Is the XFL Worth It?

You may have heard of the XFL championship. Marketed as an outright battle between two downright insane teams, it ended with the Arlington Renegades defeating the D.C. Defenders, 35-26. But what even is the XFL, and why do we even care about this clear NFL ripoff?

Firstly, XFL stands for the Extreme Football League. It is the springtime alternative to the National Football League (NFL) and includes eight teams from Seattle, Houston, Washington D.C., Las Vegas, Dallas, San Antonio, St. Louis, and Orlando. The XFL initially started in 2001 but quickly shut down due to insufficient funding. An attempt to revive the league in 2020 was halted due to COVID-19. The new version, owned by Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson and Dany Garcia, among others, launched just this year. As former co-owner Vince McMahon stated, “The NFL stands for the 'No Fun League,' while the XFL is the ‘Xtra Fun League.’” However, many people say the XFL is a waste of time. Seventh-grader Brandon W. says he “just doesn’t feel like watching it.” Before we go on and on about all the bad things about the XFL, let’s hear all the positive things about it. 

First, of all, the XFL is another opportunity for prospective NFL players to play. They can play in the XFL and get back to the NFL. (The XFL aims to be the primary league, not the secondary league. I doubt that will happen, but they can always keep dreaming.) 

Secondly, the tickets are cheaper. An average XFL ticket is about $10, while the average NFL ticket is about $151. I have been to an XFL game and can say it was spectacular. There were way more fans than I had expected. Also, the performance was not too bad. The only big difference is that there were way more fumbles than the NFL.

Another upside is that the jerseys are more exciting. They have colors like neon orange, highlighter yellow, and powder blue. 

Finally, the plays are more exciting. Since the XFL has chiefly retired NFL players, the defense could be better and the quarterbacks are more careless. That leads to more interceptions and touchdowns. These kinds of plays are the exciting plays you want to watch. So if you are bored watching dull, predictable NFL plays, then you should watch this league.

However, there are things that the XFL needs to work on. For example, their rules need improvement. This is mainly because of player safety. The way they do extra points is not the best. The option of one, two, or three points after a touchdown ruins the point of getting a one-point conversion. Another rule that I don’t like is that teams start playing five yards apart. The kicking team is at the opponent’s 35-yard line and the return team is at its 30-yard line. The kicker then kicks the ball and the receiver catches it. The kicking team can only move once the receiver touches the ball. They do this for more safety. I prefer the NFL rules, where the players are lined up with the kicker and start running after he kicks the ball. It has more impact and is more fun to watch. 

As I stated before, the XFL consists mostly of former NFL players. That means the XFL has a slightly lower skill level than the NFL, which results in a lower interest in watching.

Still, this spring sport is exciting to watch and is a pleasant alternative to the NFL. If you are searching for a team to root for, the Seattle Sea Dragons are a good option and might just become your new favorite springtime Seattle team.