RyanChristiansen wrote:I started following the major XFL discussion groups on Facebook and if the discussion in those groups is any indication of how this league will do, it will likely fail. It's not that people don't like the league, and if you go on their web site the authentic footballs are quite popular (and sold out--I contend because of the way they look when you throw a spiral), but the discussion in those groups focuses largely on expansion, comparing the XFL to the AAF, and hope that the XFL becomes a minor league. If that's what people are interested in, I contend the league will fail, because sports has always been about stories. People want to be witness to a great story and I don't think there's a story. People aren't talking about players, plays, teams, etc. (At least not to the degree they're talking expansion and other concepts.) That's why I think this league will fail.
Here in Mexico there is a semi-pro football league founded about three years ago, with players who played college footblall in Mexico and a few abroad (the past weekend I saw a game and I was surprised, the two QBs were American and had played NAIA football). Even Chad Johnson (Ochocinco), the former Bengals WR, played a couple of games with the Monterry team in the first season, and some players went the past season to thye practice squads of the CFL (they have an agreement between the two leagues).
I am amazed that the league stays afloat, the games are played at smaller stadiums (non-soccer, which in Mexico they are the largest stadiums by capacity) with NCAA rules. All the uniforms have the players last names in their backs, which is surprising since usaully in Mexico the college teams don't. The games are televised by a smaller cable network, and as they are day games usually, they don't have much TV audience.
