios’ report, the talks would see a 50/50 merger between the two sides, with broadcasts for the games to be split between FOX and Disney-owned stations.
