The XFL Was Smarter Than You Think
The fifteen year anniversary of Vince McMahon's ill-fated foray into professional football has spurred renewed interest in the XFL. ESPN ran a "30 for 30" documentary on the subject last week. Dave Meltzer recapped the XFL's history on Wrestling Observer Radio this morning. Conventional wisdom is that the XFL was doomed before it began. The league's 50% owners, NBC, showed signs of abandoning the project after the second of its twelve weeks. (Key quote: "We are absolutely committed to [the XFL] for the full season," with no mention of the second contracted season.) Television viewership collapsed almost minute-by-minute following a blockbuster opening week debut. Vince McMahon's penchant for publicity stunts (bikini'd cheerleaders in swimming pools, Jim Ross as lead television announcer, promises of punt returners getting Jacked Up , et al. ) turned off mainstream sports media types and, likely, many football fans. The greatest sin