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The Rock buys the XFL

DanMetroMan : 8/3/2020 10:58 am
Scott Soshnick
@soshnick
·
1h
BREAKING: Massive @Sportico
Exclusive: Dwayne @TheRock
Johnson buys @xfl2020
with Gerry Cardinale's RedBird Capital for $15 million, hours before scheduled bankruptcy auction #SportsBiz #XFL #WWE.
He's so damn charming.  
NoPeanutz : 8/3/2020 11:05 am : link
People will watch and sponsors will jump in just because he asks them too.
Gerry Cardinale  
PaulBlakeTSU : 8/3/2020 11:13 am : link
was the partner at Goldman who established the initial investment that effectively launched the YES Network into what it is. He has some serious clout. This is a good pairing with someone as outwardly facing as The Rock.

I'm interested to see what they make of this .
You're welcome and Thank you!  
Rudy5757 : 8/3/2020 11:13 am : link
Ok, ok, I see what's happening here
You're face to face with greatness, and it's strange
You don't even know how you feel
It's adorable!
Well, it's nice to see that humans never change
Open your eyes, let's begin
Yes, it's really me, it's Maui: breathe it in!
I know it's a lot: the hair, the bod!
When you're staring at a demi-god
What can I say except you're welcome
For the tides, the sun, the sky
Hey, it's okay, it's okay
You're welcome
I'm just an ordinary demi-guy
Hey!
What has two thumbs that pulled up the sky
When you were waddling yay high
This guy!
When the nights got cold
Who stole you fire from down below
You're lookin' at him, yo
Oh, also I lassoed the sun
You're welcome!
To stretch the days and bring you fun
Also I harnessed the breeze
You're welcome!
To fill your sails and shake your trees
So what can I say except you're welcome
For the islands I pulled from the sea
There's no need to pray, it's okay
You're welcome!
Ha, I guess it's just my way of being me
You're welcome!
You're welcome!
Well, come to think of it
Kid, honestly I can go on and on
I can explain every natural phenomenon
The tide, the grass, the ground, oh
That was Maui just messing around
I killed an eel
I buried its guts
Sprouted a tree, now you got coconuts
What's the lesson?
What is the take-away?
Don't mess with Maui when he's on the break-away
And the tapestry here on my skin
Is a map of the victories I win
Look where I've been
I make everything happen
Look at that mini-Maui just tippity-tappin'
Well, anyway let me say you're welcome
For the wonderful world you know
Hey, it's okay, it's okay
You're welcome!
Well, come to think of it, I gotta go
Hey, it's your day to say you're welcome
'Cause I'm gonna need that boat
I'm sailing away, away
You're welcome!
'Cause Maui can do anything but float
You're welcome!
You're welcome!
And thank you!
Link - ( New Window )
what do they get for $15M?  
giants#1 : 8/3/2020 11:17 am : link
Naming rights for a league that's gone under twice? Anything else?
The Rock is famous enough  
UConn4523 : 8/3/2020 11:18 am : link
and has the business accumen and public persona to be the next POTUS if he wanted to so I think he can work wonders with something like the XFL.
.......  
CoughlinHandsonHips : 8/3/2020 11:29 am : link
I would think a nice opportunity with a league is in the realm of video games.

Madden has a stranglehold on the NFL rights.

I get the feeling fans are beyond frustrated with the direction the game has gone

Having an alternative could be nice.
RE: .......  
UConn4523 : 8/3/2020 11:51 am : link
In comment 14942976 CoughlinHandsonHips said:
Quote:
I would think a nice opportunity with a league is in the realm of video games.

Madden has a stranglehold on the NFL rights.

I get the feeling fans are beyond frustrated with the direction the game has gone

Having an alternative could be nice.


2K sports is going to start making football games again. They have permission to use NFL names they just can't make it a full "simulation" game like 2K5 or Madden so it will be interesting to see what they come up with.
Am I watching  
Bleedin Blue : 8/3/2020 11:55 am : link
an episode of Ballers, or do you think he can pull this off??
Why?  
montanagiant : 8/3/2020 12:24 pm : link
Did he need a write-off?
That's $15 million  
Knineteen : 8/3/2020 12:58 pm : link
down the tubes.

XFL did catch a horrendous deal this year though.
RE: That's $15 million  
UConn4523 : 8/3/2020 1:21 pm : link
In comment 14943057 Knineteen said:
Quote:
down the tubes.

XFL did catch a horrendous deal this year though.


We don't know their plans but "multi-media company" has been used to describe their reason for buying it so I think their plans go far beyond the field.

I'm not saying everything the Rock touches turns to gold but I can say it rarely crashes and burns and I'll give him the benefit of the doubt here. Something is brewing or he wouldn't waste his time (which for him is more valuable than the $15m).
The nickname possibilities are exciting...  
DCGMan : 8/3/2020 2:17 pm : link
Cleveland Candy Asses
Pittsburgh Pies
San Diego Smackdowns
Jacksonville Jabronis
RE: That's $15 million  
bradshaw44 : 8/3/2020 2:23 pm : link
In comment 14943057 Knineteen said:
Quote:
down the tubes.

XFL did catch a horrendous deal this year though.


I'm sure he and his business partner have some sort of plan in place. Something that I'm going to guess leans more towards the WWE angle like it did before. Just a guess.

And I could see them doing something innovative like mixing in an e-sports angle somehow.

Either way, I'm sure they have a plan that's worth taking a swing at being that $15 mil is not a lot in the grand scheme of things.
Can you smell what the Rock is cookin'?  
Gman11 : 8/3/2020 4:16 pm : link
LOL. Who cares who owns the league if the quality of play isn't any good?
RE: Can you smell what the Rock is cookin'?  
UConn4523 : 8/3/2020 4:18 pm : link
In comment 14943232 Gman11 said:
Quote:
LOL. Who cares who owns the league if the quality of play isn't any good?


Isn't that why new ownership would be a good thing? Ask Mets fans if they want ownership to change...
UConn  
Gman11 : 8/3/2020 4:29 pm : link
He still only going to have cast-offs and players that couldn't make it in the NFL. It won't be any different than XFL 1 or XFL 2 or the AAF
RE: RE: .......  
Toth029 : 8/3/2020 4:30 pm : link
In comment 14942996 UConn4523 said:
Quote:
In comment 14942976 CoughlinHandsonHips said:


Quote:


I would think a nice opportunity with a league is in the realm of video games.

Madden has a stranglehold on the NFL rights.

I get the feeling fans are beyond frustrated with the direction the game has gone

Having an alternative could be nice.



2K sports is going to start making football games again. They have permission to use NFL names they just can't make it a full "simulation" game like 2K5 or Madden so it will be interesting to see what they come up with.


NFL Street or some shitty mobile game.
RE: UConn  
UConn4523 : 8/3/2020 4:58 pm : link
In comment 14943243 Gman11 said:
Quote:
He still only going to have cast-offs and players that couldn't make it in the NFL. It won't be any different than XFL 1 or XFL 2 or the AAF


Think beyond XFL, specifically what I quoted above. Its not going to be like what we've seen to date. Whether its a revamped league or a marketing company or both.
RE: UConn  
FStubbs : 8/3/2020 5:30 pm : link
In comment 14943243 Gman11 said:
Quote:
He still only going to have cast-offs and players that couldn't make it in the NFL. It won't be any different than XFL 1 or XFL 2 or the AAF


XFL 2 wasn't as ambitious as XFL 1 and only failed due to COVID. It'll be interesting to see what he does.
Thinking..  
FatMan in Charlotte : 8/3/2020 6:05 pm : link
that XFL 2 failed due to COVID is really short-sighted. It was flailing from the get-go. There was a struggle to make payroll and the attendance wasn't meeting expectations. I do think the viewership was decent, but in the other areas, it was a struggling league.

At the end of the day, if you start up a professional football league, quality of play will be King.
If they want to go  
Gman11 : 8/3/2020 6:36 pm : link
head to head with the NFL it won't last past the planning stage. If they want a spring league they have to compete with baseball, NBA playoffs, NHL playoffs, MLS and EPL. There's a reason spring football has failed beside the crappy product.
Gents  
Dragon : 8/3/2020 6:58 pm : link
He spent 15 mil to buy a league a gamble yes for sure but it’s not an end to his fortune. However many want to see someone buy a perennial loosing team for a billion plus yes the No Miracles left Mets.
RE: Thinking..  
Zeke's Alibi : 8/3/2020 7:03 pm : link
In comment 14943325 FatMan in Charlotte said:
Quote:
that XFL 2 failed due to COVID is really short-sighted. It was flailing from the get-go. There was a struggle to make payroll and the attendance wasn't meeting expectations. I do think the viewership was decent, but in the other areas, it was a struggling league.

At the end of the day, if you start up a professional football league, quality of play will be King.


Wasn't it a success based on that. It wasn't a sport made for attendance, it was literally made for TV. That is where the money is and it took place in a perfect season to grab eyeballs. I'd imagine the playoffs would have been a good watch with the under 2 minute rules the way they were and the alternative scoring. I was pretty convinced it was doomed to fail because I prefer my alternative where you compete for 18-22-year-olds by paying them and billing it as NFL's next stars. After a month of watching though I was surprised how good the product was and, outside of some QB play, it was extremely watchable.
I'm not surprised it got picked up at all and now it got picked up  
Zeke's Alibi : 8/3/2020 7:04 pm : link
by someone that will be able to market the shit out of it.
15 million is really a drop in the bucket though compared to the  
Zeke's Alibi : 8/3/2020 7:06 pm : link
upside. Will it work long term? Probably not, but the financial possibility there is pretty intense of you use your imagination.
I hope it works out  
TXRabbit : 8/4/2020 3:20 am : link
Went to one game down here in Arlington and it was an absolute BLAST.
It was loud, obnoxious, always had something going on to keep the crown attentive and beers were only 6 bucks!
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