ESPN and FOX networks will back the newly formed UFL sports league. Yesterday, Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia on Sunday unveiled plans for the United Football League, the new spring season pro-football league born from the merger of the XFL and USFL.
During an appearance on Fox’s “NFL on Fox”, Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson and his associate Dany Garcia announced that this new merged league will begin March 30, 2024 with a game between the Arlington Renegades and Birmingham Stallions, the previous champions from each league. More details are expected soon regarding teams and markets.
Fanbase & Distribution
While many mainstream consumers assumed the XFL was in dire straits, some diehard fans do exist. The championship games for both leagues have been viewed by millions. Thus, there could be a core fanbase to build off of with plenty upside. The real question is how limited growth can be because of the NFL’s staying power. Surprisingly, ESPN, ABC and FOX networks have been noted in the promotional literature for the leagues.
There could be pressure on these media outlets due to Amazon’s newfound relevance not just in the NFL, but sports generally. Amazon recently penned a distribution deal via its ‘Amazon Prime’ video service to host PPV view events in boxing. Unlike boxing, the NFL is even more relevant due to fan friendly viewing times and no costs. Thus, Amazon has access to diverse audiences in niche products and more fan friendly sports like American football. Perhaps, these other broadcasters are looking to parlay the