Two “other” football leagues are looking to become one.
Axios.com reported Tuesday that the XFL and USFL are in advanced talks to merge. An announcement could come later this week.
Per the report:
The merger would be structured as a merger of equals and would require regulatory approval, one of the sources said. The leagues hope to combine before the 2024 seasons.
- Fox Corp. owns the USFL, while the XFL is owned by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, his business partner Dany Garcia, and RedBird Capital Partners.
- Game broadcasts of the combined league are likely to be split between Fox and XFL media partner Disney, according to the source. The USFL also has a broadcast agreement with NBC, although it’s not yet been determined if that will continue.
The XFL is on its third attempt to succeed with the first two failing under WWE boss Vince McMahon.
The USFL had a much stronger run decades ago before failing in part due to a legal flop that included Donald Trump.
The USFL filed an antitrust lawsuit with the NFL and won the case for just $1. The three-year court battle added to the league’s financial woes and the USFL was forced to close operations in 1986.
