Inside the Downfall of the XFL

ESPN Daily

ESPN

Sports

4.6 • 3.9K Ratings

🗓️ 16 June 2020

⏱️ 25 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Four months ago, the XFL kicked off with hopes of becoming the league that would finally make spring football work. With big money backing them from WWE's Vince McMahon and veteran leadership from commissioner Oliver Luck, signs pointed to success. Then after just five weeks of play, the coronavirus forced the XFL and sports leagues everywhere to press pause. While other major sports are either on their way to resuming play or fighting out the details, the XFL decided to shutter its doors for good. What went wrong? ESPN's Kevin Seifert gives a behind-the-scenes look account of the XFL's downfall, and discusses whether it could have been saved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Carnell Jones.
0:02.6	They flip.
0:03.5	Back to Rogers.
0:04.5	Back to Jones.
0:05.3	A man wide open down the sideline.
0:07.8	It's Carrey Lee.
0:09.2	Five.
0:10.1	Go-line touchdown.
0:12.2	D.C. Defenders with some razzle.
0:18.4	The XFL was supposed to be the league that could finally make spring football work.
0:23.3	With financial backing from WWE's Vince McMahon and veteran leadership from Commissioner Oliver Luck,
0:29.2	the idea seemed promising.
0:31.6	But just five weeks in, COVID-19 forced the XFL to hit pause.
0:35.7	And then, unlike other leagues, it announced it was shutting down for good.
0:41.8	Today, the inside story of why the XFL closed its doors and whether it could have been saved.
0:49.8	I'm Inakimes. It's Tuesday, June 16th.
0:53.1	This is ESPN Daily, presented by Marathon.
0:59.0	Hey, Kevin. I'm Mina. What's shaking? What's shaking? What's shaking? Not much. I'm here talking to you.
1:07.0	Kevin Seafurt writes about the NFL and the XFL for ESPN.
1:16.6	So Kevin, the last time you and I talked was to preview the XFL.
1:18.8	We're so excited about this new league.
1:21.6	We're talking about the rules and how fun it would be and whether it would work.
	...

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